I narrowed my eyes. “Do you realize you just made a statement?”
“Did I?” He didn’t look particularly sorry.
I looked up at him, wondering what the hell he was drinking tonight. “He is going to tell everybody that we’re together.”
He brought his hand up to the back of his neck. “Fine by me.”
He was unbelievable.
“No, Nate. It’s not fine. My boss asked me to keep this quiet, and you basically outed us.”
He winced. “I’m sorry, but was I supposed to let him keep flirting with you?”
I crossed my arms. “You can’t just jump in and piss all over your territory every time a man talks to me.”
His jaw ticked. “I didn’t jump in. For all he knows, we’re friends.”
I gave him a look.
He sighed. “Okay, maybe I was a little obvious.”
“A little.” I tilted my head. “You were one step away from causing a scene.”
He met my eyes, steady and unapologetic. “But I didn’t.”
“Wow,” Ember said loud enough to make us both turn our heads. “Did I just interrupt a moment, or are you two just going to stand there and eye-fuck each other all night? The tension between you two is hot.”
“I think you’re confusing tension with something else.” I shot her a glare, telling her to behave herself.
Nate chuckled beside me and held out his hand. “I don’t think we’ve met. It’s nice to finally meet you, Ember. Becca talks about you all the time.”
“Don’t believe a word she says.” She glanced between us with a smirk. “Now that we’ve got all the drama out of the way, how about we actually go sit down and enjoy ourselves?”
“Follow me.”
We trailed behind Nate and walked toward the back corner, where his teammates sat crowded around two high-top tables pushed together. Jax and Ryder were sitting on one end under a low-hanging light with an alarming number of shot glasses in front of them.
Jax’s lips kicked up like he was a frat boy who had just spotted a free keg of beer. “It’s our favorite reporter, Becky, the ball-buster.”
Everyone’s attention turned to me.
“Ignore him.” Nate shook his head.
“You look pretty tonight.” Jax stood and spread his arms wide for me to walk into. “If I had known you were coming, I would have dressed up.”
I patted his shoulder. “You look just fine, stud. I love your shirt. It matches your eyes.”
He lifted a brow, glancing down at his blue button-up. “I’m glad you found something to love about me.”
“Don’t get too excited,” Nate grumbled, pulling me out of his friend’s hold. “She was being sarcastic.”
Laughter rippled around the table.
Jax’s eyes lit up as soon as he spotted Ember behind me. “And who is this pretty lady?”
“Guys, this is my friend Ember.”
After the introductions were done, Ryder slid an extra stool up to the table. “Have a seat, ladies.”
