Clem smiles against my lips before taking a step back and, hanging on to my hand, runs his eyes over my body, top to bottom.Then he gives his head a little shake.
“In case I wasn’t clear enough, you take my breath away.”
I stand corrected, the words feel damn good.
As he helps me into my coat a moment later, he brushes the shell of my ear with his lips.“And tonight, those boots stay on.”
His hoarse whisper makes my knees go weak.
Have mercy.
“There you are!”Brenda calls out twenty minutes later when we walk into The Kerrigan.
She’s making her way over from the bar, decked out in a purple, formfitting, sequined dress that hugs every generous curve on her body, and I’m so there for it.With the teased-out hair and bright pink lips, she looks like a classic movie star knockout.A long way from the drab office clothes she usually opts for.
“You look stunning,” I inform her, smiling broadly.
“Oh, this little thing?”she responds coyly, running her hands down her rounded hips.“You look great too.That hair should be illegal though, I’m so jealous.”
Then she peeks past me and scrutinizes Clem.
“Well, I’ll be…Clem, honey, I had no idea all that was hiding under the layers of flannel and engine grease.Mercy.”
I snicker when I catch Clem raising his eyes to the ceiling in mock exasperation, especially considering the ruddy blush of embarrassment growing on his cheeks.
“Leave my guy alone, Brenda,” I warn her jokingly.“You’ve got your own.”
The woman snorts.“Yeah, but I lost him five minutes after we walked in the door.He got me set up with a drink at the bar and disappeared.”
“I’ll go look for him,” Clem offers.
The kiss he drops on my lips leaves me smiling dreamily, and that does not go unnoticed by Brenda.
“Oh boy, you’re a goner.”
I grin at her, not bothering to deny it.Then my eyes follow him as he makes his way through the pub, saying a few words here and there as he passes people he knows.He moves easily, confidently but without any kind of swagger.He’s at home here, in this place, in this town, with these people.He belongs, and I’m starting to feel like maybe I belong too.
Yeah, I amsogone for him.
Clem
I figuredI’d find him in the pub’s back room.
Tony Silvari is sitting at the poker table with Brant Colter, KC Kingma, Rick Althof, and Jacob Kerrigan, dealing the next hand.His necktie is loosened, the collar of his shirt unbuttoned, and his jacket is hanging over the back of his chair.
“The party’s in there,” I announce, cocking my thumb over my shoulder.
“Just a few hands before the food comes out,” Brant explains.“We can deal you in on the next hand.”
“Not me.I’ve got much better company waiting for me out there,” I tease.
“Way to show us up, man,” Tony complains.
“If not for our delightful company, why are you here?”Jacob asks.
“This guy here,” I indicate Tony.“His wife is looking for him.”
The man groans.“She’s gonna make me wear the damn tie again.”
