“I appreciate it all the same.”
Collin dished us each a bowl and sat next to me at the island. Per usual, we ate in companionable silence. If he’d overheard my sex talk, then he’d overheard what I’d said about our nonkiss kiss, once again making it clear we weren’t going to talk about it. So I followed his lead and ate my dinner.
###
An hour later, we walked into McNulty’s. The music could be heard from beyond the heavy wooden door leading into the place. Collin had driven me there, thanks to him texting Sophie to tell her as much. Naturally, everyone knew him. We had entered his stomping grounds. He shook hands with the bouncer, who was built like a truck. The man’s smile broadened when Collin went to introduce us.
The muscular man, who, if I had to guess, was in his midthirties, and I now knew to be Jake, was very charming. “Hey, Charlie, it’s great to meet you. If you need anything, or if someone bothers you, just let me know.”
“Thanks, Jake. It’s nice to meet you too.”
“She’s covered,” Collin blurted out, preventing me from showing my license. With his hand on the small of my back, Jake nodded, and we walked away. I gave him a smile over my shoulder, but he was already checking another person’s ID.
We made our way toward the back of the bar, needing to stop along the way for Collin to greet people. He shook hands with some guys, kissed the cheeks of some women, and never stopped to introduce me. Of course, I got a few looks, but no one said or did anything. Not that I had expected them to.
Out of nowhere a heavy arm landed on my shoulders. Turning to look up, I noticed it was Mack. “Hey, rookie.”
“Hi, Mack.”
“The girls are in the back,” he said over my head.
Collin nodded, and his hand left the small of my back.
“Yay, you’re here!” Cami shouted, getting up from the table and hugging me.
“Hi, Cami.”
She took a step back and held my hands out to the side. “You look amazing. I knew that was the perfect outfit for you. Even this cute cross-body bag works,” she said, letting go of my hand and toying with the thin black-leather strap. “And your shoes… looks like you can pull off anything.”
“Thank you! Your outfit is great too.” Cami was gorgeous. Her hair was as flowy as her pink top that rested just above the waistband of her jeans. She looked over her shoulder and saw Collin and Sophie. Tiny lines appeared on her forehead; then her eyes narrowed right before she rolled them.
“I’m surprised my brother isn’t here. I swear if it weren’t for Harley, he’d be looming over me, too, and scaring guys away.”
“Collin isn’t my brother.”
“No, but he looks possessive as hell. Although he is awfully sexy.” Now I was the one rolling my eyes. Cami nudged me with her shoulder. “We’re going to have a blast tonight.”
Sophie moved Collin aside and, much as Cami had, threw her arms around me.
“I’m so glad you’re here.”
“Thanks, me too.”
We all sat down, and byall,I meant me, Cami, Sophie, Mack, and Collin.
It was a matter of seconds before women flocked to our table. A pair of twentysomethings dressed to the nines in short dresses that looked more like bandages than wardrobe stood at the end near the guys. I did my best not to stare, but I couldn’t help but do just that. Especially when one raised her red-tipped fingers and ran them through Collin’s hair.
For a second, I thought—no, hoped—he’d tilt away from her, but instead his lips turned up at the corners, making him look ridiculously handsome. She leaned down and whispered something in his ear that earned her a wink. After a giggle, she tugged at the sleeve of her friend, who was getting closer to Mack.
In a raspy voice reminiscent of what I assumed a porn star sounded like, she asked, “Save me a dance?” Rather than wait for an answer, or maybe her question had been rhetorical, the pair strolled away.
“Seriously?” Sophie scolded. “Could Valencia be less subtle?”
I had no idea who Valencia was, but it had been clear that Sophie did.
Collin looked at her. “What? Did I ask her and her friend to come over here?”
She shook her head in disbelief and directed her attention to me. “So what will it be? Something fruity? Or they make a killer margarita here. Cami placed a shot order.”