Page 78 of Firecracker

“You mean…you find women more and more attractive as you get to know them?” Mila asked.

“No. Women findmemore attractive as they get to know me.” He lifted one shoulder and picked up his drink.

“Um. Okay.”

“So you just take your time, Emma.” Norton winked. “You’ll come around. You’re gonna want me in no time.”

Tyler tried not to laugh at the expression on Emma’s face, who clearly had no idea how to respond to that without hurting Norton’s feelings. This was Emma’s first time meeting Norton.

Norton, Norton. They had to find a woman for him.

It sure as hell wasn’t going to be Arden. Probably not Emma either. Norton had been flirting like crazy with both of them since they’d arrived at Shenanigans. Luckily Emma had laughed when Norton told her she reminded him of an overdue library book because she had “fine” written all over her.

“But it’s true about men,” Norton added. “I know in three seconds if I’m attracted to someone.”

“You’re attracted to every woman, Norton,” Jamie said.

Norton frowned and thought about that.

Arden approached their table, still smiling from her conversation with that table full of ass monkeys. “How’s it going here?”

Holding an empty tray, she planted her butt on the arm of the big comfy chair Emma sat in.

“Good.” Emma reached over and squeezed Arden’s knee, which had Tyler’s full attention. He usually saw Arden wearing black pants and a white shirt, the “uniform” of Shenanigans, but tonight she was wearing a short black skirt. Tyler caught Norton’s open-mouthed gaze on Emma’s hand on Arden’s knee. He sighed.

“Need another round?” Arden tilted her head and met his eyes.

Heat punched through his gut at the eye contact. Jesus.

They’d been dancing around each other since Tuesday night when they’d fucked each other stupid. She’d left for work the next day while he stayed at her place, pretending to work on her bathroom. Therehadbeen legit delays with getting the plumber they knew to squeeze them in between jobs, but truthfully? He’d been dragging it out because he liked having her in his apartment naked. That night, he’d gone to Shenanigans to walk her home, as he had any night he wasn’t working. Even though it pissed her off, she’d gradually accepted that he was going to be there when he could. When they’d got back to her place, he’d paused outside her apartment, then kissed her forehead and said good night.

He’d sensed that puzzled her.

Then he’d had to work the next morning and hadn’t seen her much until tonight.

“I’ll have another Fuzzy Navel.” Norton held up his empty glass.

Arden smiled. “Sure.”

“Why the hell are you drinking those?” Jamie asked. “That’s a girly drink.”

The sharply sucked-in breath of the three women was audible even in the noisy bar.

“What did you just say?” Mila asked.

Jamie blinked. “Uh…”

“What does that even mean?” Emma said. “What is a girly drink exactly? And why does a drink have to be gender specific? Why can’t men drink whatever they want?”

“And women,” Arden added.

Jamie held his hands up. “Sorry.”

“I’m secure in my masculinity,” Norton said.

“Good to know,” Jamie said dryly. “I’ll have another beer.”

“Same,” Tyler added, though he hated Arden waiting on him. It just felt wrong. He wanted to be the one looking after her. But planting her ass on this couch while he went and got drinks would definitely be weird.

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