straightens up and smiles at my annoying brother.
“I can handle rude and demanding. It’s controlling behavior that I don’t tolerate.”
Travis grins at me. “Ev rides the fence on that one.” He points over to Sarge and Roman, who are almost too far down to hear us.
“We’ve got bossy and grumpy down there, spoiled right here …” he says, holding his beer toward me, “and well, it took four tries, but my parents finally got perfection with me.” He grins at the girls, his ego oozing out of him.
“How long has it been since I gave you a good ass kicking?” I ask.
“I’m only playin’ around,” he replies before he picks up a menu. He knows it’s time to shut his damn mouth.
“How many beers is that?” I ask Reese.
“Why?”
Sliding my hand over her thigh, I lean in and whisper, “I need to know how many it takes to get what I want.”
Thankfully, this place is loud, but I doubt we’ll be able to hide the sexual tension between us. She turns to me and smirks.
“This is number three. How many do you need before you’re too wasted to care?”
“I’m not going to drink. I’m certain I’ll be taking you home.” Her body tenses before she pulls back and scowls at me again.
“I don’t need your help. Don’t change your plans for tonight because of me. If you were going to drink then drink.”
I squeeze her leg and move my mouth to her ear.
“I’m one hundred percent sure you taste better than beer.”
“I’m going to need another , and you still won’t be any closer to getting what you want,” she says, finally smiling at me again. Bullshit. I’m sure we’ll be getting closer after four beers.
Reese an d I spend the next hour entertained as we watch Travis and Kyle fight for Becca’s attention. I also notice my brothers, and a few of the guys that work for us, staring at Reese and me every chance they get.
They’ re trying to piece a story together, likely puzzled that I’m even near her. I realize my hand has been on her leg since we took our seats.
“Reese, why don’t you come sit down here, so we can get to know you better?” Jess asks from the other end of the table. S hit. He’s an overall nice dude and my best airbrush guy. I can’t afford to piss him off too badly, but he’s not getting Reese.
A nervous smile appears as she hesitates to respond. “Um, I better keep my sister company.” Good girl. Stay near me.
“It looks like she has plenty of company,” Brady says with a chuckle. I wonder if the man even showered after work. He’s still covered in grease and paint.
“Yeah, I don’t see her getting lonely,” Jess adds, waving for Reese to come sit by them.
“Um, OK,” she says before her warm thigh slips from my hand. Dammit . Grabbing her beer, she heads toward them. Jess pats the empty seat next to him. Her cheeks are red, the alcohol making her body hot, which has my cock twitching.
Becca excuses herself to the restroom, and Sarge walks down to take the seat next to me.
“What’s going on?” he asks.
“Nothing.”
“You like her, and I told you not to be too nice.”
“You’ve also been trying to get me to talk to women for a year now. Which do you want?”
“She works for us, Ev. I don’t want her to quit. These damn waitresses won’t leave you alone. Ask one of them out.”
“You need to stay out of this.”
“Shit, something has already happened. Roman told me you had a secret, and you’ve been in way too good a mood, that is until Reese moved to the other end of the table.”
I hear the chairs push back and then the yelling. Kyle and Travis have their chests puffed out and are staring each other down. Jumping to my feet, I hold my arms out between them. “Sit your asses down.”
“I talked to her first,” Travis says, pointing.
“You should’ve asked her out when you had the chance. She said I could take her home.”
Ah, shit. “ Neither of you are taking her. I’m driving her and Reese, and someone else