Chapter Eleven
Mike tried to ignore the hard ache in his groin that began plaguing him the second Ellie had run her finger across his cheek. He knew she was just messing with him, but his cock didn’t, and when her fingers slipped into his hair, the sensation only intensified.
“So, I can do anything I want?”
Was there a husky tone in her voice or was that just wishful thinking?
“Anything. I’m all yours.”
She touched a switch and the clippers buzzed. “Lean forward.”
He did what she asked and felt the first vibration as the clipper ran up the back of his head and the whisper of his hair falling to the bathroom floor. He’d let it grow too long, but knowing she was shaving it all should have made him panic. Surprisingly, he kept thinking about what she said about liking men with short or shaved hair.
She isn’t who I should be dressing for.
But his body didn’t know that as her fingers brushed and stroked his scalp. It was agonizing torture that felt amazing.
When she finally turned the clippers off, he felt a warm, wet towel wiping across the back and sides of his neck.
“Can you sit up now?”
He did as she asked and she wiped along his forehead and ears, her brow furrowed in concentration. She picked up the clippers once more, probably to clean up the front and around his ears, and when she finished, she still hadn’t backed away from him, her legs straddling one of his so her breasts were right in his face.
“I think you’re done,” she said softly above him. He looked up into her hazel eyes and his hands ached to grab her hips and pull her down until she was sitting on his thigh. Would it make her wet and throbbing if he moved her hips back and forth across it?
What the hell was he doing? This was Ellie, too young for him and definitely all wrong.
Thankfully, she moved away from him and picked up the jacket. “Don’t look just yet, okay? Put this on first.”
Mike did as she asked, keeping his back to the mirror as he stood up. He took the jacket, sliding his arms into the sleeves and adjusting the collar. It fit well, and he was ready to turn and look in the mirror, but jumped when Ellie’s thumb rubbed across his chin, grazing his lower lip.
“Sorry, you had a hair.”
“Did you get it?” he asked.
“Yeah.” She cleared her throat and backed away from him. “You can look now.”
Mike glanced towards the mirror and hardly recognized himself. With his hair buzzed off and the shadow of stubble on his chin he looked darker, tougher. Dangerous. The leather jacket over the green, lightweight T-shirt looked damn good.
“Okay, you’re right.” He picked up the boots and started to walk past her, but paused. Leaning down, he let his lips brush the soft skin of her cheek. “Thanks.”
Mike saw the flush of color in her cheeks and wondered if he’d embarrassed her. He went out to grab some socks from his drawer and heard her say, “I’m going to take off, okay?”
Mike had just sat down to pull the boots on and hollered back, “Just wait a second and you can get the full effect.”
“I’m sure you look great.”
Mike rushed to get his boots on and catch her before she took off. Was she running out because he’d made her uncomfortable?
“Hang on.”
He walked into the living room and caught her at the door.
“So, what do you think?”
Ellie’s eyes traveled down and back up his frame, and the heat in those hazel depths gave him pause. “I think she’s going to turn to goo the minute she sees you.”
Her compliment hit him hard, but before he could say anything more she was out the door, shutting it with a click.
Ellie watched Jenny take another shot of tequila, and wondered why she’d agreed to go out to celebrate. They had headed to Buck’s even though Ellie knew Mike was bringing his date there. She should usher Jenny out the door, but her friend deserved to celebrate.
Tonight, it was hard not to kick back some Jose and forget about her weird, fluttery feelings for Mike Stevens.
The fact that she hadn’t seen him yet made her wonder if he’d taken Wendy somewhere classier than Buck’s. Wendy. Ellie was sure she was probably picture-perfect, just like a Disney heroine.
Ellie danced in place, pretending as though she was having a great time, but between Mike’s hard hand on her ass and the scorching fire that had raced across her skin from mere proximity, she wanted a drink and a distraction. To cut loose and not think about him.
Only, she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him and his sexy, bad-boy biker makeover.
God, what the hell had she done?
“Graham, one more!” Jenny shouted to the bartender. “And bring one for Ellie, too! She needs it.”
Ellie didn’t even bother arguing and when Graham set the shots in front of them, she clinked her glass with Jenny’s and tipped it back. The hot liquid burned down her throat and warmed her stomach pleasantly.
She waved her hand for another round.
Ellie’s phone started ringing in her back pocket and she pulled it out. Glancing down at the screen, she saw Mike’s name and butterflies scattered in her stomach, hitting the walls.
“Who is it?” Jenny asked, peeking over her arm. “Is it Mike? How did his date go? Are you gonna tell him you lurve him?”
“You, meddlesome wench, mind your bidness.” Ellie knew Jennywas just being silly, that she really didn’t think anything was going on between Ellie and Mike, but the words struck a chord inside. Not that she thought she loved him or anything, but she couldn’t deny the thought of him out with another woman bothered her and it was unreasonable and nuts. Mike was just…not right for her.
Still, she did want to know how the date went and if she had been right, so she flicked her thumb across the screen. “What’s up, buttercup? I thought you were going to Buck’s.”
“How did you know I didn’t?”
“Cause I’m here and you’re not.”
“We went to Hank’s Bar, but you were right about Wendy being a bit aggressive.”
“Did she try to get you back to her place with promises of candy and puppies?”
“You are twisted. Wait, are you drunk?”
“No,” Ellie said. “I’ve had one shot, but Jenny’s drunk.”
Jenny put her mouth near the phone and yelled, “Mike! Can you come get us?”
“No, you don’t need to,” Ellie said.
“I don’t mind. I’ll be there in ten.”
The call ended, and Ellie slipped it into her pocket, her brow furrowing as she thought. “He’s a good guy, huh? He doesn’t just fake it so people will like him?”
“Nope, he is the genuine article.” Jenny caught sight of something, and said loudly, “Unlike some other jerk-offs I know.”
Ellie followed her gaze to find Tanner White standing at the end of the bar talking to a pretty brunette who seemed upset. Tanner and Jenny had dated for about six months before he’d abruptly dumped her last month. Ellie had tried to get her to tell what happened, but Jenny had been mum.
“I wish you’d tell me what he did.”
“He’s an asshat deluxe with double dickery.” Jenny tried to reach over the counter to grab one of the liquor bottles, and Graham shouted something at her to knock it off.
Jenny slid back down, making a face at Graham. “What? You’s slow!”
“I knew she was going to be scary,” Ellie said abruptly.
“Who?” Jenny waved at Graham for more shots, but he seemed to be ignoring her.
“Mike’s date tonight. But would he listen to me? Nope.”
“You talk like there is something between you.”
Ellie blew her tongue between her lips. “The only thing that is there is that we like to fight and I think he looks good naked. Well, mostly naked.”
“Mostly? Did you see his twig and berries?” Jenny asked.
“No! He was wearing boxers, but the rest of him? Yum.”
Ellie glanced toward the doorway, thinking about Mike’s abs, and heard Jenny arguing with someone. She turned and realized Dalton Mitchell had intercepted their shots and had set down two cups of coffee instead.
Jenny glared at Dalton and Ellie hid a grin behind her hand. Dalton and Jenny had been friends since they were in diapers and although Jenny harbored a gigantic hankering for the tall cowboy, Dalton had only ever treated her like a sister.
Which pissed Jenny off.
“How about we skip the shots and go for some coffee?” Dalton said, smiling at Jenny.
“I’m not drinking that pig piss you call coffee,” Jenny said belligerently.
“You should have been cut off two shots ago. Drink the coffee, and I’ll get you some water.”
“No. I am an adult, and I can decide when I’ve had too much to drink,” Jenny said.
Dalton looked like he wanted to throttle her, and Ellie grabbed her friend’s hand. “Come on, Jenny. Let’s dance while we wait for Mike.”
Jenny flipped her hair over her shoulder, and Ellie could have sworn she was taunting Dalton. “I’m going to dance. Preferably with someone who can do more than the white guy shuffle.”
Jenny dragged her behind and the world tilted a little. Losing her balance, Ellie stumbled into someone. Crap, one shot should not have hit her like this. “So sorry.” Ellie laughed at her attempt at a cockney accent and hardly registered that she’d bumped into Wayne Coulter, who didn’t look happy to see her.
“If you wanted to show me you’re sorry, you’d already be on your knees.”
Ellie’s mouth dropped open. “You’re a pig.”
“So? Wanna get dirty with me?”
Ellie gave Wayne a once over, from the top of his dusty camo hat over the fat lip full of dip and his scuffed-up boots. “Ummm, no thanks. I have taste.”
Wayne’s tan skin flushed purple and his light blue eyes narrowed. “Then watch where you’re walking, bitch.”
“Who you calling bitch, Wayne?” Apparently, tequila gave Jenny balls of steel because she stepped between them and was puffed up like an angry terrier.
“This isn’t your business, Tiny Andrews. Why don’t you go home to mommy?”
Jenny’s face flushed. As the youngest Andrews child, she was often made to feel like a child, and Ellie knew she hated it.
“What is your problem, Wayne?” Ellie asked.
“I hate stuck-up sluts who think they’re better than me.”
Ellie’s skin was too thick to take offense to an insult from a worm like Wayne Coulter. With a snarky smile, Ellie said, “Oh, Wayne, about 99.9 percent of the population is better than you.”
Wayne’s hand gripped her arm hard. “What did you say? You better apologize or I’m going to smack that smart mouth of yours and teach you the manners your mother forgot.”
“Don’t you talk about my mother, you redneck bastard,” Ellie yelled, trying to jerk her arm out of his painful grip.
An arm went around Wayne’s throat, and Ellie looked up to meet Mike’s hard eyes. Wayne released her arm, and Mike jerked him off his feet and slammed him to the ground.
Ellie saw Dalton lift Jenny out of the way just as Graham grabbed Mike and pulled him off a dazed Wayne.
“Go home and cool off, Mike,” Graham said.
Dalton had Jenny up on the barstool next to him, and she didn’t look happy about the big man’s protection.
Mike stood up, his gaze never leaving Ellie’s. “Let’s go. Come on, Jenny.”
“I’ve got her,” Dalton said.
Jenny gave him an arch look. “Oh, you do, do you?”
“Jenny, I’d really like to drive you home, if that’s alright with you. There are some things I need to tell you.”
Whatever Jenny saw in his expression, she said, “You guys go ahead.”
“Fine. Ellie,” Mike said, his tone hard and commanding.
Ellie followed Mike to the door, her stomach turning a bit as they stepped outside and she was hit with a cloud of smoke wafting from a group of people huddled together bullshitting.
“Ugh.”
Mike came back and put his arm around her, leading her toward his SUV.
“I hate that guy,” Ellie said when they got to his car. She leaned against the cold metal, and laying her hot cheek to it felt amazing.
“Wayne Coulter?” Mike asked. At her nod, he laughed. “I’m sure you aren’t the only one to think Wayne is a piece of shit, but you were antagonizing him, Ellie. You could have been hurt.”
“There you go, being sexist again. Why can’t a girl take care of herself?”
“I’m sure you could if you were sober.”
“I had one shot!”
“Then why are you provoking Wayne and starting shit in your place of work?”
“Whoa there, judgey asshat, I started nothing. That prick told me I should get on my knees for him, and I told him where to go. Then, he threatened to smack me. So, if there is something wrong with me defending myself, then there is something wrong with society. I have the right to have a fun night with my friend without some dick harassing me.”
Mike actually looked shame faced. “I agree, whole heartedly, but there are guys out there who don’t care. If you come at them and make them look stupid, they will hurt you.”
“It wouldn’t be the first time.”
Mike grimaced. “I’m sorry, Ellie. I just want you to be careful when you’re on your own.”
“I am a single woman. I am on my own 99 percent of the time, and if you think I’m going to let a guy bully and degrade me because of what he might do, then you are delusional.”
“Okay, fine, but you also jump to a lot of conclusions and tend to emasculate in extreme ways.”
“Really? Cause that doesn’t seem to affect my dating life. I have guys asking me out all the time. I just have to crook my finger and guys come running.”
Mike took her elbow but instead of helping her inside, he continued to watch her, his mouth flat. “Why didn’t you call one of them to come get you, Ellie?”
“Because I wasn’t ready to go home and Jenny had already asked you to.”
Mike’s hands circled her waist and he lifted her up onto the seat. He helped secure her seat belt, and before he shut the door, he said, “Or maybe you didn’t call anyone else because you knew I was the only one who would show.”