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“Pepper,” he said, his voice low before releasing his grip on me.
My skin burned where his touch left my body. Why hadn’t Jake made me feel like that?
I felt Jake’s glare. “Sorry I’m being rude. Connor, this is Jake, my… um… boyfriend,’’ I eventually said to the surprised but cheerful look on Jake.
“I’ve seen you at a few parties, but I don’t think we’ve been introduced.” Connor extended his arm, and Jake shook it.
I watched the two men I’d been intimate with. Jake was a boy compared to Connor. His height alone was enough to eclipse Jake, not that Jake was short, but Connor exuded strength with his broad shoulders and unwavering confidence.
The server stepped in. “Would you like to sit together?” she offered, taking in Connor not so subtly.
“Yes!” Jake and Francesca said at the same time.
I let out a laugh. It was beyond ludicrous, the four of us on a date together.
Jake turned toward me. “What?” I shrugged. I sided up to Jake and whispered in his ear. “Are you sure you don’t just want to sit together with me?”
“No, why? We’re all friends here.”
“Uh-huh?” I turned to see Connor piercing bullets into my back. What the fuck had I done to him? He was engaged, not me.
We made our way to the bar while the server sorted the table settings. Francesca and Jake were enamored in conversation. I smiled politely, utterly oblivious to their discussion, while vacantly staring at Connor, who had already ordered and downed a shot of whiskey, ignoring me altogether.
“Table’s ready,” Connor deadpanned and marched toward it.
What was his deal?It wasn’t my idea to sit together.
We returned to a set table, where Jake sat beside me, with Connor taking a seat opposite me and Francesca at his side, opposite Jake. I pretended to pick from the menu while Francesca and Jake spoke about the latest tabloid scandals and how they knew the same people in the same circles.
Glancing up from the menu, I emptied my glass of wine.
“So, do you know what you want?” Connor asked. He looked at me like he wasn’t breathing, and I blinked, having to repeat his question in my head.
When I didn’t respond, a slight smile tipped the edge of his lips. “To eat, Pepper.”
I laughed nervously. “I probably should know. I’ve been waiting half an hour for Jake here.” My hand came up to his cheek in a playful slap.
I noticed the vein in Connor’s neck tick and his jaw pulled tight.
“Honey, I told you I was held up.”
“What is it that held you up, Jake?” Connor asked pointedly, and I pulled my hand down.
“What is this, the FBI?” Jake laughed off the question.
Why was he asking him that anyway? It wasn’t his business why he was late.
Francesca laughed alongside Jake. “Connor, I’m hungry. Let’s order.” Francesca called over the same server to our table in a rude hand gesture that had me shrinking into the back of my chair.
“What can I get you?” the server asked.
“I’ll have the green salad,” Francesca replied, slamming the menu shut.
“And for your entrée?”
“That’s it.” Francesca squinted at the server in confusion.
I looked at Jake, whose gaze leveled on Francesca’s set of tits. I cleared my throat, and he stared at me like a deer in the headlights.
