I cock a brow in her direction.Your time to shine, Bub. Shut this shit down.
I expect a look of sympathy, or maybe even guilt, but she surprises me. She winds her arms around my bicep instead, giveswaytoo tight of a squeeze that feels like a silent warning, and leans into me a bit.
I think that was half an apology and half a request for me to calm the fuck down.
“Things change,” she says with a shrug.
“I see that,” Noah says. His eyes slide to mine, morecalculating now. The look of a cop sizing up a criminal. That should offend me, but I guess it’s technically exactly what I am. “I’m over there with West and some of the guys. Stop by and say hi.”
Didn’t she just fucking say hi? Wasn’t that what just happened, right in front of my face? All of that hugging and shit?
“I will,” she says, cheek still resting against my arm. She smiles in a way that’s a bit too sweet for that face. I don’t think I like it. Not when it’s aimed at someone besides me.
He nods, giving me another once-over, before he turns with his beer in hand and heads back to his table. I would have rather he swung on me. The blatant disrespect from him feels more insulting than a punch would have.
Declan clears his throat, points at nothing, and hurriedly rushes right to the bar to order, putting some distance between himself and whatever the hell is about to happen here.
Smart guy. Cowardly, but wise.
I stare at Arden, not letting a single emotion wash over my face. “Who was that?”
“Noah,” she tells me plainly.
I cock a brow. “Is Noah a police officer?”
Her face scrunches up a bit, like it’s not obvious in the way he stands as if he has a stick wedged right up his ass. “Yes.”
I let out a breath and run my hand over my face. “Is Noah going to be a problem?”
She crosses her arms in front of her chest, angling her head. “What do you mean? He was just saying hi.”
I swear under my breath and reach for her, taking her chin in my hand. Her eyes widen a bit at my touch, doe-eyes rounding when I step closer to her. “Are you sleeping with the cop, Red?”
Her brow furrows. Then her eyes go cold. “You are awareone can know people without having been penetrated by them, right?”
I resist the urge to smile. Cheeky little shit. “Is that a no?”
“May I remind you,” she says, stepping toward me. I don’t feel like dropping her cute face, so I don’t. “Three years, Carter. No penetration.”
Ah, fuck. How could I forget? Remember when I said that when the anger takes over, logic goes out the window? How I can’t think straight in those moments? Completely forgot about the horrifying fact that this woman hasn’t been touched in three years.
“I’m telling you now, if Noah isn’t a problem at this very moment, he’s going to become one.”
Her eyes narrow. “I’m telling you now that he won’t.”
I lean down and press my mouth to hers. Rough, hard, and swift. This is a dire moment on my end, so she has to suck it up. I turn us as I do, so Noah and all his buddies with badges have a front row seat. I slide my hand to her jaw, enjoying the way she melts into my touch the second my mouth is on hers, like she forgets that she’s trying to hate me.
She’s glaring at me when I pull away. I’d be disappointed if she hadn’t been.
“Get me a glass of red wine?” she asks.
I nod. “Cabernet?”
“One hundred percent on the girlfriend test there, Forker.” She smiles, smacking my chest.
I catch her hand before she walks away. “Don’t call me that.”
She glances over her shoulder, unable to leave unless I let go. “Hm?”
