Kinda, but… “Nah, sweetie. This is your night. Take your time. I’ll wait for you over here.”
She kissed his cheek then flounced off, slightly unstable on her feet. A high-pitched squeal of excitement from the women killed a few of his brain cells.
As he waited for Jill to get the socializing out of her system, he wandered toward the exit and propped his back against the wall. Typically, he’d have joined Jill and flirted until one of her friends showed interest. It’d been a solid week since he’d gotten laid, and his balls could use a good unloading. But these women came with kids, and he didn’t fuck women with kids.
At least not if he could help it. One sweaty romp and a woman with kids got ideas in her head. Hearts and flowers kind of ideas. Stability ideas. Daddy-for-junior ideas.
Fuck that. Last thing he wanted now or ever was some rug rat running circles around him while its mom dreamed of rings and honeymoons.
His gaze snagged on a woman standing alone, talking into her phone. She was younger than him, maybe early twenties, with the most white-blond hair he’d ever seen. It barely grazed her shoulders and swung, sunny and shiny, as she gestured with her hand.
When she turned, he caught a glint of glitter covering her eyelids. Her expression was one of frustration, but it didn’t disguise how adorable she was. Tight jeans, an asymmetrical black shirt that left one shoulder completely bare, and bright red heels. Simple, sexy, sweet. Probably too sweet for him. Women he classified as adorable tended to be too innocent for his tastes. Along with avoiding hooking up with moms, he shied away from virgins. Another group that got stars in their eyes the second a man made them feel special.
And what could he say? His brand of charm and physical skill made every woman feel special.
For a little while anyway.
As the woman hung up her phone, she glanced his way. As their gazes collided, her eyes widened, but she recovered so fast. Hell, maybe he’d imagined the flash of interest.
Her glossy pink lips curled up in a smile designed for one thing and one thing only, seduction. Nope. Not his imagination.
And right on cue, his cock twitched. Huh, maybe Miss Adorable wasn’t quite as sweet as he’d assumed.
Jill picked that moment to run back to him. “I’m so sorry for making you wait.”
The blonde’s smile flipped to a frown as she probably assumed Jill was his girlfriend, not just his friend. “Don’t worry about it. I was enjoying the view.”
“Oh really?” Jill made a slow turn. When she saw the woman he’d had his eye on, she hummed. “Cute. Well, that makes what I’m about to do to you seem a little less shitty.” She spun back and bit her lower lip with a sheepish expression. The freckles she always claimed to hate seemed brighter than usual, thanks to the alcohol.
“Uh oh. What are you up to?”
“My friends are all going out to a bar afterward, and they want me to join them. I already ran it by Desi, and he’s cool with it.” She held up a hand as he opened his mouth. “Carmen is the DD and hasn’t had a drop of booze all night. She’ll get us all home safely afterward.”
JP frowned at the group of ladies currently pleading with their hazy eyes. “I don’t know…”
With a snort, Jill laughed. “You’re worse than my husband. But lucky for me, you don’t get a say.” She winked. “I’m going. And you are now free to go pick up that little cutie.” She rose on tip toes and kissed his cheek. “Have fun,” she sing-songed. Then with a cheerful wave, she was hustling back to her girl gang while giving the cutie a thumbs up.
The poor woman across the way had a look of utter confusion on her face.
Well, the night certainly had taken an unexpected turn, but who the hell was he to look a gift horse in the mouth? Pasting on his most charming smile, the one that had his bedpost carved full of notches, he sauntered across the arena with his most confident swagger.
“I’m guessing that thumbs up means she isn’t your girlfriend, wife, or baby mama?” the woman asked with a raised eyebrow when he was close enough to hear.
JP laughed long and loud. Shit, she was even cuter up close with a button nose, sparkling blue eyes, and a little freckle near the corner of her right eye. “No, she’s the wife of a buddy who is home sick with his children. I am blessedly woman and child free.”
Something indistinguishable flashed in her eyes, but it vanished as soon as it appeared. If he had to make a guess, it had seemed almost sad, but her personal problems were none of his business. Long as she was consenting, over eighteen, and some dude wasn’t about to walk out of the bathroom and beat him bloody for flirting with his girl, they were good to go.