Page 10 of Good at Being Bad (Rock Canyon, Idaho 8)

a half a second, Mike wasn’t sure if Drew was going to agree or deck him.

Instead, he grunted. “That’s fair. That’s part of the problem with this woman. She’s only ever seen the worst in me and I want her to get to know me as Drew, not the jock or the NFL player.”

For a second, Mike’s thoughts strayed to Ellie. She’d only ever seen the worst of him and it bothered him, not because he was interested, but because people didn’t usually dislike him.

Why was she constantly popping into his head? Was it a guilt thing, because he had been a jerk? Whatever it was, he wanted to stop obsessing over her.

“Okay, now you’ve lost me with the pity me routine,” Mike said.

Drew gave him the finger and spun around on the bar stool, studying the room. “I just figured I’d pass it on to you, since you seem to be having so much trouble with the ladies.”

“Ouch. Gracie tell you that?” Damn it, that woman had a big mouth. He was going to give her hell when he saw her next.

“Gemma actually, but Gracie confirmed it.” Drew slapped his back. “It’s no big deal, man. I know my baby sister wrecked you good.”

Mike wished his slump was just about the feelings he’d had for Gemma, before Travis had come back into the picture. It was pathetic now that he looked back on it, especially since she’d never offered him anything more than friendship. Still, Mike had been bitter and angry.

It had taken a while, but he’d finally been able to put aside his disappointment. He’d even moved on, several times, but it was as if he had a curse hanging around his neck. Two months, that was his max since ten-month Ashley, and it was usually the women who took off.

It was a fucking mystery.

“Thanks for the empathy, but I don’t have any trouble picking up women.” Still, Mike slipped the notebook into his jacket pocket, just in case.

“Hey, no problem, just trying to help.” Drew wasn’t even looking at him anymore, but watching the crowd in interest. “Damn, who is that?”

Mike followed his gaze. It wasn’t hard to spot who’d caught Drew’s eye. Ellie in a pair of skintight jeans and a cropped halter top was swaying to the music, and it was as if the crowd had parted to give him a clear view of her in the middle of the dance floor. Even though there were other women dancing around her, Mike didn’t see anyone but her as her long dark hair swished around her body like a veil. She was smiling brightly with her eyes closed, too caught up in the music to realize she had the rapt attention of half the men in the room.

Okay, more than half.

He shook off the spell she seemed to cast, and hated that he wondered if she fucked like she danced.

What the hell is wrong with me? When did I start listening to my dick instead of my brain?

“That is a pain in the ass,” Mike said finally.

Drew turned to him with one eyebrow raised. “A woman that sexy can be anything she wants.”

“I thought you were hanging it up.” He didn’t like the appreciation in Drew’s eyes or the way the Coulter brothers were hovering on the edge of the dance floor, elbowing each other as they watched her.

Why do I care? I don’t want her. She’s nothing but drama.

“I’m saying in general, man, lighten up.” Drew gave him a sly smile before asking, “Are you going to tell me who she is?”

“That’s Eleanor Willis.”

Drew’s brow furrowed for a second or two and then his eyes bugged out of his head. “Wait a second. That is little Ellie Willis? Man, I have been gone a while. She’s all grown up and then some.”

Mike grumbled under his breath and Drew shot him a curious look. “You got a thing for her or something?”

“Fuck, no! She’s just a kid.”

Drew slapped him on the shoulder. “She’s old enough to be here, so I look at it this way. Age is just a number, my friend.”

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure…Where are you going?”

But Drew had already slid off the stool and was headed for the dance floor.

Mike gaped after his friend for half a second before he followed after him.

---