Before I could, someone jostled me as they pushed by to get to the bar, and Jason grabbed me before I took a tumble into the astroturf. Staying upright seemed to be an emerging issue for me. Perhaps a point in the “not drinking” column.
My hand was still gripping his bicep when I had an epiphany. “I’ve got it! Your stage name should be Sin.”
His brows furrowed. “Sin?”
“You know, like Jase-sin. As in, you have a body built for sin.”
He barked a laugh before leaning in and lowering his voice. “Careful, or I might think you’re coming on to me.”
“Who says I’m not?” I said boldly, batting my eyelashes and giving him what I hoped was a tantalizing—rather than maniacal—smile.
He snorted. “Please. I may have a pretty face, but I’m not dumb or blind.”
The alcohol must have breached my blood-brain barrier, because I wasn’t following. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, I know better than to chase after someone who’s obviously hung up on someone else.”
“Me?Who am I hung up on?”
He gave me a look likePlease, then nodded his head toward the bar, where Ryder was procuring our next round of drinks. The implication was clear.
“Ryder?” I choked out.How could he know? Is he clairvoyant? I’ve been so careful!
He chewed on some ice. “It’s clear to me and anyone with eyes that there’s something going on between the two of you, and I know enough to get out of the way.”
“I’m sorry, RyderPerry?” I repeated, paranoid now thatother people could read on my face what I’d worked so hard to keep hidden. “The same guy who wanted nothing more than to get me fired off this movie? Who hated me until”—I checked an imaginary watch—“last week?”
Jason sighed. “You’re both idiots.”
“He’sthe idiot,” I insisted. “I’m very…smart.” Blood was rushing to my head, and the room was starting to spin. I needed to sit down.
Jason looked amused. “You’re both completely in love with each other. It’s as plain as the nose on your face.”
“Oh my gosh Jason,shhh. He might hear you!” I hissed, glancing over to make sure Ryder was still stuck at the bar. The last thing I needed was him catching wind of this stupid crush and things getting even more complicated on set. “Ryder is not inlovewith me.”
Jason smirked, cocky and sure. “Oh, he definitely is.”
What?!“He told you that?” I squeaked.
“He didn’t have to. Guys know.”
I tried to focus on the hazy blur that was his face, but I was having a hard time standing without swaying. I blinked, but my eyelids seemed to be taking longer to open and close. Damn it, I wish I was more sober for this conversation.He has real intel here and you’re too drunk to capitalize on it!“Why are you even telling me this? Doesn’t this break some sort of bro code?”
He waved a hand, unbothered. “You won’t remember a word of this conversation tomorrow.”
Right on cue, Ryder sidled back up to our table, three more drinks triangulated in his hands. “Hope you’re ready for our next round! Only problem is I can’t remember exactly what Iordered, or which is which.” He shrugged as if to say,Oh well.“Bottoms up!”
I didn’t have a chance to spin out about Jason’s commentary before I found myself getting spun around by Ryder, the two of us drunk-dancing on our improvised dance floor.
“If you like piña coladas,” Ryder crooned as he twirled me in a circle.
“And getting caught in the rain,” I belted off-key, stumbling over my own feet.
We weren’t dancing so much as falling all over each other, though neither of us seemed to mind. We were handsy and uninhibited, the alcohol allowing us to take liberties we couldn’t normally get away with. Every time he spun me, my breasts brushed against his sternum, and I wondered if he felt that point of contact as intensely as I did, if it throbbed in his joints, if he’d analyze it in bed later the way I would.
“Be careful, you two,” Jason called from the table. “The last thing Ryder needs is an injury. He has a hard enough time getting through scenes as it is,” he taunted, grinning wickedly.
“Hey now, that was a low blow,” Ryder retorted, though he couldn’t have cared that much, because he kept right on swaying.
