Before Reece could voice any more complaints, I started to make my way across the room to Atlas’s table.
He was still sitting by himself, so distracted by everything going on around him that he didn’t notice me approaching.
“Atlas?” I said, gently placing my hand on his shoulder. “Fancy seeing you here.”
Shit.
Now how was I going to explain that?Oh, hey, Atlas. You never told me your name, but I looked you up on the internet like the total stalker I am. Masturbated to a photo of you. Squirted all over my sheets. You know, the usual.
Blessed goddess, I was absolutely losing it.
“Oh!” His golden eyes widened and his muzzle scrunched into a smile. He seemed genuinely excited to see me. “Hey!”
“Hi.” I slipped my hand away, pointing at the empty seat next to him. “Do you mind if I sit?”
“No, not at all.” Like a gentleman, he slid the chair out for me. “I, uh, I realized I never got your name this morning,” he said bashfully, his ears drooping slightly on either side of his head.
Fucking adorable.
“Tegan,” I said, a little too enthusiastically. “I’m Tegan.” I held out my palm and his giant hand enveloped mine, giving it a soft shake.
“Tegan,” he said with a hum. The way my name sounded, rumbling out of his chest, made my stomach flip. “That’s a very pretty name.”
I could feel all the blood rush to my face and I’m pretty sure I looked like a walking, talking tomato. “Thank you,” I forced out.
A+ flirting game, Teg.
“I’m Atlas, but it sounds like you already knew that.” He grinned and his bright yellow eyes twinkled as he looked down at me.
“I, um, I might have looked you up. Looked the gym up,” I rushed to add. “I remembered your tank top and looked up the gym.” Ha, I certainly did remember his tank top and the way it clung to his pecs. I’m pretty sure I could see his nipples peeking through the material.
He nodded and his upper canine dug into his bottom lip. “Ah, I see.” Damn, he was smug.
Was it just my imagination or was he flirting with me just now?
I looked around at the empty table, wondering if everyone had jumped ship because he was the new guy in town, when I noticed the place card in front of me.
Mr. Oberon’s Guest.
Was he here with someone?
“Did you bring a date?” I asked, feeling bold.
Maybe he did but they were in the bathroom? Or they were mingling? There was no way a guy like him was here by—
He shook his head, that canine digging deeper into his lip like he was fighting back a grin. “No date.”
“Me, neither.” I wanted him to know that I was here alone, hoping it would convey the fact that I was single.
“If I’m being honest with you,” he said, “I’m not a huge fan of weddings. I wasn’t going to come, but I figured it would look bad if I didn’t. The mayor invited me personally.”
“Hmm,” I said, looking through the crowd for the mayor. When I spotted him, he was nursing an amber drink, likely a glass of bourbon, engaged in a lively conversation with the high school football coach. He was having the time of his life, enjoying his daughter’s special day. The last thing on his mind was the guest list. “Looks to me like he’s a little too preoccupied to keep tabs on who showed up and who didn’t.”
“Apparently so. Can’t say I regret coming, though.” The way his gaze swept over my body, slow and shameless, had heat rushing to my face again.
“I don’t regret coming, either,” I admitted.Not now, and not earlier.
“Are you going to eat your cake?” I asked, noticing the untouched slice sitting in front of him.
