Kelly peeled herself off the wall and took Kylee’s arm.
“So what did I miss? Anything steamy on your walk?”
Kylee gave her a warning look. “Don’t start.”
Rio grinned behind them. “I tried.”
Mason burst out laughing. “Dude, she’s making you work for it.”
Rio sighed dramatically. “It’s almost inspiring.”
Kelly looped her arm tighter through Kylee’s. “Come on, let’s find somewhere to sit before Mason decides to start a drum solo with my pussy.”
Kylee groaned. “Gross.”
“Jealous,” Kelly sang.
Rio fell in step beside Kylee again, and this time he didn’t say anything but the heat in his glance said enough. Kylee wasn’tsure how much longer she’d be able to ignore the fire flickering just beneath her skin.
They left the gardens behind and stepped into the busy French Quarter, weaving through the narrow streets until they arrived at a tucked-away courtyard café, shaded by old oaks and string lights that hadn’t been turned off since the night before.
A server recognized Rio immediately and ushered them to a private table in the corner, mostly hidden behind overflowing potted palms and hanging ferns. Mason pulled out a chair for Kelly, who practically melted into it with a grin, while Rio waited silently for Kylee to sit before taking the spot beside her. The moment she lowered herself onto the cushion, Rio’s knee brushed against hers beneath the table. He didn’t move it. Neither did she.
Kelly and Mason were already deep into flirtatious banter, trading inside jokes like they’d known each other for years. Kylee was only half listening. Her body was buzzing not from caffeine or wine, but from the heat of Rio’s presence beside her. Every time he leaned in to speak, his shoulder grazed hers. His voice, low and gravelly, melted into her skin like smoke.
“You good?” he asked, softly, so only she could hear.
She turned her head just slightly, her lips dangerously close to his. “Yeah. Just… taking it all in.”
Rio smiled, slow and wolfish. “You look like a woman trying real hard not to give in.”
Kylee took a sip of her drink to avoid answering, the ice clinking loudly in the silence between them. “I’m not trying anything,” she said, setting her glass down, not meeting his eyes.
“Exactly,” he replied. “That’s what’s driving me crazy.”
Under the table, his fingers brushed lightly over her knee a subtle touch, barely there, but enough to make her thighs clench. She shifted in her seat, pretending to adjust her dress, but his hand lingered just an inch from her skin. Teasing. Waiting.
Mason leaned back in his chair, laughing at something Kelly had said, then pointed toward the open-air bar at the far end of the courtyard. “They’ve got a back lounge through there. Couches, shade, and strong cocktails.”
Kelly stood up immediately. “Say no more.”
As the four of them made their way toward it, Kylee lagged a step behind. Rio stayed with her.
“You keep walking like that, you’re gunna kill me,” he murmured just behind her ear.
Kylee looked up at him, her voice a mix of amusement and warning. “Careful. I might start to believe you.”
Rio stopped in his tracks and grabbed her gently by the hand, pulling her out of view behind a column near the lounge entrance. “Believe it,” he said, eyes locked on hers.
She tilted her head, keeping a sliver of distance between them. “Why are you being like this with me?”
Rio didn’t answer immediately. Instead, his gaze held hers a second longer, like he was deciding how much to say. Then, quietly, he replied, “Because I know what he did.”
Kylee’s breath caught. “How do you know?”
He gave a faint shrug, mouth twitching. “Mason told me.”
“Mason?” she asked, brows knitting.
