Drew leans forward, and the intensity in his eyes makes my breath catch. “We need to be more convincing. More…intimate.”
“We’ve been holding hands?—”
“That’s not enough.” He glances around, then back at me. “She thinks we’re not fucking. We need to make it clear that we are.”
My body goes rigid. “You want to have sex in the restaurant?”
“No, Jesus.” But his eyes darken with something hungry and wild, sending electricity racing down my spine. “We need to talk about it. Loudly enough that whoever’s listening gets the message.”
“Talk about sex?” I whisper.
“Unless you have a better idea?”
I don’t. My mind is blank except for the memory of Drew pressed against me in that bathroom stall.
“Okay,” I say, nodding resolutely. “How do we…”
Drew’s hand slides across the table to cover mine, but this time it’s different. His thumb strokes across my knuckles in a way that sends sparks up my arm. “Trust me, Jacky, okay?” He raises his voice slightly, not enough to be obvious but enough to carry. “I’m sorry about this morning, babe. I know you were hoping for round two before I left.”
My face burns. I know we’re performing, but the casual way he says it, as though we actually spent the morning in bed together, makes my whole body react. “It’s fine,” I croak.
“No, it’s not.” His fingers intertwine with mine, and he brings my hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to my knuckles that shouldn’t be as intimate as it is. “I promise I’ll make it up to you tonight. We can try that thing you mentioned.”
What thing?My brain scrambles for something to say that sounds believable. “The…yeah. That thing.”
Drew’s eyes dance with amusement, but he keeps his expression serious. “You sure you’re ready for it? I know last time was intense.”
Last time.Like there’ve been multiple times instead of one desperate encounter that haunts my dreams. “I can handle it,” I say, trying to match his tone.
“Mm.” He leans back but keeps hold of my hand. “You said that last week, too, and then you could barely walk the next day.”
I squirm in my seat, my jeans suddenly too tight as my mind conjures Drew above me, his body leaving mine boneless and spent. Then me, wincing with every step down the hallway while Drew watches with a satisfied smirk.
This is torture. Having to pretend we’re having the sex I desperately want while knowing it’s all for show. “That was different. I wasn’t prepared for how…enthusiastic you’d be.”
Drew grins, and it’s the cocky, confident smile that made me fall for him in the first place. “Can you blame me? When you make those sounds, Jacky…”
I want to die. I want to climb across this table and kiss him until neither of us can breathe. I want to drag him into the restroom and make this conversation a reality. Instead, I force myself to keep playing along. “You’re not exactly quiet yourself.”
“Fair point.” His thumb continues stroking my hand. “Remember when Kyle almost walked in on us?”
We’re making up stories now, creating a whole fictional sex life for the Ice Queen’s benefit. “You mean when you forgot to lock the door?”
“I was distracted.” His eyes drop to my mouth. “You were doing that thing with your tongue.”
My tongue?Christ.I lick my lips automatically, and Drew’s grip on my hand tightens. “Which thing?”
“You know which thing.” His voice drops lower, and suddenly, this doesn’t feel like performing anymore. “The one that makes me forget my own name.”
The air between us crackles. Drew’s thumb traces circles on my palm, sending electric currents up my arm. His knee shifts against mine under the table, the denim of his jeans rough against my leg. The restaurant blurs at the edges of my vision until all I can see is the gold flecks in his hazel eyes, the slight part of his lips, the pulse jumping in his throat. Someone drops a fork with a clatter, but neither of us flinches.
“We should probably…” I trail off, not sure what I want to say.Stop? Keep going? Acknowledge that I’m hard under this table?
“Yeah,” Drew agrees, but he doesn’t let go of my hand. “Food should be here soon.”
Right. Food. We’re in a restaurant, surrounded by people, one of whom is documenting our every move. This is all for show. Except the way Drew’s staring at me is full of hunger for something that isn’t on any menu.
“After dinner,” he says, this time loud enough to carry, “we can go back to the Hockey House. The guys are going out tonight, but you and I will be staying in…side each other. Unless you’d prefer your place?” He raises an eyebrow. “Though last time, Ryan came back early.”
