Page 20 of Meant for You

“Everly, this is Grifter.”

“Riff,” he said to Everly. “Heard a lot about you, babe. Who’s your friend?”

“Nice to meet you,” Eves said to him. “This is Lila.”

The curvy little brunette beside Everly blushed from her chest to the roots of her hair.

“Lila and I met not long after I moved to Springhaven. She works at the library and lives on one of the neighboring ranches.”

Riff took the ball cap that he always wore from his head, flashing his overgrown dark blond hair, and put it on again backward, like he was trying to get a better look at her. “A ranch, huh? You like to ride, Bambi?” he said to Lila, that fucking smirk firmly on his face.

She blinked up at him. She wasn’t wearing her glasses tonight, and the girl had big brown eyes, soft and round and innocent, and was looking up at Grifter like a startled doe.

“I love it,” she said breathlessly, a tentative smile on her lips.

Riff went rigid, his throat working convulsively as he stared down at her.

“You girls want a drink?” I asked, because shit was getting weird.

Everly and Lila both nodded.

“Beer?”

“Sounds good,” Eves said.

The bar was hammered, so I slipped around and grabbed the drinks myself.

“It’s a good thing you’re here,” Everly said when I handed them over.

I smiled and tucked her hair behind her ear. “Why’s that?” Though I was thinking the same thing. Thank fuck I was here, because these two were like baby seals in shark-infested waters, and there was no way one of these assholes was getting close enough to take a bite.

Her smile turned wicked. “You can hold our purses.” Then she thrust them both at me. “Lila and I are here to dance.”

I watched as they took off, weaving their way through the crowd and onto the dance floor.

“Nice purse,” Riff said. “Matches your eyes.”

I grunted, headed back behind the bar to stash their shit, and came back around. The pair of them were a sight to see, both petite and curvy, all hair and bare legs, and both seemed completely oblivious to the hungry looks aimed their way.

I wasn’t, though, and I wasn’t a fan of the feeling it gave me.

“Quit eye-fucking the girl and put your dick to work already,” Grifter said.

I glanced at him. His gaze was aimed at Lila. “Christ, I’m looking out for her. The girl’s my best friend.” My best friend who wanted me to teach her how to make guys feel good. I gritted my teeth.

“Yeah? Then I’m gonna best friend the fuck out of little Lila. Repeatedly.”

“Christ. Those women, they’re not for us, Riff.”

He turned to me, beer stalled midair on the way to his mouth. “Are you asking me not to fuck Everly’s cute horse-riding friend?”

“Yeah, I’m asking you not to fuck her.”

His eyes went wide. “You’re serious?”

“Deadly.”

“Huh, didn’t think you’d actually say no.”