Before it could take hold, John appeared with Kaito, Botan, and Eric at his back. Loud introductions were made, and I ignored another unpleasant sensation that arose when John enfolded Beth in a tight hug and kissed her cheeks.
“Happy Birthday!” She beamed up at him.
The sight of his hands on her lower back, near the curve of her arse, had me stepping forward. I gently pushed between them to embrace John. “Happy Birthday, mate.”
“The girls and I are going to grab drinks. What do you want?” Beth asked as I pulled back from my teammate and friend.
“We’ll get them,” I insisted.
“Opened a tab.” John smiled down at her. “Under the team’s name. Just put everything on that.”
“Nice!” Cara grinned. “Thanks.”
“Hey …” John’s gaze dragged down her body. “You’re welcome?”
“Cara,” Beth introduced. “And this is Michaela.”
“Nice to meet you both.”
Beth touched my arm. “What do you want?”
You in my bed right this fucking second. “Whatever they have on draft.”
She nodded, and she and her girls made their way through the club. I scowled as a group of lads spotted them and turned to watch them pass. They nudged each other and moved closer to the bar as Beth reached it. Strobe lights bounced off them and they stared at Beth’s arse in a way that made me want to rip off their balls.
I scowled and started to move forward.
“Whoa.” Baird slung an arm around my shoulders, appearing out of nowhere. “No starting fights on John’s birthday.”
I squeezed my eyes closed, trying to relax. “I’m fine.”
“You’re wound up tight, mate. Look, she’s a sexy lassie in a nightclub. People are going to look at her, so rein it in. Thought this was only casual between you, anyway?”
“It is.” One of the blokes was breaking away from his group, stepping toward Beth. “Excuse me.” I pushed by Baird and marched through the clubgoers, shoving past their jumping bodies.
Michaela and Cara had disappeared. The bloke was leaning on the bar next to Beth, but for his sake, I was glad to see he’d kept some space between them as he tried to chat her up. Not caring if I came across as an arsehole, I inserted myself between them, my hand on the curve of Beth’s arse as I leaned in, giving my back to the stranger flirting with her. “How’s it going here, princess?”
Beth turned into me, her eyes hot as she smoothed a hand down my chest. “The drinks are coming. Did I tell you how good you look tonight?”
I pulled her closer, our lower bodies pressed in a way that was dangerous, but I didn’t give a fuck. “Not as good as you look. This dress.” I skimmed a hand over her taut arse. “You trying to kill me?”
Beth laughed, eyes flashing wickedly as she leaned up to press a soft kiss to my mouth. She murmured, “Maybe a little.”
“Where did your girls go?”
“Took their drinks and went off to dance.”
Leaving her alone at the bar to get hit on. Nice.
Our drinks arrived as Baird and the rest of the guys stopped at the bar to order. John had secured a table at the back of the club, up on a platform near the rear entrance. It offered a modicum of privacy from the rest of the room but not from the music. We sat there with our drinks for a bit, shouting over the music about football and movies and random shit.
Then one of Baird’s favorite tunes came on, so he bounced out into the crowd to dance, John following in his wake.
“Do you dance?” Beth asked.
“Do you want to?”
She nodded.
