Page 29 of I Want Crazy (Loco, Texas 3)

If he’d had a hand free, he would have already been flipping off his best friend, but instead, he continued on to the bedroom, put down his TV, and lay in wait. The minute Jake put down his own TV, Red punched him hard in the chest.

“Watch it, ham-fist! I haven’t fully recovered from the last time you abused me.”

Red shook his head. “Let’s go get the other TVs.”

“Whoa, ho, I think you’re really into this girl.”

“Will you shut up, you jackass?”

They walked out of the room, and Red looked into the kitchen. Rand and Jessie were talking quietly and looked up briefly as they passed. When they got outside, Jake hissed, “So, if you are really into her, why are you playing the friend card? Seriously, if you stay in that zone too long, you might as well kiss any chance for sex with that woman good-bye.”

“Coming from the man who married his lifelong friend.” Red was surprised that for the first time in two years, the words didn’t hurt.

“That was different,” Jake said as they headed down the porch steps. “When you meet as children, feelings can change, but as adults, once you’ve been zoned, you are screwed.”

Red shook his head and tried to ignore his best friend’s prediction, but it kept needling at him. Since meeting Jessie, his life had definitely livened up, but did he want to ruin this thing they were building? He liked the banter and spice, but if he told her he wanted more, would she run?

* * *

“You like him, huh?”

Jessie jerked at Rand’s question, almost cutting off her finger with the large knife in her hand. “What?”

“You like Red.” Rand put on a couple of oven mitts and headed toward the stove. “I’ve seen that look before. My friend Jamie gets that look whenever our town veterinarian comes into the room. She’s been gaga over him forever, and he’s too dimwitted to realize it.”

Jessie scoffed. “I don’t like Red. I mean, not like that.”

“Hmmm…” Rand sounded disapproving, and the look she shot Jessie was downright threatening. “Fair warning, I love that big ox like a brother. If you use him and break his heart, I will destroy you.”

Jessie’s temper flared. “I’m not using him!”

“Good. Because I want to like you.” Rand dipped a spoon into the pot she’d set on the counter. Tasting it, she smiled. “Perfect.”

“Why did you think I liked him?” Jessie asked, still defensive.

“The way your eyes drifted up and down, like you were checking out his goods.”

Jessie wanted to die. Had she been doing that? “I didn’t mean to.”

“I know. It’s involuntary. Before I realized I wanted Jake, I used to wonder what women’s obsessions with guy’s butts was.” Rand gave her a naughty smile. “Now I get it.”

Jessie finished chopping the cucumber, her tension draining slowly. “I don’t know. I’ve always thought that very few men should be seen in their skivvies. Unless their names start with David and end in Beckham or start with Channing and end in Tatum. Otherwise, they need to keep their Downton Abbey covered up.”

As the men puffed inside and past them,

Jessie and Rand walked to the edge of the kitchen and watched them amble down the hallway.

Rand turned to her. “I don’t know. My husband’s Downton Abbey is pretty nice.”

Red and Jake came out of the room, and Jessie went back to making the salad. As Rand walked by whistling the Downton Abbey theme song, Jessie’s cheeks warmed with a blush.

Jake came around the corner and opened the fridge. “So, what are you ladies talking about?”

Red smiled as he walked into the kitchen, and Jessie tried not to let her eyes wander.

“Threats and David Beckham. You know, girl talk.”

Jake laughed. “Girl talk?”

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