Page 16 of Puck Shy

The way she says it pulls at my heartstrings, so I hug her again, the smell of her fruity leave-in conditioner hitting my nose. It reminds me of home and all the years spent sharing a bathroom as kids.

I exhale a dramatic sigh. “Fine, I miss you, too.” As I step back, I meet the ice-blue eyes of Leo standing behind Riley, one of his arms leaning against the bar top in a casual coolness that only a hot-ass man like him can have.

His face breaks out in his one-dimpled smile, and my heart skips a beat. I knew it would be weird seeing him, but it’s more jarring than I expected. My mind knows it’s not Lucas, but my body is only reminded of everything his identical twin did to me.

I do my best to shove it down and plaster a smile on my face, one that says “I’m totally fine and happy to be here,” before Riley steps to the side so I can hug him. He gives me a kiss on my cheek before wrapping me in his arms. Leo is the antithesis of Jace, all hard planes and muscles with fair skin. He smells like super expensive cologne—and honestly, if sex had a smell, I feel like it would be him. He needs to bottle that shit and sell it online for a high price.

“Good to see you, Stevie,” he says, his warm voice causing the hair on the back of my neck to rise.

“Likewise,” I say.

He takes a drink off the bar and holds it out to me after I’ve removed my winter coat and draped it over the barstool along with theirs.

“This is for you. Riley told us what you like,” he says.

I accept what I know is a Negroni with overexaggerated grabby hands. “Ooooh, yes! Thank you!”

Leo chuckles as I take it from him. “Have to say, I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone that excited over a Negroni.”

I hold up the glass. It’s a fancy one that has a nice weight to it, and the drink looks made to perfection with a little orange peel. It probably cost thirty dollars at a place like this, so yes. I’m excited to drink this puppy. I also need a goddamn adult beverage after this crazy day and the situation I willingly put myself into right now. Because I don’t think my sister would appreciate that staring at her boyfriend is making me think of sex.

Hot. Dirty. Sex.

Well, not with her boyfriend, but you know. God, this is weird. I take a sip of the drink and relish how strong it is. It burns my mouth a little, but I enjoy the bitter and zesty flavor that lingers once I’ve swallowed.

“Thanks, Leo.”

“No problem. We ordered some food, too. We planned to eat at the game, but it was too intense to leave our seats.”

I smile at him before turning to Riley. “You actually watched a whole game without going to the bathroom?”

My sister knocks my shoulder at the jest. “I may have gone twice, but it was a fun game. Sorry you had to work.”

I shrug, trying to act like missing the game didn’t make me dead on the inside. “I’ll catch the next one.”

Riley eyes me. Crap. I’m not acting like myself. Normal Stevie would probably be complaining nonstop about having missed it and rehashing all the highlights with Leo, asking what it was like to be there when Lucas scored that goal in OT. But chances are, if I start talking, I might blurt out that I slept with his brother at a sex club party in a mansion. And that’s the last thing I want to do.

“Are you feeling okay?” Riley puts her hand to my forehead like I have a fever, and I swat her hand away.

“Yeah, just a long day. You know, hard out there for a pimp.” I sip my drink again and lean back on the bar so I can see the three of them better.

The guys chuckle at my stupid comment, and Riley rolls her eyes, taking a sip of what looks like a vodka cranberry with lime.

“You’d make a hot pimp,” she says after she swallows. “I love this outfit. Where’d you get those pants?”

I look down at the shiny fake leather that hugs my thighs and butt. They cut into my apron belly a bit, and sometimes the waistband rolls down so I’m constantly hiking them up my hips, but they do make my legs and booty look killer. I’ve paired them with black ankle boots and a sparkly black V-neck sweater. “Some online store that probably weaves lead into their fabric,” I say.

Jace coughs and almost spits out his gin and tonic. Riley slaps his back, and she gives me a chiding look.

I sip my drink again. “Hey, I’m trying to be real here. But when you’re a plus-size girl trying to find any sort of decently priced, cute clothes that don’t look like kaftans or something your grandma would wear to a rummy game at her friend Margie’s house, options are limited.”

Riley sighs as Jace and Leo try to stifle their amusement. “You know I can—”

I cut her off, not wanting her to say she knows of a place. Riley has nice clothes, ones she can afford but that I can’t. At least not right now.

“It’s cool, Ri. I’m just messing with you,” I say with a smile. “I’ll send you a link.” I won’t send her a link, but I made it awkward, so I’m changing the subject. I’ve always been the annoying little sister who knows how to make things weird at family events and public functions. One time, I told our religious aunt about a smut book I was reading, and I thought she was going to bust out the holy water right then and there.

I set my half-finished drink on the bar and turn to Leo. He’s grinning at me, but I notice the way his eyes are constantly checking in with Riley and Jace. The man is smitten with them, and it’s so sweet I’m going to get cavities.

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