Her jaw drops. “That’s not what I said—”
I burst out laughing, and she shakes her head at me. “What the hell am I going to do with you?”
I mean, I could think of a few things.
“Don’t look at me like that,” she grumbles, looking away.
“Like what?” I ask, waiting for her to slowly bring her eyes back to me.
She turns her back to me instead, so I walk around her and face her so our eyes are locked once more. “Like you’re hungry for something that’s not being offered.”
“You have beautiful brown eyes, you know that?” I whisper, unable to look away.
She ducks her head, cheeks blushing a little. “You’re good, Decker, I’ll give you that.”
“How do you know? You haven’t even tried me yet.”
Clover sticks her head into our conversation. “Guys, should we go home? It’s getting late, and Tracker and Lana are making out.”
I turn to find a woman with dark hair straddling a man, both of them in their fifties, the two of them going at it. While the image may seem a little uncomfortable, it’s oddly arousing—which means I probably should go.
“That would be our cue to leave,” Cara replies, looking entertained. “Grab Felix and let’s get out of here.”
We say our goodbyes and pile into Felix’s car. I look over at Cara next to me in the backseat and wonder why I can’t find any women like her who live closer by.
From the outside it would look like I have no trouble getting women, and that might be true, but I can’t seem to find that soul connection with anyone. And when I think there might be something more there, there are usually some kinds of obstacles in the way.
“Are we getting food or going straight to drop you two off?” Felix asks.
“Food, of course,” Clover pipes up from the front. “It’s the best part of the night, and we have to soak up all that alcohol so we can all carry on tomorrow like responsible adults.”
“Pretend, you mean,” I add, making them all laugh.
We stop at a twenty-four hour burger joint and share a booth. “I haven’t done anything like this in so long,” I admit, leaning back against the leather. “It’s been all work and no play.”
Okay, a little play, usually involving women, but no time for going out with friends or drinking.
“Me too,” Felix agrees, wrapping his arm around his wife. “It’s been good, though. I’m glad we made the drive here and ran into you. Who knows what would have happened if we hadn’t.”
“Rhett would have decked him in front of Rift?” Clover suggests, giggling. “Decked, get it?”
Cara rolls her eyes.
“I know Rhett is a good street fighter, but Decker would have easily won that fight, no doubt there,” Felix tells her. “He’s a beast; take my word for it. He did Rhett a favor by not getting into it with him.”
I grin wolfishly. There is no satisfaction greater than being better than a woman’s ex.
“What? No way. I’ve seen Rhett fight. Hell, I’ve fought Rhett. He’s good,” Clover replies, shaking her head in disagreement.
“Yeah, he’s good, but Decker is fucking great. Remember, I told you he’s a martial artist. I know you all train with each other, but Decker is actually professionally trained in muay thai,” Felix tells her, looking back at me. “I know he just looks like a pretty boy, but he’s not.”
Clover’s eyebrows rise as she looks me over, impressed. “Oh, shit. That’s right. I vaguely remember you telling me something along those lines. Want to fight me, Decker? I’ve been looking for a challenge.”
I laugh out loud. “No, thank you. I don’t make it a habit to fight women.”
Clover smirks. “I’m not just any woman. I’ve been fighting ever since I was a kid. And it’s the twenty-first century. Gender equality.”
“Babe, you can’t be mad at him that he doesn’t want to fight my wife,” Felix replies in a dry tone. He brings his eyes to me. “Thank you for declining.”
“Anytime.”
“I appreciate you not taking the bait and putting on a show in the ring,” Cara says to me as the food arrives. “Especially now that I know that you easily could have.”
“Like I said, I wouldn’t do that to you. You had enough of a rough night as it was,” I reply, leaning my arm behind her on top of the leather seat. “And I don’t really feel the need to fight to prove myself. I’m a man, not a boy. I’m not one that can be easily goaded to do something that I don’t want to.”
“Good to know,” she replies, tucking her silky brown hair back behind her ear.
“Why are you still single, Decker?” Clover asks, taking a sip of her milkshake. “What’s the baggage?”
I laugh at her bluntness. Clover always likes to ask me this, looking for a magic reason why I’m single. “Baggage? Where do I start?”
“Clover.” Felix sighs at his wife. “You always ask him this.”
“Well, everyone has some. And in all the years we’ve known him, he’s never had a serious relationship. He’s good looking, and you said he’s never had a problem with female attention, and the way he’s watching my best friend right now, I think I have the right to ask,” she declares, lifting her chin.
“I’ve told you before, I don’t know about any baggage. I don’t have any crazy exes still causing me grief, no kids... That I know about,” I reply, ignoring her other comment about Cara and thinking about what else could be a deal breaker for some.
“Debt?” Clover presses.
I shake my head. “Nope, you know me better than that. I own my own house and car.”
She tilts her face to the side, studying me. “You said that you’ve never been engaged...”
“And that hasn’t changed.”
“You’ve never mentioned any long-term girlfriends.”
“Clover,” Cara chides.
“One. Nothing too serious.”
“Ah ha! That’s it then. It’s the commitment issues for you,” Clover concludes with a smirk. “And you’re a ladies’ man. The two go hand in hand.”
“Or I just haven’t been as lucky to meet someone I can connect with enough to want to commit,” I fire back. “I’d never be in a relationship just to be in one. I happen to like my own company and I’d rather be alone than with someone who isn’t right for me.”