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“So. What’s…” He trailed off, pointing at me then Drew with the clear intention of asking what’s going on here? But instead, he cleared his throat and lamely asked, “You guys having lunch?”
I knew what was happening. If there was anything I knew about my ex, it was that he was prideful like none other. We didn’t exactly come from a place known for manners or class, so growing up he overcompensated for it. In public and around others, he always carried himself with an almost WASP-y air – like we’d grown up boating and going to the country club on weekends, even though we definitely did not.
I saw his need for that image working double time now – especially as Drew smoothed his hand over my bare knee.
Oh God.
“Yeah, it’s my one day off this month, and any time I can get off, I always spend with her,” Drew said casually. I knew he was tracking Mike’s gaze because the second Mike flicked his eyes down to his hand on my knee, he gave it such a dirty little squeeze that a burst of tingles shot up my thigh.
Holy fuck.
I almost moaned on the spot.
“Right. Of course.” Mike said tightly, visibly struggling to keep his eyes up as Drew began rubbing slow circles over my knee. My heart slammed in my chest. God help me. I did my best not to squirm. Meanwhile, Mike pulled at his collar. “One day off a month. I can’t imagine living like that.”
Drew chuckled. It was still smiles all around, but a palpable tension thickened the air.
“Yeah, but it’s worth it to play for Major League Baseball. And ten years in the league – I’m used to it by now.”
Yeah. Just another reminder that he’s a pro athlete, Mike, and not a whiny little bitch baby.
“Well, I know Evie falls asleep at like, nine-thirty,” Mike laughed, this time unable to hide his disparaging tone. “So I take it you two don’t get to see much of each other.”
“Oh, I stay up as late as I need to for him,” I offered, my words coming out with much more of a sultry rasp than I intended. Drew cocked an eyebrow at me. Oops. Blame the impromptu leg massage he was giving me. It felt so damned good it made me feel almost drunk.
“That right?” Mike managed another chuckle, but I could tell from the way he fixed his unblinking stare on me that he was trying to ask me a million silent questions, all of them variations of Evie, what the fuck is going on? “Pretty sure I remember that when you sleep too late, you can’t fall asleep at all.”
“That used to be the case. But Drew’s really, really good at tiring me out.”
Fire lit Mike’s eyes as Drew gave a low laugh of surprise.
“Easy, babe,” he murmured in as he straight up rubbed my thigh up and down. God, oh God, oh my God. I felt like I was about to combust just as Hillary glided over with a big, nervous smile.
“Guys! Gotta have dessert before you go!” she sang, catching my eye and mouthing Oh my God, I’m so sorry as she placed a Mont Blanc on the table. I mouthed back don’t worry as she trilled, “I’ll go get the check!”
Then she scurried off like a mouse, and it was insanely awkward as Mike just stood there and watched me take a bite.
“That’s it?” he laughed at me. “Evie. Stop acting like you’re not dying to inhale that. Mont Blancs are your favorite. I’ve seen you crush two in a sitting.”
Good God. I could kill him.
“Yes, but I’m full,” I said slowly, trying not to shoot him daggers so as to appear unfazed. But I was pretty sure I failed because the smuggest grin spread his lips, and he apparently found enough confidence to nudge Drew and laugh.
“Christ. You got her on an athlete’s diet or what, Maddox?”
“Nah,” Drew laughed, turning over to let his gaze drop down the front of my dress. “Definitely not. She knows that body’s fuckin’ perfect as is,” he said in a low mutter before looking up at me.
Lord.
I did my best to return his eye contact without melting into the chair. With his hand still on my knee, it felt like an extremely real possibility. But luckily, Hillary soon returned, doing a silly dance and waving around a check that was just receipt paper on which she’d scrawled on da house – thank you!
“Hil!”
Drew and I spent a minute protesting against Hillary’s staunch insistence, but the whole conversation wound up falling silent when Mike made a tacky joke about Drew being a millionaire who could afford to be charged double. After that thoroughly awkward moment, Drew tucked a wad of bills under his beer and we popped to our feet, hugging Hillary thank you and goodbye before waltzing outside to wait for the car.
“Wow. Okay. Breathe,” I whispered to myself the second we got outside, still feeling the surging adrenaline rush for a job well done.
I did it.
