My mind flashes to all the places I’d love to feel those “capable hands” on my body.
A flush sweeps up my neck, but before either can ask about it, the bell rings in the kitchen. “Order’s ready. I’ll be back.” I scurry off, away from the big man who makes my body heat with desire just with his mere presence.
Yes, I could definitely use a little distance from Ford.
Between those eyes and his no-nonsense attitude, he screams trouble. The type of trouble that could easily get a girl like me into a whole heap of it.
Again.
And trouble’s the last thing I want or need.
No, the best thing I can do is stay away from Ford Gregory.
Chapter 3
Ford
Sliding my ass back onto the barstool, I fight like hell to appear unaffected. I don’t want her to think I’m an asshole, but the minute I saw that prick’s hand connect with her ass, red-hot anger ignited in my veins. I was on my feet and on my way to her before I could think better of it.
“I knew you were in the most capable hands ever, so I wasn’t too worried,” Chad says from his seat beside me.
Capable hands.
Flashes of what I could do to her with my hands filter through my mind. I shake my head, trying to jolt the thoughts, but it’s no use. They’re there, front and center like a fucking movie reel. My cock even agrees as it painfully presses against my zipper.
Never before have I seen a more beautiful woman. Not in a magazine or on TV, and certainly not standing before me with her long dirty-blonde hair and those striking blue-green eyes. I allow my gaze to travel over her slender neck and briefly stare at the V-neck of her shirt, showing off what I’m sure are the greatest set of tits in all the world.
“Order’s ready. I’ll be back,” the beautiful Shayne says as she turns on her heel and scurries back to the kitchen.
“You all right there, man?” Chad asks. I don’t have to look at him to know he’s smirking. I can hear it in his voice.
Turning my head, I see that I’m right. “You didn’t tell me Shayne was a female cousin.” My voice sounds accusing even to my own ears. What I’m not saying is that he never told me his cousin Shayne is a fucking knockout. I’m also aware that this is the second time I’ve stated the fact and that I’m starting to sound like a broken record.
“Huh,” he says, placing his bottle of beer to his lips. “Must have slipped my mind.” I watch as he takes a healthy drink.
“You might as well let me have it,” I say, taking a huge drink of my own beer. From the way he’s talked about Shayne over the years, I know they’re close. Now that I know Shayne’s a girl, well, I’m sure I’m about to get the “she’s family and off-limits” speech. Come to think of it, he’s never given me that speech about Cassie either.
“What exactly am I giving you? Bro, you know I’m batting for the ladies’ team, right?” He huffs out a laugh.
“Fuck off,” I grumble.
“Here you go,” Shayne says cheerily, setting a plate of wings in front of each of us. “Here are some extra napkins.” She reaches under the bar and places a large stack in front of us. “Can I get you anything else?” Her eyes flash from me to Chad.
Your number.
“No. Thank you, Shayne. These look great.”
Her smile grows at my compliment. It’s funny how I want to beat on my chest and roar like a caveman from the smile I got out of her. I don’t know what the fuck is wrong with me. Maybe it’s being stateside for the first time in almost a year. Although, I’ve been gone the same amount of time in the past and never had this kind of reaction to a stranger.
Only she’s not a stranger. Not really. I know she’s worked here for two years and that she is close to Chad’s immediate family. I know she spent more time at his place growing up than she did her own. I know she sticks to herself and that she means a lot to my buddy. I knew all those things about her when I thought she was a he. Her gender doesn’t change that. What it changes is now I’ve met her, now I’ve laid eyes on her, I want to know more. I want every tiny morsel of information I can learn about her.
It’s fucked up, and I don’t understand why I feel this way. I just do.
“Here.” Chad hands me a napkin.
“What’s that for?” I ask, confused. I’ve yet to take a bite of my wings.
“The drool on your chin.” He laughs.
“I blame you for that.”
“Me? How in the hell do you blame me for you drooling over my cousin?”
“You could have warned me.”
“She’s just Shayne to me. Sure, she’s beautiful, but I just see her as my cousin.” He shrugs. “As far as Shayne goes, she’s good people. The best. She’s had a hard life. She was dealt a shit hand in the parent department. She’s family…might as well be my sister. You’re my best friend. I’d lay my life down for you, and I have not a single doubt in my mind that you’d do the same for me. If you’re interested in her for more than just getting your dick wet, then go for it.”
“Is she seeing anyone? I mean, how would that work? We’re home just under two weeks. Fuck, I’m only here for a week,” I ramble.
There are a million and one questions filtering through my mind. I know that starting something when we have to go back to base is a bad idea. While we’re stateside and shouldn’t be deployed again for a while, this is the army, and you never know when that’s going to change. We could be called out tomorrow and have to go back. It’s not fair to start something and leave her. That’s what one side of my brain is saying. The other is telling me that I’ve never had a reaction to a woman like I have to Shayne, and I need to hold tight and never let go. My head is a fucked-up jumbled mess of what-ifs right now. Not to mention, I’m still thinking about what I could do to her with my hands.
“Nope. You’re not getting any more intel from me, my friend. If you’re interested in Shayne, you’re going to have to work for it. She deserves that and so much more.”
“Come on, man. You at least have to tell me if she’s seeing someone.”
“Who are we talking about?” Shayne asks, appearing in front of us. She opens a fresh bottle of beer, setting it in front of me, before doing the same for Chad. “I pretty much know everyone in this town.”
“You,” Chad tells her. “Ford here was just asking me if you were seeing anyone.”
I watch her closely as her mouth forms an O, her jaw slackening, and her eyes widen. “Me?” She blinks a few times before closing her mouth and looking between Chad and me.
I open my mouth to say something, anything to redeem myself, but I can’t seem to find the words. Instead, I sit here on the barstool looking like a damn fish, opening and closing my mouth over and over again.
“Damn, Shay, you’ve rendered my boy speechless.” Chad claps a hand on my shoulder. “Ford here’s interested in knowing more about you. I told him that my lips are sealed.”
I turn to look at my best friend, shrugging his hand off my shoulder, and watch as he pretends to zip his lips and toss the key over his shoulder.