“I should leave you to it. If I’d known you were going out, I wouldn’t have stopped by.” Low blow, pulling the sympathy card, but right now he’d do whatever was necessary to make sure he went with them. The idea of other men looking at Alex dressed like that made him damn near insane.

“Come with us, Deke?” Piper said with that goofy smile still in place. By the looks of her, he’d spend most of the night watching after his tipsy sister.

“Yeah, come with us,” Rusty said. “We’re celebrating.”

“Oh?”

Piper squeezed his arm. “Rusty scored us a massive restoration job earlier this week, and a quote I put in last week, that I was positive we wouldn’t get, was accepted this morning! We beat out three other shops.”

“That’s fantastic, Pipe.”

Alex scowled at him. He ignored her mood; of course she thought he was being insincere. She crossed her arms, forcing her perfect tits higher, and he was surprised a nipple didn’t pop out the damn top. His dick filled, hard and aching. His infuriating little viper was determined to drive him to distraction.

“It’s supposed to be girls’ night, remember?” Alex said. “And the last time I looked, Deacon didn’t qualify.”

Rusty laughed. “I didn’t know you had looked.”

Piper screwed up her face. “Ew, that’s not a mental image I want in my head.”

They were only teasing her, but Alex’s face drained of all color. “Cut it out. You know what I mean.”

“Oh, come on, Alex. Deacon doesn’t count. He’s…well, he’s Deacon. Consider him an honorary chick for tonight.”

Deacon pretended to be offended. “If I can keep my man card, I’ll provide chauffeur-driven transportation.”

His sisters squealed and did the happy dance they’d been doing since they were kids.

“What do you say? You ladies ready to go?”

They grabbed their bags and filed out the door. He followed Alex out last and made sure the place was locked up tight. “I hope I didn’t spoil your plans,” he said under his breath.

“You know you did,” she hissed back.

Jealousy reared up, cold and ugly, and he had no hope of reining it in. His sisters climbed in the Mercedes, and he stopped Alex before she could follow. Rusty started talking to Martin, so he took advantage of the distraction and blocked the door with his body. He reached around Alex and slid his hand up under her skirt and squeezed her delectable lace-covered ass, letting all the lust and anger show hot on his face as he gave her a slow once-over and ground his hard cock into her hip. “We had a deal, Alex. This relationship, for as long as it lasts, is exclusive. You look like you’re ready to spread your legs for the first loser willing to fuck you.”

Alex gaped at him, hurt and anger coming off her in waves. “Back the hell off,” she hissed. “You’re acting like an asshole.”

Goddammit. He was screwing up badly, allowing his insecurities to poison what he was trying to build with her. Jesus. This was Alex. His Alex. He should be able to tell her anything, but she wasn’t ready to hear how he felt about her. So for now all he could do was focus on the physical. At least she couldn’t deny the fire between them.

He slipped a finger under the delicate fabric covering her smooth flesh, pleased when he felt how wet she was. “No one touches this but me, do you understand?”

She bit her lip, eyes glazing over, even as she continued to glare at him. He knew she wanted to tell him to go to hell, could see it written all over her face. Instead she rolled her hips when he grazed lightly over her clit.

Rusty tapped him on the back, and thankfully his body was still blocking the door and Alex. “Come on, I’m getting thirsty.”

He released Alex and stepped back, motioning toward the car. “After you.”

She wouldn’t look at him as she pushed past, and he knew he’d taken it too far, knew what an asshole he’d been, and hated that in his near desperation to break past her protective barriers, to make her accept what was between them, he’d released an insecure side of himself he detested. A side he thought he’d buried a long time ago. But it was still there, the doubt, the mistrust…the fear. Projecting those feelings on Alex was far from okay.

But he didn’t know how much longer he could go on like this. Disturbingly, it was becoming far too easy to play this role with her. His possessiveness, it seemed, knew no limits.

Chapter Eleven

Alex took the shot Piper handed her and, ignoring Deacon’s heated stare, downed it in one.

She was pissed, but her body didn’t give a crap and clenched traitorously. Of course it didn’t help that he’d had his hand down the front of her underwear a short time ago. Deacon leaned in and said something to Piper, making her laugh, and Alex sneaked another look. She hadn’t seen him like this since he was in college. He’d switched out the tailored suit for a pair of worn jeans that molded to his long legs and firm ass. The black shirt he wore clung to his broad shoulders and biceps, the sleeves rolled up, showing off his amazing forearms.

Some people might think it was weird, getting all hot and bothered over forearms, but Deacon’s were beautiful. All corded muscle and tanned skin.

“Tequila!” Rusty yelled, shaking her out of her haze of lust, and handed her another shot.

“This is gonna hurt in the morning.” Her friend laughed, then they both downed their drinks and slammed the empties on the bar.

“Let’s dance.” Piper grabbed their hands and leaned into her brother. “Come dance with us?”

He shook his head. “You girls go have fun. I’ll get another round of drinks.”

Piper popped her bottom lip. “I don’t want to leave you all on your own.”

Rusty snorted. “He won’t be alone for long.”

Deacon grinned like the motherfucking cat that got the cream. Was that why he’d insisted on coming? To flaunt some bimbo in front of her, to pay her back for bailing on their plans? Perhaps he’d decided being with her was too much effort.

He met and held her gaze. “Never know what the night will bring.”

Overbearing bastard. How dare he show up and try to ruin her night. If he wanted to play games, she could play games. Smiling wide, she made sure her silent screw you was there to see.

His eyes narrowed, and he took a step toward her.

Oh, no, you don’t.

Before he could open his mouth, she spun on her heel and headed to the dance floor. “Let’s do this!”

Oh, yeah, Deacon had been super pissed that she’d walked away from him and remained that way as she danced the next five songs nonstop so she could avoid him. She knew this because she’d cast sneaky looks his way every now and then and, as per her shitty luck, had been caught every time. His dark gaze hadn’t left her once; she’d felt it, the heat of it moving over her skin. And she’d secretly loved it.

But now, instead of watching her, those green eyes were focused on a hot blonde with a killer rack and a pouty mouth.

Deacon’s usual type.

“You wanna dance?” Alex turned toward the deep voice. The guy standing behind her was good-looking, tall, a little rough around the edges. Perfect one-night-stand material.

“We already are,” she yelled back. He’d come in closer, moving with her to the music. His grin widened, and he pulled her in to his body, both hands landing on her hips. Before long they were dancing with the deep, sensual bass of the song.

She rested her hands on his biceps. They were firm, more lean muscle than bulk. Not like Deacon. Deke worked out a lot, and it showed. This guy was definitely nothing to sneeze at, though. She might’ve considered taking him home for the night if things were different. This was the kind of guy she imagined she’d end up with. This guy was from her world.