We find a table out on the terrace, with uninterrupted views of the ocean. Everything is scrubbed clean, and there’s no smoke or lingering smell of weed in the air, just the faint scent of the sea on the breeze.
I sit back with a beer while the girls sip their cocktails. Unsurprisingly, Grace tried to insist on paying for the drinks, but I’m not having that, even if everything is majorly overpriced.
“Always knew you were a cocktail girl.”
She pulls the straw from her mouth in a slow, sexy slide. “Only on special occasions. I prefer whiskey.”
“You told me vodka.”
“Of course I did. I couldn’t let you have everything your own way, could I?”
If her sister wasn’t sitting right next to her, I’d give a smart retort to that, but much as I like the way Grace blushes when she gets embarrassed, I’ve discovered she hates it.
I glance around. The bar and terrace is all white and glass and secluded lighting. “This your local?”
“One of them,” Charity says. “We mix it up. But this is one of our favorites.”
“Don’t you like it?” Grace leans into me and takes my hand. “We don’t have to stay.”
I squeeze her fingers. It’s cute she thinks she needs to tell me that. “If I didn’t want to be here, I wouldn’t have agreed to come tonight.”
“That’s so adorable.” Her sister gives a loud sigh, and we both turn to frown at her. Is she taking the piss? “You make a lovely couple.”
“I know we do.” Grace glances at me with an apologetic smile. “You’ll have to excuse my sister. You’re not what she was expecting.”
“Is that right?” I can guess what she thought, but I’m not calling her out on it for the single reason she’s Grace’s sister.
“VikingBastards.” Her sister looks enthralled, and combined with the fact she isn’t trying to change the subject, it makes me laugh. “I was expecting an ax-wielding berserker at the very least.”
“You would,” Grace retorts, but she’s trying not to laugh.
“I only berserk on Sundays.”
Charity chokes on her cocktail, and Grace leans over and pats her back.
“You don’t berserk atall.” She gives me one of her smiles that make me forget everything, and I dig my fingers through her hair and roughly pull her close for a lingering kiss.
“And that’s my cue to leave.”
Grace pulls back, her hair messed up and face flushed. “You don’t have to do that.”
“Yes, I do. A group of our friends have just walked in, and if I stay here you’ll never get them to leave you alone.”
Grace glances over her shoulder, and gives a strangled groan. “Did you tell them we were coming here tonight?”
“I might’ve mentioned it.” Her sister doesn’t look at all sorry when Grace throws her cocktail umbrella at her. “I didn’t know if we’d need backup or not.”
Five girls come out onto the terrace and there’s a load of hugging and air kissing between them and the sisters. After Grace introduces her friends, I’m the subject of varying degrees of scrutiny from barely disguised horror to downright dirty interest. They’re all hot and classy and if any one of them had strolled into Odin’s the night Grace did, I would’ve been interested.
But would I still be with any of them, nearly a month later?
I catch her eye, and she gives me a faint smile.
No, I wouldn’t. I thread my fingers through hers. I’ve had enough of socializing.
“Okay, girls,” Charity says. “Let’s leave the lovebirds alone.”
Lovebirdsgives me gas, but at least she got my unspoken message and herds them away. Grace sighs and shakes her head.
