Cora snorted. “And these are Carlos and Josh, my neighbors.”
“The ones who scared the psycho away.” Ren reached across the table to shake their hands as well, his affable expression going more serious. “Next drink’s on me for that.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Josh said, trying to wave off the offer.
But Carlos bumped Josh in the shoulder. “What he means to say is, Yes, thank you, we will always accept free liquor from kind strangers.”
Josh draped his arm over the back of the booth behind Carlos and his lip curled into a smug smile. “Yes, that’s how I got you to come home with me. Free liquor.”
“Don’t believe him,” Carlos said between sips of his drink. “I wasn’t that easy. It was expensive liquor. Patrón. I have standards.”
Ren laughed. “Then Patrón shots for everyone.”
“Woo-hoo,” Grace chimed in and lifted her martini glass. “I’ll toast to that. Plus, Cora will probably need three of them to get her up on that stage.”
Cora groaned and whirled a finger in the air. “Just bring me the bottle.”
Something buzzed in Ren’s pocket and vibrated against Cora’s hip. Ren tucked his hand between them and grabbed his phone, reading the screen. “That’s Hayes. He’s trying to find us.” He gave her waist a quick squeeze. “Be right back.”
“Sure.”
Ren released her, stopped a few steps away to tell the waiter something, and then disappeared into the throng of people. When Cora turned to climb into the booth, she had three expectant faces greeting her. She scooted next to Josh and gave them all an innocent shoulder shrug, enjoying being on this side of the dynamic for a change. “What?”
“You know what,” Josh said. “I thought we were here to get you out of the house and away from your lonely workaholic schedule and you walk in with that guy?”
Cora had to laugh. That guy.
“So you’re working with the dude you escaped from at the party and are now on a date with him?” Grace said, stunned. “You said you didn’t give him your card.”
“Long story,” Cora said, wishing she had a drink. She was trying to play it cool, but everything that happened with Ren in the car was still whirling around her head. And soon Hayes would be here, too. Hayes—her other date. And Ren’s date.
God. She was in so far over her head she needed a damn oxygen tank.
“So where’d he go off to?” Carlos asked.
“His business partner is joining us for a drink.” She looked toward the crowd and as if on cue, Ren and Hayes squeezed through. “There they are.”
Cora was struck by the two of them walking so close. The crowd didn’t allow for much else, but now that she knew what she knew, she couldn’t help letting her mind notice all the little things. Their obvious comfort with each other. The way Hayes cleared the path for the both of them with gentle nudges to the people in their way. These two powerful men loved each other. And they were inviting her in for a little while. She could be in their bed by the time the night was done.
Cora’s skin went tingly at the thought. Anticipation. Nerves. A little bit of fear.
“Whoa,” Grace said, breaking Cora from her thoughts. “Dibs on the big guy. He’s . . . Yeah.”
“Back off, Gracie,” Cora snapped, the response automatic and rife with warning.
“I—” Grace’s lips pursed, annoyance there. “What? Is he taken or something?
Josh coughed and Cora glanced at him. He gave her an I-didn’t-say-a-thing look, but curiosity gleamed in his eyes.
Cora smoothed a wrinkle from her pants, trying to get ahold of her reaction and look nonchalant. “Yes. He’s taken.”
Truth.
“Damn, that’s all you had to say. Jeez.” Grace sipped her drink, eyeballing Cora over the rim. “You need to get some alcohol in you, woman. You’re tense.”
Before the guys reached the table, the waiter stopped by and dropped off a bottle of Patrón and a line of shot glasses. “Would you like me to pour?”
Carlos got a wide grin at the sight of the bottle. “Line us up, brother.”