A Real Man: Volume Two

by Snow, Jenika

  Drunk guys tended to have loose lips.

  “So, then, you know why I couldn’t let him talk to you like that. I couldn’t let him talk about you like that.” He was clenching his teeth together, a muscle working under his jaw.

  “What do you mean you couldn’t let him talk to me like that?” I shook my head slightly, knowing I really shouldn’t be as confused as I was. Tex was fiercely protective of those he called friends. And because I was his sister’s close friend I fell under that umbrella. He always looked out for us, but he’d never gone so far as to start an altercation like this, especially where I worked.

  He slowly shook his head. “I was here, I heard, and there is no way I was going to sit back and let that prick talk about you like that.” He shook his head again. “The shit he was saying would have earned him a fucking broken nose.”

  I couldn’t help the pleasure that slammed into me at hearing him say that. And as much as I wanted him to be protective of me because he wanted me as his and his alone, I wasn’t stupid enough to think that this wasn’t just about him looking out for me because of who I was. I stared him in the eyes. “Tex, I’m fine. I can handle myself. You don’t have to fight my battles for me, even if the ones I’m fighting are sleazy assholes. Bo has security here.”

  “Security?” He sounded amused. “Bo’s idea of security are guys he met at a basement poker game whom he offered fifty bucks to. They don’t give a shit about protecting anyone.” He took another step closer to me. “And since we are on the subject, I hate the fact that you’re working here. You’re better than this sleazy fucking bar.”

  He was so close now, his body almost pressed right against mine. I took a step back on instinct, the door stopping my retreat.

  “Tex, the asshole was harmless. He was wearing a polo shirt and penny loafers in a sports bar, for hell’s sake. He was so out of his element he probably didn’t even realize the Jack and Coke he was drinking was watered the hell down, thanks to Bo,” I whispered, Tex so close to me now I couldn’t breathe.

  He chuckled. “You’re tough as nails, I’ll give you that, but that won’t stop me from making sure you’re okay.”

  “What are you really doing here?” My heart was thundering and my throat was tight. This moment right here, right now, was pretty damn intimate. We’d never been like this before, not unless you counted that one party Tex threw where I got a little too drunk and “accidentally” rubbed up on him.

  “I came in for some wings and a beer, but that motherfucker ruined a perfectly good night for me.” He grinned but it seemed far from amused.

  “You’ve been coming in here a lot lately.” I tried to sound like I had my shit together … I was failing.

  He didn’t say anything, but the way he looked at me, his gaze continuously dipping down to my lips. I found myself licking them, my heart pounding, my palms sweating.

  “Calissa, I need you out there waiting tables.” Bo’s voice came through the closed door and my pulse jackknifed even harder.

  “Be right there,” I answered back but didn’t take my focus off of Tex.

  “I need you now,” Bo said, more demanding and trying to open the door, but my body was pressed right against it. “What the hell, Calissa?”

  Tex gently pulled me away, his touch like fire on my skin, making me wet, causing my nipples to bead up. He had me pulled behind him as he opened the door, blocking my view of Bo. For a long second everyone was silent, and I felt the tension in the room, thick, suffocating.

  “She’ll get back to fucking work when she gets back to fucking work, Bo.”

  I heard Bo clear his throat.

  I cleared my throat, too, and moved out from behind Tex. “I’m coming now.” I glared at Tex. “I do have to get back to work.” I moved past Bo, his glare still on Tex. I wasn’t about to get in the middle of that pissing contest.

  Before I got back on the floor I looked over my shoulder and could see Tex staring at me, his big body seeming tense, the serious expression on his face making me feel all kinds of emotions. Because the way he looked at me made me feel like he … wanted me.

  3

  Tex

  I was hard just thinking about Calissa back-talking me the last time I’d seen her. It had been several days since I had been at the bar, putting my mark on her even if she didn’t know it yet.

  Her sass was the fire I needed, but for a man who knew what he wanted in life and how to go about getting it, I felt so fucking lost in this moment. I had no clue how to go about telling Calissa she was mine without sounding like some alpha asshole.

  I sat behind my desk, staring at the computer screen that showed me work that needed my attention, but my mind was elsewhere. I leaned back in the chair, the leather creaking from my weight. My security business was my top priority, or it should have been. It’s what I’d worked for my entire life. But ever sense I realized I wanted Calissa as mine, it seemed like nothing else mattered.

  I couldn’t even focus, and as much as that should probably piss me off, I knew that making sure she was irrevocably mine was exactly what I was supposed to do. That was what I should have done when I first realized what I wanted, how I felt for her.

  She was supposed to be my wife, the mother of my children. The very thought of her carrying my baby had every possessive and protective instinct in me rising up.

  I pushed the thought of her out of my head, at least for the time being, and pulled up the new customer report. I had to install a security system on a property later today, and if I didn’t get my shit in order, I’d lose my mind. But with each passing day I couldn’t help but want Calissa even more. She consumed my thoughts. I thought about her as soon as I woke up, and she was the last thing on my mind before I went to bed. I wanted her by my side, wanted to know that she was safe. Maybe it was my line of work that made me feel so possessive and territorial of her, but the caveman instinct in me just wanted to demand that she was mine.

  I wanted to pull her in close and make sure no one touched her, that no one ever had her but me.

  Cursing inwardly, I printed out the new order report, and left my office. I had shit to do, work to take care of. I was done waiting, done with the internal battle I was waging with myself. Time was wasting, and I wasn’t getting any younger. I was going to finally make it known to her—to everyone—that I felt something more than a passing desire. She’d be my wife. She’d be the mother of my children. Calissa would be my everything.

  Hell, she already was.

  * * *

  Calissa

  I held onto the bottle of wine tightly as I made my way up the steps toward Megs’ house. Although the barbecue was low-key, I didn’t know exactly who was all showing up. I knew whom I wanted to show up, though.

  Tex … with his burly attitude and sexy-as-sin ways.

  I couldn’t stop thinking about him and that night at the bar. It had only been a few days ago, but it was still so fresh in my mind. Whenever I thought about him, it wasn’t just what his hands would feel like on me, or what his big body over mine would be like. It was so much more than that.

  I adjusted the wine bottle under my arm and fixed the strap of the insulated bag I held over my shoulder. The side dish I’d brought was something store-bought, probably didn’t taste very good, but I doubted anyone who would be drinking would care either way.

  I didn’t bother knocking, not when I was close enough to Megs that I could just open her front door. As soon as I was inside I heard people talking at the back of the house. I made my way toward the sound, glancing in the kitchen on my way out back and seeing the spread of food on the breakfast bar.

  Through the sliding glass doors I saw a handful of people all sitting around the fire pit. Although it wasn’t really cold enough for a fire, it created a nice ambience. I walked into the kitchen and set my dish and wine bottle down. I made my way over toward the cabinet and grabbed a glass. Once I had my glass filled, I headed with it outside. Megs grinned when she saw me and pulled me in for
a hug.

  “I’m so glad you were able to come,” she said, then smiled. “I don’t know if you’ve met some of the people I work with.” She started naming off everyone. “That’s Jordan, Alexis, Brody, Trevor, and over there is Tonya.” Everyone she named off lifted their hand to greet me. One guy, in particular, Brody, grinned especially wide and gave me a wink.

  I didn’t bother hiding my distaste.

  I took an empty seat in front of the fire, staring at the flames. I listened to everybody talking about random things. Megs started talking to me about something, but my mind was focused on Tex. There were so many things I wanted to say to him, but I was afraid. As I looked at Megs, I wondered how bad it would be if I just admitted that I wanted her brother.

  Would she think I crossed invisible lines because I was in love with him, because I wanted him in all the ways that counted? Rejection and her disappointment in the whole matter was what had held me back for so long. But I was getting to a point in my life where I just didn’t care about what others thought.

  Yes, she was my best friend, well, even more like a sister to me. But should I sacrifice my happiness, or my potential happiness, because she wouldn’t agree with me being with her big brother? Sure, he was older, but we were both consenting adults.

  “Hey, are you listening to me?” Megs asked.

  I cleared my throat and blinked a few times as I stared at her. “Yeah,” I said, but the look she gave me told me she knew I wasn’t being truthful. I cleared my throat and shifted on the chair. She lifted a brow and I smiled, trying to appear like I hadn’t just been thinking about being in love with her brother.

  “What’s on your mind?”

  “Nothing,” I said and shook my head as I looked back at the fire. But Megs knew me well enough to know that I was lying.

  “Calissa, what’s going on?” I looked at her once more, the words on the tip of my tongue. Maybe she’d be supportive of it? Maybe she’d want me to be happy, as well as Tex? Maybe I was just worrying over nothing. I didn’t even know if Tex wanted me. It’s not like he ever gave me any kind of indication.

  As I opened my mouth, maybe to tell her how I felt, finally confide in her, the sound of the sliding back door opening had me turning and looking in that direction. There stood Tex, a case of beer in his hand, his big body taking up the entire space. His focus was trained right on me, his look intense.

  “I’ll be right back,” Megs said and stood, walking toward her brother. She started saying something to him, but he still kept his gaze locked right on mine.

  “Hey there.” The male voice came from beside me.

  I turned and saw the guy named Brody sitting beside me. His grin was wide, the smile looking fake and forced. “Hey,” I said, making it clear by the tone of my voice that I wasn’t really into whatever he was about to get into. Although this guy might be trying to be nice, I was getting a weird vibe from him, one that told me this was a pick-up attempt for sure.

  “How long have you known Megs?” he asked, that grin still in place.

  “Years,” I responded and glanced back over to where Megs and Tex stood.

  Tex was still looking at me, his brows lowered over his eyes, his expression one that appeared almost angry.

  “Yeah? I just met her this year, and started working with her. We kind of hit it off.”

  I looked back at Brody. “Hit it off?”

  “Not like that,” he said and chuckled. “Although, who knows. I’m open to whatever.” He gave me a wink and I pursed my lips.

  It was clear what type of guy he was, and if he wasn’t realizing right now, he soon would be, that I wasn’t that type of girl.

  “What about you, though?” He pushed his chair a little bit closer to me and I lifted an eyebrow. That only made him grin wider.

  “What about me?” I brought my wineglass to my mouth and took a long, hearty drink. I figured I’d need it tonight, at least to get through this conversation with Brody.

  “You seeing anyone?”

  I didn’t respond right away.

  “Do you want to see anyone?”

  Oh. Lord.

  He leaned in a little closer. This guy really didn’t know about personal space.

  “Um.”

  “I mean, I’m not seeing anybody, but I’m always looking for a good time.”

  God. He went there.

  His breath wafted across my face, thick from the alcohol he was drinking. I could have probably gotten drunk from the fumes alone. He leaned in another inch, his eyes bloodshot, glossy. He was drunk, that was clear. Or maybe he was always a pushy asshole.

  Before I could answer, could tell him off, in fact, I watched Brody straighten. He looked at something over my shoulder, and then cleared his throat, glancing away as if he were intimidated, or maybe afraid.

  I shifted in my chair so I could see what he was looking at. A big, hard male body stood right behind me. I craned my neck back to look into Tex’s face. He had his focus on Brody, his eyes narrowed, his rage clear in the way he held himself. I could see a muscle working under his cheek, ticking as if he were trying to rein himself in, control himself.

  I didn’t know what was going on with Tex, but I knew what I wanted to happen, knew how I wanted his actions to be perceived … that he wanted me as his.

  4

  Tex

  I stared at the guy sitting next to her, knowing his game right away. I’d overheard him when I should’ve been listening to Megs, but couldn’t pry my focus off of the little prick who was trying to move in on my woman.

  “Excuse me, Megs.” I moved away from my sister as she was still speaking. I heard her sputtering in confusion and then huff out in annoyance. I made my way over to Calissa, her back toward me but her body language telling me she didn’t want anything to do with the guy currently speaking to her. I felt myself growl out low with the very thought he was trying to get with her.

  “Come inside with me and let me get you another drink,” I said, not really wanting to go inside for that reason. I wanted to talk to her, get her alone. I was done with this back and forth with myself. I was done trying to pretend I could ignore how I felt.

  She smiled and nodded, standing and walking away from the little asshole. I glared down at him, and we connected gazes for one second before he turned away, clearly uncomfortable. Good. I wanted him to be really fucking uncomfortable.

  I stood there for another second, just staring at his profile, seeing his throat work as he swallowed. He knew I was still there, watching him. I wanted him uneasy. Maybe he was an innocent little asshole, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t going to make my intentions known.

  “Tex?”

  I turned and looked at Calissa, who stood by the sliding glass door that led into the kitchen.

  “Are you coming?”

  Did she realize I was having a pissing contest with this dick?

  I went inside, letting Calissa go in before me. I shut the screen door behind us and walked into the kitchen, possessiveness slamming into me and making me drunk. She smelled like lemons and vanilla, an intoxicating combination. I pulled two beers out of the fridge, the caps popped off, and handed her one.

  For long seconds we just stood there, her on the other side of the island, me focusing only on her. I knew I was going tell her how I felt, what I wanted. I hadn’t thought I would do it tonight at Megs’ place, but seeing that guy hitting on her, thinking he had the right to even talk to her, must’ve been the fire I needed under my ass.

  I downed half my beer, working up to how I was going to go about this. I could hear everybody laughing and talking outside, but right here, right now, it was just Calissa and me.

  She looked over at me and smiled, and I could see there was this nervousness coming from her. I hated the fact that I was bringing this out in her. I wasn’t trying to be some kind of alpha asshole, but I had to tell her how I felt. I needed her to be mine, tell her that too much time had already passed. What was the point of waiting, prolongin
g this?

  “That guy bothering you?” I thought maybe bringing that up and opening a dialogue might make this go easier. I was wrong. All it did was have me thinking about him trying to get with her. “Or did I interrupt you both making plans?” I gritted my teeth at that very thought, at the very image of her agreeing to go out with him.

  No one would have her but me.

  She glanced out the sliding glass door, presumably looking at the little prick. I knew she heard the gruffness in my voice, probably thought I was overreacting. But I wasn’t. Not where she was concerned.

  I curled my free hand into a tight fist at my side, giving her as much time as she needed to think. But hell, I didn’t know how I would react if she told me she was planning on going out with him. That I couldn’t allow, at least not until I told her everything.

  “That guy?” She finally responded and looked back at me. She snorted and shook her head. “I smelled his game a mile away. I’m actually thankful you interjected. Saved me the hassle of telling him to back off because he was coming on too strong.”

  I relaxed my hand that had been in a tight fist, my palm aching from where my nails had dug into my flesh. I ran that hand across the back of my head, staring at her the whole time.

  “That’s good,” I found myself saying. Her eyes widened marginally but she didn’t respond. “That guy’s an asshole.” I didn’t even know him, but he had been making a move on my woman. That, by default, made him my enemy.

  “That’s good?” she finally said after long moments of silence.

  I tipped my beer back and finished the rest of it before setting the empty bottle beside me on the counter. I lifted that same hand and ran my palm over my mouth, looking her in the eyes.

  “As thankful as I am that you got me away from Brody, can we talk about the fact you were kind of aggressive out there?” She lifted her brows in question. “Like you were throwing off the rage vibes pretty intensely.”