“Heads,” she said, just as he caught it.
He brought his hand around in a swooping motion to slap the coin down on the edge of the pool table, then lifted his fingers away. “Tails.” He winked at her. “But I’m a gentleman, so I won’t sink them all on my first turn.”
“As if you could,” she muttered, choosing a cue.
At first, he flirted — brushing her hand as he passed her the chalk, bumping her with his hip as he leaned over the pool table. But as the balls left on the table grew fewer and fewer, he focused harder on the game. Competitive, she thought with respect.
“Corner pocket,” he said, and neatly sank the eight ball to win.
Nell grimaced. “Nicely played.”
Eamonn didn’t gloat, just handed her the phone. “Honestly, I’ll feel better knowing you have a phone. Not that you can’t take care of yourself. I just — I really want to be able to call you.”
“I’ll borrow it,” she said. “Only until I can buy the one I want. Thanks.”
And before the moment could get awkward, he put a hand right on her butt, which made her tense up momentarily until she saw that he was laughing at her. He’s my… boyfriend, I suppose? Stupid word. But this is… okay. The feel of his strong hand there made her tingle and want to squirm, and for once in her life, she had no urge to pull away, even when their server came over with Eamonn’s drink and asked Nell if she was ready for another. “Sure.” She wondered if the server noticed the flirty, intimate touch.
After the server had moved away, Eamonn gave Nell’s butt a little squeeze and said, “Now, how about a rematch? Different stakes.”
She grinned. “Fine. If I win this time, you come to my MMA sparring session on Tuesday. Just watch if you want to, get in the ring and dance with me if you’re willing.”
“Dance, you call it?” That made him chuckle. “Sure, and if I win, we’ll put a song on that jukebox and you’ll slow-dance with me right here. Deal?”
“Exhibitionist, that’s what you are,” she muttered. It wasn’t the sort of pub where people danced — everyone would stare.
“Rockstar territory, babe. What can I say?” He shrugged and turned to rack the balls. “It’s your break.”
No way am I making a fool of myself like that. This game’s mine. Determined, Nell switched her pool cue to her left hand, something she’d pulled before — a strategy intended to rattle her opponent. Something about the ability to shoot on either side of her body tended to be profoundly intimidating and distracting to those who couldn’t do it, but she’d been training to use both hands equally since preschool. And it was enough. He didn’t scratch or do anything overtly foolish, but she managed to put away her last two balls and then the eight ball while he still had four of his solids on the table. “Tuesday?” she confirmed with a lift of her eyebrows.
He accepted with an easygoing nod, not seeming troubled by having lost. “Stripes are lucky for you.”
I like a man who can lose graciously. It was one of the qualities she’d look for in a forever partner, if she believed in forever partners. “We can have a third game, if you want,” she said.
Before he could answer, the server brought Nell’s drink over, and she paid for it right away, not giving Eamonn a chance to get in ahead of her or have it put on his tab.
“I was going to take care of everything tonight,” he said, as soon as the server was out of earshot.
“Yeah, well, no.” Nell crossed her arms, feeling defensive. “I ordered a second drink and I paid for it. Sometimes life is like that.”
“All right, but I’ll get your next one.”
“Two’s my limit.”
“Two is barely even buzzed. Don’t you ever want to just let go, without worrying about being in control and protecting yourself and doing right?”
She thought at first that he was mocking her, but he didn’t sound mocking, only curious. “Of course I do,” she said. “But this is who I am. I don’t know how to not be me, if that makes sense.” She took a sip of her drink, filling her mouth so she wouldn’t say anything more.
“Ninja woman, did someone… hurt you, to make you so on guard?”
“Nothing terrible. I’ve never been raped, if that’s what you’re asking.” She sighed. How could he even understand? Chunky Booty. Can’t you just smile? Unwanted touches and pinches. “But the small things add up. And if I weren’t who I am? I had to threaten to break my prom date’s arm.” A decade ago, and she’d never forget the fear and fury, her date’s yelp of pain, or the effort it had taken to let him go despite her visceral urge to damage him.
“Wow. That blows,” Eamonn said, looking rather stunned. It probably wasn’t a reality he’d had to think much about, after all.
“I don’t need sympathy,” Nell reminded him. “Just leave it.” But concern still hovered in his brow and an uncertain twist to his mouth. “Look, I train with a lot of guys; it’s a male-dominated sport. I’m tough and I hold my ground so they’ll take me seriously. And that’s not something I can turn on and off — I’ve lived in my armor so long, it’s become part of me.”
That seemed to reassure him. “Okay. I understand wearing armor.” He waved toward the pool table. “What about that third game, then? Got an idea of what to play for? Because I do.”
“Oh?”
The grin he gave her was half dirty, half sweet. “There’s something I wanted to do with you in bed the other night, Nella-bella…”
She felt herself tensing. “I
