Page 28 of A Shore Fling
“We met when the boat she was driving got caught up near North Cove.”
Reed’s eyebrows climb toward his hairline. “She drove it in the shallows?”
“She sure did. Luckily, I decided to patrol that area at the end of my shift, or she’d have spent the night out there.”
“That doesn’t explain why you were such an asshole to her,” Drew mentions.
“Guys, being an asshole is his default setting,” Jordan explains.
He’s not wrong.
“Yeah, but he’s not usually like that with women,” Reed says, studying me. “Have you been without female companionship for so long you forgot how to flirt?”
My mouth pulls tight at his question. It’s been a while since I spent time with a woman I wanted to impress, but Nina certainly doesn’t fall under that category. Yes, she’s attractive, but she’s also…fancy.My gaze swings over to the bar, touching on her. Just look at what she’s wearing right now, and her curly hair has been straightened into a shiny chocolate sheet that falls to mid-back. She looks like she stepped out of some high society magazine. She doesn’t belong here any more than I’d belong in New York City.
“Should we take your silence as a yes?” Reed prods.
“No. I wasn’t trying to flirt with her.”
“If you’re not gonna, then I sure am,” Reed states, pushing back his stool.
My hand clamps onto his wrist, keeping his palm on the table. “No, you won’t.”
Reed cants his head, smirking. “So let me get this straight. You don’t want to flirt with her, but you don’t want me to either?”
My jaw shifts, teeth grinding, and I grunt.
“Okay, Neanderthal. If that’s the best you’ve got, I’m gonna go talk to her,” Reed states.
“Dude, don’t poke the bear,” Drew tells him.
Reed smirks at me. “Maybe he needs a poke.”
“A cattle prod might be more effective,” Jordan chimes in, grinning.
“Maybe my fist needs to meet your face,” I tell him.
Jordan rubs his hands together. “Looks like we hit a nerve, boys.” The three of them high-five each other while I force myself to sip my beer calmly. If I react negatively it’ll only encourage them to continue.
After a minute, Drew rises from his stool.
“Where are you going?” I ask.
“To take a piss. Why? You wanna help?”
“Nope. You’re on your own with the magnifying glass this time.”
Unfazed, Drew barks out a laugh and walks away. He’s so good-natured, it’s almost impossible to rile him up.
“Be right back,” Reed says, standing.
“Where are you going?” I suspiciously eye him.
He realizes my motivation for asking and grins. “To talk to Will.”
She better be the only one he talks to.I watch him like my life depends on it.
“If you don’t plan to make a move on Nina, why shouldn’t one of us?” Jordan asks.
