“Don’t cry,” Rachel ordered as she unhooked the necklace and helped put it on me. “That mascara is good, but let’s not push it. Besides, rich boy did really good with these. Look, I’m even on here.” She tapped the roses and I grinned.
“Yes you are.” I hugged her. It was an impulsive act, and Rachel returned it easily. “Thank you.”
“My pleasure.” She loosened her grip and stepped back. “So, about that kiss…”
“Ahem,” Archie said, clearing his throat. “We talked about this, Manning. No making moves on my—ourgirl.”
Archie looked fantastic. He was dressed in a suit that was black with a charcoal gray shirt underneath it. The dark colors were doing wonders for him, giving him that air of sophistication and mystery.
“No promises, Standish,” Rachel retaliated. “But since it is your birthday, I’ll give you a free pass tonight.”
He snorted. “Thank you.” But his gaze was on me, not her. “You ready, babe?”
“Thank you for my necklace.”
“You are very, very welcome.” He had a jacket for me—not Jake’s letterman this time, but more a wrap which was easier than a real coat. “Coop’s ordering pizza, Rachel, if you two want to bond and play video games.”
Coop’s outraged yelp from the front room made me laugh, and Rachel just rolled her eyes. “Sorry, he’s going to have to survive without me. I have a date of my own.”
“Oo, Skylar?” I was oddly hopeful. I liked her.
“Could be,” Rachel said, all coy as she gathered her stuff together. “Call me tomorrow, and I’ll confirm.”
“Are you bringing her to the Halloween party?”
“Eh,” Rachel said with a shrug. “Undecided. I might swing that one stag. We’ll see.”
“Find us if you go with or without her?”
“Promise.” She brushed a kiss to my cheek. “You two have fun tonight.”
Coop made us take pictures before we left. He also gave me a lovely pinned to the wall kiss with great care not to wrinkle my dress. He did, however, succeed in removing nearly all of my lipstick. A fact that made him particularly cocky when I had to duck back to the bathroom to fix it.
Thankfully, it also gave me an excuse to grab the small purse for my phone and keys. “Don’t wait up for us,” Archie called as we left. “I might not bring her back until tomorrow.”
“Have a good birthday, man,” Coop said. The guys had gone in together and gotten Archie a new sound system for his Ferrari. It was an upgrade on what he already had, and it would get installed this weekend. Archie and Jake would do the work themselves.
Of all of them, Archie had always been the toughest one to get presents for. He had everything. So the gifts I got him always had to mean something. I’d found a couple of concert shirts for him from his favorite classic bands, but those were more like what I would give him at random than as presents. I’d actually saved one to “give” him later after I’d worn it, naked, in his bed. I figured he’d appreciate that.
Once we were in the car though, I put a hand on his arm. “Before we go, can I give you your presents here?”
“Right here?” he said, eyeing me. “’Cause the seats aren’t the best for it, but I’m totally game to try.”
I rolled my eyes. “Not that and not here, perv.” The insult slipped out easily.
He grinned. “Damn. Though after the other night, you’re really going to need to work it to match that as a present. I still get hard thinking about it.”
Okay, now I was hot. “Archie. Let me give you your present.”
“Fine.” He gave a mock sigh before he mimed zipping his lips. Then looked at me expectantly.
“Thank you.” I pulled out my phone. “Do you mind if I pair this with your car?”
He reached forward and hit a couple of buttons while I pulled up Bluetooth. It was paired in nothing flat, then I opened the music app and took care not to show him the screen as I queued up the song.
“Have I mentioned how hot I find it that you’re giving this moment a soundtrack?” The cocky grin on his face just made me laugh.
“Hush.”