Opening Up

by Lauren Dane

  Asa’s baby sister smiled like PJ had just won a blue ribbon.

  “Asa and our mom have a really deep connection. She fought for him. Years of her life she fought for him and never gave up until he was back home. He adores her.”

  PJ swallowed. He hadn’t told her that story yet. And while she was hungry for details about him, she wanted Asa to tell her. To share himself by choice.

  So she shifted the topic to something else, really liking Courtney Barrons.

  CHAPTER

  Eighteen

  There were already about ten people at the restaurant when PJ and Asa arrived. They liked this place and their group often came in on a weeknight to hang out.

  Duke stood at the bar with Duane, one of Twisted Steel’s mechanics, and when he saw them both he raised a hand in greeting.

  “Asa.” Duke tipped his chin before turning to PJ with a big teasing smile. “Delightful, de-lovely Penelope. Nice to see you both. Though one of you is nicer to see than the other. Just sayin’.” He winked and Asa groaned.

  Then Duane made a comment about Mustangs that had Asa sputtering.

  PJ joined in for a while, as she had her own very strong feelings on the subject, until the argument finally got down to some ridiculously esoteric level and she kissed Asa’s cheek, patted Duke’s forearm, and wandered off.

  Mick arrived and joined them at the bar for a while as people came and went.

  By the time Asa looked up, PJ was off with Duke and some of the others at a table halfway across the restaurant, already eating, smiling and apparently having a good time.

  He wanted to be having a good time with her too. Asa began to extricate himself from the discussion so he could head over to her.

  “Where’d your hot blond girlfriend get to anyway?” Mick looked around, and then once he caught sight of PJ he headed over like Asa wasn’t even there.

  Asa followed. “For a guy who started out pretty much hating her, you sure have changed your tune.”

  “I’ve had the time to get to know her and realize how wrong I was. I probably began to fall for her when she flipped me off. You don’t deserve all that youth and beauty, so I’m just hanging around waiting for her to figure it out. Then I’ll sweep her off her feet and you can eat shit.”

  Asa flipped Mick off. “It’s nice for you to have dreams you’ll never achieve. You need to set the bar way lower, though.”

  Mick flipped him off in return, but his attention had already shifted back to PJ. He bumped her fist as he slid into the booth across from her.

  “You’re eating already?” Asa noted the little plates from the conveyor belt on the table in front of her.

  She laughed like he was crazy. “Yes, of course! You were all high on Mustang talk so I came over here to have a drink and eat and let Duke charm me. Plus I was able to watch you from my seat. You’re very sexy when you get worked up about cars.”

  Duke snorted. “Gross.”

  Asa shot Duke a look. “Then get up so I can sit there.”

  Duke moved a space over and Asa slid into the empty spot at her side. He grabbed some tuna and eel. She gave him the eye and he grinned. “Don’t tell me these are all California rolls.”

  PJ sniffed, such a perfect haughty sound that he got hard.

  “You can always have my share of eel. Just saying. I’ll also have you know California rolls are delicious.”

  He laughed, leaning over to kiss her quickly.

  “Don’t mind him. Asa is a sushi purist. Like an evangelist,” a female voice said.

  Duke’s expression shuttered as Asa turned to catch sight of his ex-wife, Ellen, watching PJ like a bird watches a mouse.

  PJ still smiled as she took in the newcomer, but Ellen was going to be surprised her supposed mouse wasn’t so mousy after all.

  “I’m Ellen. You’re Duke’s baby sister?”

  PJ laughed, grabbing a plate of California rolls and winking at Asa. “No. He just teases me like I am. I’m PJ.”

  Ellen slid in across from them and Asa put an arm around the back of PJ’s seat.

  “Ah. So you’re PJ. My family runs a rebuild shop in Olympia. I saw your work the other day. Metallic blue Impala. Blew me and my dad away.”

  That surprised Asa. He’d expected a dig, but there was real warmth in Ellen’s praise.

  PJ beamed. “Thanks. I have to tell you, I was a little nervous about the final blue. It was the first time I’d tried for that exact shade. The client, you know him, right?”

  Ellen laughed. “Yes. So it’s okay to tell me he was a picky asshole and you were worried no matter how perfect you got that blue he’d complain.”

  He hadn’t expected this at all. But PJ and Ellen seemed to get along famously from the first word. Duke still watched her carefully, as did Asa. It was only wise.

  Their group settled in, taking up multiple tables at the conveyor belt. People moved from table to table to visit with one another, pausing to eat and have a drink and then move on to a new group. It pleased Asa to see PJ at ease with his friends as well.

  Most of them were protective of her, which he liked. The women seemed to like her, which was another plus. She loved cars. They loved cars. It was a great foundation.

  She was good on her own. She didn’t need him to constantly be at her side, though he liked to be. He hadn’t been entirely sure what to expect, as he’d never seriously seen women in their circle to avoid any problems. Even during the short period he and Ellen were married, they hadn’t really hung out with a group.

  But this was good. Better than he’d imagined.

  Now though, he was going to have to tell her about Ellen, which he hoped would be no big deal.

  PJ leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Be back in a few.” She excused herself and he watched her disappear into the back where the ladies’ room was.

  “She doesn’t know, does she?” Ellen asked Asa.

  He sighed. “I haven’t told her, no. I wasn’t expecting to see you here, and now it’s going to be weird no matter how I bring it up.”

  “It’s going to be weird anyway. Wait, does she not know I’m your ex-wife, or does she not know you were married at all?”

  Asa scrubbed his hands over his face and Duke and Mick both groaned.

  “Don’t judge! It didn’t come up. Why would I tell her something unpleasant when it doesn’t matter anyway?” He shrugged at Ellen. “No offense.”

  “None taken.” Ellen rolled her eyes. “But not everyone is nice. Some people in this crowd like to play mind games. Also, she’s hot, so you know some guys are going to see this as a way to get around you.”

  Duke burst out laughing. “Don’t sweat it, Ellen.” He looked at Asa. “You have to tell her, but mainly because it would be hurtful for her to hear it elsewhere. No one is going to try to snag PJ. Everyone knows she’s with you.”

  “Including PJ. She’d ice any dude who tried.” Mick shrugged.

  PJ touched up her lipstick and headed over to order some more beers for their table.

  For most of that night their group had been pretty much the only people in the restaurant. But a group of dudebros had installed themselves at the long bar and the volume level had gone up considerably. She rolled her eyes inwardly as she made her way through them to get the attention of the bartender.

  “Well, hello there. Buy you a drink, pretty lady?” This came from her left. One of the invading dudebros no doubt.

  “No thanks.” PJ continued to watch the bartender because she didn’t want to look over and start anything.

  “Aw, come on. Why you gotta be so mean? You think you’re too good for me?”

  Ugh. A drunk dudebro was dangerous. He had trouble hearing no. Liked using his size to intimidate women. No matter what she did, he’d be annoying, so she chose to ignore him. She’d said no and that was all he needed to know.

  She pointed at a pitcher and held up two fingers when the bartender saw her. He nodded with a smile, indicating he’d bring the pitchers over shortly
.

  But when she turned to leave, the dudebro she’d been ignoring stepped into her path.

  “I didn’t say you could go.”

  PJ looked up into his sweaty face and then she looked around until she found the one dudebro who looked embarrassed. She motioned at the drunk one. “Are you fucking kidding me?” And then back to her problem dudebro, “Move out of the way and leave me alone.” She’d just had an ugly scene two weeks ago with Gary Weston. She didn’t want to do it again.

  He stepped with her, keeping her from leaving. He grabbed her arm as she tried to pass. “The fuck you say? Big tits and blond in a bottle doesn’t mean you can open your mouth to me like that, bitch.”

  Shocked, it took her a second to react. And then a wall of man showed up, breaking the hold dudebro had on PJ’s arm before she could connect with his balls with her knee.

  “You’d best tell the lady you’re sorry and get yourself gone, son.” It wasn’t Asa, but Duane. Massive, but not Asa massive. Still, big enough to pick this jerk up and wipe the counter off with his body without breaking a sweat.

  Dudebro doubled down, stepping a little closer. “Why, you her boyfriend?”

  “No. He is.” Duane tipped his chin in the other direction and they swung in unison… and froze at the sight of Asa stalking in their direction like a storm of fuck-your-face-up.

  He headed straight to PJ and looked her over, his expression darkening at the red spot on her arm where the guy had grabbed her so hard.

  “Outside.” Asa said it to dudebro but continued to look at PJ. He traced across her cheekbone and kissed the same spot briefly. “Stay in here. I’ll be right back.”

  The dudebro wasn’t very bright.

  “Look, man, she came on to me. You can’t give me shit when your girl has a wandering eye. Am I right?”

  Asa spun on his heel, took up two handfuls of dudebro, and carried him out the door, tossing him into the street.

  Dudebro’s friends rushed out. A few of them held their hands up, palm out, asking for Asa to let it go and they’d take their friend away.

  But Asa wasn’t done. He stalked out to the middle of the street, picked dudebro up one-handed, and dragged him back to where PJ now stood.

  “This is my lady. You hurt her. That make you feel like a big man? Terrorizing someone half your size? A real man doesn’t need to scare women. Or hurt them. You owe her an apology.”

  “Sorry. I’m sorry!”

  Asa shoved him hard, sending him stumbling. “I see you anywhere near here and I will deliver the beating you deserve. Piece of shit.”

  The other dudebros scrambled to their friend and took off down the street without even looking over their shoulders.

  Asa visibly got himself under control before he shifted his attention back to her. “You okay?”

  She didn’t even know what to say. The whole thing was so surreal. Nodding absently, she rubbed at the spot on her arm. She’d have a bruise there most likely. She bruised easily and he’d pressed his thumb in really hard.

  Of course, Asa’s attention went right to that and she cringed.

  He touched her cheek again as he had inside. Like she was precious.

  “Hey, baby girl.” Duke approached with Mick and gave her a gentle hug. “I brought your stuff in case you guys wanted to duck out. The manager is glad you took it outside, but he’s understandably anxious to have us all vacate the premises.”

  She wanted the ground to open up and swallow her. “This keeps getting better and better.”

  Duke thought that was hilarious. “Asa, your lovely lady seems to be under the impression this is the first time we’ve been asked to leave an establishment.”

  Asa grinned and she saw the light in his eyes. Noted the gleam. He was hot for her right then and there, and it was probably because he’d just tossed some dude out in the street like trash to protect PJ.

  But it didn’t offend her sensibilities. Whatever that meant about her, PJ just didn’t care. It was hot seeing him be so badass to protect her. She wanted to lick him and thank him and go find that jerk and kick his face and also sleep and maybe have a doughnut.

  “We get kicked out of a lot of places.” Asa shrugged as he took PJ’s things from Duke. “This isn’t even the first time we’ve been asked to leave this particular restaurant. We’ll stay away for a month or so and come back and things will be fine.”

  Duke and Asa seemed to find it hilarious, which made her feel a little better.

  “You’re an unruly lot.”

  Asa nodded solemnly and then winked.

  Mick hugged her. “You okay, baby doll?” He looked her over carefully. Since that apology, he’d claimed her much the way Duke had. She was theirs because Asa was too.

  “I just wanted to order some more pitchers. I didn’t mean for it to turn into a fight.”

  “Aw, honey.” Asa kissed the top of her head. “We’ve fought over far less.”

  Duke shook his head. “A person should be able to order a damned pitcher without being assaulted by a drunken frat boy. And the asshole who makes that impossible for women all the time needs to be thrown out into the street like garbage.”

  Mick and Duke did some sort of handshake/fist-bump thing and sauntered off.

  Ellen waved as she came over. “It was nice meeting you. Do you have a card? I was about to ask you for it when all hell broke loose.”

  PJ pulled a card from her purse and handed it to the other woman, taking the one Ellen offered in return.

  “I’ll call you about doing some work down in the south Sound.” Ellen waved and headed off with a knot of the people they’d come with. Many shouted their good-byes and locations for wherever they’d head next, but she could see in Asa’s eyes that he and she weren’t going anywhere but to his house.

  He put her in the car and paused a moment before he got in on his side. He needed to pull it together because he didn’t want to aim any of the violence he felt right then in her direction.

  She’d had enough for one evening. And while he and his friends ate the adrenaline of fights in the street right up, he was sure it wasn’t a regular part of her life. Nor would he want it to be. Especially when it was the result of some shitty treatment.

  He slid into the seat and relaxed a little because it smelled like her in there.

  “I’ve got another six weeks, maybe two months before I have to put her away for the winter,” Asa said as he took them north, back to his place.

  As much as he loved to drive his Caddy summer and early fall, once mid-October came it was time to bring her in for a while.

  “What do you drive in the winter?”

  He was glad that change of subject caught her interest.

  “I have a few vehicles.” She laughed at that response. “You laugh?”

  “A few?” she managed to ask around her gales of laughter.

  “You don’t drive your Camaro all the time, so I don’t see how you can judge.”

  She laughed some more, reaching out to pat his thigh. “Easily and often. Judging is one of my favorite things.” Then she snorted, softening her tone. “Awww. I’m sorry. You’re right, of course. I drive my Charger more than the Camaro. It has heated seats, which makes my ass very happy in the winter. How many is a few, though?”

  He snorted. “Impudent.”

  “Does that mean you’re going to discipline me? I thought we’d already established that. Will you discipline me extra hard?”

  “You’ve had a rough night. Let’s watch a movie and go to bed. I’ll wake you up early in the morning.”

  “Asa, that guy was a dick. He touched me and I hate that. But that’s not uncommon. That sort of reaction when you say no to a guy like him, I mean. You were there—and I’m going to hell for this—but you were so fucking hot when you picked him up like a pile of dirty rags and tossed him into the street.”

  Pleasure simmered low in his belly. “That so? I don’t much like anyone touching you at all, much less trying to hurt you. The
cops were called, which is why I didn’t beat his ass. I hate that this is normal for women. Knowing this is the second time in a month you’ve been treated like this makes me crazy.” He hadn’t told her about his trip down to Centralia to happen by the bar Gary Weston had been hanging out in. But he wasn’t worried about Weston saying anything. Once the swelling went down he wouldn’t even look at PJ sideways.

  “His face when he turned around after Duane said my boyfriend was coming. I bet he peed his pants a little.”

  “He accused you of coming on to him.”

  “Yes. Do you believe that?”

  “What? Fuck no.”

  “Okay, don’t get testy! I was just asking. Yes, that’s another thing dudes like him do when you call them out.”

  If Asa ever saw that guy around again he’d finish what he started.

  “Of course I’m testy. That guy better drink on the Eastside from now on.”

  “No. I drink on the Eastside too, with my sister. He needs to stay home until he learns manners.”

  The restaurant was close to his house, so it wasn’t too much longer until they pulled into the garage and he closed the door, shutting the outside world away.

  She got out and he followed her quickly, pulling her against him, her back to his front, before they reached the door to the house.

  She arched back into his body on a moan. He caressed her belly and up over her breasts. He’d wanted her, had wanted to fill himself of her, wanted to share in that sweetness she gave him. That scene back there had gotten him amped up. It had been a long time since he’d reacted that fiercely to protect someone. Not since he’d left the army.

  His system zinged with adrenaline. The need to mark and possess. To inspect and pet. To preen for. He’d held back on the way home because he hadn’t wanted to scare her. He should have known she’d process the situation at the sushi place in her own way.

  The light on the garage door opener clicked off, leaving them in the dark in his garage. All the smells he associated with things he loved best rose around him. His machines. Leather cleaner. And PJ. Sex and heat rose from her as he bent to breathe her in at the nape of her neck.