She leans into me, brushing my ear with her lips, breath hot as she whispers, “Just because you saw me naked doesn’t mean you get to tell me what to do.”
My entire bloodstream explodes into flames. Like an explosion, and I go rock hard at her mouth in my ear like that.
The guy waggles his eyebrows, still not getting the memo. “You comin’, sugar? You know you want to.”
I practically growl at the guy. “Get lost.”
“Ollie,” Cami grins. “Look at you being all hot and bothered over Poppy.”
“You are not dancing with him,” I say to Poppy, ignoring my sister. “Not that guy.”
She crosses her arms. “You know what, Ollie? I have needs. If I wanted to dance with someone, go on a date, or even go home with someone, you are not the boss of me.”
I have needs.The words land hard and ugly in my chest.
I don’t actually know how many people Poppy’s been with. We’ve always kept that line clean between us. Best friends. Safe territory. We talk about work and Owen and everything that matters but never details. Never names. Maybe that was on purpose. Maybe we both knew some doors don’t open without wreckage we can’t undo.
I know she’s dated. I know none of it ever stuck. I know no one stayed.
As for me, I stopped trying a long time ago.
It wasn’t dramatic. No big decision. Just one date too many where I caught myself comparing. The way she laughed. The way she listened. The way she felt like home instead of effort. Every woman I sat across from came up short, and that wasn’t fair to them. Or to me.
So, I quit. Because if it wasn’t Poppy, it wasn’t right.
The guy still hasn’t moved. Still leaning too close. Still looking at her like she’s an opportunity.
Something dark coils low in my gut.
No one touches Poppy.
Not on my watch. Not ever.
Because she deserves better than someone who sees her as a moment instead of a whole damn life.
Something ugly and jealous rips out of me before I can stop it. “Maybe I should be.”
She stares at me like I just shocked the crap out of her. “What’s wrong with you?”
Everything. Everything is wrong with me. I’m so damn in love with her, and she has no idea.
Violet swoops in and smooths the tension like she’s putting out a fire. “Here, let’s go over to the pool tables,” she tells the guy, dragging him away.
Cami says, “Time for more drinks.” She gives Jack a look and guides Poppy toward the bar.
Poppy and Cami go up to order drinks, muttering something about men and their stupid egos. But I don’t miss how Poppy looks over her shoulder at me as she heads up to the bar, still looking confused by what I said. Hell, I’m confused, too.
“She hates me,” I say quietly.
Jack laughs. “No, she doesn’t. She’s just like Cami. Hyper independent and allergic to asking for help.”
I scrub a hand over my face. “She’ll never see me as more than a friend. Always keeps me at arm’s length.”
Jack leans back, studying Cami across the table as she talks to Poppy, animated and fierce. “Yeah. I had one of those.”
“You wrangled my sister, though,” I say. “How did you do that? She’s crazy.”
He snorts. “I’m still working on that. But you know howmuch I love her and I’d do anything for her. We started out best friends, kind of like you and Poppy.”
