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Orlando:It’s either you ask someone or I’m setting you up with someone.
Me:Why must you always make my life more difficult?
Orlando:I’m making it simpler. This is called motivating you to ask whoever it is you really want to take.
Me:Fine. I’ll ask someone.
Orlando:Great. I’ll see you tomorrow.
How did I just get suckered into not only going to a party I didn’t really want to attend but also bringing a date? I briefly considered asking Shawn to come with me. That would be low stress and maybe even fun, but Shawn was going to be visiting his parents this weekend. Letting Orlando set me up was out of the question. And he was probably making a backup plan in case I didn’t show up with a date after telling him I’d ask someone.
I glanced over my shoulder in the direction of Sam’s private corner of the club. I couldn’t ask him. He’d say no, and then I’d have to face that rejection every time I set foot in Youngblood.
But who else could I ask? Jules wouldn’t come even as a friend. He was serious about his not-mixing-business-and-pleasure rule. There was always Freddie or someone off Mamma and Papa’s list of prospective suitors, but then I ran the risk of coming across like I was genuinely interested in them.
“You need anything else?” Gayle asked me, eyeing my nearly full glass.
“A shot of tequila,” I answered. “Actually, make it two.”
Gayle’s brows climbed up her forehead. “Do you need an intervention?”
“I need liquid courage.”
“Oh, honey. That never ends well. Trust me.”
“Just give me the alcohol.” I slid my phone across the bar. “Here, you can even hold on to this to make sure I don’t drunk text anyone anything too stupid.”
Gayle watched me for another few seconds before taking both my phone and mostly untouched cocktail. “Which family member do you want me to call if this gets bad?”
“Just pick a number at random. They’re all equally terrible choices.”
I took the shot glass of liquor and downed it in a single burning swallow, then shuddered.
Gayle held up the bottle of tequila in silent question. Did I still want that second shot? I shuddered again. No, I did not want another shot, but I needed it. I held out my glass and then tossed back another round.
Deep breath. It was either this or let Orlando pick someone for me.
Every muscle in my body was tense to the point of aching as I slid out of my chair and walked across the club, sticking to the edge of the dance floor. My heart beat harder with every step that took me closer to the corner where I knew Sam was, like it was trying to break out of its cage and make a run for it. Maybe that would be a better idea. I could always flee Boston for a little while, but this was my home, dammit. I wasn’t going to let anyone run me out of my city.
Tonight Sam was sitting with a girl I wasn’t entirely sure was old enough to be in a bar. She was small and cute with rounded glasses that were almost as large as the silver hoops in her ears. She was dressed casually in an oversized T-shirt with cutoffs just barely peeking out at the hem.
I paused, and the shots I was pretty sure hadn’t helped at all churned in my gut. Something uncomfortably close to jealousy burned in my chest. Coming over here had been a mistake. Sam already had a girl with him, and I had no right to hurt this much over that.
The girl’s eyes connected with mine, and she smiled. There was no calculation or gloating in it, just genuine warmth. She whispered something to Sam and then disappeared through a door I hadn’t noticed, leaving him alone in the alcove.
He watched her go before slowly turning his attention to me. His dark eyes bored into me, as if he were seeing underneath my skin all the way to my clamoring heart. There was something downright predatory in his expression, like he wanted to devour me, and I wasn’t sure if it would be in a way that was pleasurable for me or not.
My throat went dry. “Hi,” I squeaked.
His lips twisted into a smirk. “How can I help you, Siren?”
I blinked at him. He’d called me that last week too. I wasn’t sure if I liked it better or worse than being calledprincess.
Sam’s brows rose as he waited for an answer.
I swallowed hard. “Do you want to come to a party with me tomorrow?” I asked as fast as I could get the words out.
It was his turn to blink, but somehow he made it look deliberate and sexy. “And why would I want to do that?”
