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He knew she was keenly aware of his gaze on her, but she said nothing. Well, she said nothing to him. She easily kept up a light conversation with the other two males as they ate.
His hound brooded, not liking that it had to share her attention. But Tanner found her struggle to ignore him amusing … because it was a struggle for her while an electric sexual tension purred in the air between them. Neither of them stood a chance of ignoring it.
Waves of disapproval radiated from Adam, but Tanner paid him no attention. If the guy had something on his mind, he’d just need to come right out and say it. Not that it would make Tanner leave, if that was what the male wanted. Tanner was going nowhere.
Finally done with her meal, she slanted him a put-out look as she lifted her glass. “Stop staring.”
“Nah.” He watched the block of ice bump her lips as she sipped her drink, and he couldn’t help but picture the head of his cock bumping her mouth that way.
With a cute little huff, she swiped one of the lemon-scented handwipes that the server had left on their table and tore it open. “God, that meal was amazing.”
“It really was.” Slumping into his chair with a dreamy smile, Hunter sighed. “I am so stuffed. I don’t know about you guys, but I have no room for dessert.”
“Neither do I,” she said.
Adam snickered. “You’re both lightweights. There’s always room for dessert.”
“Then you’d best order yourself one.” Having wiped her hands, she drained her glass and then slid out of the booth. “I need to use the restroom.”
With no intention of allowing her out of his sight, Tanner flowed to his feet. Before you try telling me you don’t need me to walk you there, know that you’d be wasting your breath. Harper was once taken from a restroom, remember? I’m not taking the risk that the same could happen to you.
She shot him a dirty look and then flounced off. He followed her to the restroom, passing tables and booths, and carefully skirting a caution cone.
Once she disappeared inside, he stationed himself near the door, satisfied that he was close enough to hear if things went to shit. He also had a good view of the restaurant, so he instantly noticed when Adam exited the booth and began making his way over. Ah, it seemed that the male was ready to spit out whatever was on his mind.
Tanner slowly raised a brow. “Problem?” Even he heard the note of challenge in his tone.
Adam slanted a look at the closed restroom door. “That girl is very important to me. I don’t want her hurt.”
Bristling, Tanner flicked up his eyebrow. “You think I’d hurt her?”
“Not on purpose. But you’re a hard man, Tanner. It’s obvious you don’t like emotional attachments. Devon is warm and kind and caring. She’ll give her partner everything she has, and she deserves to get that in return. In some ways, you seem good for her. But I don’t know if you could ever give her what she needs.”
Tanner’s eye twitched. The words far too closely echoed those that Larkin had spoken to him not so long ago. Just like he’d told the harpy … “This is between me and Devon.”
Face hardening, Adam leaned toward him. “She’s my anchor—”
“That’s great,” said Tanner with mock enthusiasm. “But it makes no difference.”
“It does, because she’s very much my business.”
Thinking it would be fun to stab a claw right into the fucker’s eyeball, Tanner ate up the space between them in one smooth stride. “You don’t want to get in my way where Devon’s concerned,” he warned, his voice whisper-soft. “You really, really don’t.”
Looking remarkably calm, Adam gave an innocent shrug. “I’m not in your way. You are. Whatever issues you have about relationships are in your way. Typical male hellhound, really.”
He flexed his fingers. “And, what, you’re going to tell me to end it?”
“I don’t need to. I’m certain you’ll end it yourself at some point. Another guy will come along who’s willing to give her everything she deserves, of course. The question on my mind is … will you let him live long enough to make a place for himself in her life? If the answer to that question is no, well, I have to wonder what it is that you’ll do about it.”
The hinges squeaked as the restroom door swung open. Devon sauntered out, her gaze dancing from him to her anchor. “Something wrong?” she asked.
Adam smiled. “No. We were just talking.”
She twisted her mouth. “Hmm.”
Tanner seized her hand. “Time to go.”
Devon barely got a chance to say her goodbyes to Adam and Hunter before the pooch was dragging her toward the exit of the restaurant, where there was a long line of people waiting to be seated. And that was when she noticed them gathered near the front of the line. Shit.
