Forrest has the decency to not speak, and instead gives Tyler a sincere nod before scampering off as we watch him for a few seconds. To his credit, he does start busting his ass, throwing together drinks faster than the rest of them. Tyler turns to me with a hesitant look on his face.
“You were handling yourself just fine, but I couldn’t not say something to him.”
“I know and it’s fine,” I assure him, smiling. And hawt.
“I just need to change my shirt,” he tells me, reaching one hand across the bar to lace with mine. “I smell like stale beer,” he chuckles.
I look down at our fingers and then back up at him.
“Yeah, of course.”
“M’kay, I’ll just be a few minutes,” he says, and then without taking his eyes off mine, raises our hands to place a kiss on the back of mine before releasing it and heading towards the back.
I’m seriously considering laying my head down on the bar and having a good cry when a man takes the stool next to mine. He gives me a polite smile and a nod before turning his attention to the bartender that has come to stand in front of him.
“The usual, officer?” he greets. Huh. A regular and a cop. Wait. I turn to give him a quick scope-out. He has dark good looks and an air of confidence.
“Excuse me,” I say gently, trying to get his attention. He turns to me again with a friendly smile on his face.
“Are you Juan, by any chance?” His eyebrows go up and his smile widens.
“Yeah that’s me,” he says holding his hand out to shake mine. “And you are? Wait… Annie.” He says it with a look of happy realization.
“Yeah,” I confirm. I like how he’s shaking my hand while placing the other on my back. It’s not invasive, it’s just kind and genuine.
“I’ve heard a lot about you,” he says jovially as he drapes an arm on the bar-top and keeps his body turned towards mine.
“Likewise,” I tell him.
“Congratulations,” he says, almost conspiratorially, leaning in and keeping his voice low with a mischievous smile.
“Thank you,” I say, trying not to show surprise. I’m still getting used to other people knowing.
He nods. “So, are you here visiting Ty?” He looks at me hopefully as a beer is placed in front of him.
“Yeah, just waiting for him. We’re going out.”
“Ohhh, I like the sound of that Mama. Sounds like you’re headed in a good direction.” He points the neck of his beer bottle at me before taking a pull. I laugh a little, finding it impossible not to like him.
“Yeah,” I smile and nod at him. “It’s a good thing. Hopefully.”
“Aw, I see a little hesitancy there.” He gestures at my face. “You’re not one hundred percent sold. Come on,” he says, placing his beer down and giving me his full attention. “Tell your baby’s future god-father what’s holding you back.” I start giggling harder now at his presumption, which may actually not be that far off-base.
“It’s just… you know Tyler.”
“My whole life.”
I nod, waiting for him to catch on.
“Oh,” he manages as realization crosses his face. “Gotcha. You don’t want to take a chance on the manwhore,” he states simply. It takes me a moment of silence to recover from his bluntness, but I do.
“No, I want to. I’m scared to,” I correct him quietly.
He nods, considering this. “I get it. But can I ask you something?” he asks, raising his eyebrows and leveling his gaze on me.
“Sure,” I welcome his insight.
“Since you two have been…” he waves his head around and squints his eyes, looking for the right words. “Spending time together… has he given you any reason to think he’d hurt you?”
I sigh in acknowledgement of the point he’s making. “No. Not one, actually.” Since the night I got pregnant, I can honestly say he hasn’t. He’s been right here the whole time.
Juan’s smile gets brighter and his eyebrows go up. “Alright then! So let me tell you something. The man you’re scared to take a chance on… is not taking a chance on you.”
Oh. Okay… this conversation just took an unexpected turn. My eyebrows pull together in confusion. What is the point of this whole - wait a minute. Juan’s mouth is starting to turn up again.
“He’s doing more than that. He’s throwing everything he has at this, Annie,” he gestures a hand at me.
Oh my God.
“Wh-what?” I ask, not sure I believe what I just heard.
I feel my heart swell in my chest and start pulsing out a happy beat just for Tyler. I feel my cheeks go warm and I try to hide my blush.
“He’s a mess for you, Annie. He hasn’t looked at another lady since he got together with you. I’m serious,” Juan says, still smiling, but it’s a serious one. “And I’ll tell you something else...”
There’s more? I’m already blushing like a schoolgirl, alternately leaning my head on my hand or running my fingers through my hair, trying to shield my eyes in embarrassment.
“What’s that?” I ask, blowing out a breath to gear up. Bring it.
“He’s felt this way since before he knew you were pregnant.”
Bam.
I close my mouth, which I realize had dropped open, and continue to look at Juan like an idiot, which he takes as his cue to continue. “I spent an evening with the poor schmuck while he yammered on about having feelings for the first time in his life, and he wanted to quit the game so he could start seeing you.”
I’m blown away. I know Tyler has said all this to me, and I believed him with most of what I have in me. I feel like Juan just erased the last shred of doubt I was holding onto. I don’t have any reason to believe that his best friend was put up to this. Tyler didn’t even know he was coming by.
“Wow,” is all I can say to Juan.
“I know. I just gave you a lot there” he says, consoling me with a pat on the shoulder. “Seriously though,” he continues, picking up his beer. “He’s done. He’s out of the game. It’s all about you now.”
I barely have a moment to process this before I feel a warm, strong hand gently press on my back. I look up to my side to see Tyler with a surprised smile on his face as he looks past me to Juan, his gorgeous eyes crinkling at the corners.
“Hey man! What are you doing here?” he asks as he reaches past me to slap hands with his friend. I use the moment that his attention is diverted to take him in as Juan’s recently spoken words float through my head. Tyler’s changed into a grey Henley that fits nicely across his broad chest, and it makes me want to snuggle close and press my hands against it. I think I could maybe let myself do that now. I revel in the fact that he hasn’t removed his hand from my back as the two guys make small talk. I watch them and pretend that I’m listening and try to stop thinking. I lean my body into Tyler’s side and let myself bask in his solid warmth. His stormy, musky scent puts a welcome spell over me. Tyler’s arm goes completely around me and the way he starts rubbing his hand up and down my arm, so naturally, without breaking conversation with his friend, is like coming up for fresh air. It feels so good to let go and just feel. To let him in. My mind comes back to reality as I catch the last few words that are coming out of Juan’s mouth.
“…your lady here,” he finishes.
“Talking to her, not hitting on her, right?” Tyler jokingly clarifies with sternness in his voice.
“I was telling her what a hopeless fool you’ve been for her and how it’s cost me my wingman!” Juan jokes, trying to sound put off as he brings his beer to his mouth and takes a pull. Then I get an idea.
On the way through the kitchen, I stopped to help some of the bar-backs carry in some cases that had just been delivered, and then hurried to my office to change into a spare shirt, not wanting to keep Annie waiting at the bar, and at the mercy of Forrest, for too long. After stopping in the restroom to wash my hands and check my appearance, I walk swiftly back out to the main bar area so that she and I can get to
our evening.
I find her in the same place I left her at the bar as I approach, and realize she’s being chatted up by none other than my best friend. This must be a spontaneous visit; I had no idea he was coming by. I place a hand on Annie’s back as I greet him. As we banter with a little opening small talk, I’m surprised to feel Annie lean into my side. Extremely and wonderfully surprised. It seems out of nowhere, but God, it feels good to feel the affection and trust coming off of her, infusing me with an incredible feeling that rushes from my stomach up to my chest. I try not to outwardly react, feeling almost like it might scare her off if I do. Instead I just stand there and welcome it as Juan busts my nuts over not being a player anymore, and how he has no one to help him get laid now. Annie speaks up, her voice upbeat and music to my ears.
“Not so fast,” she says, tilting her head and giving him a mischievous smile. I feel my eyebrows go up in curiosity along with Juan’s.
“What?” he asks, furrowing his brow.
“Take a look around,” she waves a hand at the rest of the bar. “Tell me if any women catch your eye.”
“Okaaay,” now he looks scared. “Why, what are you doing?”
“Giving you a wingman. Now look around,” she orders. No way. I’m intrigued to see where this is going. Juan gives her an amused smile as he obliges and looks around the place.
“Her,” he nods to one of the high tables by the window. I see him taking in a dark-haired girl sitting with two girlfriends.
“Her?” Annie asks, and he nods. “Tell me, why her?”
“I don’t know, she’s just my type,” he shrugs.
“Okay next,” she says, dismissing his selection.
“What?” he asks perplexed.
“A girl does not want to hear that you’re pursuing her because she’s ‘just your type’. She’ll be drawn to being desired for a reason that is unique to her,” she lectures with a lighthearted shrug.
Whoa. No wonder she always turned me down in the past. All that time she was in a higher league than the one I was playing in.
“Damn, you’re tough, but I’m going to hang on to that little nugget,” he says, tilting the neck of his beer bottle at her before taking a pull. “Alright, fine,” he says putting it down and taking another gander around. It takes a minute or two but I finally see his sight halt, and I look over my shoulder to follow where it’s landed. I see another high table, this one against the adjacent wall with another group of girls. I look back to Juan.
“Which one?” Annie asks, drawing the second word out in a teasing tone.
“The one in the light blue top,” he says, not pulling his eyes away. “She’s got really pretty eyes and her shirt really brings out how light they are. I like her smile too. She looks like she’s nice.”
“There you go!” She slaps his back, like she’s telling him ‘atta boy!’ and slides off her stool. Okay, I have to know what she’s playing at. My interest is thoroughly piqued.
“Whoa, hang on gorgeous,” I step in to get her to hang on a moment. “What are you up to?” I ask her, trying to keep the uncertainty out of my smile. She raises her dark eyebrows at me as if to say, watch and find out as she backs away a couple of steps before turning her back completely and confidently strutting over to the table of ladies. I watch her perfect fucking ass sway underneath her long, cream sweater as her tall boots knock against the hard wood floor. She arrives at the table and is greeted by a bunch of friendly smiles before she starts making conversation with the brunette in the blue top. They banter back and forth, giggling and gesturing wildly with their hands like ladies do, before Annie turns and walks back to us with a triumphant smile.
“You’re in,” she says to Juan with a grin, as she comes to a stop in front of us. I watch his face contort in surprise.
“Naaahhhh…,” he chides as she nods at him with a quirked eyebrow. “Really?” he asks. We look over to the table and see the ladies waving him over as the one he was eyeballing looks him up and down with an interested smile. “What did you say?” he asks, finishing off his beer and hopping off his stool.
“I told her that you think she’s stunning, that you’re very taken with her blue eyes, and I might have mentioned you’re a cop,” she shrugs. “Anyways, she’s single and she’d like to say hi.”
Mind. Blown. My girl has skills I never even thought of her having.
Juan throws a few bills down on the bar before tucking his wallet back in his jacket.
“Papi, you are fired,” he says giving me a grin before winking at Annie. “Thanks Mama; you guys enjoy your night,” he signs off as he swaggers over to the table of ladies like he’s fucking Rico Suave.
“You ready to go gorgeous?” I look down at Annie, still marveling at the things I’m still learning about the woman I already know I’ve fallen for.
“Yeah,” she says sweetly as she looks up at me with a warmth in those amber eyes that she hasn’t shown me before. I can’t quite decipher what they’re conveying, but it feels like something good…
22
“So, what do you want to do tonight?” Tyler asks me, as he walks me out to his car.
“I thought you had the night planned,” I mention, slightly confused as I slide inside.
“I do,” he confirms after climbing in and turning the engine over. “I have a couple of things planned, but depending on what you’re in the mood for will determine which one of them we do,” he says smugly, resting a hand on the steering wheel and leaning his arm over the back of my seat to face me. I don’t know if it’s the recent revelation of his feelings for me, my raging hormones, the fact that I’ve always been attracted to him, the planets aligning or what, but what I want to do is climb over the seat and jump him right now.
“Hmm, what are my choices?” I ask, trying to stay casual and keep my legs together, for fucks sake.
“Well, are you in the mood for fun or romance?” Oh my freaking God, his voice dropped an octave with the word romance, conjuring all sorts of mental pictures. After my newfound submission to my feelings for him, all I want to do is immerse myself in a romantic night with him; but at the same time, I feel a little overwhelmed by them. Not necessarily in a bad way, but still…
“Can we do… both?” I ask, raising my eyebrows hopefully.
“You bet your ass we can,” he smiles and gently tugs a strand of my hair before backing the car out onto the road.
Okay, Tyler definitely has the “fun” part of our night covered. I already know it, even though we’ve only just arrived at Dave and Busters.
“Oh my God, I haven’t been here in forever!” I exclaim excitedly when we pull up.
“Well I figured,” Tyler starts with a coy smile as he turns off the engine, “in a few months we’re going to have to be responsible parents, so why not take a little time to have fun and be kids ourselves?”
“Yes! Absolutely,” I concur as I open my door and start to climb out, excited to get in there.
“Did I do good then?” he asks, taking my hand as we walk towards the entrance.
“Hell yes you did,” I reply with a grin I couldn’t wipe off my face if I tried. “Can we get the nachos?” I ask excitedly, already sounding like a kid.
“Whatever you want,” he says, squeezing my hand and leaning into me.
Fun is right. For the next couple of hours, we take turns beating each other’s asses at foosball, air hockey, sinking basketball shots and skee-ball. I’m having so much fun. I’m completely letting go, and I think I feel myself, dare I say it? Glowing. The atmosphere of our own little bubble matches the entire place, but on a more intimate level. I don’t think either of us stops smiling as we laugh, joke, and touch. We even cram into one of those photo booths that prints you a strip of black and white pictures. It’s totally cheesy and cliché and I fucking love it.
“Damn, I miss beer,” I say as I look longingly over at Tyler’s pint glass as we sit next to each other in a half circle booth. We’re taking a break from the arcade shen
anigans to devour some insanely good nachos.
He looks at me and closes his eyes as if he’s just realized something he feels bad about.
“Shit. I’m sorry, I wasn’t even thinking,” he moves his still almost full glass to the edge of the table and when our server comes by, asks for a club soda.
“Ty, seriously. You don’t have to miss out on beer because of me,” I tell him, but I can’t keep the appreciation out of my voice.
“I can when I’m around you,” he answers. “If I couldn’t have a beer and people were drinking it around me, I’d lose my fucking mind. Besides, it’s one of the few things I can do considering what you have to do,” he tells me, reaching a hand over to gently pat my abdomen. My heart hammers for a few beats when I realize that’s the first time he’s done that. I smile and look down at my food, enjoying the feeling that little gesture gave me.
“So…” I start to ask, as I push my plate aside, finally feeling stuffed. “What do you have in store for the ‘romance’ part of tonight?” I lean my chin on my hand, trying to contain my excitement.
“What, are you bored already?” he jokes.
“Nope,” I answer honestly. “I’m having a blast. I’m just curious.”
“You’ll see,” he snickers, as he pushes his own plate away and mimics my position.
“Can’t I have a hint?” I plead.
“Hmmm…” he teases, squinting his eyes like he’s putting serious thought into this. “Okay.” He puts his arm around my shoulders and that rush I felt earlier for him immediately returns as he leans in close to be heard over all of the noise. “It will be a little cold… but we’ll keep each other warm.”
Okay. That both gave me a warm-fuzzy thrill and sent a small fireball shooting straight to my lady parts. I find myself reaching my hand over to rest on his leg, but I’m not sure if it’s to be affectionate or to stabilize myself. Since my talk with Juan earlier, I’m overwhelmed with different emotions for Tyler. Obviously I’ve always been attracted to him, hence the bun in my oven, but this whole evening I’ve been letting go of the reins on my feelings for him and letting them flow. Now it’s like they’re all flooding me from different directions and the romance and lust are not only duking it out for dominance, they’re magnifying each other.
Picture Us (Turn it Up Book 3) Page 17
