My stomach drops. “You’vegotto be kidding me,” I mutter.
Seconds later, Carter returns. “What’d I miss?”
Before any of us can respond, Rowan stands from his seat, eyes locked on Carter.
“Uh, oh,” Noia and Sasha whisper-snicker together.
When he sees the look on Rowan’s face, Carter visibly gulps. “Um…”
“You,” Rowan growls, pointing a finger. “Switch with me.”
Carter blinks, looking from Rowan to me and back again. “I...”
“Now,” Rowan adds, his voice dropping an octave.
I know I should say something, stick up for Carter—the poor kid—but I just can’t bring myself to do it. Even though I’m still pissed at Rowan, the more I see him, and the more that I’m around him? The more I’m undeniably drawn to him.
Hands raised in surrender, Carter scoots back in his chair. “No problem, man.” He shoots me an apologetic look. “Sorry, Liz.”
“Not your fault,” I mutter as Rowan slides into Carter’s vacated seat, pressing his thigh against mine under the table.
The heat from his body sends electricity zipping through my veins. I shift slightly, trying to put a sliver of space between us, but with the table so crowded, there’s nowhere else to go.
My pussy throbs, torn between itching to throw myself at him and running away.
But I ain’t no coward.
“You realize this is technically our first outing where we’re supposed to be seen together, right, Sunshine?” he murmurs in my ear.
His lips barely brush along the edge, making me shiver in response.
“Exactly. First outing. Which means no PDA.” I start playing with the trivia pencil, dropping it on the table and picking it back up over and over until Sasha snatches it out of my hand.
I toss Sasha a dirty look as Rowan leans away with a grin.
Infuriated, I turn to look up at his stupid handsome face. “Or have you forgotten that this is supposed to be a test run? And stop calling me Sunshine!” I hiss with a frown.
“Have it your way, Izzy.”
His hand squeezes my thigh under the table before he brings it back up to palm his beer.
If I’m going to make it through the rest of the night with my former best friend, I’m going to need a lot more to drink.
“Screw it,” I mumble, signaling the server. “Another round for the table. Tequila shots.”
Sasha’s eyes widen. “Oh, we’re doing this?”
“Hell yes, we’re doing this,” I declare, swallowing the lump in my throat as Rowan nudges his thigh against mine. “If I’m going to be stuck with Hollywood here, I’m gonna need reinforcements.”
Rowan’s chuckle comes from somewhere deep inside his chest.
Jerkface.
Noia claps her hands. “Now we’re talking!”
When the server returns with a tray of shots, I quickly snatch one up and toss it back. Liquor burns its way down my throat. It feels good—cleansing, even.
Slamming the shotglass down on the table, I grab another,ignoring the raised eyebrow Rowan shoots my way as Drew’s voice rumbles throughout the room. “Next round, people! 2000s Movie Franchises!”
