I stood up straight and planted a hand on my hip. “Whoever gets in my way.”
He scrutinized me. “Are you pissed off or horny? I can’t tell the difference anymore.”
Both.
God, what was wrong with me? The amount of sexual energy pumping off me was tangible. If my roommate was straight, he probably would’ve felt it across the room.
“I’m angry. I’m very, very angry, and I’m going out for a drink with Katie. You want to come?” Honestly, I was going out to vent about Dane Davenport and this whole fucked-up situation, and I didn’t really want to do it in front of any coworkers, even Chaz. But he was probably worried about his job, too.
Anyway, I knew he wouldn’t come. His hair was a disaster and he was already in sweats. Chaz didn’t do public in sweats.
“Nah. I’m bummed. Just gonna watch TV all night.”
“It’ll be okay, Chazzie. This asshole from corporate is not gonna fuck with us.”
“Tell that to Janelle. And poor Claire.”
“Yeah. I know.” I sighed. “Just make sure you show up bright eyed and bushy tailed tomorrow.”
“My tail doesn’t have any bush,” he said solemnly.
I groaned and snickered. “Good night.”
“’Night. Hey! If you end up having angry sex with some hot straight boy in a dirty bar bathroom stall,” he shouted after me, “I want details!”
“Right.” I shut the door.
Gross.Any guy ever tried to fuck me in a dirty bar bathroom, he could kiss my ass goodbye.
Less than an hour later, I was seated in the Burner Room with my best friend, sucking back a margarita.
And no, I didn’t ask for “Mandy” when we arrived. I did not need Shane Madrigal or his connections to get me into a hot bar. I knew enough people in this town myself.
Besides, all I had to do was text Jude Grayson, Jesse’s best friend and Dirty’s head of security, to let him know that I wanted to bring Katie here tonight, and it was all arranged. We had a sweet, high table in a back corner, from which we could view the entire room—including the opposite corner, where Dane Davenport sat at a table with Shane Madrigal.
I wasn’t sure Dane would even show up, but it was worth a shot. And there he was.
His left side was to me, and he definitely didn’t know I was here.
I liked it. Kinda gave me a cheap thrill of power.
Our table was encircled with high stools to seat six, but other than one member of Jude’s security team, who’d come along with Katie and now sat at the bar, watching her back, Jesse and his entourage weren’t here yet. I told Katie she could invite him along, if he wanted to join us, but I just really needed some girl talk first.
This place had an upscale Mexican cantina vibe, and we were halfway into a gargantuan plate of gourmet nachos and already on our second round of margaritas—Katie’s was actually a daiquiri because she hated tequila—when I finally worked up the will to broach the conversation. It was just too bad I was about to ruin a perfectly good night out.
Really, I didn’t want to talk to anyone about this bullshit. Even Katie, and I’d talk to Katie about anything. I would’ve rather the ground open up and swallow Dane Davenport back to the shadowy depths from whence he came, but since I could literally see him across the room, apparently that hadn’t happened yet.
“So,” I said, “remember back in high school, when my parents forced me to go all the way to West Vancouver for senior year at that bullshit private school, full of stuck-up, entitled snobs?”
“Uh, of course I remember. That was half the reason senior year sucked for me. The other half being, you know, Josh.”
I groaned sympathetically. “Being a teenager sucked.”
“Especially for you. You were born thirty years old. I’m sure of it.”
“You know,” I said solemnly, “that is really gonna be my year.”
Katie giggled.
