The Way He Looks at Me [What Are Friends For 4] (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Rita Sawyer

  He nodded, not bothering to hide his smile. “I’ll take them their drinks.”

  They swapped sides of the bar, and he grabbed the drinks. Blue weaved his way through the tables with ease, since most people got right out of his way when they saw him coming. Well, not everyone. There were a few women that purposefully got in his way. He took the time to say hello to them, because rushing past might make him appear overeager. When he reached Karen’s table, he took a deep breath and smiled.

  “Ladies.” Blue laid the tray on the table, and they all reached for a beer, except Amy, who took the frosty mug of soda.

  He gave Amy a quick smile before turning his gaze to Karen. She smiled up at him, and the breath actually caught in his chest. The sensation was almost painful. It could have been a trick of the light or the deep-purple color of her shirt that made her eyes look almost golden brown instead of the dark brown he’d thought was so lovely in his apartment. He didn’t know which shade he liked better. Blue was good with details, always had been, but he’d begun to wonder if he had imagined the tiny freckle right below the outer corner of her left eye. He was glad to see he hadn’t.

  If he hadn’t known to look for it, he more than likely wouldn’t have found it. Most people probably missed it unless they got close enough to see the mark. Even then he hoped they wouldn’t remember it the way he did. He couldn’t wipe the image of her with her eyes closed. Those long, lush lashes almost touched the minuscule brown dot. Maybe he’d noticed because her cheeks had been flushed with passion, making it stand out more. He’d love to get another chance to test that theory.

  “I wasn’t sure if you’d be coming back this way.” He hoped none of her friends noticed the slight raise of his eyebrows but that she caught his question.

  “Well, we had to say thank you for rescuing Karen. It’s the one etiquette rule all of our parents managed to instill in us. We decided to do it in person instead of sending you a note.” Amy’s explanation made a certain kind of sense, but he didn’t care either way since it brought Karen back to the bar.

  The long-haired, blue-eyed blonde smiled and winked at him. “Especially when the rescuer is so handsome.”

  The heat that bloomed on Blue’s cheeks surprised him almost as much as her compliment did. He didn’t know whether or not to thank her or ignore the comment all together.

  Thankfully, Amy came to his rescue. “Jeez, Jillian, at least let me introduce everyone before you scare him off.”

  “Sorry.” Jillian didn’t sound sorry at all.

  “Blue, these are our best friends,” Amy pointed to each of the women going clockwise starting on Karen’s left. “Dianne, Jillian, Sadie, and Lainey.”

  “Nice to meet you all.” He took each woman’s hand in the order they were presented, but he didn’t really shake it, just held it for a brief second or two.

  If someone asked him what the women had in common, he’d be hard-pressed to find a connection just by looking at them. They ran from tall to short, curvy to not, and shit, there was just nothing he could put his finger on. Yet from the cozy way they sat and the nudges and laughter, they seemed just as close as his sisters, and that was saying a lot.

  “So you’re all best friends?” Maybe their answer would give him an insight into how to sway Karen into giving him a chance.

  “Since elementary school.” Sadie’s laugh was echoed by the rest of the women. “It really was gentlemanly of you to take care of Karen in her time of need.”

  “It was my pleasure.” He drew the word out, and other than Karen choking on her drink, the women went quiet.

  Blue reached over and laid his hand on Karen’s back. The plan had been to gently pat, but he rubbed his hand up and down between her shoulder blades instead. Touching her might have been his downfall, because he didn’t want to let go. When her coughing subsided, he reluctantly let his hand drop to his side.

  “Well, it was nice meeting you all, but I better get back to the bar before my sister quits and leaves me to run the place alone.” He laughed, knowing Tanya would never really abandon him.

  “Your sister?” Dianne asked.

  “Yeah, all three of them work for me, but two are out sick, and our crowd’s a little bigger than normal. If you need anything, just wave Tanya down or come on up to the bar.” Actually, the crowd had thinned a bit in the last few minutes, but Blue figured a retreat now would be best before he did or said something stupid.

  “You know, Dianne and I took bartending classes, and Sadie waited tables for a while in college. Why don’t we go help your sister out while you two take a quick turn around the floor?” Jillian’s offer turned into more of a demand when Dianne shoved Karen off her chair.

  Blue’s instincts might have been rusty, but he could see her friends had plans for them. “I’d love to.”

  Karen smiled and laid her hand in his. Once he got her on the dance floor, he pulled her close. She put her hands on his chest and slowly slid them up and over his shoulders, linking them behind his neck. Blue loved the way her body fit to his. He hated to ruin the perfection of the moment by talking, but he needed to do something with his mouth or he was going to kiss her.

  “Your friends are…”

  “Conniving?” she offered.

  He laughed with her. “I was going to say nice. Or even helpful, but isn’t conniving a bit harsh?”

  “No. I love them all, but we can assume they’re not done yet.”

  “Done with what?”

  Karen shrugged her shoulders and looked over to the bar, where her friends were helping Tanya. Blue could have let it go. A smarter man probably would have, but he never claimed to be smart. If something was going on, he wanted to be ready. He stepped back and grabbed her hand as it fell from his shoulder. Not the most suave move in his repertoire, he tugged her along behind him, past her friends and his sister, behind the bar, and into the little office tucked in the back.

  He closed the door and leaned on it. “Why don’t you start at the beginning? Did you bring your friends here to check me out?”

  “No. They brought me here so they could check you out. You’re probably not going to like what I have to say.”

  “I’m a big boy. I’ll deal with it.”

  She sighed. “Okay, Lainey got married a few months ago. It was fabulous. We planned a surprise wedding for her fiancé and pulled it all off without a hitch.”

  “So far I’m not hearing anything that would affect me or us in a negative way.”

  “You said start at the beginning.” He nodded, and she smiled. “At the reception, Lainey issued a dare to the rest of us, and we all accepted. My friends seem to think you are the answer to me fulfilling the requirements of the dare.”

  “Which are?” He hoped they were close to what he was thinking.

  “We all need to choose a guy we’re interested in, whether or not we think he’s the right kind of guy for us.” Her cheeks turned bright-red, and she looked down at the floor. “And have a wild fling and just enjoy the time together without worrying where it’ll go.”

  “You agreed to do it?” He wasn’t about to push her if she wasn’t fully willing to do it, but if she was and wanted him, he was in.

  “I wasn’t going to be the only one who didn’t.” She sat on the edge of the desk and stared at her fingers as she twisted the ring on her finger round and round. “I may not be the wildest of our little bunch, but I wasn’t always so cautious. I work at a very uptight school, and I think it’s sucked all the rowdiness right out of me.”

  “Hey.” Blue walked over and pulled her off the desk and into his arms. “I wasn’t saying you were doing anything wrong. I’m happy you accepted her challenge, especially if I get to be the one you’re spending time with.”

  “Blue, it’s not going to be that easy.”

  “Why not?”

  “Well, to start with, I should warn you that both Amy and Dianne have ended up engaged thanks to the bet. Second, I need to keep a really low profile while dating. Not
just you, but any man. And then there’s the fact that we barely know each other.”

  “Dating is a commonly used form of interaction where people spend time together so they can get to know each other.”

  “Right, but we’ve already proved there’s a chemistry between us that defies the common sense in waiting to get to know each other.”

  Blue had to smile. “Ah, I get it. You’re afraid to do this because you want me bad, and you’re afraid of how it’ll look if that gets out.”

  “I want you as much as your cock pressing against your zipper tells me you want me.” Her frank talk only made him harder.

  “Then I don’t see a problem. We’ll sneak around like a couple of kids trying not to get caught. It’ll be fun.” And if in the process she fell just a little in love with him, he’d see just where this could go.

  Blue lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers. She didn’t fight him, but he felt the stiffness in the way she held herself. He caressed her shoulders as he teased her sweet mouth. Slowly the tension eased away, and she melted against him.

  “You work nights, and I work days. How the hell are we going to pull this off?”

  “It will be hard.” He pressed his hips to her, letting her feel just how hard, and she giggled, so he finished his comment while giving her ass a two-handed squeeze. “But I’m sure it’ll be worth it in the end.”

  When she smiled, her whole face lit up. Blue leaned farther back, lowering her to the desktop, coming down over her. Why hadn’t he taken her upstairs? There was barely enough room in the office for his desk and the file cabinets, but right now, he would have given anything for a comfy couch or chair. All thoughts fled his mind the second his lips touched the spot on her neck below her right ear.

  Blue slipped his hand under her blouse at her hip. He inched it along her ribs, stopping just below her breast. The soft silkiness of her skin instinctively made him wonder if she was soft and smooth everywhere. His fingers brushed the fabric of her bra, and the lace was unmistakable. Their breathing was harsh, and when his hand covered her breast, Karen pressed herself into his touch.

  Lucky for them both, she was wearing one of those bras that barely held her in. He freed the generous amount of flesh and cupped it in his hand. She squirmed under him and lifted her legs, wrapping them around the back of his.

  “Holy shit!” The high-pitched and unexpected squeal made Blue lurch upward, and there was a loud rip from under him.

  He let out a growl, and the door slammed behind him. Blue pushed up off the desk. A quick look down confirmed his fears. Her shirt had a big jagged tear up the side and half of the buttons were undone and probably missing. Karen had her face covered with her hands, but from the way her body shook, he didn’t need to ask why. Blue dropped into his chair and dropped his head into his hands. He didn’t know what he could possibly say other than sorry. That wouldn’t be enough to stop her tears.

  Chapter Four

  “Maybe someone should tell Blue about Amy’s brothers?” Dianne handed a guy at the bar a beer and walked over to the register to get his change.

  “We will.” Jillian made herself busy and wiped the bar with a towel.

  “When?” Lainey and Sadie asked together.

  “Since they’re my brothers, I’ll decide when Blue gets told about them.” Amy wasn’t about to let them scare Blue off just yet.

  “We’ll discuss this later.” Dianne smiled at Blue’s sister as she approached the bar.

  Amy stepped out of the way so her friends could slip out from behind the bar. Amy noticed Tanya’s early smile was gone. In fact, she looked a little pale. Had one of them done something to upset her? It was possible, but unlikely. Amy wondered if some guy had taken advantage of Blue’s absence and made a move on her.

  “Hey.” Amy walked over and laid her hand on her arm. “Are you okay?”

  “I…um…” Tanya’s voice was so soft Amy had to lean closer in order to make out what she was saying. “I walked in on Blue and Karen.”

  “Doing what?” Amy glanced around, glad no one else could hear them.

  “I thought they’d be talking, or even kissing, but they were busier than I expected.” She shook her head, and her dark-brown ponytail swung viciously from side to side. “Why didn’t he lock the damn door? She’s going to hate me, and Blue’s never going to forgive me.”

  “Tanya, relax.” Amy laughed, wondering just how busy Blue and Karen had been when she walked in. “I’m sure everything is going to be fine.”

  “I don’t think so.” She looked back toward the office door.

  “Trust me. I have four older brothers and a fiancé, so I know a little bit about men. When a guy has a woman on the brain, his thinking isn’t always clear. Whatever happened in there probably wasn’t what Blue had intended. Otherwise, he would have locked the door.”

  “What about Karen? I bet she didn’t plan on anyone walking in on her.”

  “Did she see you?” Amy’s curiosity was growing by the second.

  “No. She was under Blue, so he blocked her view.” Tanya’s blush brought some much-needed color to her face.

  “Under him?” Amy couldn’t stop herself from asking.

  Tanya gave a little nod. “On the desk.”

  “She probably thinks it was one of us checking on her. In fact, I’d be willing to bet she’s in there consoling your brother. Either way, she’s not going to be mad. Embarrassed? You bet, and what a ride home we’re going to have.” Amy was relieved to see Tanya smile.

  “I have two sisters, and if I caught them like that, I’d make sure they never forgot it, but this time I’ll do my best to forget it.”

  “Oh, no! You hold on to it until you need something to hang over your brother’s head. At some point you’re going to need it.” They both laughed, making a few heads turn their way.

  * * * *

  Karen tugged the white T-shirt Blue had given her over her head. She considered herself lucky he had a stack of them in the office, even if it did say Fill My Glass on the front and the glasses just so happened to be strategically placed on her breasts. Blue explained it was the name of the team he played for in a local bar baseball league. Her purple bra could be seen through the material, but the V-neck showed off enough cleavage to make her think she should wear T-shirts more often. The way Blue sat there staring at her probably should have made her a little nervous. His gaze followed her every move, yet he never moved from his chair. She tucked the shirt into her jeans and smoothed it across her stomach.

  “Good as new. Hell, maybe even better.” Karen stuck her arms out and did a little spin, letting him get the full effect.

  “I’ll buy you a new shirt.” He got to his feet and walked right past her, heading for the door.

  Since he ripped her shirt, he hadn’t touched her in any way. Even though he seemed relieved that she had been laughing, not crying, he had taken a huge mental and physical step back. So much for him being willing. She wasn’t going to push him, mainly because she had no idea what the hell to say. As she walked over to where he stood, he started to open the door.

  “Well, it was nice to see you. Thanks for the shirt.” She figured it was best to get the hell out of there with her dignity still intact.

  “Wait a minute.” Blue caught her around the waist with his arm and pulled her back into the room as he slammed the door. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?

  She shrugged, and he said, “Well, it sounded an awful lot like good-bye.”

  Karen might not be the most outspoken person, but she wasn’t a shrinking violet, either. “Maybe it was. I mean, you’re acting like you regret what we were doing, so I think it might be a good idea if we didn’t go any further.”

  “I don’t regret it.” He moved closer, giving her nowhere to go. “In fact, it’s just the opposite. I want to do it again. My concern was that if I touch you now, you won’t be leaving this room until we’re both satisfied.”

  “Really?” She couldn’t keep the
excitement from her voice.

  He nodded. “Don’t sound so happy. This puts you in a very vulnerable position.”

  “Maybe I like this position.” Karen knew he was right, but it didn’t stop her for reaching for him.

  Karen grabbed the waistband of his jeans and pulled him forward. Blue came willingly. One of his hands landed on the wall behind her, the other on her hip. His mouth came down on hers gently, yet demandingly. The hungry kiss brought on a boldness stronger than she’d ever felt before. Karen decided to ignore the warning bells in her head and just go with it. She slid her hands along his jeans until she reached the button, which she easily freed. The sound of the zipper as she tugged it down was the only sound in the room.

  Blue growled into her mouth as she dipped her hand into his pants and cupped him. He pressed his cock harder against her hand, and she squeezed. His growing erection was long and thick, and Karen wanted more of it. She struggled a little bit, but she managed to tug his boxers out of the way so she could wrap her fingers around his shaft. With a firm grip, she stroked him. Slow, even strokes from the base to the smooth, big head had him squirming under her touch.

  He kissed his way from her mouth to her neck. Karen was so lost in what she was doing that she didn’t realize he was unbuttoning her jeans. It wasn’t until the constricting material that held her belly in and helped give her a slimmer look was replaced by his palm that she caught on. She instinctively sucked her stomach in as he swept his hand lower. His fingers had a slight roughness that grazed her skin as he slipped them into her panties. He parted her damp curls and slid along her pussy. Karen shifted, letting her pants slide downward on her hips, but she widened her legs to keep them from going too far. Now that he had more room, he wasted no time in bringing her to the edge. With his thumb on her clit, he worked his finger in and out of her, pleasing and teasing her until she wanted to scream.

  Karen hoped she gave as good as she got. She tightened her fist and quickened her strokes of his cock, earning a deep rumble from him, and he pressed the heel of his palm harder against her mound as he shoved his fingers deeper inside her. Her squeal of pleasure shocked her, but he chuckled against her cleavage. Then his tongue swept along the crevice, and she shuddered. She came hard, and it was enough to make her shout out his name. She hoped no one heard her but didn’t even spare a glance at the door.