Page 23 of Wrong Car, Wright Guy
“No.” She shakes her head. “I’m just thinking about Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. So now I’m worried I’m going to call them that.”
I press my lips together so I don’t laugh. “Then call them ‘sir’. It’ll be safer.”
She nods quickly, and I can feel the tension radiating off her body. She’s nervous, and I instinctively move to comfort her, my thumb sliding back and forth in a calming motion, the soft fabric doing insane things to other parts of my body.God, I love this dress.
Needing to release her, I use that hand to cover my mouth as I clear my throat.Again.“There they are,” I say, pointing to a table toward the back of the restaurant’s first floor.
“Tanner!” Bill spots us first and stands to greet us. I’ve known him for years, so he gives me a hug like I’m family—something my own family doesnotdo. “How the hell are ya?”
“I’m great. And you?”
“Brilliant! You remember my business partner, Jeremy?” He gestures to Jeremy, who’s kind of caught in the bench seat against the wall and can’t do much more than shake hands across the table.
“I sure do. Good to see you.”
“Pleasure’s mine,” Jeremy says.
“And this must be Ruby,” Bill continues, moving in to take Ruby by both of her hands. I have to clamp down when a growl threatens to escape out of my chest. I don’t want anyone touching her, and I’m not quite sure what to do with the feeling. This is…unusual for me.
“How do you do, sir?” she says, giving a little curtsy.Fuck she’s cute when she’s nervous.
Bill keeps holding her hands. “We caught your show today and you two are just brilliant together. Better than you ever were on your own, Tanner.”
I pull out Ruby’s seat and gesture for her to sit down, feeling more at ease the moment she’s free of those grabby hands. “You don’t hear me arguing,” I say, letting my fingertips brush against her silken soft skin before I pull away.
“Unless it’s me,” Ruby says, turning her smile toward me. “Then he argues all the time.”
“Ha!” Jeremy reaches across the table and pats Ruby’s hands. “You sound just like my wife. Maybe we should start a radio show of our own too.”
“Maybe,” Ruby says, sliding her hand free to drape her napkin across her lap. I growl over the interaction.
“So, what are we drinking?” I ask, rubbing my hands together. I’ll need to drink to get through this night without yelling at someone for touching what’s mine—I mean, my co-host.Fuck.
Get a grip.
You’re in control here.
You’re always in control.
“How about we ask the lady?” Bill says with a grin.
“I think whisky,” Ruby says. “The Yamazaki twelve-year-old is particularly good.”
Bill chuckles, his eyes shining as he looks her up and down. “She knows her stuff. I like her, Tanner. I really like her.”
“Well, she’s easy to like,” I say, before I realize the words are falling from my lips. The compliment causes her to smile and flush a little. Which means my dick wants me to make her blush some more.
I think my dick might be the one with all the control here.Double fuck.
Despite my inability to clamp down on my attraction, dinner goes off without a hitch. We chat like we were all close friends with lots of laughs, no lulls in conversation and great food. During dessert, we get down to business, nutting out a deal where they’ll become station sponsors for prime advertising time and on-air mentions.
“We could even work your brand into our conversation,” Ruby suggests. “So, it sounds more natural. Like a recommendation.”
“Yes. I like that,” Jeremy says, nodding as he twists his whiskey glass between his fingers.
“Me too,” I agree, smiling her way. Beautiful, smart, sassy. Ruby is the whole package. And one day, some lucky bastard is going to come along and sweep her out from under me. The idea of the day coming any time soon puts me in a bad mood.
“I’ll let you take the car,” I tell Ruby when the evening is done and we’ve said our final goodbyes, a lucrative deal in our pockets. “I’ll get a cab.” I honestly can’t trust myself to be alone in an enclosed space with her right now. Sitting next to her all night in a cramped restaurant with her body constantly brushing against mine has done things to me that I need to take care of in private.
