Page 93 of Firecracker

“Okay, maybe not beat him up. But for sure I’m gonna have a little chat with him.”

She bit her lip. “I don’t know if you should interfere.”

He shrugged. “She’s a friend. We look out for each other. Don’t look like that. It’ll be fine.”

“Ooookay.” She paused. “Jamie was so funny the night she came up and told us.”

“Funny how?”

“He was obviously very uncomfortable because she was upset, but he almost looked…upset too.”

“They’ve been friends for a long time.”

“True. Anyway, we’re going have a girls’ night some time. Go to a club and dance and flirt with a bunch of men.”

Tyler frowned. “You’re going to flirt with a bunch of men?”

“Shhh.” Her eyes darted around, and he realized he’d nearly shouted.

“Sorry.” He lowered his voice. “But seriously…?”

She smiled. “What’s wrong with a little flirting?”

How the hell did he even answer that question? There waseverythingwrong with a little flirting, unless the man she was flirting with washim.

He pulled in a long slow breath, working for control. He’d gotten her here, on this dinner date, in this romantic restaurant, but she didn’t think she was ready for a relationship, so he had to keep things casual and light. But the possessiveness inside him was growing, the powerful, protective need to claim her as his, to look after her and make her life as perfect as he could. It was making it damn hard to keep his hands off her, to keep from forbidding her to flirt with any other man. Hell, she shouldn’t besmilingat any other man. And it was making it damn hard to keep from telling her exactly how he felt about her.

Too soon.

Their appetizers arrived, and they continued to talk as they shared the small dishes—about his job, the upcoming beer festival being held in Oz Park, and the plan to go to the Firefly Supper Club Friday night. She shared more of her ideas about the breakfast she was catering, how she’d collected business cards last weekend and had already made a few calls to some of the vendors, and she told him about something she was working on at Shenanigans—a service manual, she called it, which Liam hadn’t asked her to do but which she’d taken on herself after seeing a need for it when she’d been hired.

“I’m sure he’ll appreciate that.” Tyler held a mussel shell in one hand and a small fork in the other. “It sounds like it’ll make training new staff easier, and that helps everyone.”

“Including the customer. They apparently have a lot of staff turnover.” She scrunched up her face. “Why is that, do you think?”

“No idea.” Tyler popped the mussel into his mouth.

“It’s not that Liam’s a bad guy to work for. And Sorcha is great too, although she’s a little stern at times.”

“I think she has to be, because Liam’s such a pushover.”

“He kind of is. I love him, though.” She tilted her head. “What’s with you and Sorcha?”

He went still and dropped his gaze. “What? Nothing.”

“Yes, there is. I saw the way she was talking to you last weekend. Oh my God.” Her mouth dropped open. “She’s not your ex-girlfriend, is she?”

“No! Christ no. We’ve never gone out. But…”

“What?”

“I think she has a crush on me.” He shifted on his chair. “She doesn’t really hide it.”

“Oh.” She blinked. “You’re not…interested? She’s lovely.”

He lifted his head to meet her eyes, moving his head from side to side. “No. Not interested in her. Not even a little.”

The moment stretched out, the air around them growing hot, as if a bubble surrounded their table, capturing them inside it together, the rest of the world on the outside. He didn’t try to hide his feelings, and knew she could read his face.

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