“Somehow I think you deserve it.”
I threw my head back in laughter at that and the look of disbelief on his face.“Oh, he does.”
My knee brushed against hers accidentally, sending a jolt through my body, but it was short-lived seconds later when she pulled away.
“How can you think that with an innocent face like this?”He waved a hand in front of his face.“I'm a saint.Even better than your boy here.”
His thumb nudged in my direction while he held the beer bottle in his hands.
“Oh, I don't doubt that,” she drawled, finally turning to look at me.“Jaxon is far from a saint.He just tucks his horns and tail away for social settings.”
There was that look again—fire and brimstone tainting her brown eyes, a contrast to the sweet smile she plastered on her lips.
Smirking, I leaned in just a little.To her credit, she didn't lean back or try to escape my intense gaze.Progress.“We both know you love the bad boys, trouble.”
“It's an acquired taste.”
Our gazes held, neither of us wanting to be the first one to break.The longer I looked, the more everything else faded into the background.I could stare at this woman for hours and never get bored.
A throat cleared, bringing us back to reality.
“I didn't bring Savannah so you could flirt with your girlfriend all night, you know.It's my time to get to know her,” Nerissa said.
My eyes narrowed at her, knowing the ‘girlfriend’ bit didn't just slip out.And from the look on Ari’s face, he was already processing that little detail.
“Girlfriend?”Ari blinked, then his eyes widened in realization.“Wait, wait, Savannah as insecret girlSavannah?The girl you and Benji were being all weird and top-secret about?”
I shook my head and chuckled, bringing the bottle to my lips.“We weren’t being secretive—”
“Yes you were, bro,” Jesse agreed.
I rolled my eyes.“We weren't.”
“And now I see why,” Ari continued, eyes twinkling as he looked at Savannah.“You're just lucky you met me after Jax, because there'd be no question who you'd pick.”
“Man, the last girl you talked to laughed and walked away.Good luck trying to talk game with my girl.”
“He may be right, man,” Jesse laughed.“You suck at picking up women.”
“You know what?Fuck you both.I get more pussy than both of you.”
Nerissa cackled so hard she nearly spilled her drink.“Sweetheart, the only pussy you get is the one on your phone screen.”
“Fuck off,” he grumbled.
Savannah hid a smile behind her glass, but I saw it.I felt it.Something warm curled low in my stomach at the sight of her trying not to laugh—at my friends, at this table, at this world she definitely didn’t belong to but somehow fit into tonight.
And God help me, I liked seeing her here.
“Anyway,” Jesse said, leaning forward with that lazy half-smile of his, “how long have you two been together?”
I felt Savannah stiffen beside me—felt every muscle in her spine pull tight.Her fingers toyed with the condensation on her glass like she needed something to ground her.
I tightened my arm across her shoulders, sliding my hand slightly down to her upper arm, guiding her into me just enough to sell it.Her breath hitched—but she didn’t pull away.
Good girl.
She swallowed.“Uh… we’ve been—”
