“I think you know there’s nothing soft about my body, Tammy.”
I watched as the smile on her face was wiped clean in an instant. My comment was meant to tease, but I noticed the heat in her eyes as she thought about my words.
I knew she didn’t want to have sex again because it would complicate things. I understood that and would respect it, but damn, if I didn’t want to have a second shot at that—or third or fourth. And judging by the lustful look in her eye, she wanted it too, at least on some level.
“You want a beer tonight, or is your stomach still revolting?” she asked, clearly trying to change the subject.
“I’ll just have a Coke for now, thanks.”
She nodded and walked back over to get a glass.
“Hi, Ray. Good to see you again,” Ruthie greeted me.
A couple had just left, leaving two empty seats next to me. On the other side of those seats were Ruthie and two other women.
“You remember Cat.” She smiled, pointing at the woman sitting to her left—Vince’s wife. “And this is Axel’s fiancée, Stella.”
Stella, who sat to Ruthie’s right, gave a small wave and smile as she greeted me. “Hi, Ray. It’s nice to meet you.”
Too far away to shake her hand, I nodded and smiled back at her.
“Not sure how long you’re here, but you should definitely check out Stella’s bakery. It’s the best in town,” Ruthie informed me, while Cat nodded emphatically.
“She speaks the truth, but you’ll gain five pounds just looking at the display case,” Tammy chimed in as she put my drinkin front of me. “But you will never be disappointed. Stella is a goddess in that kitchen and has single-handedly contributed to my hips and thighs going up a size in the last six months.”
Her comment drew my attention to said hips and thighs—body parts that I happened to like exactly as they were.
I met her eyes when my gaze drifted back up, and the look on her face told me she knew exactly where my gaze had been moments before.
“I guess we’ll just have to give you more treats to keep those thighs and hips looking so good,” I told her.
Cat choked on her drink, and my gaze moved to her as Stella spoke up.
“Oh, I like you.” Stella’s comment and smile were directed at me.
“Okay, all of you, I have a very important question,” Ruthie announced, her hands held up high by her head. “What’s a food you think is highly overrated, but a lot of people love it?”
“Matcha,” Axel said to the group, appearing from the kitchen and placing a plate of food in front of Stella. “I’ve tried it three times and can’t stand it.”
“Agreed,” Tammy said, nodding.
“Oysters,” Stella added. “It’s a texture thing for me.”
“Yeah, that’s the same for me with raw onions. I hate the texture,” Ruthie said. “Cat, what about you?”
Cat put her pointer finger to her lips as if contemplating. “Chia seeds. Because they don’t taste like anything, and they get stuck in all your teeth.”
“That is true,” Axel agreed.
They all turned to me, clearly looking for my input.
“I’m not a fan of Peeps,” I said.
There was a collective gasp from the women at the bar, including Tammy, who looked at me as though I had just announced I hated puppies and kittens.
“Wow, Ray… Do you hate children and Christmas too?” Ruthie teased me with a mock-shocked expression.
I laughed and held up my hands. “Sorry, not sorry. I just don’t really like marshmallows, and Peeps are basically just marshmallows covered in glitter sugar.”
