My stomach tightened in a fist of lust. Dick shouting yes, please.
Salem eyed me like every inch of her was singing the same.
I gave her a jut of my chin, a real easy, “Hey there, darlin’。”
Super casual like seeing her was no big thing, while this girl had me so twisted up, I was pretty sure all it would take was a brush of her hand, and she’d make me forget my name. Forced myself to keep my ass sitting because if I stood, I’d cross the line she’d told me we couldn’t cross again.
“Let me up,” Trent ordered, nudging at Logan to let him out so he could get to his fiancée.
“Hey.” Logan stumbled out of the booth like Trent had shoved him. He popped up onto his feet and straightened out the black button-down he wore. Dude looked like that model again, all grins and charm and…yeah, fucker was slanting all of that at Salem.
My hand curled around my beer bottle, and my knee got to bouncing a million miles a minute.
Didn’t mean for the growl to get loose, but it did.
“Nice to see you again, gorgeous.” Logan held her by the hands, looking her up and down, voice elevated above the din of the club.
“Nice to see you, too,” Salem shouted back at him, though she glanced my way.
The air shivered and shook.
Remaining sitting was brutal. The urge to get up and stake my claim near uncontrollable.
Logan eased over to Eden and gave her a hug. “Big sister, looking mighty fine tonight.”
He was lucky Trent didn’t snap his neck.
Turning to Tessa, he ruffled her hair. “Tessa.”
She tossed a punch to his chest. “Logan! What is wrong with you? You are a total jerk. Do you know how much time I spent on this immaculate design?”
She tried to straighten her hair out.
“And only half a second to muss it up, but I figure this hand is way more pleasure than you’re going to get from limp dick tonight, so you’re welcome.”
He wiggled his fingers in her face.
She smacked them away. “Ewww. And rude. It’s Karl’s birthday. I expect all of you to be on your best behavior.”
She pointed at each of us.
A chuckle rumbled out. No question, Logan was a douche. But not close to bein’ the douche that Tessa’s boyfriend was. Dude was a grade A dickwad.
Pretty boy type who thought he walked on water but needed his ass drowned in the lake.
“Okay, we’re off to get drinks. Can we bring you anything?” Eden asked, glancing at me, then Logan, straight-up joy lighting her smile when Trent finally slid all the way out and came to wrap his arms around her.
He pulled her tight. “You don’t need to serve us, baby.”
“Maybe I miss working here,” she teased.
“And maybe I just want you sitting on my lap…or maybe laid out on my desk.” Dude drizzled a row of sloppy kisses along her jaw. If he got her any closer, their embrace was going to turn obscene.
Tessa pushed at his arm. “Ugh, rub it in. I hate you.”
Trent smirked at her.
Eden giggled and unwound herself from his hold. “We’ll be right back. You wait right there and be a good boy.”
Trent sent her a pout.
Sappy asshole, happy as could be.
“Hurry back,” Logan sang, full of suggestion as the three women started to wind through the crush.
Irrational anger surged.
Trent and Logan slipped back into the booth. Logan pitched me the most innocent look as he settled into his seat. “Why do you look so…tense, brother?” He angled his head farther, a razzing in his voice. “Hell, if I didn’t know better, I’d say you are two seconds from going on a murder spree. Something bothering you?”
Yeah, man, I’m losing my ever lovin’ mind.
“Think I made it plenty clear last weekend,” I said instead.
The confusion on his face was nothing but a sham. “What ever are you talking about?”
I took a sip of my beer. “You know what.”
Couldn’t help my eyes from following Salem where she moved through the mob. Girl the only damned thing I could see.
“Oh…that,” Logan drew out with a wayward toss of his hand in the air. Like he was just catching up. He scratched at his temple. “You know, I thought I got the message, but then, you see, this hot as hades chick walked up, and I mean scorching, and you just sat your sorry ass over there like she didn’t mean a thing, so I figured, like every other dude in the place, that she might be looking for a little fun tonight. I mean, if you’re not interested, then I can’t think of a better option than me. Well, we all know I’d be the better choice, anyway.” He patted Trent on the chest. “Am I right? Tell me I’m right.”
Trent chuckled low.
A snarl got free.
Laughing, Logan hit the top of the table. “Look at you, over there about to bust out of your shirt, all Hulk style. Think you should just come out and say it. You want her and what…you’re too fucking shy to do something about it?”
“Shy?” I deadpanned. “Look shy to you?”
“Well, I’d say she turned you down like any sane woman would do, but I saw the way she was looking at you, too, so I’m thinking that can’t be it.”
“Nope. She’s going for sane.”
While doing it was slowly making me lose my mind. But I guessed I’d been the one who’d fucked up. Laid down those lines. Kept pressing the friend thing because if I was being honest, I was scared shitless. Scared of the way she made me feel.
Girl was making me question what I was living for.
“Fuck.” Grumbled it aloud. She really was and that was the most terrifying part of all.
Couldn’t let her.
Had to get it together.
To remember my purpose.
“I’m with Logan here.” Trent swatted Logan’s shoulder. “Two of you both looked like you were about to lose your cool.”
On a groan, I scratched at my beard, took a long pull of my beer.
“Think I’m fucked,” I finally admitted. Didn’t see a point in denying it then. Two of them could see right through me, anyway.
“How’s that?” Logan asked, sitting back in his seat.
Disbelieving laughter rumbled out, spite in the words. “Two of us figured we should just be friends.”
Logan howled, smacking the table again like it was the most hysterical thing he’d ever heard.
Part of me agreed.
“Friends. Oh my god. That’s fuckin’ priceless.”
I glowered at him. Dude just laughed harder.
“A word to the wise, brother. Friends doesn’t work. You really think you’re going to ignore all of that?” Innuendo lined the question as Logan twirled a finger through the air, like he could stir that energy that raged between us.
“Well, considering she works for me, I’m thinking that’s all she can be.”
Among five thousand other reasons.
“Uh…hello…Trent over here is actually marrying Eden, and you know he had his tiny dick all up in her sweetness the whole time she was working here at Absolution.”
Trent grunted. “Watch it.”
Logan raised both of his hands. “Hey, man, just telling it like it is. Tiny included.” He mouthed the last.