More than one interested pair of male eyes finds her, and my protectiveness kicksin.
“Let me help,” I say, surprising both ofus.
I swore I wouldn’t let myself get caught up in her, but in this darkened dive bar where no one knows her or me, that decision feels a million milesaway.
I shift closer, shielding Annie’s body from the rest of the bar with mine. “Get yourangle.”
“Oh, I’ve got mine.” Her voice is low and teasing. The flat of her back brushes my chest, her ass pressing lightly against my groin, and I have to bite my cheek to hold in the groan. “Doyou?”
Who is this creature, and what has she done with the girl I used to be friendswith?
The floral scent is definitely herhair.
I want to know how the rest of hersmells.
“You think you know how to do everything,” she murmurs, and her smug tone chafes myego.
“I do know how to doeverything.”
Annie turns her head, catches me staring. Her cheeks are flushed, lips parted, and she’s trying to figure out what I’m playingat.
That makes two ofus.
My hands tighten on her as if now that I’ve felt her against me, I can’t stand the thought of her anywhereelse.
I won’t kiss her. A thousand paths that lead to my destruction begin with kissing thisgirl.
But I wantto.
I want more of her, closer. To spin her and lift her up on this pool table, to make her see how fucking awesome sheis.
To have some of that awesomeness rub off onme.
“Tyler…” Annie turns back to the table, loosing the cue in a smooth, practiced motion that has my brows shooting up. The final two balls sink neatly into the pockets, eightlast.
Admiration and pure fucking lust coil at the base of myspine.
I can handle both of those until she utters five words that crash like a battering ram against the wall around myheart.
“You owe me cheesefries.”
8
“Bitch,I missed the hell out of you.” Pen bounces at my front door Thursday right before noon, her lime-green Mini in the driveway. She holds out a gold rectangular box. “This is for your dad and stepmom from my parents. It’s some fancybooze.”
I take it from her and lead the way through the house. “Perfect. Dad, Haley, and Sophie are out, but I’ll put it with the fancy boozecollection.”
I head for the wine storage room off the kitchen and drop off thebox.
“One for them, one for us. I’m so ready for this PAday.”
I grab a bottle of champagne at random out of one of thecoolers.
Surprise crosses Pen’s face. “I thought we werestudying.”
“Later. I want to hear all about yourtrip.”
Soon, we’re in bathing suits by the pool, the sun baking us. She’s telling me about Tuscany, the house and rollinghills.