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Ryan guided me swiftly away, making me stumble blindly for a few steps, glasses bouncing. We left a laughing Tristan behind us.

“It’s not like that,” I said when we were a bit away.

“What isn’t?” he asked, still herding me like I was one of the sheep on the distant hills.

“He isn’t into me like that; you don’t have to worry,” I said, and I felt the tension in his body melt away slightly. There went another turn of my stomach.

“Good.”

“He’s single,” I said, looking at the ground forlornly.

Ryan snorted. “Good for him.”

I frowned. “I mean if you wanted to…go for it, you could.”

Ryan stopped in his tracks and looked down at me, still holding my waist, my chest pressed to his side.

“Go for what, love?”

“Tristan.”

His frown deepened. “Why the fuck would I want to do that?”

“Well, you got all growly and jealous and then he was winking at you and there was something there,” I rattled off. “I thought.”

“Of course I was fucking jealous!” he said. “He was staring at your arse too much!”

“You were jealous of him looking at me? But I thought—”

Ryan captured my chin in his spare hand, eyes boring into mine with a strange intensity. “Listen, love. There is only one worshipper at the altar of your arse, and it isn’t that berk.”

“It isn’t?” I didn’t know if that was a question I was asking or just a statement of some kind.

“All other subscriptions before this point are void and will not be recognised. The gates to shorts heaven are closed. The locks have been changed while we bring in new management to protect the precious artefact.”

My heart was thundering in my chest the more he talked.

“Soo I shouldn’t wear those shorts?” I asked breathlessly.

“Fuck no. Wear them when we get back. Under my strict supervision so no losers get any bright ideas.”

“Are you being serious?” I had to ask.

He pressed his thumb to the centre of my lips and I gasped a little.

“Does it look like I’m joking, love?” he murmured.

I could only shake my head, the movement rubbing my lips against his rough skin and making them tingle. I wondered if my pink lip balm had smeared there. The idea sent a pang of desire through me and Ryan’s eyes darkened as if he could tell, like he could smell it on me.

We got jostled by the crowd, which was getting bigger and bigger, a short “sorry” thrown our way as whoever it was hurried on.

It was enough to break the tension of the moment and Ryan stepped back, looking reluctant. “So, next booth?” he said, putting the hand that had been on me into his pocket.

I saw a flash of pink and I squeezed my thighs together. “R-right. This way.”

I bounced to the next booth with a spring in my step, hardly believing what had just happened. Ryan…liked my bum. A lot. It made me feel so good. I had a love-hate relationship with my behind. Clothed, it looked edible. Bare…was where it got a bit tricky.

Which was why my budget had a bit of room for the purchase I was about to make.