“Have, too.”
“Have n—Ugh,” I grunt. “You’re literally twelve.”
“And a half,” he says with a downward turn of his lips and a wink. My heart jumps in my chest, my stomach somersaulting and fluttering with butterflies. Just before it’s too much to bear, he lets my wrist go and takes a small step backward. My skin screams in protest.
“How’s it going out there?” he asks.
“Fine,” I rub my palms along the side of my jeans, “but he’s getting impatient. What’s this plan, and when is it gonna be over?”
“Nate’s girls should be here any minute. Just keep him occupied. Thirty minutes, tops.”
“Thirty?!” I whisper-yell. “I don’t even think I have ten!”
“You’ll figure it out. You’re good at getting guys to stick around,” he says with a side smirk.
“Okay, well,” I let out a breath, once again finding myself at a loss for words. “What exactlyisthe plan, though?”
He shakes his head. “Don’t worry about it. Two girls are going to grab his attention. The rest will be a piece of pie.”
“Cake,” I correct.
“Hmm?”
“The rest will be apiece of cake.”
He shrugs. “Pie sounds better.”
“It doesn’t matter how it sounds. It’s wrong.”
“Tomato, toe-mah-toe.”
I roll my eyes. “One of those isalsowrong.”
“Do you like to argue? Is that, like, a thing for you?” He gives me that sexy grin.
“No. I just know when I’m right. Which is why I’m gonna need to know this plan, so I can make sure it’ll work—”
“Just…” He closes the space between us and cups my cheek in his hand, his thumb just around my ear. “Do you trust me?”
My heart is beating erratically behind my sternum at the feel of his hand, at the closeness of his lips. My stomach quivers with anxiety. But still, everything inside forces me to say, “Yes.”
Jake’s lips twitch with another side smile. “Good.” He kisses my forehead and moves to walk away, turning back to me after just a few steps. “And don’t think I didn’t catch that you were looking for me,” he adds.
“I wasn’t.”
“Yeah, yeah.” He grins. “Bet you don’t even have to go to the bathroom.”
I purse my lips to hide my smile, and he winks at me before turning around and heading back into the bar space. I don’t have to tell him he’s right.
A minute later, I return to my table. Derek does a double take.
“You do a line of coke in the bathroom or somethin’?” he asks as I take my seat.
“What the hell kind of question is that?”I scoff.
“Your cheeks are all flush, and you look, I don’t know.” He frowns as he shrugs. “Different.”
I summon patience from deep within my soul. “No,” I breathe, annoyed. “I didn’t dococainein the bathroom, Derek. I don’t do drugs, but thanks.” I give him a smug, unappreciative smile.
