“Let’s get in and start tasting the wine,” Ethan grumbles.
“It’s too early to start drinking,” Raya says as she follows us in.
“I’m in couple hell. It’s a perfect time to start drinking.”
He goes straight toward the wine, and I roll my eyes. “You look windblown,” Ash says as she walks over, smiling while drinking a bottle of water.
“She looks sexy,” Rye says, wrapping his arms around my body and pulling my back to his front.
“You rode his bike?” she asks, apparently doing the math.
“I stole her keys,” Rye says with a shrug. “Speaking of which...”
He pulls my keys out of his pocket and hands them to me, and I roll my eyes while tucking them into the pocket of my shorts.
“You want wine? They’ve got an excellent merlot here. I can’t have it, but I can live vicariously,” Ash says.
“Brin likes white wine. But she can’t drink so early because we haven’t really eaten. It’s only like noon. And I’m starving.”
He remembers what kind of wine I like. Why is that so sweet?
“So, where are you from?” Ethan asks me, but his eyes are on Rye, so I’m assuming the question is for him to answer.
“She’s from Sterling Shore. Why?” Rye asks, his grip getting tighter.
“Just curious. Never seen her around before.”
“She went to private school upstate, and doesn’t hang out at the socialite functions. Problem?” Rye asks.
Is this about social status? My father is a wealthy man, but not compared to people like Rye’s father—Rygan Clanton, who I’ve only heard about through the others. My dad certainly doesn’t have the money the Sterlings have. So we never went to the upper elite parties.
Even though Ethan is a Noles—one of the most prestigious old names and old money families in the city—he doesn’t dress the part. He looks as rough around the edges as Rye, so I only assumed he was the type to brush off such superficial titles.
“You two seem to know each other pretty well. It’s cute. I’m not being a dick, so get that ugly, threatening look off your face,” Ethan says flippantly.
I look up just as Rye relaxes his expression, and I lean back against him more, forcing him to return his attention to me as he looks down. His smile forms the second his eyes meet mine, and I feel a little powerful to have that sort of effect on him.
“The cheddar is phenomenal. Try it,” Raya says to Rye as she pulls out platters and platters full of mixed assortments. Cheese and wine are commonly put together, and I can’t help but grin, especially when he shifts uncomfortably behind me.
“He can’t have cheddar,” I joke, laughing at him when he scowls at me.
“Wow. You told her about that?” Tag asks as he joins us.
“I didn’t mean to. She made some weird casserole the other night, and the damn thing had tons of cheddar in it. It sort of... came out.”
“No pun intended?” Tag asks, amused, and I burst out laughing as poor Rye glares at him.
“You lactose intolerant or something?” Ash asks, intrigued and working hard not to laugh.
“No. I’m not. I can eat any other cheese and drink milk. Cheddar is just a mean bitch. I don’t want to talk about this.”
He starts sulking and I turn to face him while wrapping my arms around his neck. He kisses me on the forehead as he clings to me like a shield from their laughter.
“How about bread? Are their certain breads that make you fart?” Raya asks, poking the bear a little more.
He groans while dropping his forehead to mine, and I grin as I hold onto him. Everyone watches us, and it starts to become obvious that we’re both causing a scene.
“You work at the museum?” Ethan asks me, so I turn away from Rye to answer.