night.
An hour passed with more beer and food devoured. She’d picked at her own order, all too aware of Brett’s heavy gaze on her most of the evening.
She’d felt the heat in it and was a bit shocked by the way her body responded. The heat that flowed through her veins and the quickening thud of her heart.
Why did it have to be him that affected her? After all this time of being numb to any kind of feminine reaction to a man. She had to get her knickers twisted over the one guy who’d made it painfully clear he didn’t want to get involved with her.
Even if the way he watched her now clearly spoke otherwise. Had the others noticed the way Brett was watching her? Wouldn’t they find it strange?
Then again, did it really matter? Once she left here tonight she had no intention of seeing any of them again. Though the gym bit might be difficult with Carl. Time to switch gyms. Oh hell, she hated working out, she may as well quit.
She cast Carl a sideways glance and sighed. Her date was now completely piss drunk. Fuck it all, but she would have no choice but to call someone to give her a lift. There was no way she was climbing into a car with an intoxicated driver.
While the bill was settled, Kenzie sent a text to Hailey, hoping her future sister-in-law was still awake.
Minutes ticked by and no reply came. Her heart sank.
“You ready to go?” Carl’s words were slurred as he pushed back his chair and reached for her hand.
“I’ll be taking her home.”
Holy date hijacker, what? Kenzie swung her gaze toward Brett. What was he trying to pull?
She just barely managed to keep her tone polite. “That won’t be necessary, thank you.”
“Perhaps it’s not, but I insist.”
“Insist all you want, I’ll get my own bloody ride.” Unable to control her temper any longer after such a shite evening, she shoved back her chair and stormed off to the bathroom to call Hailey.
Brett watched her stride off away from the table, her hips swinging as she walked in those tiny heels. She was furious, and wonderfully sexy at it.
The pure male response slammed through him in a wash of desire that made his blood pound and his dick take notice. His awareness of her had been simmering all night and was damn near the boiling point.
It was more than her beauty. She had so much attitude and confidence. That confidence and somewhat lack of filter on her thoughts drew him to her even more.
He laid down some bills for the check, making sure he paid for Kenzie’s dinner as well, seeing that her date had screwed that up.
Glancing at the sailor who’d been deemed designated driver, Brett asked, “You’ll be able to take Carl home too?”
“Sure, Chief, not a problem.”
Confusion flashed across Carl’s face. “Hey, wait a minute, that’s my date. You’re not really going to take her home are you?”
“If she can’t find a ride from someone else, then yes.” And he was hoping like hell she didn’t, because the thought of her walking out that door and out of his life again made his chest tighten almost painfully.
He pushed back his chair, said good-bye to the group and made his way to the front of the restaurant.
Kenzie had disappeared into the bathroom, and he waited in the hall for her to reappear. When she finally did, she looked ticked off to the max. When she saw him her scowl deepened and her mouth compressed.
“You find a ride?” he asked quietly.
She lifted her chin and gave him a cool look. “I’ll find one. Don’t worry about it.”
“It’s in my nature to worry. Let me drive you home. You’ll be safe.”
“I don’t doubt that, I simply don’t much like you, Brett,” she said bluntly. “I would rather ride on the back of an arthritic porcupine than drive home with you.”
“Arthritic porcupine?” He blinked. “Slow and painful? Is that what you were going for in that statement?”
“Sure, why not.”
Her quirky sense of humor. Another check under reasons he was attracted to
An hour passed with more beer and food devoured. She’d picked at her own order, all too aware of Brett’s heavy gaze on her most of the evening.
She’d felt the heat in it and was a bit shocked by the way her body responded. The heat that flowed through her veins and the quickening thud of her heart.
Why did it have to be him that affected her? After all this time of being numb to any kind of feminine reaction to a man. She had to get her knickers twisted over the one guy who’d made it painfully clear he didn’t want to get involved with her.
Even if the way he watched her now clearly spoke otherwise. Had the others noticed the way Brett was watching her? Wouldn’t they find it strange?
Then again, did it really matter? Once she left here tonight she had no intention of seeing any of them again. Though the gym bit might be difficult with Carl. Time to switch gyms. Oh hell, she hated working out, she may as well quit.
She cast Carl a sideways glance and sighed. Her date was now completely piss drunk. Fuck it all, but she would have no choice but to call someone to give her a lift. There was no way she was climbing into a car with an intoxicated driver.
While the bill was settled, Kenzie sent a text to Hailey, hoping her future sister-in-law was still awake.
Minutes ticked by and no reply came. Her heart sank.
“You ready to go?” Carl’s words were slurred as he pushed back his chair and reached for her hand.
“I’ll be taking her home.”
Holy date hijacker, what? Kenzie swung her gaze toward Brett. What was he trying to pull?
She just barely managed to keep her tone polite. “That won’t be necessary, thank you.”
“Perhaps it’s not, but I insist.”
“Insist all you want, I’ll get my own bloody ride.” Unable to control her temper any longer after such a shite evening, she shoved back her chair and stormed off to the bathroom to call Hailey.
Brett watched her stride off away from the table, her hips swinging as she walked in those tiny heels. She was furious, and wonderfully sexy at it.
The pure male response slammed through him in a wash of desire that made his blood pound and his dick take notice. His awareness of her had been simmering all night and was damn near the boiling point.
It was more than her beauty. She had so much attitude and confidence. That confidence and somewhat lack of filter on her thoughts drew him to her even more.
He laid down some bills for the check, making sure he paid for Kenzie’s dinner as well, seeing that her date had screwed that up.
Glancing at the sailor who’d been deemed designated driver, Brett asked, “You’ll be able to take Carl home too?”
“Sure, Chief, not a problem.”
Confusion flashed across Carl’s face. “Hey, wait a minute, that’s my date. You’re not really going to take her home are you?”
“If she can’t find a ride from someone else, then yes.” And he was hoping like hell she didn’t, because the thought of her walking out that door and out of his life again made his chest tighten almost painfully.
He pushed back his chair, said good-bye to the group and made his way to the front of the restaurant.
Kenzie had disappeared into the bathroom, and he waited in the hall for her to reappear. When she finally did, she looked ticked off to the max. When she saw him her scowl deepened and her mouth compressed.
“You find a ride?” he asked quietly.
She lifted her chin and gave him a cool look. “I’ll find one. Don’t worry about it.”
“It’s in my nature to worry. Let me drive you home. You’ll be safe.”
“I don’t doubt that, I simply don’t much like you, Brett,” she said bluntly. “I would rather ride on the back of an arthritic porcupine than drive home with you.”
“Arthritic porcupine?” He blinked. “Slow and painful? Is that what you were going for in that statement?”
“Sure, why not.”
Her quirky sense of humor. Another check under reasons he was attracted to
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