Page 22 of Wish You Were Mine

He made his way around the tables to the dance floor, where he headed straight for Summer. I narrowed my eyes as he spoke to her, and gritted my teeth as he touched her arm.

“You seriously don’t have a problem with that?” I asked Liam.

He shrugged. “Is he what I want for her? No. But like I said before, I don’t think there’s any reason to worry. He isn’t what Summer wants for herself either. Haven’t you ever noticed that the men she brings home are usually older than her, not younger?”

Huh. I’d never picked up on that. I filed it away to think about later.

“What about you?” I asked Connor.

His lips twitched. “I trust that Summer knows exactly what she’s doing.”

“Since when?” I demanded. After Nate, Connor was the most overprotective of her brothers. But the bastard just gave me his signature Mona Lisa smirk.

“I have a problem with it,” Nate said, swigging his beer. “But I also like to keep all my parts in working order, and if I interfere right now, there’s every chance that Summer will break something. It’s easier to let it go until later. I have a good view from here, so I can see whether she’s making good choices or not.”

I side-eyed him. Being married to Grace had mellowed him, which was usually a good thing, but right now, I wouldn’t have minded the old, hot-tempered Nate showing his face.

A new song started, and on the dance floor, Darcy took Summer’s hands and whisked her into his embrace. My scowl deepened as I realized that, to my annoyance, Darcy was a decent dancer. He had light feet and spun Summer with ease.

Perhaps once, I might have thought they were a good fit for each other, but now, I knew better. Darcy couldn’t give Summer what she needed, just like I couldn’t. Unfortunately, that didn’t seem to be holding him back the same way it did me.

My jaw clenched as he checked out her legs when she twirled away from him.

“Calm down before you break something,” Toby said cheerfully.

I settled back sullenly and did my best not to pay any attention to Summer and Darcy. However, a few songs later, when Summer broke off from him to go to the bar, my feet carried me right to her side.

I shoved through the cluster of people around the bar until I was beside her. “You look cozy with Darcy.”

I cursed myself as soon as the words were out of my mouth. The last thing I needed was for her to guess I was jealous.Especially considering our history.

She glanced over her shoulder at me, but fortunately, the wicked temper she so often displayed around me was nowhere to be seen.

“He’s a great dancer,” she said.

I scoffed, even though yeah, he was.

“What?” One of her eyebrows arched up. “If you think you can do better, I’d be happy to see you try.”

I was tempted.

Damn, I was so tempted.

I longed to take her hand, sweep her onto the floor, and show her exactly how good we could be together. But I wouldn’t. If I did that now, her brothers would know exactly why I’d been so sour about her dancing with Darcy, and then I’d be in trouble.

I shook my head. “I just didn’t think you’d want to be seen as a cougar.”

Her mouth fell open, and warning alarms blared in my head.

Fuck, I’d gone too far.

Oh, shit.

Fury blazed in her eyes, and for a moment, I thought she might hit me. But then she snatched up a glass of wine from the bar and tossed it in my face. I closed my eyes and sputtered, my nose burning as I inhaled. I wiped my eyes on the back of my sleeve and blinked at her.

She went onto her tiptoes, her nose an inch from mine. “At least Darcy knows what he wants and isn’t afraid to go for it.”

Then she spun around and sashayed away. Right back to Darcy.

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