Page 39 of Cohesion

“No Jericho,” Sebastian said.

Peyton waited for him to elaborate, but he didn’t. “Did he contact you at all?”

“I contacted him. He said he had things to do, and Tweedledee and Tweedledum could handle it.”

He “had things to do”? What did that mean?

“You want a drink?” Peyton asked. He was starting to feel likeheneeded one.

“Do you even have to ask?”

Peyton smirked. “It’s only polite to ask. People get touchy if you serve them drinks that they didn’t ask for and then make them pay for it. Do you two want a drink?” he asked the bodyguards.

“Lemonade.”

“Coke.”

Peyton nodded. “Got it.” He pulled out two glasses and dumped them on the bar. His eyes met Sebastian’s blue, and heat flared between them. “What’s your poison, hot stuff?”

Sebastian’s lips twitched, and Peyton knew he’d almost gotten a smile out of him. Then he deliberately licked his bottom lip, slow enough that it was like a wet, hot slide down Peyton’s front, all the way to his dick.Fuck.

“Sex with the bartender,” Sebastian said.

Peyton swallowed. “I don’t know how to make that.” No one had ever asked for that.

Sebastian leaned over the bar, crooking his finger. Peyton met him in the middle. As if he could do anything else when Sebastian beckoned to him like that.

“Not supposed to get this familiar with the customers,” Peyton murmured.

Sebastian’s lips brushed over his softly. “Can’t make an exception for me?”

“Why should I?”

Sebastian cupped the side of Peyton’s head, nails scraping gently against the back of his neck. A pleasant shiver ran over his skin. “Because I come with so many benefits.”

“What kind of benefits?” Peyton closed the scant distance between them. He kept it light even if all he wanted to do was drag Sebastian behind the bar and thoroughly own him.

“Why don’t you make me a bartender’s choice, and we can talk about sex with the bartender later,” Sebastian said, settling back into his chair.

Peyton smirked. “Deal.” He quickly poured the soft drinks for Spencer and Kendrick and handed them over.

He eyed the two of them. Even with glasses in hand, they looked like they didn’t belong. One was watching them out of the corner of their eye, and the other was surveying the room like he was picking a target. Peyton would have spotted them a hundred yards off.

“You two look like bodyguards,” Peyton remarked.

“It’s a common mistake,” Spencer replied, a small dimple under the corner of his mouth.

“You can relax,” Peyton said. “Sebastian is safe here.” Between him, Aubrey, and Leigh—who Peyton wasn’t convinced hadn’t been British intelligence—no one was getting near Sebastian without their permission. Not to mention Will was out back, and Quinn should be there any minute if his last text message a few hours ago was anything to go by. He’d assumed that Jericho would be with Sebastian, so he had no idea where their resident flirt was.

“Just doing our jobs,” Kendrick said, stiffening.

Spencer tapped Kendrick’s elbow, three precise times. Kendrick visibly relaxed before surveying the room once more.

“Jericho is better at this than us,” Spencer explained. “Even if he hates it.”

“He hates it?” Sebastian asked. He took the glass of gin and tonic Peyton handed him and twisted on the stool, back leaning against the bar, one arm spread across it. “Do tell.”

Peyton checked that no one else needed anything before returning his attention back to the conversation.

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