Page 24 of Scoring Chance

I sent Derrek a confused look. “I am. Do you know her?”

Tina let out a laugh. “Oh yes. I know all the Pride girls. I’m glad she has family here now. I’ll bring you guys some water. Do you want anything else to drink?”

I shook my head, still recovering from the whiplash of her attitude.

“No thanks. Water is great for me,” Derrek answered, and she hurried toward the kitchen.

I leaned forward and kept my voice low. “What was that about?”

Derrek mirrored me until we were only inches from each other. “She’s a bit overprotective. She doesn’t want any of the guys hanging around with ‘jersey chasers’ as she calls them. Every time she sees any of us single guys she asks when we’re going to find a nice girl.”

I bit my bottom lip and giggled. “So, she was making sure I’m a nice girl?”

His eyes dipped to my lips and heat grew in my stomach. Did he know the effect he had on me? “Yeah, and you passed.”

I dragged my teeth back, releasing my lip, while watching his reaction. He didn’t blink as his mouth curved into a tiny grin. “What would have happened if I hadn’t?”

His eyes moved up to meet mine. “I’m not sure. I’ve never brought a girl here.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Oh really?”

He nodded emphatically. “I haven’t, but Mikey did once, and she kicked them out. Said she had the right to refuse service. She told him to come back when his head was on straight.”

I gasped. “No, she didn’t!”

“Yeah, he said he got a car for the girl and came back in alone, and she gave him his burrito for free.”

My shoulders shook with my repressed laugh. Tina was heading our way, and I didn’t want her to know we were talking about her. I liked the sassy woman.

“Here are your waters. Do you know what you’d like to eat?”

Derrek glanced at me, and I nodded. Tina turned toward me. “What can I get you?”

“The chicken tostada, please.”

She wrote it down then looked to Derrek. “Tacos al pastor, please.”

Without another word she went back to the kitchen before returning seconds later with salsa and warm chips.

I couldn’t contain my smile as I picked one up and dipped it. I nearly moaned when the flavor hit my tongue. “So good,” I mumbled with a full mouth.

He chuckled and bit into a chip. “They’re my favorite in the city.”

I took another bite and swallowed before talking this time. “Thank you for sharing this place with me. You’ve made my week.”

His eyes lit up. “That wasn’t too difficult.”

I shrugged. “I’m a simple woman.”

His eyes narrowed. “I doubt that.”

“I swear.” I held up two fingers in what I thought was the boy scouts salute.

A low laugh escaped his lips. “It’s three fingers.”

I glanced at my hand and raised my ring finger. “There.”

He grinned, and I nearly swooned. He had to practice in the mirror to perfect that smolder.