15. Dude, You’re Cockblocking Me Here
Dude, You’re Cockblocking Me Here
Cara
‘I can’t believe you’ve only been here for two weeks.’ Bree says loudly, and I smile at her. She’s a little tipsy tonight as she doesn’t have to work tomorrow, and she’s definitely letting her hair down.
‘I know, neither can I. It’s so weird, though, not having a routine.’
‘You can have my routine,’ Zoe says, placing another round of drinks on the bar in front of us. ‘When can you move into the house?’
I blow out a breath of frustration. ‘I don’t know. I’m not allowed up there until Doug tells me otherwise, and I haven’t heard a word from him in days.’
I’m annoyed. I know he needs to be able to get on with his work but banning me from my own house and not even having the decency to keep me informed of the progress? I know he doesn’t like me, but I am technically his employer.
Granted, I royally pissed him off by dragging my heels over the kitchen, but it was only a day, and I didn’t want to make a mistake. I could have been nicer about it, but I don’t really owe him that. He doesn’t like me, and I am the one paying him, so it’s my prerogative to take my time, and his own damn fault if people here seem to prefer talking to me than to him. He could try being nicer and smiling once in a while. He really should smile more. He looks very nice when he does… not that I’ve seen many of them.
‘Well, I know he’s been working long hours. Mama said he leaves early and comes back late, and he’s been so tired he showers, eats, and goes straight to bed.’
My shoulders slump a little, and I feel my brow furrow. Bree reaches out a finger and presses it to my forehead, I think a little more forcefully than she intended, and Zoe and I laugh.
‘Don’t worry about him. He knows what he’s doing.’
I do worry, though. I shouldn’t. I’m paying him well, and how he runs the job is his call, not mine, but I don’t want him running himself into the ground.
‘Speak of the devil,’ Zoe mutters and moves her attention to somewhere behind me. ‘It’s aliiive .’
She jokes as the woodsy scent I’ve come to recognize envelopes me, and I feel him come to stand beside me. I turn my head to offer a small smile, and he nods a greeting, well, I assume that’s what it is, but says nothing.
‘Can I get a beer without the attitude, please?’ he asks gruffly, and his voice has my stomach and my lady parts doing all those weird things again. Why do you like when he’s in a bad mood? I mentally direct the question between my legs and shake my head when I don’t get an answer.
‘Okay, sunshine, here you go. That one’s on me.’ Zoe gifts her brother a wide smile as he grabs the bottle and walks away. I try not to, I really try, but I can’t help stealing a glance in his direction. He seats himself in a dark corner of the bar, away from anyone else, and I just don’t understand it.
The people of this town clearly know not to bother him. Nobody does, except Bree and Zoe, who seem to make it their mission to annoy him even more. No matter how much they try, though, I still don’t think they piss him off as much as I do. I’m used to people not liking me. I’m not used to so desperately wanting to change their minds.
‘He’s super pissy tonight,’ Bree slurs and Zoe nods.
‘About time he got himself laid. I can’t take his bad attitude any longer.’
I swallow hard at that idea and fight the urge to volunteer as tribute. The fact is, over the last couple of weeks, I have thought about grumpy Doug in ways I have never thought about anyone, and I’ve discovered that arousal is definitely not a myth.
I haven’t acted on any of that. I’ve thought about it. I’ve got as far as running my fingers across my stomach before panic kicks in, and I stop, but I am definitely surer of this than I’ve ever been of anything, even though he’s completely infuriating and a total grumpy arse. If Doug Campbell wanted me the way I’ve been thinking about him, I’d let him have it. I’d let him have it all.
The thought really pisses me off. Why am I keening for a man who can hardly bear to look at me? I glance across again, and the answer is evident: because as moody as he is, he’s fucking beautiful.
‘Cara,’ Bree says in a way that makes me think it’s not the first time she’s said it. I meet her gaze, and she smiles. ‘I asked what you’d be doing back home on a Friday night?’
‘Oh, not much, really.’
‘Oh, come on. Tell us. Big nights out with friends?’
I shuffle a little uncomfortable, then decide to just go with it. ‘Truth is, I don’t really have friends.’ Zoe’s eyes widen, and Bree’s narrow. ‘I’m odd. I know I am, and well, people don’t really want to be my friend.’
I swallow—a fact I never let upset me before suddenly stinging.
‘You can’t be serious?’ Bree says softly, and I nod.
‘I am. I know I’m strange and different. People don’t like me, generally. Look at Doug.’
The throat clearing beside me squeezes the lump already in my throat, and I turn to see the man in question eyeing me curiously. He opens his mouth to say something, then turns his attention to Zoe.
‘Can I get another?’
‘I need to use the bathroom,’ I say in a rush and push myself up to standing as Zoe glares at her brother with murder in her eyes.
In the bathroom, I brace myself on the countertop and stare at my reflection.
What is so wrong with me that people can just decide right off the bat that I’m not their cup of tea? Zoe and Bree don’t seem to see it. Missy doesn’t, Doris either. They all seem to think I’m pretty great. In fact, aside from Doug, everyone I’ve met here seems to like me, but just like everyone back home, all he sees is the annoying oddball that he doesn’t want to associate with. Unlike with everyone back home, I’ve never been this bothered by it.
I push open the door and start to make my way back to the bar when a man approaches. He looks to be about my age, and he’s handsome. Blond, bright blue eyes, clean-shaven, and no tattoos. Not things I would have noticed before, but now I can’t help noticing how not Doug they are.
‘Hey, Cara, right?’ He smiles, and that is a very nice smile.
‘Um, yeah, hello.’
‘I’m Tristan. You’re the talk of the town, and we haven’t met yet, so I wanted to introduce myself.’
He holds out his hand, and I take it.
‘Oh, well, it’s nice to meet you, Tristan.’
‘I wanted to see if maybe you wanted to dance?’
I look toward the dance floor, where couples sway and spin smoothly to the music, and I feel the heat in my cheeks at the thought.
‘Oh,’ I release a laugh. ‘I don’t think that’s a good idea if you like your toes. I was blessed with two left feet.’
Tristan releases a loud laugh, and I notice Bree and Zoe both turn to look in our direction.
‘Come on.’ He tugs, and I realize he’s still holding my hand. ‘Let me show you.’
I don’t know why, but I let him pull me toward the dance floor.
Tristan turns me to face him. His hand on my lower back pulls my body close to his as he holds my other hand.
‘You can put that one anywhere you like,’ he winks, ‘but I suggest my shoulder.’
I realize my free hand is hanging limply to the side and giggle awkwardly as I raise it up to his shoulder.
‘Okay, just trust me.’ He holds me a little closer, and I can’t help but smile. He has this beaming grin, and he smells absolutely delicious.
‘Oh god.’ I cackle as I immediately stand on his foot, and he laughs.
‘That’s okay, that’s fine. Can’t say you didn’t warn me. Let’s try it again.’
The hand on my back splays, his fingers spreading until the tip of his little finger brushes the waistband of my jeans and dips inside just a fraction. I look up to meet his searching eyes as he lowers his gaze to my lips, and his tongue peeks out to run along his.
Is he… Oh, God. Is he considering kissing me?
‘Tristan.’
The deep voice behind me is sharp enough that it makes me jump before all the hairs on my body stand on end. Tristan looks up and smiles, but Doug’s eyes are cold and maybe even angry. If he were fixing that gaze on me, I would not be grinning the way Tristan is. I’d be wilting like spinach in a hot pan.
‘Doug. Hey, man.’
‘Can we talk? I have some work I want to discuss with you.’ God, he’s gruff.
‘Now?’ Tristan narrows his gaze at Doug, then flicks it briefly to me, and I know enough about men to read that message: Dude, you’re cockblocking me here . If he’d said it out loud, I’d have assured him this wasn’t going further than a sorry attempt at dancing. Instead, I look up at Doug and notice the way his jaw ticks as though he’s grinding his teeth together, but he doesn’t look at me—he holds Tristan’s gaze the whole time.
‘Yeah, now. Cara, Bree was looking for you.’
I step back as he says my name for the first time in days and look toward the bar, where the sisters watch what’s happening with wide eyes.
‘Oh, okay. Sorry about the toes, Tristan. It was lovely to meet you.’
I rush back toward the bar, and Zoe slides a drink to me.
‘What did he say?’
‘Huh?’
‘Doug,’ Bree pushes. ‘Did he go all caveman on Tristan?’
She’s practically vibrating out of her seat.
‘What? No. He wanted to talk to him about work.’ I sit, and Zoe laughs.
‘Bullshit. The day my brother hires Tristan Beaumont for work is the day hell freezes over.’
‘That’s what he said. What do you mean, caveman?’
My question seems to sober Bree up, and Zoe busies herself serving another customer. One who hadn’t asked to be served incidentally.
‘Bree?’
She leans over and talks directly into my ear.
‘He’ll seriously put me in the ground if he finds out I told you this, but he hated you dancing with Tristan. He stomped over here, asking why we were letting you get swept up by him, then next thing, Tristan’s hands looked to be wandering, and his mouth started looking for yours, and Doug stomped over there with pressing business. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say jealousy just bit my brother right in the ass.’