When she saw me grinning smugly through the window, her eyes narrowed. She ran out of the lounge bar, screaming at me as she chased me through the streets of downtown Bayport, all while I laughed.
It had been a back-and-forth game of sabotage ever since.
It had become ourthing. It’s what we did. It was all part of this game we played to get even more under one another’s skin, one-upping each other just to show we could. And despite how pissed off we got and the lengths we tried to go to conceal any information about what we were doing from the other when we weren’t together, we were both willing participants. If there ever came a point and time when she showed genuine interest in stopping the game, I would gladly cease it.
Today was not that day.
When I walked into Tide & Flame, the local steak and seafood house, I was met with mingled chatter from the restaurant-goers while they dined as I glanced around the rustic-looking space.
“Can I help you, sir?” the hostess asked, greeting me with a smile.
“I’m meeting someone—oh!” I grinned. “There she is.”
The woman gestured for me to go ahead, and I nodded in thanks before making my way toward a quiet back corner where Morgan was seated on one side of a half-moon booth. I chuckled to myself, imagining what her reaction was going to be; I was approaching her from behind so she couldn’t see me coming.
When I neared the table, the man across from her looked up at me just before I slipped into the booth beside Morgan, forcingher to scoot over as I slung an arm over her shoulder. “Hey, babe,” I said a little too enthusiastically.
Morgan’s eyes widened as she snapped her gaze over to me. “What the hell are you doing here?” she whispered harshly.
I’d never actuallyapproachedher on a date before, always sabotaging from the background somewhere, so this was new. The look on her face made itsofucking worth it.
I smiled, turning my head to smother a kiss and a laugh against her cheek. “I’ve missed you, too, pookie.”
Morgan shoved me back, but I kept my arm around her. “Um…whoareyou?” the man across from us asked.
I looked at him; he had a defined jawline, blonde hair, and grey-blue eyes that popped against his tan complexion.Of course, she’d go for someone like him.“Wes. Morgan’s boyfriend,” I answered with a smirk as I extended my hand across the table, ignoring her too-stunned-to-speak expression at my lie. “And you are?”
He dismissed my hand, snapping his shocked gaze to Morgan. “Boyfriend?”
“No!” she said a little too loudly before dropping her voice back to an indoor level. I couldn’t help but chuckle when she let out a nervous breath. “That is–it’s not?—”
“I’d love to know what the hell is going on! You never mentioned having a boyfriend!”
“That’s because he’s not?—”
“I’m sorry. I still didn’t catch your name,” I casually interrupted as I looked at the man.
“Ambrose,” he grumbled.
Oh, Jesus fucking Christ. “Nice to meet you.” I grinned, then looked at his half-eaten plate. “Oh! Did you have the lobsterdolma? It’s excellent here, isn’t it? That’s one of my girl’s favorites.” I smirked. “Shelovesa good dolma.”
“Shouldn’t you be in Columbia?” she ground out through gritted teeth.
I chuckled, realizing why she felt so comfortable posting that photo on Instagram—she’d mixed up the dates of when she thought I wouldn’t be here to fuck with her.
“That conference is next weekend, my silly little goose.” I wrapped my arm back around her shoulders and nuzzled my face into her hair, inhaling her rose scent. She elbowed me in the gut, causing me to grunt through a laugh before pulling her closer and tighter to my side. “She really loves to play rough.” I winked at Ambrose before looking back at her. “Baby, listen,” I crooned, twirling a strand of her long brown hair around my finger; I fought back a laugh when she swatted my hand away. “Today was hellish, and all I want right now is to get you home and strip you down and lick?—”
“Yeah, I’m gonna go.” Ambrose slipped out of the booth.
“Wait!” Morgan pleaded as she pushed me off of her before scooting around to the other side of the booth where he’d just been seated. “Please. I promise this isnotwhat it looks like.”
Ambrose shook his head, clearly agitated. “Lose my number,” he huffed before stomping away.
She watched him walk off before her narrowed gaze turned to me. I chuckled, stretching my arms out along the back of the booth. “Well, that waswayeasier than I anticipated.”
“I hate yousomuch!” She slipped out of the booth, heading for the exit.
I pulled out my wallet, throwing down more than enough cash to cover a meal I didn’t even eat before hurrying after her. Ifollowed her outside, falling into step beside her on the sidewalk. “Aw, come on. You’re not theleastbit happy to see me?”
