“Yes,” he agreed, resuming his search of the crowd for the threat he felt down to his bones.
“Is something wrong?”
“No, just having a good time.”
“You don’t look like you’re having a good time.”
Stump avoided her curious gaze to see the man sitting on the other side of the table. The discerning eyes gave him the willies.
Shade introduced him to Greer Porter when he and Zoey had arrived at the bar, gracing him a mocking smile before moving as far from the man that he could get without leaving the table.
Zoey took a chip from the basket on the table, granting Greer a bright smile as she pushed the basket toward him.
Stump narrowed his eyes when Greer leaned forward to take one, giving Zoey a speculating look.
“You married?”
“Uh… no.” Her eyes moved to Stump with a sidelong look at the abrupt question.
“You should visit us in Kentucky. I have a little brother I want to introduce you to.”
Stump straightened in his chair. “She’s with me.”
“I don’t see a ring on her finger. Dustin would be smart enough to have married and impregnated her in a week.”
“She won’t be visiting Kentucky. She’s happy here,” Stump snapped. “And Zoey is with me.”
Zoey laid a hand on his clenched fist, running soothing fingertips over the knuckles that showed white.
“I don’t think your brother would appreciate you trying to find women for him.” Zoey leaned to her side until her shoulder was rubbing his. Stump saw Greer study her movement.
“Nah, he wouldn’t care. He’s gonna be mad himself that he didn’t come when I tell him about you. I told him he should tag along with me when Penni offered to pay my way.”
“I thought you were friends with The Last Riders and that’s why you came?” Stump turned his hand so he could link his fingers with Zoey’s. With his thumb, he stroked the satiny softness of her skin.
“Friends? Hell no. I don’t have any friends.”
“That’s a shocker.”
Either his sarcastic comment blew over Greer’s head or he didn’t give a fuck, which was what Stump was more likely to believe the longer he talked.
“Penni said she wanted to introduce me to someone. I figured it’s someone giving her trouble that she needs me to take care of. That husband of hers must be too afraid of whoever it is.”
Stump saw Ice saying something to Jackal, who was about to get out of his seat at Greer’s insult.
“You sure you don’t want to come for a visit? My sister Rachel is around here somewhere. She has a picture of Dustin on her phone. I don’t see her wait— Ginny’s seen him. Ginny!”
Stump jumped at him yelling down the table to the woman sitting next to Lily.
“Ginny! Tell Zoey how handsome Dustin is.” Greer lowered his voice, leaning over the table to loudly whisper into his and Zoey’s shocked faces. “I tried fixing her up with him, but she wasn’t interested. Must be because he has a kid, because he’s real handsome.”
“Zoey isn’t interested either! She’s with me!”
“I don’t see a ring!” Obnoxiously, Greer picked up one of the chips then sat back down. “She’d fit in perfectly with my family. My wife could use some help around the house. Are you any good at cooking? My wife is good, but she can’t make a good kettle of beans if her life depended on it.”
“You’re married?” Zoey wasn’t capable of concealing her appalled expression. Stump almost laughed when she went ashen.
He wouldn’t have to worry about her going to Kentucky in the near future. At least, not before he could get her married and pregnant.
“Yeah, I have a kid, too. She’s as cute as a button. Rosalie takes after her father,” he bragged.
“Is your wife here?” Zoey asked, looking around the table pityingly.
“Nah, I don’t let my woman go gallivanting around the country. I leave her ass at home where it belongs.”
“Lucky woman.” Zoey’s snide comment sailed over Greer’s head as his had done.
“I tell her that all the time. I’ll tell her you said that when I talk to her tonight,” he remarked, taking another chip.
“Who are you here to meet?” He wanted to warn whoever it was, and he would do a better job of it than Shade had done.
He wanted to kick Shade’s ass for not warning him to sit as far from Greer as he and Zoey could get.
“Don’t know. They aren’t here yet, or she would have introduced me to them.” Greer shrugged, taking another chip.
“Penni paid you to come here and didn’t tell you why? Didn’t you ask?” Zoey shook her head at him.
“The waitress will bring more.” Greer mistakenly thought Zoey was shaking her head at him because he was eating all the chips.
Stump could feel Zoey’s hand trembling in agitation under his.
“You didn’t ask Penni who she wanted you to meet?” she repeated.