They ate their meals in silence. A tense silence that he’d caused.
Way to go, dumbass.
Maybe he should learn to keep his opinions to himself. Maybe Erin wouldn’t be in such a mood.
She pushed her plate to the side and looked up at him. He braced himself for verbal fire.
“You’re right, of course. I know you are. But I just can’t bring myself to initiate a conversation with him, especially since he hasn’t contacted me since he’s been back. Shouldn’t he be the one to get in touch with me?”
“Yeah, he should. I don’t have a clue why he hasn’t. I think he’s being a dick about this, Erin. He’s my best friend and I’d like to kick his ass all the way down a gravel road.”
Her lips curved. “That does make me feel better. And bad at the same time. I’m sorry you feel like you’re in the middle between us.”
“I don’t feel that way at all. I haven’t even talked to him since before he ran off.”
“And I feel responsible for that.”
He signaled for their server, who came over. “Can I get the check, please?”
Their server brought the check and some mints. Erin popped one in her mouth and he took the other. Once he paid the bill, they got up and went outside. It was brutally hot and humid, with some dark clouds gathering.
“It could storm,” Erin said.
He turned and grasped her hand. “I’m gonna get stormin’ mad if you keep telling me you feel responsible for whatever rift I have with Owen. That’s on him, not you. We straight on that?”
She nodded. “Yes. And thanks. I’ve got enough weighing on me without adding guilt to it.”
He swept his thumb over her cheek. “No guilt. The only person in this situation who should feel guilty is Owen. Try to remember that.”
“I will. And one more thing.”
“Okay.”
She leaned in and brushed her lips across his. “Thank you for always being open and honest with me, even when you know it might not be something I want to hear. You have no idea what that means to me.”
That brief taste of her, the warmth of her body against his, got his motor running. He could have stood there and kissed her forever. But thunder rumbled, breaking the hazy spell that Erin always seemed to wind around him. They both took a step back and Erin scanned the sky.
“This storm looks like it could be big.”
He looked around at the dark gray, low-hanging clouds. Another crack of thunder, followed by lightning. Storm was coming closer. It would be a race to get home before the rain started falling. “Could be. Want me to take you home?”
“Do you have wine at your house?”
“I always have wine at my house.”
“Then let’s go to your place.”
“Sounds good.” They climbed in the truck and he put it in gear. He kept an eye on the weather as he put his foot on the gas and hustled back to his house.
They’d beaten the rain home, and Puddy was happy to see him. His little butt wiggled back and forth.
“Hey, buddy.” He lifted him and looked over at Erin. “I’m going to let him out real quick.”
“While you do that, I’ll use the bathroom.”
He nodded and walked out back with his dog. Thunder cracked, loud and menacing, the clouds moving by faster than before. By the time Puddy finished peeing on every tree and bush in the backyard, the wind was whipping around the yard, the tree branches bowing down from the force of the impending storm. He brought the dog in and shut the back door.
He gave Puddy a toy to occupy him. The pup took the toy to his blanket and Jason went to the kitchen and poured a glass of wine for Erin.
She came out and met him in the kitchen.
“Your wine,” he said, handing over the glass.
“Thanks.” She took a sip, closing her eyes as she savored the taste. “Mmm. Red Moss Vineyards’ sauvignon blanc vintage. That was a good harvest.”
“It’s one of my favorites.”
She opened her eyes to look down at his hand wrapped around a bottle of beer. “And yet you’re drinking a beer.”
He shrugged. “I decided not to mix beer and wine tonight. I have an early surgery tomorrow.”
“Okay. I’ll give you a pass. Especially since I know how well stocked you are on our wines.”
She took a sip and sighed. He could see her body relaxing with each swallow. He was glad to see the tension easing in her now.
She took another sip, rolling the wine around in her glass. “Oh, by the way, I have kind of a weird request.”
“Yeah? Hit me.”
“We’re having a wedding this weekend and I need people to play paparazzi to the bride, per her rather odd request. I’d like to enlist you and Clay and Finn, along with our friends from last weekend.”
He cocked his head to the side. “You ask anyone else yet?”
“Finn is in. So are Alice and Clay. And I thought if you agreed, we could see if maybe Mike and Daria and Vince and Summer want to do it, too.”
He lifted his shoulders. “Sounds like fun. I’m game.”
She smiled at him over her glass. “You’re easy.”
“I’m so insulted.”
She laughed. “No, you’re not.”
He laid his beer down on the counter and walked over, laying his hands on either side of her hips. “And what will my payment be for this task?”
She put her wineglass down on the island. “You think I would trade sexual favors for your participation in this task?”
“Nah. I think you’ll fuck me because you can’t keep your hands off me.”
She palmed his chest, digging her fingers in. “That sure of yourself, are you?”
“That I can make you come—several times? Yeah, I’m sure.”
Erin had tried so hard to play it cool, to hold back her feelings for Jason. But one look at him earlier tonight and she could tell right away something was off.
She knew Jason well, knew he felt things deeply. He tried to
