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et but elegant and the booths private. Once they were seated, Willow immediately ordered a bottle of their best wine for her and Aubrey to share, since the guys didn’t drink during the season.
It was some of the most delicious wine Aubrey had ever tasted. Went down smooth—too smooth. After two glasses and the skimpy salad she devoured, she was a little wasted.
Fine. She was a lot wasted. Though part of her drunkenness she could blame on Flynn.
Handsome, sweet, sexy Flynn, who could ignite her body with just one look. And he’d been sending her smoldering glances all night, from the moment they’d gotten into the car. And when he’d proceeded to maul her with Nick and Willow sitting mere inches away? That had been all kinds of hot.
He was all kinds of hot. It was like since they’d had sex, he’d become bolder, more open in showing his feelings.
She liked it. A lot.
“I think you’re drunk,” Flynn said near the end of the meal, leaning in so he could whisper the words in her ear.
A little shiver moved through her at his nearness, and she giggled. “Maybe I am. Does that mean you’ll take advantage of me when we get back to the hotel?”
“You want me to?” When she nodded eagerly, he pressed a quick kiss just behind her ear. “I think that can be arranged.”
“Promise?” Just having him by her made her edgy. His being so attentive didn’t help matters, either. The entire dinner had been some sort of quiet torture. They sat so close that when he pressed his thigh to hers, the hard, warm strength of him nearly made her tremble with pleasure.
“For you? Anything.” He took her hand and pressed a kiss on the back of it, his gaze never leaving her face.
She stared at him, feeling a little lost, a lot overwhelmed. He said things like that, and she almost believed him. But she needed to remember this was all fake. He had an image to maintain, and she was playing a role in that. She was just getting caught up in something that wasn’t real. She’d been tricked before, like with Derek when she’d thought they’d felt the same way about each other and then he’d dumped her. When it came to men, she might not have the best judgment. Her mom sure loved to tell her that.
Aubrey didn’t want to believe her mom was right. She always said men were just users. They took what they wanted and then left. But Flynn wouldn’t do that to her. More like she was doing that to him.
And that made her feel incredibly guilty.
What they shared was fleeting. It had to be. She was caught up in a game that she didn’t understand how to play and left her at a disadvantage. Worse? Flynn thought what they shared was real. It sure felt that way tonight, and that’s why the worry and the guilt were nagging at her. She was a jerk, doing exactly what her mother warned men would do to her.
All this faking was fun until someone got hurt—and that someone would be Flynn and eventually her, too. She had the distinct feeling she would end up miserable and alone when this charade was over.
“You know, I had my doubts at first, but now I gotta say you make a good-looking couple,” Nick said casually, all sprawled out on his side of the booth, his arm slung around Willow’s shoulders, his fingers playing with her dark hair. Willow leaned against him, her expression mellow, her lids at half-mast, probably from all the wine she’d just consumed. Nick looked content, relaxed, but his gaze was assessing, all seeing.
All knowing.
“Thanks,” Aubrey said, looking anywhere but at Nick. Unfortunately, the booth was so high, she couldn’t see much of the restaurant beyond where they sat.
“Funny how you two were just dancing around each other in the flirtation game. Then I blink, and you’re hot and heavy and in a serious relationship.”
Unease slithered down her spine at Nick’s casual comment, which was so not casual. He was trying to get information out of her.
Aubrey just hoped Willow would keep her lips zipped.
“When you know, you just know,” Flynn said, grabbing hold of Aubrey’s hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Didn’t that happen for you and Willow?”
“Actually, I screwed it up big time with Willow the first go-around and had to pay the price.” He paused, dropped a kiss on top of Willow’s head. “For years.”
“Yeah, he did,” Willow agreed.
“Messing up on the woman you know is the one for you, but you’re too scared to face the truth, is about the dumbest thing you could ever do,” Nick added.
“You cheated on her?” Flynn sounded incredulous.
Aubrey stiffened. Oh dear. This was a subject Nick didn’t like talking about much. Yeah, he was the one who’d screwed up on Willow by leaving her in the worst possible way, but he’d never officially cheated on her.
He’d just left her behind for years, pined for her, and then pretty much crawled back to her on his hands and knees, begging for another chance. Luckily enough, she’d given it him.
Now look at them. They were the cutest couple in the world, disgustingly in love. Aubrey was extremely jealous of the relationship they had. She could only hope she’d have something as fun and meaningful as they did.
