Jesus.
With a shake of my head, I dislodged the errant thoughts and looked around. Shiloh and Quinn were at the bar. Which meant Luke and Brice would be close. And sure enough there they were at the pool table closest to their women. Matt and Dylan were with them.
Not until I got to the table did I realize that I hadn’t even scanned the pool hall for available women. It had been months since I’d bothered.
What the hell is wrong with me?
I didn’t want Lauren. She no longer wanted me.
Time to get back to regularly scheduled programming and find someone to occupy my time.
My stomach revolted and my dick shriveled.
That was a big fucking problem; my dick was no longer cooperating. Rat bastard.
“You showed.” I cut my eyes to Matt and he held up his hands in defense before he continued, “Said what I had to say. We good?”
“Sure, if the subject’s dropped and closed for good,” I returned.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Luke staring at me. He didn’t need Matt nor I to elaborate—he knew what subject I was referring to. It wasn’t long ago over whiskey that he and I had a similar conversation that had ended much the same way the talk with Matt had. They talked, I responded, we didn’t agree on the topics discussed, then the chat ended.
“Did you go over the report I sent?” Dylan asked, effectively changing the topic.
“Yeah. I found a few connections. I’m going in tomorrow to finish.”
“Yo! It’s Friday night. No shop talk,” Luke interjected.
A pretty redhead holding a tray stopped at the table, beaming an artificially whitened smile. No one’s teeth were naturally that bright. I was a sucker for redheads, especially tall ones, with extra attitude and ample curves. And by the saucy smile, this woman was right up my alley. Yet, I felt nothing. Not even a stir.
What the fuck?
“What can I get you?”
A new dick. One that took notice of a pair of tits that were pushed together and mostly exposed for my viewing pleasure.
“Rolling Rock and a shot of Jack, please.” I answered her with my drink order and ignored her cleavage that was doing its best to escape the confines of her tight black V-neck tee.
“Sure thing, darlin’.” She nodded politely and glanced around at the guys. “Anyone need a refill?”
With drink orders given, she turned to leave and I saw Dylan’s eyes drop to the redhead’s ass, a smirk firmly in place.
“You know her?” I asked, and Dylan's smirk curved into a wide smile. “You know her,” I concluded.
“Long time ago,” he unnecessarily confirmed.
“Damn. Maybe if I keep working out with Addy I can lose twenty pounds and look like her.” Lauren giggled from behind me.
What the fuck? Lose twenty pounds?
My body stiffened hearing her sweet voice so carefree. I hadn’t heard her sound like that in months.
“Girl, if you lost twenty pounds you’d disappear,” Quinn told her.
“Ten pounds and boob job,” Lauren continued, and white-hot irritation slithered over my skin.
Lauren was perfect the way she was. There was no need for her to ruin her figure by losing any weight. And fake tits? What the fuck?
“Girl, you’d topple over if your boobs were any bigger.”
“You’re shorter than I am and you have bigger boobs,” Lauren went on.
For fuck’s sake, was this the shit women talked about when they were alone?
“I think your boobs are perfect and you don’t need to lose weight. I’d pay good money to have a booty like yours,” Shiloh put in. “And I love the new blonde streaks in your hair. I think it suits you better than the auburn color.”
I agreed with Shiloh. Not that Lauren hadn’t looked good when she’d dyed her hair, but her natural color was beautiful and the blonde highlights looked sexy.
“Who’s winning?” Lauren asked, still not noticing me.
Or pretending she didn’t. Either of those options pissed me off.
“Dylan,” I snapped.
It was a guess, but an educated one. Dylan always won against Matt.
Lauren’s back went straight and the hand holding her beer started to shake.
Interesting. She hadn’t noticed me, but now that she had she was stiff and waves of hostility were aimed my way. Which only spurred me on.
“Wanna play a round when they’re done?”
“No.”
“Aw, what’s wrong, Ren? Scared you’re gonna lose?”
“Sure, Logan.” Her sarcasm wasn’t lost on me. “You caught me, I’m scared to lose. So scared that I think I’ll take my beer and go hide in the corner.”
What the fuck?
“Hey!” Some tall, skinny fuck stopped by Lauren’s side. “You left before I could ask you to play a game. You up for it?”
“The better question is, are you up for it?” Lauren flirted.
She fucking flirted with some goddamn dullard right in front of me.
“Logan,” Matt rumbled from across the table.
The guy lifted his hand, Lauren took it, and off they went.
“Fuck,” Dylan murmured.
“You two finish your game.” I heard Luke say but my gaze was still trained on the departing couple. “Logan and I have the table next.”
The redhead approached with her pearly whites and cleavage on display and suddenly I didn’t give a shit if my dick had protested the thought of touching a woman that was not Lauren. I didn’t give a shit that Dylan had enjoyed the waitress. It wasn’t like I was going to keep her. My dick was going to have to learn he wasn’t in charge. He was never going to get Lauren. He’d get whatever I gave him.
Goddamn. I’m losing my mind talking about my dick like it’s gonna argue back.
“Anything else?” she asked, setting my beer and shot on the high-top table next to me.
“Another shot when you get a minute,” Luke answered before I could ask the woman what she was doing after work.
“Be back.”
“Don’t even think about it,” Luke warned.
“Think about what?”
“You wanna take a woman home, go for it. But not from here.”
“What’s wrong with taking a woman home from here?”
“First, this is where we all come to have a good time. You, Matt, and Dylan don’t need to leave a trail of disgruntled, pissed-off women so we can’t enjoy a beer without dirty looks and attitude. Secondly, even with this little tiff you and Lauren got going on I know you wouldn’t lay the hurt on her. And you taking that waitress home to fuck right in front of Lauren would burn.”
Wait. What?
“Did you not just see Lauren flirt with that prick right in front of me then leave with him? And wasn’t it Lauren who paraded her goddamn boyfriend in front of me for months?”
Luke got closer and dropped his voice when he said, “We all know she never fucked that tool, Guy. We knew she was never going to, same as the dude she’s playing pool with is gonna go home alone. You though; you walk out of here with a woman…”
Luke left the rest unsaid.
If he only knew how long it’d been since I’d fucked a woman he’d be surprised. Hell, I could barely believe it myself. My dick was well and truly broken. Except when Lauren was around.