“Really? So, you weren’t just staring at that specimen of a man for the last few minutes, practically undressing him?” She snaps me back to the present.
“No, I wasn’t,” I insist, averting her scrutinizing gaze. I mean, how can anyone not stare at Ember? The man is fucking hot.
“You said that out loud, Shelb,” she tells me, a cocky grin on her face.
“I’m drunk,” I giggle. “God.” I run my hands through my hair. “I am so fucking drunk, and you should see what is under that shirt. Fuck!”
She takes a sip of her cocktail very slowly. “That is it, we should go over and say hello.”
“No way. Why would we? We don’t even know him that well. He gave Brody a split lip,” I mutter.
“They were playing catch.” She narrows her eyes at me, sliding off her seat and, to my horror, heads in Ember’s direction. I can’t help but follow after her. Just to make sure she doesn’t say anything stupid, especially about me.
I slide into the booth after Desi. His eyes gleam when I do, his attention momentarily off my friend and solely on me. He smiles. I want to lie that it isn’t anything to write home about, but damn, those dimples in his cheeks make me swoon. No! It doesn’t, I chastise myself. I frown, looking down at my beer.
“Hello, ladies.” His voice is deep and throaty. The words feel like they brush over my skin, leaving shivers in their wake. My breath hitches for a brief second, and the room feels too hot.
“Ember, right?” Desi starts. “We saw your pretty ass sitting all alone over here and figured you’d like the company.” She’s such a flirt.
“I am always in need of company, especially the beautiful kind.” He smirks, taking a sip from the amber liquid in front of him, looking me over.
“I don’t believe we’ve been properly introduced. I’m Desi, and you know Shelby.”
“I do.” He grins. “Shelby and I seem to be running into each other quite a bit lately.”
“Like that’s a good thing,” I mumble.
“You don’t have to pretend you’re upset to see me, you know.” His eyes bore into mine, dark depths that threaten to suck me under.
Desi snickers and I look at her sternly. She takes a sip of her cocktail.
“I’m not upset. I’ve just had too much to drink.” My eyes roam down, resting on his very defined chest.
He laughs, the kind that makes me want to tell him to do it over and over again, preferably between my legs.
“Girls Night,” Desi explains. “Long overdue.”
He leans back in his seat, his arms across his chest. He licks his tongue over his lips, and I feel my thighs clench. I want to reach out and trace his lips with my fingers.
Digger takes to the stage, and all our attention turns to him. I am grateful for the distraction.
Digger introduces that tonight’s karaoke theme is dance movies.
“Dance movies?” I nearly choke on my beer.
“I think Nancy’s emasculating Digs.” Desi laughs, then explains to Ember that Digger recently got married to his long time sweetheart Nancy.
“So, you know the drill, there’s a number on your bottles or glasses, that’s the queue.”
I look at mine and breathe a sigh of relief at being number ten. Digger usually does ten performances a night.
“I’m number one,” Desi whoops, her fist in the air. She climbs over me and stumbles over to the stage.
“She’s enthusiastic,” Ember’s voice is amused as he leans across the table. I can smell the whiskey on his breath.
“Desi is enthusiastic about almost everything. So, what’s your number?” I ask.
“You move fast.” He grins, and I realize I walked right into that.
