Page 7 of Wine and Research
His buddies remained silent, shaking their heads when Elle asked if they wanted any.
Scott and Nico chuckled, but not Jeremy. He understood Ryder and Ethan’s silence and strangled expression. He remained stoic in solidarity, even when Elle turned to face his table.
“How about you three? Can I get you anything else? More drinks? Dessert?” she asked.
“Nothing for me, thanks, Elle,” Scott replied.
Nico sat up and a wide smile spread across his face.
Shit.
Jeremy braced for impact.
“I’d like some sex too, Elle,” his idiot friend answered.
He wasn’t sure what he’d expected. Maybe a blush to creep into her face, or some of the dishes to slip from her arms, but it wasn’t the soft chuckle that left her lips, or the wink she directed at Nico.
“More sex coming up,” she said before meeting Jeremy’s gaze. “Pretty sure I already know your answer, but do you want something else?”
Maybe it was the derision in her tone or the boredom in her eyes. Whatever the reason, it had his mouth belaying the stand down orders from his brain.
“Sex, Elle,” he replied. “I think I’ll have some of that sex you’re offering, too.”
The damn words were out before he could stop them. He didn’t even like chocolate cake. He was more of a vanilla kind of guy.
Someone gasped behind her at Ryder’s booth. It was definitely female. The guys, no doubt, were wearing smiles similar to Nico and Scott.
Elle wasn’t smiling, though.
That blush he’d expected before now colored her cheeks a pretty shade of pink, and the dishes in her hands wobbled enough for him to surge to his feet to steady her arms from behind.
“Easy, there,” he said quietly near her ear. “I’ve got you.”
Her breath hitched, and his body responded with a stirring in his groin.
A second later, she straightened her spine. “Thanks, but I’ve got it now.” And to prove it, she moved out of his arms and marched right across the dining room and through the swinging kitchen door without dropping a thing.
“Proud of you, Mercer,” Scott stated.
Ryder cleared his throat. “That was very interesting.”
Ethan scratched the bridge of his nose and nodded.
“I found it very telling.” Sophia smiled.
Phoebe outright grinned. “You two might not like each other, but I don’t think your bodies got that memo.”
Shit.
“You dog.” Nico laughed. “I didn’t think you had it in you.”
Realizing more than a few people were staring at him, Jeremy sat back down. Last thing he needed were tongues wagging and for it to get back to the lieutenant.
Scott cocked his head, a smile still evident in his eyes. “Never saw any woman get a reaction out of you. She must get to you.”
He barely held back a snort. She got to him, all right. Got under his skin. Got into his system and had his pulse pounding a load of stupid into his damn brain.
Jeremy had no idea what drew him to Elle, and yeah, he was drawn to the woman. Okay, so maybe he liked her sharp mind and wit, but he didn’t like how she used them to drive him nuts…every time they met.
