“I almost had her,” Lydia pouted. “But the douche interrupted before I could seal the deal.”
Aspen smiled and rubbed Eve’s hip. “I love that you just call him ‘the douche’.”
Lydia grinned and tipped an imaginary hat before glancing back at Kit. “Damn,” she whistled. “I think Sadie might mount our girl right there and give everyone a show.”
“Or…not,” Jack giggled, pointing at Nolan, who was storming furiously toward the women.
“Oh shit,” Aspen muttered.
“Oh shit!” Lydia cackled.
“Oh shit,” Eve whispered.
“Shit, Kit!” Jack yelled. “Abort! Abort! Drop the hottie and run!”
Aspen snorted. “God, you’re really just as big of a dork as you were in school, aren’t you?” She rolled her eyes at the one finger salute Jack flashed her as he bounded off to run interference, and dropped a kiss to Eve’s cheek. “He can’t fight for shit. I should probably go help him out.”
“If you think I’m missing this, you’re out of your mind.” Lydia hooked her arm through Eve’s and hiked her chin imperiously. “We’re coming with you.”
Aspen wanted to argue—she had a feeling an audience would only upset Nolan more, and after the way he’d acted when shemet him, she didn’t trust him to restrain his outrage to shouting—but they didn’t have time, so she just nodded and tugged on Eve’s hand that was still tucked into hers. “Right. Let’s go, then.”
“Whatthe fuckare you doing?!” Nolan demanded as he closed-in on the women, who were still enthusiastically lost in each other. His booming voice carried easily over the string quartet, and what seemed like the entirety of the ballroom stopped and turned to see what was happening.
Despite his volume, it still took Kit and Sadie a few more seconds to break apart, and Aspen shook her head as she watched Kit wipe her mouth with the back of her hand as she squared up to face him. It was a classic Kit move—bold, in-your-face, and utterly without shame—and even though she was still a good twenty feet away, Aspen swore she could see the vein bulging in Nolan’s forehead.
She could clearly see the way his fists clenched at his sides, though, and she threw a silentI’m sorryat Eve as she tugged her hand away to run to help Kit and Sadie.
Nolan reached the pair at about the same time she did, and he threw an absolutely disgusted look at her. “Of course you’re here.”
“Just trying to help keep things civil,” Aspen said in her best customer service voice as she put herself a half-step in front of Kit and Sadie. She arched a brow at Sadie. “Are you okay?”
“Stay out of this!” Nolan reached out to shove at Aspen’s shoulder, but she rolled away from the jab.
“I don’t recommend you try that again,” Aspen warned. She shot Eve and Lydia a look that begged them to stand back before turning her attention back to Nolan. She could handle him, but she’d rather not have to worry about either of them getting caught in the crossfire. “Listen, man,” she said, trying to deescalate the situation before it got even more out of hand, “just take a breath and chill, okay? We’ll talk it out like adults.”
“What’s there to talk about? She had her hands all over my girlfriend!”
“Not actually his girlfriend,” Sadie corrected. “I broke up with you on Wednesday, remember? When you were freaking out about Eve bringing a plus-one?” When he just stared at her, she elaborated, “When I told you I’d play along for the weekend to not mess things up or make things awkward.” She threw an apologetic look at Eve. “I didn’t know you two were together when we hooked up, and I’m totally not about that bullshit. I’m so sorry.”
Eve smiled and waved off the apology. “I appreciate it. But it’s fine. I’m in a much better place.”
Aspen bit the inside of her cheek when Sadie smirked and waggled her eyebrows. “Yeah, you are.”
“What? The fuck? Sadie?!” Nolan blew up. “You’re not gay!”
“I’m not a lesbian,” Sadie replied breezily, “but I am pan.”
“What does that even mean?!”
“It means she doesn’t care what’s in someone’s pants,” Kit supplied with a decidedly unhelpful smirk. “Which, let’s be real”—her smirk widened as she threw an even more unhelpful glance toward Nolan’s crotch—“is probably a good thing for you.”
Kit was too busy taunting Nolan to see the way his fist tightened, but Aspen saw it clear as day, and her pulse raced as she jumped in front of Kit and caught his fist in her hand.
“Oh, shit!” Jack crowed.
Judging by the echoing murmur that rippled through the room, he summed up this latest development perfectly.
“Step off, man,” Aspen warned as she squeezed his fist.
