his phone, and his fingers hovered over the screen. “Damn.” He wiped more sweat off his forehead. “What should I say?”
Ace chuckled and Rowan knew he was getting off on watching him squirm.
“Just tell her it was good to see her today. See if she responds.”
That seemed harmless enough. Rowan fired off a text, holding his breath to see if she’d respond right away. After a minute passed, he cursed himself for being an impatient idiot. He set the phone on a nearby chair while he refilled his water bottle from a cooler in the corner.
Ace grinned when the phone vibrated, letting him know he had a message. “She says you blew her mind.”
“Gimme that,” Rowan said, grabbing the phone from him. Looking at the screen, he couldn’t hide his smile as he read her words over and over. Goes both ways , he replied.
“She’s good for you,” Ace said, smirking. “She makes you work for it, keeps you guessing. You need a woman like that.”
No, what he needed was stability and a girl who could make him feel secure in what they had. He knew Tenley wasn’t likely to be that girl, but he’d give anything if she could be.
“I don’t want to play games,” Rowan said, gripping his phone. “I want…” He was almost afraid to say it. “I guess I’m ready for a girlfriend again.”
“And you want it to be Tenley.” Ace nodded. “I get that. She’s hotter than hell. But it seems she’s got a lot going on.” He tapped his index finger against his temple. “Maybe too much.”
“Are you saying she’s too smart for me?”
Ace laughed. “Well, there is that. But that’s not what I meant. I get the feeling she’s been through the emotional wringer with men. Could be impossible to break through those barriers, buddy.”
As they walked to the showers, Rowan said, “Giving up doesn’t feel like an option. I tried that, remember? And I’m not gonna lie. I’ve thought about her every goddamn minute since I walked out of her brother’s office that night.”
“Then there’s only one thing you can do,” Ace said, gripping Rowan’s neck. “Make her see you’re not like all the rest.”
***
Rowan didn’t text Tenley to let her know he was going to pass by her work that night, but he was pissed when he saw her favorite regular sitting on a stool at the bar, chatting her up as she mixed drinks for her other customers.
“Shit,” Rowan muttered, stopping just inside the entrance. Ace and his brother turned to look at him, waiting for some explanation. “It’s the guy from the park. The one Tenley dated.”
Reese gave Andrew a quick once-over, taking in his lean build and yuppie clothes. “Doesn’t look like much of a threat to me. I don’t know what you’re worried about.”
“Did I say I was worried?”
Walker spotted Rowan from across the bar and made his way toward them. His gaze strayed to Ace briefly, but he smiled when Rowan offered his hand. “Good to see you, man,” Walker said, slapping Rowan’s shoulder while clasping his hand. “When I didn’t see you around for a while, I thought my little sister had blown it with you.”
“What’s the deal there?” Rowan asked, nodding toward the bar. “Has he been hangin’ around much lately?”
“No,” Walker said. “Tonight’s the first time I’ve seen him in a few weeks.”
“Good to know,” Rowan said, nodding when Tenley finally caught his eye. She smiled and waved, easing the knot in his stomach as he introduced her brother to Ace and Reese.
“Ace,” Walker said, clenching his jaw, “I hear you’re dating Stacey. I hope you’re being good to her. She’s a real sweetheart.”
“Yeah, she is,” Ace said, obviously sizing up his competition. “You don’t have to worry about me. I’ll treat her right.”
Walker looked as though he wanted to say more but returned his attention to Rowan instead. “You guys can snag that table,” he said, pointing at one near the dance floor, with a gold reserved sign
Ace chuckled and Rowan knew he was getting off on watching him squirm.
“Just tell her it was good to see her today. See if she responds.”
That seemed harmless enough. Rowan fired off a text, holding his breath to see if she’d respond right away. After a minute passed, he cursed himself for being an impatient idiot. He set the phone on a nearby chair while he refilled his water bottle from a cooler in the corner.
Ace grinned when the phone vibrated, letting him know he had a message. “She says you blew her mind.”
“Gimme that,” Rowan said, grabbing the phone from him. Looking at the screen, he couldn’t hide his smile as he read her words over and over. Goes both ways , he replied.
“She’s good for you,” Ace said, smirking. “She makes you work for it, keeps you guessing. You need a woman like that.”
No, what he needed was stability and a girl who could make him feel secure in what they had. He knew Tenley wasn’t likely to be that girl, but he’d give anything if she could be.
“I don’t want to play games,” Rowan said, gripping his phone. “I want…” He was almost afraid to say it. “I guess I’m ready for a girlfriend again.”
“And you want it to be Tenley.” Ace nodded. “I get that. She’s hotter than hell. But it seems she’s got a lot going on.” He tapped his index finger against his temple. “Maybe too much.”
“Are you saying she’s too smart for me?”
Ace laughed. “Well, there is that. But that’s not what I meant. I get the feeling she’s been through the emotional wringer with men. Could be impossible to break through those barriers, buddy.”
As they walked to the showers, Rowan said, “Giving up doesn’t feel like an option. I tried that, remember? And I’m not gonna lie. I’ve thought about her every goddamn minute since I walked out of her brother’s office that night.”
“Then there’s only one thing you can do,” Ace said, gripping Rowan’s neck. “Make her see you’re not like all the rest.”
***
Rowan didn’t text Tenley to let her know he was going to pass by her work that night, but he was pissed when he saw her favorite regular sitting on a stool at the bar, chatting her up as she mixed drinks for her other customers.
“Shit,” Rowan muttered, stopping just inside the entrance. Ace and his brother turned to look at him, waiting for some explanation. “It’s the guy from the park. The one Tenley dated.”
Reese gave Andrew a quick once-over, taking in his lean build and yuppie clothes. “Doesn’t look like much of a threat to me. I don’t know what you’re worried about.”
“Did I say I was worried?”
Walker spotted Rowan from across the bar and made his way toward them. His gaze strayed to Ace briefly, but he smiled when Rowan offered his hand. “Good to see you, man,” Walker said, slapping Rowan’s shoulder while clasping his hand. “When I didn’t see you around for a while, I thought my little sister had blown it with you.”
“What’s the deal there?” Rowan asked, nodding toward the bar. “Has he been hangin’ around much lately?”
“No,” Walker said. “Tonight’s the first time I’ve seen him in a few weeks.”
“Good to know,” Rowan said, nodding when Tenley finally caught his eye. She smiled and waved, easing the knot in his stomach as he introduced her brother to Ace and Reese.
“Ace,” Walker said, clenching his jaw, “I hear you’re dating Stacey. I hope you’re being good to her. She’s a real sweetheart.”
“Yeah, she is,” Ace said, obviously sizing up his competition. “You don’t have to worry about me. I’ll treat her right.”
Walker looked as though he wanted to say more but returned his attention to Rowan instead. “You guys can snag that table,” he said, pointing at one near the dance floor, with a gold reserved sign
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