“It’s been weeks,” Bash says, ever the voice of reason. “You can’t honestly still believe all of this was some Machiavellian plan on her part. The woman hasn’t approached you a single time since she started working for the Rogues.”
“Yeah,” Ryder adds, smirking. “But shehasrun away and hidden from you.”
These assholes. Why am I friends with them again?
“Can we drop it and focus on one of you idiots for a while?”
“Actually, there is something I’ve been wanting to talk to you guys about.” Ryder sits taller and his eyes get this faraway look to them.
Here we go. He’s going to start talking about Lexi. They’ve been together for almost a year, and he’s totally gone for her.
“What do you all have planned for Christmas? Because I have an idea, but I’ll need accomplices to pull it off.”
“What kind of plan?” Bash asks.
“I’m going to ask Lexi to marry me at her mom’s cabin. Recreate our first Christmas together…”
I should leave.
“I think I’m going to head out,” I say, slapping my palms on the table and standing.
Griffin looks up at me with one raised brow from my right, but makes no move to get up and let me out of the booth. So I look to Ryder on my left. He just shakes his head.
“No way. You’re staying. You can’t run away anytime Blair is in the same building as you.”
What does the rookie know? I sure as shitcanrun away to avoid her.
“I’m tired,” I lie. “And I have a bunch of stuff I need to get done tomorrow.”
“Bullshit,” Griffin says, pretending to cough the word out like he’s a kid.
My retort dies on my lips when a group of four giggling, obviously tipsy women stumble into Chasers with an amused Maddox trailing behind them. They’re all smiling broadly, clinging to each other in a bid to stay upright. When his wife stumbles, Maddox steadies her with a strong hand, and Blair giggles beside her.
Well, looks like my attempt to escape has been foiled. If I leave now, Blair will think she won. That she chased me away.
Fuck that.
“Looks like they had fun,” Bash says, humor lacing his tone.
“And a bottle of wine each,” Ryder adds. “Not that I’m complaining. Wine makes Lex horny.”
Griffin laughs loudly at that. “Mira, too.”
Rub it in, assholes. I scrub a hand across the back of my neck. I need to find some company for tonight. I haven’t slept with anyone since Blair, and I don’t want to let myself consider why. So I’ll just tell myself that it’s because the start of the season is always hectic. It has nothing to do with the beautiful brunette with the body of a goddess or the fact that she snuck out before I could.
Nothing at all.
Tearing my eyes away from Blair, I scan the bar. There are some beautiful women here—there always are—but no one stands out to me. They’re stunning, but my dick isn’t moved. Literally or figuratively.
It’s annoying as hell.
“Hello, boys,” Mira sing-songs as she clambers into the booth and presses herself into Griffin’s side. “Nice to see you this lovely night.”
Griffin smiles, looking at his wife as if she hung the moon. “Looks like someone had fun.” He leans down and kisses her, and I ignore the strange twinge in my chest.
“So much fun,” she replies when their lips break apart. “I painted the best tree ever.”
They painted trees? Is that the kind of thing women find fun?
