But Riley is smiling slyly at Mae—as if she’s a meal—and she’s nodding in agreement.
My gut twists inside of me when he leans forward, almost entering her personal bubble. His large, tattooed hands hover just a brush away from hers, and although Mae doesn’t look uncomfortable, she doesn’t appear to be encouraging his behaviour either.
She’s still, but her face is still friendly.
Does she like tattoos? Is that what she’s into? I don’t have any. Never felt the need for them.
I huff.
A promising future is on the cards for Mae, so the last person she needs to be mixed up with is Riley Donovan. She doesn’t want to be famous. She wants a quiet life where she can tend to animals in peace.
“Oh, shit! You’re Nathan Slater and Bennett Quinn!” A man in his late twenties stands beside us, lips stretched out in a smile. “Congratulations on the win, guys. I just watched the game on TV.”
I dip my head in appreciation. “Thanks, man. Keep it quiet for us, though, yeah? We’re just here for a celebratory drink.”
“Oh, of course. Do you both mind signing my—” the fan glances around, snatching up something from the bar counter, “—used napkin?”
Bennett chuckles, pulling a pen from his bag and scribbling on the dirty napkin, making a face when the pen rips through the paper. I quickly do the same as the fan and Bennett engage in friendly conversation, and I refocus on Mae and Riley again.
Dislike blossoms inside my chest as he inches forward a little more, his fingers making contact with hers, eyes lustful.
Oh, absolutely fucking not.
I push my barstool back and march towards their booth.
Their heads twizzle towards me, eyes confused, but Riley’s are also laced with agitation.
“You good, Slater?” His teeth click together.
I gesture for Mae to scoot up, and she does immediately, giving me room to squeeze in. “I’m fine, Donovan. Thought I’d join you guys for a bit.”
I’m not too sure, but I think I see Mae’s shoulders droop in relaxation at my arrival.
“I was just telling your cheerleader here how good her team looked in their cheer uniform. She included.”
My fingers twitch, the rings around them suddenly feeling impossibly tight, constricting the blood flow. I press my tongue to the roof of my mouth, eyes honed in on Riley’s.
I’m not a petty guy. I’m above all that. But Riley’s smug face is testing my patience.
I snap.
“How’s that girlfriend of yours, Donovan? You two looked pretty cosy in the tabloids last week.”
Mae’s jaw ticks, and her form immediately stiffens as she straightens. I force my laugh down because, damn, I’ve just unleashed a raging bull in her.
Riley knows what I’m doing. I can practically feel the steam radiating off him. There’s something funny about how he squirms, trying to muster up a snarky comeback but failing miserably. Instead, he settles for, “Yeah, she’s fine. Why?”
I’ve got the upper hand here. I’ve just rained on his flirtatious parade, and he can’t fucking stand it.
Perhaps I’m enjoying it a little bit too much, but I refuse to let someone use Mae as if she’s some kind of plaything. She doesn’t deserve it.
“Tonight’s win wasn’t enough for you, huh?” Riley questions me, simmering rage lingering behind his irises.
“Hold on, so let me get this straight,” Mae speaks up, holding her hands up and waving them to get Riley’s attention. “You have a girlfriend?” She hums. “Well, she must beveryproud to have you.” Her tone is sarcastic as she crosses her arms over her chest and glares at Riley, and I drag my bottom lip into my mouth to prevent myself from breaking.
“Yeah, she is actually.”
“I can’t see why,” Mae remarks, “because all I see here is a greedy, disloyal asswipe with his head so far up his own ass he’s wearing it as a hat. Do you flirt with anything with a pulse?”
