by Codi Gary
Okay, more than half.
He shook off the spell she seemed to cast, and hated that he wondered if she fucked like she danced.
What the hell is wrong with me? When did I start listening to my dick instead of my brain?
“That is a pain in the ass,” Mike said finally.
Drew turned to him with one eyebrow raised. “A woman that sexy can be anything she wants.”
“I thought you were hanging it up.” He didn’t like the appreciation in Drew’s eyes or the way the Coulter brothers were hovering on the edge of the dance floor, elbowing each other as they watched her.
Why do I care? I don’t want her. She’s nothing but drama.
“I’m saying in general, man, lighten up.” Drew gave him a sly smile before asking, “Are you going to tell me who she is?”
“That’s Eleanor Willis.”
Drew’s brow furrowed for a second or two and then his eyes bugged out of his head. “Wait a second. That is little Ellie Willis? Man, I have been gone a while. She’s all grown up and then some.”
Mike grumbled under his breath and Drew shot him a curious look. “You got a thing for her or something?”
“Fuck, no! She’s just a kid.”
Drew slapped him on the shoulder. “She’s old enough to be here, so I look at it this way. Age is just a number, my friend.”
“Yeah, I’m pretty sure…Where are you going?”
But Drew had already slid off the stool and was headed for the dance floor.
Mike gaped after his friend for half a second before he followed after him.
Why am I following him? I could just wait by the bar until he’s done.
But Mike kept going, shooting the Coulter brothers a warning look as he passed. He didn’t like the redneck bastards. Walt wasn’t bad on his own, but when he played Wayne’s shadow, they caused nothing but trouble.
“The fuck is your problem, Stevens?” Wayne sneered. He was short, maybe five-six or -seven, but he had the attitude of a small dog. The puffed-up chest and dark scowl told Mike he was spoiling for a fight, but then, Wayne usually was. Which is why he’d been banned from Buck’s for almost six months. Eric had just let them back in a few weeks ago.
Mike didn’t bother to answer as he pushed through the crowd after Drew. If Wayne wanted to follow him and start shit, he was more than welcome. Mike had handled his share of bullies. It was the reason his mom and dad had put him in martial arts in middle school. He had been slight and average until high school when he’d experienced a growth spurt, but he’d graduated high school with a black belt in Karate and was taking down guys nearly twice his size. He was quick, agile, and could think fast on his feet. Even with the added muscle he had put on, he continued to practice. He didn’t like to fight, but he wouldn’t back down from one.
He stepped around Drew and Ellie looked away from his friend. Her gaze met his. By the slight narrowing of her eyes, he figured she wasn’t exactly thrilled by his presence.
Drew turned to look at Mike over his shoulder. “Mike! I was just telling Ellie about your endearing nickname for her.”
Son of a bitch. Mike reached out and squeezed Drew’s shoulder, hard.
“Oh, yeah,” Ellie said, smirking. “You know, Pain in the Ass is really not that bad. Calling me a dumb kid—now, that is insulting.”
Mike shifted his feet, wishing he could take Drew outside and give him an ass kicking for opening his big fat mouth. By the looks of his friend, he knew how uncomfortable he was making Mike. He was obviously just enjoying himself too much to care.
“Oh, wait, you’ve done that already.” Ellie looked down her nose at him like he was beneath her. As if his opinion didn’t matter.
But if what I said didn’t matter, she wouldn’t bring it up constantly.
Maybe they could finally bury the hatchet if he just apologized.
Opening his mouth, he started. “Look, Ellie—”
But she turned away from Mike, obviously less than interested in whatever he had to say. Who could blame her. Even if she was hard to get along with, he should just learn to keep his mouth shut.
Ellie held out her hand to Drew. “It was very nice to see you again.”
“You too, Ellie.”
Ellie shot Mike one last sour expression and took off through the dancers toward the back of Buck’s.
Suddenly, Drew smacked Mike upside his head.
“Ouch, what was that for? I should be the one hitting you for having a big fucking mouth.”
“What the hell is wrong with you? You called her a dumb kid?”
“She was being a dumb kid!” Mike punched Drew’s shoulder.
Drew stepped back and bumped into dancers behind him. While he was apologizing, Mike went back to the bar to order another beer, fuming. Damn Drew. He had probably done it because he thought there was something going on between him and Ellie, and this was his juvenile way to draw them out. That was never gonna happen, though.
Ever.
Chapter Four
Ellie swayed in the arms of Walt Coulter, grimacing as he tried to pull her into his skinny body. He smelled like sweat and he kept rubbing against her grossly. She would have walked away from him already, but it was just easier to suffer through the song than to rile up him or his brother.
This was why she hated going out alone, but she had been too antsy to stay home tonight. Since all of her other friends had ditched her, Ellie was having trouble meeting people who were willing to give her a chance. Her roommate, Jenny Andrews, would have come out with her, but she’d had to study for finals.
Ellie had gotten her bachelor’s in business back in December, so she was all set to head out into the world and do something great.
Too bad she had no idea what that was.
Of course, she didn’t have to work if she didn’t want to. Her trust fund would kick in when she turned twenty-five in October and would be more than enough to live on. But she wanted to find something she loved more than anything.
Which she hadn’t found yet.
“You wanna have another go round?” Walt asked.
Ellie realized the song was over and smiled politely. “You know what, Walt, maybe another time. I am just feeling really tired.”
Walt’s smile slipped and she saw a brief flicker of disappointment, but it didn’t last long. With exaggerated bluster, Walt released her. “That’s fine. Plenty of other women here.”
Ellie laughed a little as Walt walked away. Why were men so damn sensitive? Just because a woman wanted to take a break, they acted all macho and nonchalant, but it always came off as though they were trying too hard.
She made her way toward the bar and spotted Mike and his friend Drew. Mike was chatting up a pretty blonde, his gaze glued to her face as if she were the only woman in the world.
Ellie knew that his buddy had just been wanting to mess with Mike when he’d come over to talk to her.
“Eleanor Willis? Do you remember me? I painted your house one summer.”
Of course, she’d remembered Drew. She’d followed him around while he painted, chatting his ear off until her mother had told her to let him be. She hadn’t seen him since he’d gone off to college.
Now she recalled more of what he’d told her on the dance floor.
“I just wanted to come over and say hi. Mike said you were a pain in the ass, but I swore that couldn’t be true. You were the sweetest kid I ever met, and I bet you haven’t changed.”
Under normal circumstances, she would have laughed at his cheesy line and moved on, but Mike talking shit had pissed her off. There he went, running his mouth again and ruining her night. And then he walked over there like nothing happened and actually tried to apologize? After everything?
Oh, no, buddy, he started this and it was about time she put him in his place.
And yet, where most men usually fawned all over her, his indifference was unsettling. Especially because every time he got within three feet of her, the air charged and sizzled.
But he didn’t flirt or smile or try to win her over. Nope, he would rather fawn all over the blonde at the bar who looked a little distracted.
It irritated Ellie.
If blondie made an excuse to get away from him, Ellie would laugh with glee. In fact, it was better if the other woman wasn’t interested in Mike. He needed a couple slices of crow and humble pie. The guy was wound too tight and thought he was Mr. Perfect.
Blondie seemed to be laughing over something Mike said though, and the spacy look was out of her eyes. He had her full attention now, and Ellie didn’t even realize she’d started to head over toward them until she felt a hand on her arm.
“Surprise! Wanna get out of here?” Dale Ranney asked, towering over her.
When he’d first approached her at Hall’s Market a few weeks ago, he hadn’t made up an excuse or fed her a cheesy line. He’d just walked over and asked her to grab a drink. No reasons, no small talk. Just straight to the point. She’d given him her number and they’d been texting off and on, but had yet to go out. She’d asked him to hang out tonight, but he’d said he was busy.
His touch didn’t send heat blasting up her arm, but he was charming and entertaining. Sure, he could come off as a cocky dick, but a lot of hot guys were like that. His golden-brown hair, aquamarine eyes, and the dimples in his cheeks made him downright adorable. Spending time with him wouldn’t be a total waste, and if nothing more evolved from it, that was fine.
It was a little rude to drop in on her without a text though. She checked her phone to be sure he hadn’t tried to get a hold of her, but there was nothing.
“I thought you had plans?”
“They ended early.” He flashed her a boyish grin, as if to melt her irritation with his cuteness. “What do you say?”
Part of her almost said no so she could just go home and sleep, but it was Saturday night. Why waste it sitting on the couch watching whatever was on?
“Sure, I just need to get my coat from behind the bar. I’ll meet you by the door in a minute.”
“Okay,” Dale said.
Dale seemed disgruntled that she was making him wait, but too damn bad. She wasn’t his backup plan, and if he didn’t suck it up, she had no problem walking away. No man was worth the aggravation.
She went over to the bar, wedged in right next Mike, and asked Graham for her coat. She felt him tense against her shoulder and she grinned.
Until she started listening to what he was saying.
“I think you’re gorgeous. Some women feel like they have to show off everything to get a man’s attention, but I don’t agree.” He took the blonde’s hand and actually brought it to his lips. “A little mystery is much sexier.”
Part of Ellie just wanted to accidentally knock him off his stool, but that would draw too much attention and make her look crazy. He wasn’t actually saying this to her, but she could have sworn his voice got louder as she came up.
If that was the case, the least she could do was ruin his night.
Touching his arm casually, she waited for him to look her way. Before he could say anything, she widened her eyes and cried, “Mike!”
Mike jumped and rubbed his ear, as if her squeal had hurt him.
Good.
“I have been calling you for weeks! Did you ever get that thing on your, you know, checked out? I know you said its normal, but I looked it up online and it looks just like this picture of genital warts.”
Mike opened his mouth, looking as if he was ready to blast her, but blondie interrupted them. “Um, you know, I have to get back to my friends.”
Blondie took off as fast as her ballet flats could carry her. Drew, who was sitting two stools over, hunched over, guffawing. She grinned as him, until she caught Mike’s murderous expression.
“Hey, I was just saving her from disappointment.”
“You think that’s funny? Do you how fast shit like that spreads around here? What in the hell is the matter with you?”
“What is the matter with you?” Ellie couldn’t keep quiet. She ignored the Looky Lous watching them. “Why are you slut-shaming women? Are you trying to make up for something by putting us down?”
Her glance shot down to his crotch, so there would be no mistaking her meaning and was satisfied when his face flushed.
“I’m not slut-shaming anyone; I was privately voicing my opinion.” Mike shook his head, and Ellie noticed that the music had died and everyone was now tuned into their debate. So much for not causing a scene.
“You’re the one eavesdropping,” he said.
“Oh, don’t act innocent. Your voice got louder the moment I walked up.”
“Despite what you may think of me, I wasn’t talking about you or any other woman in this bar. And I didn’t deserve to be humiliated.” Mike stood up and placed several bills on the bar. “Thanks for making me regret coming out tonight. Here I was just trying to keep a low profile and have a little fun, but you managed to rain your drama all over me. Since you probably cost me the few clients I had left, you might as well swing by and get your computer in the morning. I don’t need your money.” He pushed past her, his words sinking into her stomach and weighing it down.
She’d attacked his reputation and made a scene in front of potential clients.
The crowd started murmuring and she glanced toward Drew, who wasn’t laughing anymore.
As he walked by, he paused. “A word of advice. I don’t know what is going on with you and Mike, but he’s well liked and admired around here. Don’t you think there is a reason for that?”
Maybe it was because he’s an incredible actor?
Drew walked away and Ellie caught Dale’s gaze from his position by the door, but he looked as pissed off as everyone else in the room.
You know it’s bad when even people who like you are mad at you.
Chapter Five
Mike dropped Drew off at Gemma’s house thirty minutes later, and was relieved when Drew didn’t try to lighten the mood. He was so thoroughly pissed off, and he wanted to hit something.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t hit Ellie or Drew, so he would just have to use his punching bag.
Mike walked through the door of his home alone, an all-too-common occurrence lately. He had started to think Stacy Wittier was interested tonight when she’d been talking his ear off about what was going on at Idaho Fish and Game where she worked. She was cute as hell, smart, and sweet, and he had been looking forward to exploring the prospect of them together.
Then Ellie had dropped that STD bomb, triggering Stacy to run off before he could say a word. But that wasn’t even as bad as being called a slut-shaming sexist in the middle of Buck’s.
His jaw clenched as he remembered her standing at the bar with her little chin jutted out, accusing him of targeting her. He hadn’t even known she was there at first and he certainly hadn’t been trying to insult her…again. He’d been using one of the techniques in Drew’s book; compliment a woman on her individuality. Stacy was a jeans-and-T-shirt kind of girl—cute, but not into girly things like makeup and dressing sexy. And it had worked, at least, until Ellie had butted in.
The only thing she had going for her right now was that Gracie seemed to like her. It made him wonder if there was something good about her he’d missed.
Mike dropped his shirt on the floor as he prepared to take a shower, his mind flashing back to the way her eyes had sparked as she’d yelled at him, her hair swinging with every angry gesture. If he hadn’t been so pissed, he might have been distracted. Instead, he’d fought back and it had drained him, making him wish he could just crawl into bed and sleep off this day. But there was no way he was going to bed with the smell of stale smoke and beer all over him, no matter how tired he was.
He finished undressing and stepped into the hot stream, thinking about Ellie and that night at Buck’s. He’d been sitting at the bar, drinking too much and feeling sorry for himself. When Ellie had approached him, he hadn’t been thinking about anything except that women sucked.
Yeah, he said it. They sucked hard sometimes.
So, he was pissed and drunk, and she’d come up to him with her hair curling down over her shoulders. Her eyes had danced in the low bar lights and she’d smiled seductively at him as she’d leaned onto the bar.
“Wanna buy me a drink, Mike?”
He could have politely declined or even just bought her the drink and left it at that.
Instead, he’d humiliated her.
Mike paused with his hands in his sudsy hair. He’d hurt and embarrassed her by calling her a dumb kid; she’d just been returning the favor tonight.
They were even.
As he crawled into bed ten minutes later, he decided it was about time to bury the hatchet with Miss Ellie Willis. Maybe they could start over with a clean slate and no more drama.
For either of them.
Ellie walked into the entryway of her sister Val’s house, dropping her keys in the basket.
“I’m home!” she called out, waiting for Jenny to answer. There was only silence, though.
When Val had decided to move in with Justin over two years ago, she’d allowed Jenny and Ellie to rent her place. The women had been really happy in the two-bedroom, two-bath home. Jenny was shy and introverted, while Ellie enjoyed being social, although less so lately. Still, the two were good friends, probably besties, despite their three-year age difference.
Ellie made her way into the kitchen to find Jenny sound asleep on her laptop keyboard, snoring slightly. Her blonde hair was in a lopsided bun, with strands of hair escaping. Off to the side were a giant cup of coffee only half-drunk and an open package of powdered donuts.
She grinned and pulled out her cell, taking a video of her friend snoring with a white ring around her mouth. Perfect blackmail for the next time they rented a movie and Jenny wanted to watch something nerdy.