Christy cups a palm around her mouth and whispers, “He’s hot.”
I give him a slow once-over and pretend heat doesn’t pool in my belly. “Meh.”
“Aren’t you together?” Nina’s voice is low to avoid detection.
“Not like that.”
The women exchange a glance. Christy’s stare shifts to feast on my grumpy jailer. An undeniable interest sparks from her and I bristle. It’s such a strange reaction, catching me off guard.
I’ve never paid attention to how women respond to him… until now. Seeing these two drool over him and his bad boy vibes doesn’t sit well. There’s an uncomfortable tightening in my chest that feels all kinds of wrong. Spud bumps into my leg, knocking me from the misplaced jealous streak.
But then Nina smacks her lips. “You won’t care if I buy him a drink?”
“He’s off-limits,” I blurt.
Christy’s brow creases. “I thought he wasn’t your boyfriend?”
“He’s my something,” I mumble. But I have no actual claim on him. “You know what? Go for it.”
Nina eyes me curiously. “Are you sure?”
“Yep.”
Maybe I can slip away and go… somewhere. Just for a slice of freedom. If nothing else, I’ll get to see how he reacts to female admirers.
Christy smiles and moves closer to Colton. “Should we go inside?”
He looks at me. “What about Spud?”
“It’s not a problem. C’mon.” Nina motions us forward into Dirty Dicks.
But the instant we walk through the door, a burly man behind the bar is glaring at us. “No dogs.”
My gaze barely has time to appreciate the outdated interior. The faded red carpet matches the brass fixtures and wood paneling. As I pull in a lungful of musty air, I realize everyone is looking at us. I have the urge to wave and applaud their cock-tastic name choice, but I doubt that would be well received.
Colton is deathly still next to me. Based on the tension in his stance, I’d guess he’s seconds away from snapping. The man might be capable of eliminating threats, but we’re the odd fucks out in this room.
My fingers touch his forearm. “Be nice.”
“Not my style.” The crack of his knuckles ripples across the small space like a warning bell.
“You’re nice to me.”
“That’s not a comparison. How I treat you doesn’t extend to others.”
“Then be nice for me,” I urge.
His blue gaze crashes into my green one. The rigid flex in his tattooed muscles slowly relaxes. I give his arm a gentle squeeze before releasing him. Next, a wide smile gets aimed at the bartender.
“We’re just looking for this handsome fella’s owner,” I tell him.
The man’s menacing stare lowers to Spud, but instantly dismisses him. “Shelter is thirty miles east. They’ll take him.”
I try again. “Nobody in town is looking for a lost dog?”
“Listen, lady. Strays are a dime a dozen. Don’t waste your breath.”
My mouth opens to argue, but Colton is on the verge of morphing into the Terminator again. Just as I’m about to tuck tail and forfeit the mission, Christy pipes up.
