Jesse
As we walked into Rowdy’s, I felt ten feet tall. Millie looked beautiful and sexy as all hell. She was dressed in skin tight leather pants and a skimpy little blouse that it was impossible to be wearing a bra with; not exactly the usual attire for the women of Bridge Vale, but she wore it damn well. Her blouse was bright red, with tiny straps and the back was real low; so low in fact, that if she wasn’t wearing pants I’d probably be able to see the top of that perfect ass of hers, but don’t get me started on the ass. Her pants were so tight, I was hard just wondering whether she was wearing any underwear at all.
Then there was that beautiful raven hair that she’d styled in loose curls; it almost touched her ass when it was straight, and I loved it. Loved wrapping it around my hand when she was beneath me. Loved everything about her to be truthful, so no wonder my jeans were uncomfortable; I’d turned into a walking hard on since she’d become mine.
That thought – her being mine – was the best feeling ever, but it kinda worried me, too. It meant that I had to talk to Brandon. He’d only done one day on the ranch since he’d come back from Chicago, as he’d been trying to sort his folk’s place out. That meant we’d been able to keep our relationship on the down low, but I’d have to tell him sooner rather than later. He may be my best buddy, and I didn’t want to hurt him, but I wouldn’t tolerate him asking Millie out on any more damn dates.
“Jess,” Garratt called over his shoulder. “What do you want to drink?”
We’d given Garratt a lift into town as he was meeting up with some buddies and going to a house party later. He’d thought he’d been funny and sat in the front seat of the truck, so that Millie had to sit in the back. I’d soon put him straight and practically dragged him out by his ear. He’d been laughing so much I think he nearly wet his pants. It was good to see him laugh; shit it was good to laugh with him because we hadn’t done much of that for a while. The little fucker got payback though, when I’d subjected him to a show earlier, while waiting at a stop light when coming into town. I’d leaned across to kiss Millie, making sure it was long and hard and had plenty of tongue. Garratt said he was going to barf, but I knew how happy he was for us really.
“Get me a Coors Light,” I said, and then turned to Millie. “What about you, sweetness?”
“I’ll have a beer, too,” she replied with a gorgeous bright smile. “It’s kind of growing on me.”
“Beer for Millie, Garr. So, what do you drink back home?” I asked, ignoring the sick feeling when I thought of her ‘back home’.
“Prosecco.”
“We have that here, if you’d prefer it.” I moved to tap Garratt’s shoulder, but Millie pulled me back.
“No, seriously, beer is good. I really quite like it and it makes me feel like a local.”
She grinned at me and gave a little wink, sending my heart in a tailspin.
“You like being a local, then?” I asked, taking one of her curls in my fingers and pulling on it.
“Yeah,” she said with a hint of surprise, pulling her shoulders back and tilting her head. “I do.”
“Well, that’s good, but I have to say, you’re too fucking sexy to be a local.” My breath stalled as I raked my gaze over her. “Shit, Armalita, you’re going to kill me.”
“I am. Why?” she pouted.
“Because,” I replied, moving my mouth close to her ear. “I’m not sure that it’s healthy having every drop of blood rushing to my dick all the time.”
“Jesse!” She pushed at my shoulder, a huge grin on her face.
Taking hold of her hand, I pulled her to me and dropped a kiss on her smiling lips.
“You look beautiful,” I said, my hand moving down to her ass.
Then, without any warning, she pulled away from me and took two steps back. Her eyes were wide and her gaze was somewhere over my shoulder.
“Baby?” I turned to see where she was looking. “Fuck, Brandon,” I cursed under my breath.
“Jesse, what do we do?” Millie hissed. “I told you we should have told him.”
“Well, he’s going to find out now,” I muttered.
Millie shook her head. “No way, he’s not finding out like this.”
“Well what else do you suggest I do?” I looked towards Brandon, who was talking to Bobby Sloane, the owner of the department store.
Millie looked at Garratt, who was still at the bar, and then back to me. “We don’t say anything, except that we’ve all come out together. I’ll go and stand with Garratt.”
“Nuh uh,” I grunted. “You’re not standing six feet away from me all night. Let’s just tell him.”
“Jesse, no. That’s not fair on him. I don’t think for one minute he’ll be too upset, but even so, he’s made it clear he likes me.”
I let out a long breath and looked down at the floor, my hands fisted at my hips. She was right, it wasn’t fair to tell him like this. Brandon was my oldest friend, and I owed him more respect than to just let it out by kissing her senseless in front of him. Anyone else, I wouldn’t give a shit, she was mine and everyone needed to know that, but Brandon deserved to be told in private. Hopefully, Millie was right and he wouldn’t be too upset. They’d only been on one date, for fuck’s sake – the double date with me and Addy at the fair didn’t count – so maybe he’d take it okay. But, looking at the beautiful, sexy woman who was now staring me down, I think I’d be pissed as all hell if I was in his shoes.
“Okay,” I breathed out. “But if he so much as touches you in a way I don’t like, I’m telling him. Agreed?”
Millie looked over my shoulder and was suddenly panic stricken. “Okay, agreed. He’s coming over.”
She scooted over to Garratt who was on his way back with our drinks. Garratt stopped in his tracks and stared at her. Millie rolled up on her tiptoes and whispered into Garratt’s ear. He looked over and burst out laughing. I still had no idea what that little fucker’s problem was with Brandon. Three years of hating each other over a game of damn cards was just stupid.
Brandon appeared at my side at exactly the same time as Garratt and Millie. Brandon slapped me on the shoulder, Garratt practically growled at him, and Millie begged me with her eyes not to say anything. Me, well, I grabbed my beer from Garratt and took a long swig.