Everyone seems to notice her presence at the same time, while I noticed it the second she walked in the room. Mia turns on her stool as the guy behind Tessa steps to the side, standing between her and the bar.
“Hey! There you two are.”
Tessa smiles at Mia before moving her gaze down the line of people, stopping at Reed. “Guys, this is Mason.” She looks up at him before pointing to each of us. “You know Mia, and that’s her husband, Ben, my brother. That’s Reed, and that’s Luke.”
My name drops from her lips so fast, it’s as if she can barely form the word. Mason shakes Ben’s hand and leans across the bar, offering his hand to Reed, then myself.
“Nice to meet ya, mate,” he directs at me.
I look over at Tessa briefly before dropping my head into a nod and accepting his handshake. “Yeah, you too.”
The two of them claim the stools on the other side of Mia as I work out what my next move should be. Conversation around me picks up, all background noise I can’t focus on as I stare at the hand flattening against Tessa’s back.
My hand quickly finds the phone in my pocket and I keep it concealed in my lap as I open up a new text message. I don’t know if this is going to work, but it used to. This always used to get her attention, no matter if she were pissed at me for something or not.
It’s all I have right now, so I go with it.
Me: You are so fucking beautiful when you come.
The small purse she put on the bar in front of her vibrates, and I watch her hand slip inside.
And the reaction I get is exactly what I was hoping for.
“You want something to drink?”
I hear Mason’s question seconds before his hand presses against my lower back. This should feel natural. We are technically on a date, so a little PDA is expected, but the fact that Luke is sitting no more than ten feet away from me has my body slowly arching away from the gesture. I force myself to relax back, to want his hand there, as I lift my eyes to meet his.
“That would be great, thanks. Whatever you’re having.”
Just as he calls over the bartender, my clutch vibrates against the wood. I snatch my phone out to quickly silence it and swipe my thumb across the screen.
Luke: You are so fucking beautiful when you come.
Shit!
I tilt my phone down, knocking the screen against the bar as my thighs pinch together. Luke is looking right at me, gauging my reaction with that sexy-as-hell smirk lifting the corner of his mouth. He’s clearly satisfied by what he’s just earned, and I hate myself for giving it to him, for needing to look anywhere near his general direction. I break the contact with a heavy blink before it all becomes too much.
It already is too much. Who the hell are you kidding, Tessa?
My free hand flattens on the wood, and slides along the grain as my palm begins to sweat. A buzzing sound rattles against the bar as the phone begins vibrating again. I slide it into my lap, forcing my eyes to look anywhere but the screen, which doesn’t come without a struggle. That annoys me. I’m on a damn date, and I’m more interested in the texts the asshole at the end of the bar has no business sending me than the guy I’m supposed to be paying attention to.
“Lime?”
I wonder what the text says. Is it just as dirty? Is he going to get into specifics about what exactly it is about me that’s beautiful when I come? Like, are we talking noises, or actual facial expressions?
Damn it. Now I’m really curious.
“Tessa?”
A voice close to my ear startles me, bringing my attention off my lap. “Huh?” I lock eyes with Mason as he holds a lime wedge between his thumb and finger, his eyebrows set into a curious pinch.
“Oh, yes please.”
While he stuffs the lime wedge down the neck of my bottle, I give in to the temptation in my lap. Keeping the phone concealed as best as I can, I tilt the screen up and let my eyes focus on the message.
Luke: I’ve been obsessed with it since the first time I slid my fingers inside you.
Oh, God.
“Everything all right?”
I look directly at Mason and watch as his eyes shift from one side of my face to the other.
Damn my reaction to Luke. I know exactly what I look like right now. He thinks I’m beautiful when I come, and he’s getting me to the point of allowing everyone in this bar to see exactly what that looks like.
Mason reaches out and runs the back of his fingers across my cheek. It’s a tender move, one I’m not expecting, and it soothes some of the ache building between my hips. “You look like you’ve just run a marathon. Do you feel okay?” His eyes drop to the phone in my lap. “Is something wrong?”
“No,” I reply with enough conviction to hopefully persuade myself. The hand in my lap clutches the phone, while the other grabs the beer that’s been placed in front of me. I take several generous swigs as Mason watches me closely.
“So, how long have you known these guys? Aside from your brother.”
I turn my body until my leg touches his, forcing my attention away from everyone else in the bar. His eyes take notice of the contact and he smiles as his fingers drum the bar-top.
I lick the beer off my lips, swallowing hard, as Mia laughs loudly next to me.
My best friend. I can talk about her.
I smile. “I’ve known Mia since we were kids. She used to live here until she had to move to Georgia. Then last summer, she came to visit and fell in love with my brother, so now she’s here permanently. Reed and I have been friends since high school.”
“And the other bloke?” He looks down the length of the bar, dropping his head into a nod. “He’s been staring at you since we walked in here.”
My smile fades. “He’s an asshole.”
His eyes shift to mine. “Ex-asshole?”
I start to shake my head, to deny him that information, but what’s the point?
“Yeah,” I confirm, running my hand over the condensation that has built up on the bar.
“I’m guessing he doesn’t want to be an ex-anything.”
“I don’t care what he wants,” I reply, just as the phone in my lap vibrates. I somehow manage to ignore it as movement at my back draws my attention over my shoulder.
“Birthday shots!” Mia yells, her face lit up with excitement. “Here, you have to drink mine. I’m shooting water.”
“Party animal,” I tease, sliding a shot to Mason and putting my two in front of me.
“Shut up. I need to stay hydrated.” Mia winks at me as she holds up her shot glass of H2O, her other hand resting protectively over her belly.
Reed clears his throat, gaining everyone’s attention with his glass raised in the air. He looks around, seemingly waiting for something, and then sets his shot back down when he doesn’t get it. An irritated frown gets directed at all of us. “Well, what the fuck? Somebody better make a toast.”
“You just announced that you like to use my kid to help you get your dick wet. Fuck you and your birthday,” Ben says, shooting his drink.
Everyone but Reed lets out a laugh as I pick up one of my shot glasses and bring it to my lips.
“I’ll toast to something.”
The sound of Luke’s voice sends my body completely rigid. I slowly lower my glass and turn my head, waiting.