"Good, now pull back, and then push forward."
I did what he told me and hit the white ball. It smacked another ball, and that one hit a third which went into a pocket. I'd watched enough pool to know the basic mechanics of it. I probably didn't really need his help at all, but that electric touch was addictive.
I wanted more of it. I leaned back into him and let my body rest against his as we took Luke on.
The more I trusted him, the better we did. I wasn't really learning. I wasn't really playing. I was just hanging on to him and the pool stick.
"So, we're going just to give you our money, huh?" I asked as I looked up at Luke, grinning.
We had two balls left of the felt, and he had four. We were in a better position than him, and it was our turn.
"Don't get cocky now, honey. I can still win this game." Luke gave me his trademark smile. The one that usually made the girls go wild. He knew how powerful it was.
But I just rolled my eyes.
I hadn't had fun like this in forever. My life in Denver was always so stark, so serious. Hell, I was always so serious. But here, with Jess and these guys I was more at ease than I'd been in years.
They were the most dangerous playboys in town, though. The ones I probably should have kept my guard up for.
"Lemonade?" Jess asked a she carted over a tray of them. She was scheming. I could tell by the look in her eyes.
"I could use a nice cold lemonade," I said as I left Wyatt's side. Jess was just the reprieve I needed.
"Getting cozy, aren't you?" she asked, waggling her eyebrows at me.
I ignored it.
"So, I was thinking, maybe we could go on a double date?" she blurted out to Wyatt. "You know, the four of us, somewhere really nice. Give us a chance to get to know each other better.
I glared at her. Then I smiled. One date where I didn't have to be alone with Wyatt. Where I didn't have to worry about succumbing to his charms.
It was a no-brainer.
"That sounds like a good idea. Date number two a double date." I smiled at him then her.
He crinkled his brow and then looked at me. "If that's what you want, that's fine by me."
It was. At least, Jess was finally coming around. She understood what I wanted.
One less date I had to worry about. One step closer to fifty-thousand dollars for my mom.
Chapter Seven
"You sure this is going to work?" I asked Jess as I leaned up against my truck. A double date.
It was Jess’ idea. It was the perfect way to get Rose to put down her guard and just have fun.
"I'm sure. Did you see how relaxed she was when she was playing pool with you and Luke? She's afraid to be alone with you, Wyatt. She won't let herself feel."
I didn't understand it. She pulled up all her emotional roots the first time she left and even now she wasn't putting them down.
"She hates me, Jess." She'd all but told me that she did. This was hopeless.
Then I remembered the way she felt in my arms and the way she moaned when I said her name and I knew that a part of her, no matter how small, a part of her wanted me.
I just had to tap into that part of her.
“She doesn’t hate you, Wyatt. I saw her eyes when you were shooting pool with her. I saw the way she looked at you. She doesn’t hate you. She might not know if she likes you, but she doesn’t hate you.” Jess patted my shoulder and looked back to towards the restaurant.
I could’ve had any girl in Laurel, Parkville, or hell, probably Billings, but Rose was the one who rocked me to my foundation. She’d been so sweet and innocent the first time around. Those eyes, those lips. But she was also tough as nails. She was strong, but she shouldn’t have just left me without so much as an explanation.
Watching her walk away was the hardest thing I’d ever done in my entire life. I hadn’t expected to fall for her then, and I sure as hell didn’t expect it now.
But she was already there. The moment I saw her I knew that I was a goner. She was even more beautiful than she was back then.
“You didn’t see the look in her eyes when she was pissed at me,” I joked. She was hot as hell when she was mad.
“You still have a chance, trust me.” Jess motioned with her eyes and pursed her lips. “Here she comes now.”
She smiled at the two of us, her hair down and loose, the wind whipping through it as she rushed over to us. “Hey guys.”
“How was work?” Jess asked.
“Oh, you know, the same. Suzy came in twice to gossip. Once on her break and then during her lunch. I couldn’t get away from her,” she said. “Where is Brandon?”
“He’ll be here as soon as he comes off his shift. He had work early then picked up a second shift at the bar. Lunchtime rush.” Jess seemed a little nervous, but I wasn’t sure why. Her and Brandon had been an item since forever.