“Are you allowed to have that glass outside?” Harley asked, but Nicky ignored him and continued to drink while we all watched the scene of MacBain revving the engine of his car while Enrique knocked on the glass of the passenger-side door and pleaded to be let in.
Evan started toward them, and other people in the parking lot stopped to watch the newest Unofficial Kickball League drama, which I was sure would be passed around at all the games by the end of the season. I fully expected that at some point I’d be hearing about how I decked MacBain. Grinning, I slung one arm around Harley, who cowered there against me, and one around Nicky’s shoulders. He grunted as some of his beer sloshed over the side to drip from his hand and the bottom of his stein.
“Let him fucking go,” Nicky said hotly after a few long heartbeats of silence. “We’ll just have Harley play his spot.”
Harley ripped himself away from me and went to my car. I used the key fob and unlocked his door for him before he was even there, irritation slithering through me to replace the low, boiling rage. Right now, I wanted him at my side.
“Harley! Stop!”
He didn’t, just opened the door and then hopped inside before he shut it again. I’d bet anything he’d locked it, too.
“I’ll talk to you later.”
Nicky saluted me with his stein and kept on watching as Enrique took off his shoe to pelt the windshield of MacBain’s car.
Wasting no time, I jogged to my vehicle and got in the driver’s seat.
“Do you have any idea how many people die in drunk-driving accidents?” Harley asked before I could even close the door. He zapped me with a cold stare. I handed him the keys, got out, and we switched seats. I settled back in and closed the door, letting out a long breath as I slammed it shut. Harley did the same, then put the keys in the ignition but didn’t turn on the car. The stifling heat began to get to me fast and sweat beaded all over my body.
“You promised you wouldn’t run from me anymore.”
Harley gasped so loud his upset was almost a thought bubble over his head. Panicked brown eyes drilled into me. “What was that back there?” he demanded.
“He was being a dick.”
“So you felt the need to defend your ex?”
“You,” I said, lightly tugging on his earlobe. “He can’t say stuff like that to you .”
“People insinuate that I’m fem all the time. They say things just like that, or worse. Well, maybe not all the time, but often enough.”
“I don’t like hearing something we might say to each other to play used to insult you. There’s nothing wrong with the way you are, but they’re not going to try to make you feel bad about it around me. You’re perfect.”
Harley tilted his chin and studied me. He seemed to be processing, and I wasn’t sure whether maybe I shouldn’t be apologizing after all, but he smiled. “Can we go home?”
“You want to go back to your place?”
He blinked and a cute flush crawled up his neck from under my old jersey. I loved him in my clothes. “I meant… both of us, back to your place.”
He was too much, all blushing and hanging his head, so I reached over and snagged him by the back of the neck. He let me pull him in for a soft kiss. His lips parted sweetly under mine and I delved into his mouth until I got a little pleased noise that was more kitty-chirp than man-moan. My dick responded swiftly and decisively. I would be fucking him when we got back.
When Harley pulled away, he smiled and started the car. I gave him the directions he needed to take us to my place—the trip wasn’t long—and when he pulled the car into the driveway near the front of the house, I had to laugh. Kwan was in the den, exactly where he shouldn’t be, his arms crossed on the back of the couch with his chin in them, staring out the window. Waiting for us.
Harley sighed. I held in my laugh until he had shut the car door behind him. I sat there and chuckled to myself until it was out of my system, and then I got out of the car, keeping my face stern. Harley stood there, glaring at the window.
“I’ll talk to him,” I said.
“You do that.”
For a second, I thought he was really pissed off, but when I took his hand, he smiled at me.
“Now, we get to discuss your punishment once we’re inside, since you don’t listen to me either.”
“He’s in my room!”
“And you ran away from me.” I moved until my toes bumped his and he had to tilt his head to look up at me. His breath caught. “Maybe it’s time I taught you who owns you.”
He opened his mouth like he had a snappy comeback all planned, but then he scowled and glanced at the window again. I had a feeling he’d be hissing at me right now if he wasn’t too pissed off to remember he could do that with me.
