He scrunched up his face. “Your mattress. Here? In the same small apartment with your dad? Not a chance in hell.”
She groaned. “Come on. He’s a modern man.”
“Okay, then I’m not. Whatever. Not going to happen. I’ll get an apartment.”
“By Monday?”
“I’ll figure something out. We’re not sleeping in the same bed in your dad’s house. Not ever.”
She swatted his ass. “This is the twenty-first century, Tuck. He knows we’re going to get involved. I don’t think he expects us to remain chaste.”
Tuck shook his head, adamantly. It was cute. He was also going to have to get over himself. They sure couldn’t afford to stay in a hotel for several nights while he found a place. And no way was she sleeping without him starting Monday.
Jodi sighed. “We better get out there before some crazy bridesmaid from Cold Feet comes in and then reports back to Katia that we were fucking in the back room.”
“Don’t remind me. That’s exactly what she threatened just this morning.”
Jodi rose onto her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “Well, she can bite me. She isn’t going to win this battle. My man is going to get the money and the better woman.” With that she reluctantly broke free of him and headed for the door. “Wait here a bit so we don’t look like we were making out in the office,” she tried to joke.
“Baby, after the way you’ve been plastered to my body, I’m going to need a few minutes to tame my hard-on.”
She smiled, feeling all warm inside at the way he called her “baby”. Then she glanced down at the erection indeed obvious through his jeans and flushed. “If you’re good, I promise to take care of that. Monday.” She hurried from the room before she could think about how boldly she’d put herself out there. Jodi had never been as forward as she’d been with Tuck today.
Of course, she’d also never been as desperate to make sure a man knew exactly what she was thinking about him. She was pretty sure she’d made herself perfectly clear. If he still had doubts, he was undeniably dense.
Chapter 14
Jodi was completely out of sorts the entire night. Between picking up the slack for her missing waitress and stealing heated glances at Tuck, it was a wonder she got most of her orders correct. Liz had to repeat herself more often than usual, and Stan did a fantastic job manning one end of the bar. With only one waitress, Jodi’s dad stepped up to the plate and took quite a few orders from tables himself.
They managed. By last call, Jodi was exhausted. Fifteen minutes later there were only two women left, sitting at a high table. Tuck was speaking to them. Jodi couldn’t hear what they were saying, but his brow was furrowed and he kept nodding as the skinny blond woman fidgeted and glanced at her friend several times.
“Dad, can you empty the last load from the dishwasher? I’m going to see what’s up over there.” She nodded toward the trio.
“Yep. I’ve got it.” He winked at her. “I don’t think you have to worry about those two though. They don’t seem like competition. But go insert yourself between them and your man. The jealousy will make his chest pump.”
“Dad,” she whispered. “My God. That’s not at all what I was thinking.” She wasn’t kidding. She was simply curious, and she wanted those ladies out of the bar as fast as possible so she could spend at least five damn minutes with “her man” before he had to leave.
She made her way across the bar. “Is there a problem?”
“That’s an understatement,” Tuck began, glancing at Jodi. He looked concerned. He turned his attention back to the blond woman. “I’m not going to call the cops on you, miss. I just need you to explain what happened.”
The cops? Jodi stiffened. What was going on?
The woman trembled. Her friend rubbed her back. “You’re freaking her out. Back off,” she told Tuck.
He shook his head. “Not a chance. My job is to clean up this bar by catching the asshole who’s selling illegal substances from inside the establishment. So, keep talking.”
The blond woman sobbed and wiped her eyes. “I don’t want to get anyone into any trouble,” she whimpered.
Jodi set a hand on the table. “Someone catch me up. What happened?”
The friend looked at Jodi. “Kathy was supposed to pick up some diet pills from some guy tonight. Not a big deal. He didn’t show. She’s upset. She doesn’t need you people all in her face.”
Tuck took a deep breath. “Ma’am, with all due respect, I’ve spent weeks trying to catch the dealer you were meeting tonight, so unless you want me to call the cops so you can give your statement to them instead of me, I suggest you lose the attitude and give me every single detail about the hookup.”
Damn. Jodi was impressed. Judging by the pale complexion on the blonde’s face, his plan would probably work.
She was crying softly now, wringing her hands. “The cops?” Her lips trembled. “Over some diet pills?”
“Illegal diet pills that are putting women like you in the hospital. It’s just a matter of time before someone dies.” He spoke slowly and succinctly, scaring the hell out of these two women.
“Jesus,” the blonde said. “You think I could have died? From diet pills? Several of my friends are taking them. They gave me the guy’s name and number. Everyone said they were perfectly safe, and I can see the results. They work. My friends are losing weight.”
Jodi felt sorry for this woman who didn’t need to lose a single pound but lived in a world where people made her think she did. Jodi thought she’d better interject with a softer approach. “Ma’am, it’s a serious situation. Have you noticed any of your friends having mood swings or acting erratically?”
Kathy shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe? I just assumed everyone is
