Chasin' Eight (Rough Riders 11)
“Yes, and please tell me you’ve got a real restaurant in mind and not just a stop at the Qwickie Mart for more sunflower seeds and licorice.”
He grinned. “There’s a glimpse of that snooty California girl, but as a matter of fact, I’ve heard about this supper club called Steak’n a Claim.”
“What, pray tell, is a supper club?”
“You eat on one side and there’s entertainment and a bar on the other side. Something you’d be interested in?”
“Aren’t you afraid we’ll be recognized?”
He probably deserved that, since he’d purposely made them keep a low profile this first week on the road. “If you don’t wanna go, Hollywood, just say so.”
Ava rose to her three-inch height advantage and crowded him. “I just asked a question, McKay, so don’t get snippy.”
“Men don’t get snippy. Men get pissy.”
She poked him in the chest. “Fine. Don’t get pissy.”
“Fine. So is that a yes or a no?”
“Yes. What am I supposed to wear?”
Her long legs were encased in tight jeans. She wore a fluttery top with silver and blue swirls that reminded him of the ocean. “You look great right now.”
Ava rolled her eyes. “I don’t have a bit of makeup on, my hair is in a clip and I’m wearing flip-flops.”
“You’re tryin’ not to call attention to yourself, remember? You get all fancied up, looking like the Hollywood star you are, and we’ll draw more notice.” He pushed up on his toes and kissed her forehead. “Besides, you don’t need none of that junk anyway. You always look beautiful.”
“Such sweet bullshit,” she mimicked. “How soon before you’re ready to leave?”
“As soon as I get my boots on.”
“I’ll change shoes too.”
Chase shoved his wallet in his back pocket, and maybe for the first time he’d gone out with a woman, he hadn’t double-checked his condom supply.
The place was jam-packed and they scored the last table. Pretty basic menu. Several different cuts and sizes of steak. Fried chicken. Pasta. Seafood. The house specialty was the chicken-fried buffalo steak, served with mashed potatoes, gravy and a cold broccoli salad.
“It all looks good. I’m too starved to pick one thing.”
“Trust me to order for you?” Chase asked.
Ava folded her menu and set her elbows on the table. “Please.”
The waitress dropped off two glasses of peach iced tea and Chase dumped in three packets of sugar.
“This is a cool place.”
“Pretty standard for a small Midwestern town. I try to find joints like this rather than eating at another chain restaurant when I’m on the road.”
She mumbled something as her focus followed someone’s movements across the room.
“See someone you know?” he teased.
“I see someone I’d like to know,” Ava purred. “Some fine, fine specimens of cowboy in here.”
Jealousy had Chase cranking his head to check out which man had caught her eye. “Where?”
“Never mind. He’s gone.”
“Maybe you’ll get lucky and run into him next door at the bar.” Jesus. What the hell had possessed him to say that? He glanced up to see Ava looking at him skeptically. He said, “What?”
“I realize we’re just friends, Sundance, but you have no problem with me slow dancing with another guy? Right in front of you?”
Chase hoped his shrug came across nonchalant.
“What if the sexual chemistry was off the charts and I wanted to go home with him?”
The thought of some random guy touching her in all the ways Chase imagined touching her made his teeth clench and his eyeballs pulse. He ripped open two more packets of sugar and angrily dumped them in his tea, violently stirring the liquid.
“That much sugar isn’t good for you.”
“Neither is an STD you might pick up from some loser bar rat.”
“Really? Chase’n Tail McKay is going there with me?”
He glanced up. “No. Sorry. Obviously I can’t tell you what to do, besides warning not to bring some strange dude back to the hotel room.”
“I don’t want to argue with you, but I’m not gonna lie either. While this road trip is fulfilling some of my needs, it’s not fulfilling them all.”
I can fulfill your every need and then some.
When Ava leaned across the table, Chase could see so far down her shirt he swore he caught a glimpse of nipple.
“I haven’t had sex in four months, Chase. I didn’t realize how much I missed something until I haven’t had it. It’s like my brain is on a continual loop—imagining rough hands stroking my skin, craving sweet and lazy kisses, or hot and hard kisses, needing an intense body-to-body connection.”
“What exactly are you tryin’ to do to me here?” he half-growled, hating—and loving—that she’d put such graphic images in his head.
“What? We’re friends. I’m sharing my frustrations with you.” Ava blinked innocently. “Oh wow. Sorry. For a second I forgot that you are captain of the USS Abstinence… Well, anyway, your lack-of-sex situation is self-imposed, mine is not. And I don’t think I should have to suffer for your choice.”
The food arrived. Chase watched Ava devour every bite, and tried to ignore the happy little humming moans that reminded him of sex.
Hell, everything about her made him think of sex.
Ava shoved aside her empty plate. “You’re right. It’ll be fun to hang out at the bar for a little while.”
Yippee. He was such an idiot. Now he’d spend the rest of the night watching her entice the local yokels.
“Excuse me?”
They both glanced at the young woman at the end of the table. “This might sound strange, but me’n my friends we were wondering if you are…”
Chase braced himself. Here it was. He should’ve known better than to show up in public place, even a rural dive, with the radiant Ava Cooper.
“Sure, I’d be happy to take your picture,” Ava said pulling Chase from his worrisome thoughts. “Isn’t it great that her friends took her out to celebrate her birthday?” Ava prompted Chase.
Hugely relieved, he offered the birthday girl a genuine smile. “While you’re taking pics, I’ll pay the bill.” Grabbing the check, he stood and tossed a ten on the table for a tip.