I stand and let him help me with my jacket. A shudder trickles down my spine when his fingers brush over my neck when he tugs my hair from under my neckline. “I’m pretty sure Skye and Griffin are already my best friends. And Parker’s sister texted me, did I tell you that?”
He arches a brow. “Why?”
I pinch his chest, reveling for half a breath the way it draws out his laugh. “Because I am awesome.”
Ryder snakes an arm around my waist and pulls me tightly against his hard body. Oh, the way the simplest touches from this man make my head spin. If it wasn’t frowned upon, I might spend my whole day breathing him in, full-on sniffing his deliciousness, like he might disappear any second.
“You are,” he says, his mouth close to mine.
My fingertips trace the line of his jaw; my eyes bounce between his. “Don’t forget it.”
There is meaning in my words. A meaning Ryder doesn’t miss. Between his brows a groove shapes. He kisses the tip of my nose. “I never did. Now, let’s get going before I change my mind and make you stay inside all night.”
I snicker, threading our fingers together as we head to the door. “Griffin wouldn’t let you.”
From what I’ve learned about Griffin Marks, he is a golden retriever who wants everyone to sing love songs around a campfire. If there is one man who will not let Ryder scowl his life away, it’s him.
Tonight is our first night out as an official couple. I’m more nervous than I let on. Even if Ryder is convinced he hasn’t let his teammates in completely, I want them to like me. He has his walls, but they’re more his family than he realizes.
Since I have no intention of letting my grouchy baseball player go a second time, that means the Vegas Kings are stuck with me. It would help if we were friends.
* * *
“To the newest Kings Lady!” Griffin holds up his beer bottle for the second time. No mistake, he’s forgetting he made the toast at the beginning of the night. I think he gets excited enough his mind sort of circles back around to all the ideas he might’ve had.
I think they like me. The entire evening has been one conversation after the next. I’ve learned the love stories of both Parker and Griffin. I’ve snuggled Ever Knight and chatted with Wren Marks about her upcoming book release.
Griffin made sure to let me know he’d been helping her act out the love scenes.
I’m not sure what made me laugh more, the way Wren smacked her husband in the chest or the bright red flush that filled Dax Sage’s face when Griffin purposefully started describing parts of the scenes.
“Daxy,” Griffin says, kicking his teammate under the table. “Quit texting and lift your glass.”
Dax lifts his eyes from his phone he keeps hiding under the table. He’s not rude, and participates in the conversations, but there is certainly someone holding his attention on his phone. Still, he complies and raises his beer. He’s the only one without a date tonight, but doesn’t seem too torn up about it.
“Ryder.” Griffin says, eyes narrowed. “I’m waiting.”
“We’ve made five of your toasts tonight. Now we’re just repeating them.”
Griffin looks affronted. “This is for yourwoman. I’m embarrassed for you.”
“I’m not indulging your weirdness.”
“I’ll count to ten.”
“Marks,” Ryder says. “If you don’t put that drink down in three seconds—”
“Then Ryder will have to be the one who makes the toast,” I interrupt.
Ryder gapes at me and mouthstraitor.
I hold up my lemonade, mostly because Griffin looks at me like I’ve told him the Kings just won the series.
Muttering under his breath, Ryder gives in and lifts his beer. Together we laugh and toast my inauguration into an official lady of the Vegas Kings.
Of course, Ryder doesn’t play fair. He pays me back by settling his big palm indecently high on my leg, forcing me to make a useless attempt at a straight face all through dessert.
Outside, we stroll the Vegas Strip, the flash of casinos, shows, and billboards lighting up our faces. I walk a few paces ahead of Ryder with Skye and Wren on either side of me.
