Real Men Knit(32)

There she was, politely refusing the kind of pushy—okay, maybe a touch swarmy—dude with a beard, neck tats and ridiculously dry lips, judging by how he couldn’t stop licking them. Yeah, he needed to move back and out of her personal space. And yeah, no matter how much she shimmied backward on the barstool or angled her back, the swarmy guy was still too close.

Kerry shivered, trying to shake off the good feeling Jesse’s fake claim had given her. She felt her body heat as she remembered the damned comforting warmth of his body when he was suddenly solidly by her side. But the fake part was what she had to remind herself of. His pretense of acting like she belonged to him was about as real as that jerk of a swarmy, dry-lipped guy telling her how amazing she was. How she was a dream, a snack, a dime piece, and all he ever desired. She didn’t believe that asshole, and she damned sure didn’t and couldn’t believe Jesse.

Kerry knew she shouldn’t be too mad though. Not at Jesse. The dry-ass lip licker was a lot. The person she should be mad at was herself, and she’d add Val to the mix for coaxing her out and into that particular meat market when she’d told Val there was a rom-com with her name on it.

“Why you playing hard to get on my boy here?” Lip Licker’s wingman had said.

Though flattering at first, their lines were getting old, and Kerry just wanted a table.

“Come on, Shorty,” Lip Licker said. “Why you acting like that?” The host called a name, and he got a tap on his shoulder from another of his friends. “Look, our table is ready. Why don’t you two come and sit with us?”

Kerry shook her head. “No thanks. We’re fine. We’ve got our own drinks and our table is coming.”

Val gave her a little nudge with her knee and a nod of agreement. Though her friend was the original persuader in getting her out earlier—“You need a break,” Val had said, “and I need some dick”—even she wasn’t open to what these dudes were offering up. Instead she looked at Lip Licker’s wingman. “Yeah, we’re good. We’ve got this, but you guys enjoy your night.”

Lip Licker, not happy with the dismissal, changed his tune to a decidedly darker note. As if angry and bitter would somehow be the game changer that instantly had Kerry wetting her pants for him.

“That’s the problem with women nowadays, don’t know how to take it when a man is just trying to be nice. They always got to be too fucking independent for their own good.”

“And thank God for it. I for one can appreciate a woman who can take care of herself.” Kerry heard Jesse’s voice come from over her shoulder as he reached around to take the glass out of her hand. He looked her in the eye as he casually took a sip of her cocktail.

“But seriously, Ker, independence is one thing—these sweet drinks are another thing entirely,” he said, making a face.

When she just stared at him, he tilted his head. “So what’s up, Ms. Independent? You buying?”

She let out a sigh. “Don’t you wish.” But then she noticed Lip Licker starting to flex and changed her tune. She didn’t need unnecessary drama, and even more so, Jesse and the shop didn’t. She looked at him, and though his posture was relaxed and he had his usual smile on, she knew it was fake. There was that subtle hint of tension in his jaw, and when she saw his nostrils flare as he looked at Lip Licker, Kerry decided defusing the situation would be best.

“I do enough,” she said. “Don’t you think? How about you clean out your pocket for a change?”

“I don’t know what’s going on, but I thought you were coming to sit with us?” Lip Licker said, his delusions grand indeed.

“Um, no. That’s not what we said,” Kerry started, but was cut off by Jesse’s familiar arm around her shoulder. For the life of her she didn’t know why she didn’t push it away but wanted to lean into him even more. He looked at the guys as he directed his words to her and Val. “Okay, ladies, let’s go. I’ve got wings cooling over there, and I hate my chicken cold.”

“Damn right.” It was Jesse’s friend Craig, who, it seemed, had assessed the situation from where he was and decided to join them. “Let’s go. My last order is up and I’m not missing out.” Just like Jesse’s, Craig’s words, though seemingly meant for her and Val, were weighted and sent Lip Licker and Wingman’s way. Kerry looked at Craig and didn’t know which idea was scarier: him going at it with this guy or him being mad over his wing-a-thon being interrupted.

She started to get up, nudging Val along with her.

At the table Ziggy scooted over to make room, but Jesse quickly pulled her down and over to his side of the booth. Val took a seat next to Ziggy, and after some shifts, Craig perched on the edge next to her. “Cozy” would be a nice way to describe their seating arrangement; “tight” a more honest one.



* * *





This was not the way she’d expected her night to turn out. Not that she had expected some grand evening, but after the past few days with Jesse, being in such close proximity to him at night was a bit much. As were the looks she kept getting from the hostess from the moment she sat at their table. The man really got around.

Not that it had been entirely uncomfortable, Kerry contemplated as she lathered up her body and recalled the surprising moments of comfort she had enjoyed while squeezed next to Jesse in the booth at Bird’s. It was unnerving how right it had felt sitting close to him. Even with the boisterous friends, the wings and the envious stares, sitting next to Jesse always felt right.