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Mateo picks it up and holds it in his palm for me.
“Thanks,” I say, taking it without looking at him. My fingers drag along his palm and all I can think of is how that hand felt sliding under my shirt. Shit.
Parker is watching me, her wide eyes looking just a little too innocent as I pop the top on my bottle.
“Whatever happened with that doctor at the hospital?” she asks.
I choke on the first sip of my beer. “What?” I sputter.
“The one you went on that date with? Wasn’t he still asking you out?”
“Oh. Ohhhh…”I will not look at Mateo. I will not look at Mateo.“No, I think he gave up.”
“It’s been a hot minute since you’ve been on a date,” Lukas chips in helpfully as he deals out the cards, flinging mine toward me so they slide across the table. I can see Mateo’s hand gripping his beer bottle out of the corner of my eye. He’s squeezing it so hard his knuckles are turning white.
“I’ve been busy. You might have noticed? Nursing degree? Career?”
Lukas smirks, a hint of evil purpose lifting one eyebrow. “But you’re pretty settled in now, right?”
“Oh! Jack!” Parker interjects.
Lukas looks at her, tilting his head.
“You should set her up with that guy Jack, from the winery?”
Lukas shrugs, making a “yeah, that could work” face.
Parker raises an eyebrow at me. “You’d like him, he’s all tatted up.” She wiggles her eyebrows.
Mateo’s hand squeaks against the glass of the beer bottle, and I’m genuinely concerned that it might shatter in his hand.
“Thanks,” I say, trying to shut this down before I have to clean glass out of Mateo’s palm. “But I think it might be weird if I dated one of your friends.”
“That’s stupid,” Lukas says, jerking a thumb towards Parker. “You practically shoved us together.”
Parker smiles at Lukas adoringly. “Yeah, and that worked out okay.”
Lukas scowls dramatically. “What do you mean okay?”
“Amazing?” she offers.
He nods. “Better.”
“I need another beer,” I blurt out. Anything to change the conversation.
I chance a look at Mateo as I stand up. He looks irritated and I can’t tell what’s actually pissing him off. Maybe I shouldn’t have kissed him. It was impulsive and stupid, but the selfish part of me is crying out for more, because now Iknowwhat I’ve been missing.
I almost wish the kiss had been terrible. If it had felt like kissing a cousin or something equally gross, it would be easy to walk away from him and pretend like it never happened.
But it wasn’t terrible. It was fucking amazing. Sparks and electricity and tingles everywhere. He’s like a drug and I’m jonesing for more, even though I know it’s terrible for me.
14
Mateo
Julia disappears into the kitchen, and I have to fight down the impulse to follow her. I don’t want to let her out of my sight. I’m so fucking frustrated. I have to slow my breathing, calming myself down because I swear to Christ, if Lukas tries to set Julia up with that winery douche, I’m going to snap.
I love him like a brother but he has the worst Goddamn timing. It was bad enough having him walk in like he did, but if they’d just given me another thirty seconds in the kitchen with Julia, I could have fixed the mess my mouth made. I keep saying things the wrong way and hurting her, and I’m fucking tired of messing up.
