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He tipped his head, his gaze assessing me in a way I didn’t like—as if he had nothing better to do, which his lazy ass probably didn’t—before shifting over my shoulder to my sister. “I don’t believe we’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting.” He smiled all cool and good-naturedly. “I’m Dean.”
My sister met his outstretched hand around me, like I wasn’t even there, and I huffed.
“I’m Kennedy,” she said in her usual beguiling voice. She was too sweet, that was her problem, and Dean had already stepped around me with a grin I’d become familiar with. He was about to flirt with her.
“No.” I pressed my hand to the middle of his chest. “Uh-uh.”
Kennedy’s brows narrowed at me. “Why not?”
Dean tipped his chin in my direction. “Yeah. Why not?”
I flicked my fingers between them. “This is not happening. No way.” I noticed Dean’s attention settle below my sister’s face, and I snapped my fingers in front of his eyes. “Eyes up, asshole.”
He sniffed a laugh, totally unfazed, while Kennedy leaned even more forward, her cleavage on display.
“I don’t mind.”
“I do,” I bit out between clenched teeth. Then I whipped my head around to Dean. “We’re at a work function. Can you try for at least smidgen of professionalism?”
He scrubbed his fingers over his beard, his nails audibly scratching over the short bristles, before he slowly looked behind him to the dwindling crowd then back at me. “I don’t know if you know this, but it’s okay to relax at a party.”
“I don’t know ifyouknow this, but never in the history of ever has telling a person to relax worked.”
He rocked back on his heels, his hands in his pockets like he had no cares in the world. “That’s right. It’s one of your trigger words, huh?”
“You’re my trigger,” I said and wrapped my fingers around the bar, willing my blood pressure to settle.
“Well, this is quite interesting,” Kennedy murmured.
“Shut up,” I grumbled while Dean stepped behind me to sidle up next to Kennedy, and there was no hope for my blood pressure.
“We’re closing the bar in a few minutes. Anything else I can get you tonight?” Ace asked me with a smile.
Dean gestured to my sister, and she ordered a ginger ale, while Dean held his hand up. “Nothing for me.”
Ace nodded and moved away to pour her soda while Dean placed his palm on the bar, appearing way too comfortable next to my sister for my liking.
“Why don’t you go find Shauna?” I suggested.
He licked his lips before pursing them as if struggling to control a smile. “It almost sounds like you’re jealous.” Then he elbowed my sister like they were old friends. “Right? Sounds jealous.”
The traitor’s eyes lit up in amusement, and I flipped them both my middle finger. “You’re the one who can’t keep it in his pants for one goddamn work party.”
His shoulders lifted, almost imperceptibly, but I saw how his muscles coiled ever so slightly, my words hitting their mark. “I didn’t realize you were keeping track.” He swept his hand out in front of him. “But by all means, let’s hear all the evidence you’ve accumulated.”
I wasn’t about to show him my hand, go off on the times I’ve seen different women’s names displayed on texts or missed phone calls when he’d carelessly left his cell out, or the conversations I’d overheard him have with Seth.
“I don’t care what you do as long as it’s not with my sister.”
“Chill, Titi. We’re just talking,” Kennedy said.
“Yeah, Titi,” he repeated, outright grinning like an idiot at me before dipping his face down toward my sister, who preened under his attention.
Ace slid my sister’s drink in front of her, and Kennedy lifted the straw to her plump red lips. I held back an irritated sound as Dean leaned in, exchanging words I couldn’t hear. Of course he liked her. Everyone liked my sister.
And I ignored the slither of something awful along my spine. Something I wouldn’t acknowledge or name.
“Anything for you, Taylor?” Ace asked, his fingers absently combing through his hair and over his octopus tattoo. He had a small tattoo on his index finger, though I couldn’t tell what it was. The idea of getting up close and personal to study it had merelaxinga bit.
