Instead, he gently pulled away. “We should stop now. I might need a minute before I can walk in public.”
“Damn.” Owen was staring at him with worried eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t plan on that. I mean I loved it, but I didn’t bring you over here just to…”
He didn’t want to admit how much he’d liked it. “I know you didn’t. But plans change.”
Owen’s chuckle was raw. “Truer fucking words were never spoken.” He stood and grimaced as he tucked himself back into his pants before helping Jeremy up. “I have an errand to run after work, but I’ll be at your place as soon as I can. And I’ll bring dinner.”
Jeremy’s throat tightened again. “Okay.”
“And Porter?”
“Yes?”
Owen used his thumb to wipe Jeremy’s lower lip. “When she calls back, tell Tasha you’re in an exclusive relationship so you don’t need her to find you any more men to play with. She won’t leave you alone until you do. But don’t mention me. I’m not ready for her to know just yet. Soon…but not yet.”
Jeremy frowned. He hadn’t expected Owen to want her to know at all, but still, the command left a knot in his stomach. “Thank you for your permission, Master Finn. I don’t know what I’d do if you weren’t around to give me orders.”
Owen smiled. “You’d miss me. And you’re going to spend the rest of the day thinking about me. About tonight.”
He crossed his arms. “I don’t know. I have a lot planned.”
“Plan to get some rest,” Owen advised softly. “You’re going to need it.”
Jeremy ran his hands through his hair and walked out of the trailer without saying goodbye, making a beeline for his truck. He needed to get out of here. Whenever he was with Owen lately he lost track of time, lost all perspective.
“Porter, hold up.”
Scott. Great.
Jeremy wiped a hand across his face to make sure he was presentable without looking like he was making sure and then glanced at the brown-haired bruiser over the hood of his truck. “I have an appointment, Scott. Make it quick.”
“I want you to tell that friend of yours to mind her own business,” he blustered.
“That friend?”
“Jen’s bridesmaid. Every time I turn around those two are together or talking on the phone.”
Jeremy raised his brows. Someone was insecure. “She’s trying to make sure Jennifer is really ready for your big day. Something everyone should be thinking about. No one wants to make a mistake.”
The man’s expression grew more belligerent. “You trying to say something?”
“No, son. If I was, you’d know it.”
Scott started backing away. “You just tell her to stay away from Jen or I’ll start talking about last Christmas. She’ll know what I’m talking about.”
Eyes narrowed, Jeremy started back around the truck toward Jen’s idiot fiancé. Was he really going to pull this card? He obviously didn’t know how dangerous Jeremy could be when someone fucked with his friends. “Last Christmas? Why would you want to admit to getting drunk and trying to force yourself on Natasha in the pub kitchen? I don’t think Jen would be able to forgive that so easily.”
Scott seemed surprised. “That’s not what—I didn’t force her. She saw mistletoe and came on to me.”
Jeremy looked down on him, disgusted. “You’re afraid she’ll tell Jen about what you really did, aren’t you? Natasha is too good a person to do that. She knows what the Finn brothers would do to you if they found out. What I was tempted to do as soon as she told me.”
Scott’s face twisted with bravado. “The Finn brothers. Like they can talk. They have everything they want and they’ll still dip their wick into any woman with a pulse. That night is proof. I caught one of them taking a turn in their car with that bitch after she turned me down. She wasn’t doing much to push him away either. It was a hell of a show.”
Jeremy’s fist tightened on Scott’s collar until he started to choke and tried to bat him away. “You must be mistaken. And you really don’t know when to stop talking, do you? All these years and you’ve never learned.”
“Fuck you. You’re just Owen’s lapdog. You’re no better than me, Porter. A stray dog they pity and teach to beg for scraps at their table. Only you actually think they’re doing you a favor. You actually think you’re family.”
Jeremy lifted his fist in warning and Scott instantly held up his hands. “No, no, shit, I’m sorry, okay? I admit it, I didn’t want Jen to know. I love her and I didn’t want her to know.”
Jeremy let him go and stepped back, noticing the other men had stopped working to watch them. Great. Owen would know about the tussle before the day was over.
“I’m going to give you some advice, though I know you won’t take it. If you really love her? You need to straighten the hell up and realize how lucky you are. You don’t think it hurts her, the way you feel about her family? She believes you can be a good man, despite all evidence to the contrary, and she’s stood by while you keep throwing her faith back in her face. Stop stealing, stop lying and try being worthy of your fiancée for once. If you don’t, my new job is going to be making your life miserable. You’ve got it coming and I’ll enjoy it.”