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I risk a sideways glance at Lo and when I find those bright blue eyes looking right back at me, my heart trips over its valves. She quickly averts her gaze, but not before I read the look of pure, unfiltered lust in her eyes.
Fuck.
I subtly adjust myself in my jeans, shifting my weight on the barstool. It’s torture to be this close to Lo and not be able to touch her like I want to. Sly brushes of our hands or knees beneath the table aren’t nearly enough, and I swear if she gives me those ‘fuck me’ eyes one more time, I’m gonna lose it.
“Damn, maybe you shouldn’t come work out with us, then,” the red-haired guy chuckles. I can’t remember if he’s Archer or Ares, but from his distinctive hair color alone, it’s obvious that he’s related to Lo’s friend Andie. “We can’t have you showing us up in our own gym.”
The guy next to him delivers a playful jab to his bicep, then turns his gaze on me. “Don’t mind my brother, he’s got an inferiority complex.”
I slide my gaze between the two of them, putting the pieces of the puzzle together. I wouldn’t have guessed Archer and Ares were brothers based on looks- mostly their hair color, since one’s is fire red and the other’s is inky black- but if they’re related andsiblings of Andie, then one of them must be the current or future alpha of the Stillwater pack.
“Ares has been trying to catch Madd on the bench for a year,” Tristan tells me, smirking as he raises his beer to his lips.
The redhead- who I’ve now gathered is Ares- chucks a cardboard coaster at Tristan’s head, which narrowly misses.
“Alright, someone take the coasters away from him,” Maddox grumbles.
Iver barks a laugh while Archer and Ares wrestle for control of a stack of coasters, and I can’t help but smile. I wasn’t sure what to expect coming here tonight, but I’m actually enjoying myself. These guys are a lot cooler than I thought they’d be, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t surprised by their dynamic. Alpha types naturally tend to have friction, but these guys seem to genuinely care for one another.
While they’re distracted riling each other up, my hand drifts toward Lo beneath the table, the back of my palm grazing the smooth skin of her thigh. I feel her muscles tense, her eyes widening in warning as they dart sideways to meet mine.
I’m not having as hard of a time with this as she is- at least not outwardly. I’m cool and composed on the exterior, but I notice every flush of her cheeks and anxious shift of her eyes. So, although all I want to do is touch her, I begrudgingly move my hand back to my own lap. This is her turf, so I’ll respect her rules. If I get her to the cabin tonight though, all bets are off.
The next hour or so is an arduous exercise in restraint. Two beers and a barrage of questions later, I’m practically sweating with the effort it takes to keep my hands to myself, my minddrifting to filthy places any time I so much as glance toward Lo. She must be reaching the end of her rope, too, because when the waitress comes by to see if we need another round, she declines, sliding off her barstool.
“It’s late, I’d better get going,” she mumbles, tucking her phone into her purse and tossing a wad of cash on the table to cover her drinks.
Shit, I haven’t thought this part through yet. Is it too risky to leave at the same time?
I clear my throat, ready to announce my own exit, but Andie beats me to it, popping up from her seat.
“I’ll give you a ride back to the complex,” she offers, linking her arm through Lo’s. “We still need to catch up.”
Lo’s eyes flicker to mine for the briefest instant before returning to her friend- and I’ve seen enough genuine smiles from Lo to know that the one she gives Andie is forced as hell. “Sure, that’d be great,” she replies, tossing up a casual wave. “See you guys later.”
Everyone else murmurs their goodbyes as the girls leave, and while I should probably focus on my endgame and stick around as long as these guys will let me, I’m practically itching with the urge to go after her.
I wait a beat longer, picking at the label of my beer bottle before setting it down on the table, heaving a sigh, and easing to my feet. “I should probably head out too.”
“Aw, c’mon,” Avery pipes up, her hand landing on my arm. I glance down and she gives me a flirty wink. “Stay awhile.”
“You haven’t even finished your beer,” Ares points out.
I reluctantly sink back onto the stool, curling my hand around my beer bottle again. “I guess I can stay a little longer,” I say with a shrug.
They hold me captive for another half hour. My inner wolf is restless the entire time, and not just due to Avery’s flirtatious advances. It seems he’s only calm these days when Lo’s around. By the time I finally manage to leave the bar and get into my truck, the first thing I do is pull out my phone and send Lo a text, hopeful that she’s still awake and up for sneaking away somewhere with me.
Javi:Can we meet up?
Lo:It’s late.
Javi:So?
Lo:So I can’t just go wandering around late at night. I’m not sure if you’ve heard, but it’s not exactly safe for shifters after dark these days.
Javi:I’ll keep you safe.
Her reply doesn’t come right away- the little bubble that shows she’s typing appears and disappears a few times, like she’s contemplating her response, and I turn my key in the ignition and fire up the engine as I wait.
