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“I’ll let you do the honors, bub.” She bites her bottom lip to keep from laughing as I crack my knuckles in anticipation.You brought this on yourself, pretty boy. Should’ve suggested another restaurant.
I side-eye Rowan, who already knows what’s going to happen. She’s a good sport and I’m certain she’ll handle the challenge well—better than Savy, at least. She gagged and Preston had to take her home. I still feel bad about that,a littleanyway.
“Would you prefer crispy or grilled?” I turn to Kellen, angling my head as the server approaches.
“What are you talking about?” Sweat beads on his forehead and a sick sense of joy overcomes me. If he couldn’t handle the wall, there’s no way he’s going to handle this. I’m such a prick, but he’s the one who played dirty. Payback’s a bitch.
The server brings us waters, and after he sets them down, I hold up my hand to get his attention. “We have two new customers with us tonight.”
Kellen’s slitted green daggers stab into the side of my face and Rowan chuckles softly beside me.
“Two orders of your oysters, please, for the competition. Extra crispy for the man on my left.”
The server smirks and nods, then takes our actual food order.
“Competition?” the man of the hour asks.
Scar speaks up, no doubt to soften it. “New customers are invited to participate in the Oyster comp. Eat a pound of Rocky Mountain Oysters and your total bill is half off.”
His face turns as pea green as the dress Scarlett’s wearing. Which is sexy, by the way. Drool-worthy. Silky and slides over the plump roundness of her ass as if someone made it specifically to be ripped off. By a set of teeth.Myset of teeth.
I bob my head and cock it toward Kellen. “You up for it? They’re not too bad. Dip ‘em in ketchup, you’ll never know you’re eating bull balls.”
Rowan tips her head back to laugh and I bump my shoulders with hers.
“You don’t have to. You know that, right?” Scarlett’s always trying to smooth things over. She’s so fucking sweet. Balances me and my crass ass.
He swallows and straightens the collar on his dress shirt. He buttoned it to his neck like he’s fifty-five instead of thirty-something. “Never say never,” he says, reaching for his water.
I extend my hand over to slap him on the back after he finishes his sip. I’m not a total asshole, but if he choked on his drink, I’d only feel a tiny smidge of sympathy. He dug his own grave by duping Scarlett into thinking he was a genuine human being. Now, I just need her to see that.
“Attaboy.” I turn my attention to Rowan, again ignoring the glare from Kellen. “And you are a rockstar. Few take this challenge like a champ.”
She bows in her seat and snorts. “I gotta say, Grey, this is something else. Mind if I take some pictures? The magazine would love this for their Good Eats section.”
“Go right ahead. I know the owner. He won’t mind, but we’ll give him a heads up before we leave.” I say as she pulls out her camera from her large purse.
She snaps a few and I sneak a peek over at Scarlett. She’s watching me with a peculiar look on her face, and I wink at her. Pleased when I see a blush creep up over the collar of her delectable dress doesn’t come close to how I feel.
Is that for me, Scar?
So far, so good, until Kellen reaches up and places her hair back behind her ear. The muscles in my jaw clench and Rowan puts a hand on top of my arm to stop me from crinkling the paper napkin to the point of no return.
“Scarlett, how’s the project going? Greyson told me a bit about what you do, but I’d love to hear more from you.” Rowan interjects and bless her because Scarlett shifts and Kellen drops his hand, allowing my lungs to release the pent-up air.
“I sort of owe Grey for steering the train on this one. He led me to the horses at SoS and it was like a flame ignited. I can’t wait to help more people. Thank you for taking pictures of it in its construction phase. Seeing it progress in pictures from start to finish will be amazing.”
Scarlett addressed Row, but she trained her eyes on me, roving my face, and I can’t help but stare back, my fingers itching to touch her, to wrap my arms around her and breathe her in. Her foot brushes mine and I remain still even as the air shifts around us, as the murmurs of chatter rise and fall. Reaching for my water, she does the same with hers, her pinky lightly dancing against mine in the process, static charging the space.
“My pleasure,” Rowan purrs, cut off by the server with our food. He sets a steaming pile of Rocky Mountain oysters in front of her, and she hangs her head on a laugh before picking up her fork and pointing it in my direction. “You owe me big time, boo.”
Breaking the bubble I was in with Scar, I hold my breath as Rowan takes the first bite and doesn’t even grimace as she chews and swallows. She’s a mother fucking queen. We high five and turn our focus to Kellen, who’s squinting at the crispy bull testicles like they’re going to walk off his plate. Bigger balls than his, no doubt. Poor bull, he’s gonna wish he kept those—what a waste.
After Kellen ingests the oysters without gagging,I excuse myself to use the restroom. While messing with Kellen is fun, it’s hard to sit there and watch him with Scarlett, sitting close to her, touching her. Especially when he’s not a good guy.
Staring at the mirror, the face of a tortured man stares back. Am I imagining the looks Scarlett keeps giving me? They feel bigger than what you’d give a friend. Heavier, full of—promise? God, I hope Rowan’s intuition isn’t wrong because I’m teetering on the edge of something here, and I don’t know if I can go back.
I return and slide back in the booth, my knees brushing Scarlett’s. Seated, I leave them where they’re at, in between hers. Instead of moving them, she keeps hers there, pressed against mine. I repress the urge to pin my knee further between her legs.
