Page 126 of Just This Once

We turned to watch her launch herself at Damien as he and Hudson approached together. He caught her with a grin, gripping her ass and pulling her up against him so she could wrap her legs around his waist as she kissed him thoroughly.

Leaning toward Xander, I muttered, “Is it just me, or are they rubbing their happiness just a littletoomuch in our faces?”

She lifted her brows and sent me a look. “Alottoo much. Now, I really miss Liam.”

Faith didn’t help matters much when she popped up to go to Hudson, who was laughing at Oaklynn’s clothes. “Damn, Dimples. You stole my gear.”

“I’ll give it back, no worries,” she assured him when she came up from Damien’s face for air. “But it’s dress-crazy night with the girls, so I needed to borrowsomething.”

“Dress-crazy night?” he asked, lifting an interested eyebrow. “So what’s—?” He turned to get a look at his own girlfriend just as she reached them.

“Holy shit,” he blurted, looking at Faith from head to toe. “Where the fuck did you get those boots? And that hat?”

“They’re Raina’s,” she answered, popping a hip to strike a pose and then tipping the hat seductively at him. “You like?”

“Oh, I like,” he assured, stepping toward her slowly so he could hook an arm around her waist as he kept looking her up and down. Then he leaned past her to call to our table, “Sorry, Red, but you’re not getting these back.” Finally, he pulled Faith close and kissed her thoroughly.

“Geez Louise,” Xander groaned. “Not them too.”

“I know,” I grumbled. “I’m starting to feel like an ugly, forgotten misfit over here.” But as soon as I spoke, I noticed my brother and Keene over by the bar, ordering drinks. “Ooh! Alec’s here.” I bumped my shoulder into hers. “At least he’ll talk to us without sucking someone else’s face off first.”

When she laughed, Alec glanced over from the bar and blinked at her. But his gaze shifted to me soon enough, and he burst out chuckling.

Grabbing the cup the bartender handed him, he started toward our table, shaking his head. “What in the world are you wearing?”

“What? This old thing?” I lifted my arms to put myself on display. “It’s dress-crazy night. Didn’t you get the memo?”

“Must’ve missed it,” he murmured before shifting his gaze back to Xander as if looking forherwacky costume.

When he couldn’t discern what was so different about her attire, she simply shrugged. “I didn’t get the memo either.”

“Ah.” He sat down across from her and to my left. “Thank goodness. I won’t be the only one left out.”

When she smiled and then looked him over as if remembering what I’d said about molding him however she wanted, I grinned mischievously to myself, proud of the little seed I’d planted, and I took a quick drink of my lemonade to mask my smile.

Sauntering up, Keene wolf whistled as he zeroed in on Xander. “Damn, Girl Union. You clean up nice.”

As she sniffed derisively and glanced my way as if to say,you were definitely right about him, Raina spoke up from the swing she was sitting on at the end of the table, stationed higher than the rest of us, like a queen.

“What aboutme?” she asked Keene pointedly.

His gaze lifted and sparked with amusement over her outfit. “Oh, I could have lots of fun with that bow tie,” he murmured suggestively as he waggled his brows and tugged playfully on one of her pigtails.

She preened, just happy to be flirted with, and Keene turned away to glance around the joint idly as he took a sip from his glass. Then he dropped his attention to the seating arrangements, only to furrow his brow and nudge Alec’s shoulder.

“Dude, I want to sit there. Get up.”

Alec lifted his face in confusion. “What?”

“I said—” Keene started, only to pause and then glance at me as if I might attack him if he repeated the demand. Clearing his throat sedately, he turned back to his best friend. “You knowwhat, bud? Never mind. I’m good here.” And he pulled out the seatnextto Alec to sit there instead.

Slouching to get comfortable, he hitched his chin up toward Xander. “So where’s your tacky getup?”

“Xander’s exempt tonight,” I spoke up, answering for her. “We’re trying to find her a hot rebound hookup.”

“What?” he cried in dismay. “Then why the hell did you comehere? If you need someone, my bedroom’srightbelow yours at home, darlin’.”

I was going to say something mean and cutting, like, Xander actually wanted to be able to look at herself in the mirror again afterward, but instead, I sighed affectionately. “Oh, Sneezy. You’re so cute.”

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