buffet table. “Look. He’s all over her.”
“She can take care of herself.”
“Ty, she’s out of her element.”
Ty reluctantly glanced in Jessica’s direction and then gritted his teeth when Lannigan suggestively slid his hand up Jessica’s arm. “You’re right. This is bullshit.”
“It’s about damned time,” Noah agreed with a firm nod.
“I hope I don’t regret this,” he muttered, but he scooted his chair back and made a beeline for the buffet before he knew exactly what he was going to do once he got there. A big dose of jealousy swirled around with his need to protect Jessica, and for the first time in a long while, Ty felt unsure of how to handle himself.
When Jessica looked up at him, he pretended to be interested in the food and reached for a plate. “Excuse me,” Ty said, making Lannigan have to step away from the table so that he could stand closer to Jessica. “I’d like to have some of the, uh, spinach dip.”
Damn
. He didn’t like spinach dip. . . .
“Sure, Mr. McKenna,” Lannigan said, making Ty feel like an old geezer. When a slow song came on, Lannigan turned to Jessica. “You wanna dance, birthday babe?”
The seductive Sinatra ballad had Ty gritting his teeth again. “Actually, Jessica, I need to talk to you.”
“May I ask about what?” Jessica looked at him with a slight frown.
Think fast.
“Um, it’s a business situation.”
“Does it have to be now?” Her eyebrows shot up.
“It’s a pretty pressing matter. Lannigan, do you mind?” Ty asked, but gave him a level look that suggested he had better not mind.
“No, sure, Mr. McKenna,” Logan replied. But then he leaned in close to Jessica’s ear and continued loud enough for Ty to hear, “Save the next slow one for me. Okay, baby?”
“No problem,” Jessica replied, but her smile faded when she turned to Ty. “So what’s this urgent business matter you need to speak with me about?”
Ty cupped his hand over her elbow. “Let’s get some fresh air and I’ll explain.”
Jessica hesitated, but then nodded. “All right.”
“Thanks. I won’t keep you long.” Ty put his hand on the small of her back and led her outside to the patio overlooking a bend in the river visible through the budding trees. Pete had yet to set the tables up for his summer beer garden, so they were the only two out there. “Too cold?” he asked.
“I’m fine,” she assured him, but then leaned her hip against the railing and looked at him expectantly. She appeared so lovely in the light of the moon that he wanted to gather her into his arms and kiss her. “So, what’s up?”
“I was rescuing you,” he said, deciding to go for the direct approach.
“Rescuing me?” She tilted her head, making her ponytail slip over her shoulder. Ty wanted to reach out and touch it. “From what?”
Although Ty got the distinct impression this wasn’t going to go well, he was invested and continued. “From Logan Lannigan.”
“So . . .” She raised her eyebrows and put her hands on her hips. Not a good sign. “You thought I needed to be rescued from Logan?”
“I thought you might have been tired of him pawing all over you. Come on, Jessica. He was after one thing and it wasn’t birthday cake.”
“Really?” She tilted her head farther. “And what might that be?”
“Every young dude’s dream. To score with a beautiful, mature woman.”
“Mature?” She drew out the word.
Oh, boy . . .
“You know, that whole cougar thing.” His smile felt more like a wince. “Hey, I did say
beautiful
.”
“For a woman my age.”
“I didn’t say that.”
Jessica sucked in her bottom lip as if in thought, and Ty braced himself for the missile she was sure to fire. “So, it’sperfectly acceptable for
you
to have a sweet young thing on
your
arm, but the reverse isn’t okay for me?”
Oh, this was going to hell in a handbasket at warp speed. He was going to kick Noah’s ass all the way into next week for
“She can take care of herself.”
“Ty, she’s out of her element.”
Ty reluctantly glanced in Jessica’s direction and then gritted his teeth when Lannigan suggestively slid his hand up Jessica’s arm. “You’re right. This is bullshit.”
“It’s about damned time,” Noah agreed with a firm nod.
“I hope I don’t regret this,” he muttered, but he scooted his chair back and made a beeline for the buffet before he knew exactly what he was going to do once he got there. A big dose of jealousy swirled around with his need to protect Jessica, and for the first time in a long while, Ty felt unsure of how to handle himself.
When Jessica looked up at him, he pretended to be interested in the food and reached for a plate. “Excuse me,” Ty said, making Lannigan have to step away from the table so that he could stand closer to Jessica. “I’d like to have some of the, uh, spinach dip.”
Damn
. He didn’t like spinach dip. . . .
“Sure, Mr. McKenna,” Lannigan said, making Ty feel like an old geezer. When a slow song came on, Lannigan turned to Jessica. “You wanna dance, birthday babe?”
The seductive Sinatra ballad had Ty gritting his teeth again. “Actually, Jessica, I need to talk to you.”
“May I ask about what?” Jessica looked at him with a slight frown.
Think fast.
“Um, it’s a business situation.”
“Does it have to be now?” Her eyebrows shot up.
“It’s a pretty pressing matter. Lannigan, do you mind?” Ty asked, but gave him a level look that suggested he had better not mind.
“No, sure, Mr. McKenna,” Logan replied. But then he leaned in close to Jessica’s ear and continued loud enough for Ty to hear, “Save the next slow one for me. Okay, baby?”
“No problem,” Jessica replied, but her smile faded when she turned to Ty. “So what’s this urgent business matter you need to speak with me about?”
Ty cupped his hand over her elbow. “Let’s get some fresh air and I’ll explain.”
Jessica hesitated, but then nodded. “All right.”
“Thanks. I won’t keep you long.” Ty put his hand on the small of her back and led her outside to the patio overlooking a bend in the river visible through the budding trees. Pete had yet to set the tables up for his summer beer garden, so they were the only two out there. “Too cold?” he asked.
“I’m fine,” she assured him, but then leaned her hip against the railing and looked at him expectantly. She appeared so lovely in the light of the moon that he wanted to gather her into his arms and kiss her. “So, what’s up?”
“I was rescuing you,” he said, deciding to go for the direct approach.
“Rescuing me?” She tilted her head, making her ponytail slip over her shoulder. Ty wanted to reach out and touch it. “From what?”
Although Ty got the distinct impression this wasn’t going to go well, he was invested and continued. “From Logan Lannigan.”
“So . . .” She raised her eyebrows and put her hands on her hips. Not a good sign. “You thought I needed to be rescued from Logan?”
“I thought you might have been tired of him pawing all over you. Come on, Jessica. He was after one thing and it wasn’t birthday cake.”
“Really?” She tilted her head farther. “And what might that be?”
“Every young dude’s dream. To score with a beautiful, mature woman.”
“Mature?” She drew out the word.
Oh, boy . . .
“You know, that whole cougar thing.” His smile felt more like a wince. “Hey, I did say
beautiful
.”
“For a woman my age.”
“I didn’t say that.”
Jessica sucked in her bottom lip as if in thought, and Ty braced himself for the missile she was sure to fire. “So, it’sperfectly acceptable for
you
to have a sweet young thing on
your
arm, but the reverse isn’t okay for me?”
Oh, this was going to hell in a handbasket at warp speed. He was going to kick Noah’s ass all the way into next week for
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