Romeo gasped in mock outrage. “You know what, Wolf? Today we’re makingFuck Youpie. You take a cup ofpiss off, add a dash ofget bent, and throw in somego take a flying leap. You’ll want to give that a good stir, then take a big ol’ spoonful and shove it straight up your ass.”
Wolf pulled in his lips, but couldn’t stop the laughter that bubbled inside his chest. That ridiculous recipe was enough to dull the edges of his bad mood. He thanked Romeo by offering him a pseudo salute.
Romeo, clearly tickled by his own sophomoric wit, smiled so wide his black goatee became little more than a frame around a mouthful of white teeth.
“I’ll never understand how you guys spent years running missions and maintaining covers when you have the emotional maturity of fourteen-year-olds,” LT’s wife, Olivia, said with a roll of her eyes.
“It’s a talent to be sure,” Romeo conceded at the same time LT complained, “Hey! You’re not lumpin’mein with these jackasses, are ya?”
“Never.” Olivia pulled off LT’s aviator sunglasses and planted a loud, smacking kiss on his lips. When she leaned back, there was so much love in her eyes, Wolf’s own heart ached something fierce.
Will a woman ever look at me the way Olivia looks at LT?
Of their own accord, his eyes tracked back to Chrissy.
He knew the instant she felt his gaze. The skin over her jaw tightened. Instead of looking back at him, however, she made a face of disgust at the newlyweds. “Ugh. Get a room you two.”
“We have one.” Olivia grinned. “It’s right upstairs.”
Chrissy pretended to pout. “Are youtryingto make me jealous? I haven’t had a date in…” She shook her head. “I can’t remember when.”
“Weren’t you supposed to go on a date with this one?” Olivia hooked a thumb Wolf’s way.
“Yeah. But it didn’t work out.”
“That much we all know.” Olivia narrowed her eyes. “What wedon’tknow is why?”
“Wasn’t meant to be, I guess.” Chrissy shrugged, unwilling to expand on the subject.
Wolf supposed he should thank her for that. And maybe hewouldthank her if she’d ever let him talk about it. But every time he brought it up, she lifted a hand and said,“No. It’s water under the bridge.”
“Curiouser and curiouser.” LT tapped his chin.
“Not really.” Chrissy crossed her arms a little defensively, which made her cleavage deepen. Wolf guessedif he dragged his tongue up that valley, it would be as soft as satin and taste like sunscreen.
The thought had his blood rising so quickly, he had to adjust his stance.
Romeo noticed and snorted loudly. Then he leaned in close to whisper in Wolf’s ear, “Bruh, I bet your palms are as chafed as a teenage boy who’s been left home alone with unlimited access to the internet, huh?”
Wolf held back from punching Romeo in the bean bags. “You’re a dickhead, Romeo.”
Romeo countered with, “Profanity is the product of a lazy mind.”
“You stole that from Spencer W. Kimball. And what he said was, ‘Profanity is the effort of a feeble brain to express itself forcibly.’ If you’re goin’ to quote someone, at least get it right.”
“I’d tell you to go fuck yourself, but I get the feeling you’d be disappointed.”
Wolf burst out laughing, but his humor was short-lived when Chrissy glared at them. “Do you two come with mute buttons?” She had one of those faces that always held a hint of mischief. Right now, however, she only looked exasperated. “We’re trying to talk business here.”
If Mia Ennis was shy and reserved, then Christina Szarek was her polar opposite. Despite her unwillingness to discuss That Night, she was about as plainspoken as a person could get. Combine that with a rapier wit and a penchant for razor-sharp remarks, and Wolf thought perhaps he’d finally met his match.
Too bad she doesn’t feel the same.
Although, on second thought, it was probably more accurate to say too bad she doesn’t feel the sameanymore.Because once upon a time, they’dbothbeen impatient to see where their shared chemistry would lead them.
Or…at least he’dthoughtthey’d both been impatient. Then he’d seen her draped all over some guy at Schooner Wharf Bar in Key West, and that little green-eyed monster had sunk his teeth into him.
Wolf should’ve taken the blond dude’s presence like a man. After all, he and Chrissy had made no vows of exclusivity—hell, they hadn’t even gone on that first date. He should’ve gone over and introduced himself to the Chris Hemsworth-looking bastard instead of ignoring Chrissy’s wave and turning his attention to the busty redhead who’d sidled up beside him, thinking to himselftwo can play this game.
