Page 7 of Pomegranate Kiss

“Any time, babe,” Lex said, skimming the room for empty counterspace by the bar.

“Cam coming tonight?” Adrian asked, dipping down to brush his lips over Danny’s. She melted in his arms, and the two were a minute away from a sloppy makeout session.

Lex perked to attention, waiting for Danny’s response. She hadn’t seen Cam for a week, not since the night they’d walked and talked out at the Waterfront Park. Which had been a stupid plan on her part, because now all she could think of was the sultry scent of Cam’s rose perfume, her soft petal lips, and the perfect arch of her brow every time she delivered some sardonic reply.

“She had a rough day at the Horntrees’,” Danny said. “Less ‘go out and drink,’ more ‘go home, eat mac and cheese, and binge-watch a show.’”

Lex ignored the pang of disappointment. She was the idiot for dragging this out and the one who’d started this whole thing in the first place. She spied an empty stool and slid right in.

“Dark and stormy,” she ordered the second the bartender flicked his gaze her way. Adrian leaned in to get a beer and awater for Danny, and Mitch snagged the spot next to her to nab some JD on the rocks.

The bartender slid her drink down the lit-up bar, and she wrapped her palms around the cool glass. Danny grabbed Adrian’s hand and dragged him toward the dance floor. Her older brother’s eyes crinkled, his smile so genuine it hurt. The mopey asshole determined to save the entire family deserved this. She was so damn happy for them, yet she tipped back a jealousy chaser every time.

The spice from the ginger beer coated her throat, and she relished the sweet taste. A couple of gorgeous blondes stepped into view beside her, and Lex’s senses pinged on alert. They were the sort of smooth-skinned beauties meant for basking at the beach, and they’d coordinated in an array of jewel-toned dresses.

Lex leaned closer to the amethyst one. “What are you guys here for tonight?”

Amethyst tilted her head toward the chick in the ruby dress. “Bachelorette party. Not much of a clubgoer, to be honest.”

“Neither is this guy,” Lex jerked a thumb in the direction of Mitch. He perfected the masculine brooding thing with his glass of whiskey lifted to his lips and a lost look in his deep brown eyes. “I had to drag him kicking and screaming from the bar he owns.” Bait tossed, Lex caught Mitch’s gaze and waited.

The gleam in Amethyst’s eyes when her gaze rested on Mitch was telltale. Oh yeah, she picked up what he was putting down. Mitch leaned forward on cue, paying attention to them now. Amethyst’s fingers slipped to a strand of hair and twirled.

“These guys are here for a bachelorette,” Lex called. Mitch nodded in response.

He started to talk, but his voice got drowned out by the noise. Before Lex could gesture, Amethyst slipped past her friends and placed her hand on the bar between them. Mitch leaned inclose enough that his lips brushed against her ear—Lex knew the move. She’d perfected that move. A little proximity, and the blonde leaned in to talk privately with him.

Another girl from the bachelorette party, this one in an aquamarine dress, stepped beside her. “What are they talking about?”

“The size of my friend’s dick, probably,” Lex responded.

Aquamarine leaned in closer, revealing an ample chest begging to spill from the satin curves of that dress. “Too bad I’m not interested in that.”

Lex recognized the look. Whether she was lesbian for a night, bi, or out and proud, this girl was looking for one hot night in a random club. This was when the lines, the promises, spilled from Lex as she performed a social dance that would put most clubgoers to shame.

Yet the words gummed in her mouth. The idea of cramming into a bathroom stall didn’t summon the thrill it had two weeks ago, and she only had herself to blame. Because she decided to take things slow with Cam and draw this out like an exercise in self-flagellation.

Instead, she leaned in and waggled her brows. “Want to start taking bets on how long it takes for them to ‘find somewhere private?’”

Aquamarine snorted, amusement in her eyes, amongst other things. The woman angled in until their arms brushed against each other. Lex’s body should be responding like normal with that zing-zing-zing pushing her to take the lead, but instead, all she could think of was swinging on a bench with Cam and staring out at the sea.

Ugh. She should’ve just kissed Cam back then. Maybe then this obsession wouldn’t be creeping under her skin.

By now, Emerald joined Amethyst in fawning over Mitch. He caught Lex’s glance and passed her a grateful smile.

“My bet is in the next five minutes,” Aquamarine leaned in close. She smelled like peaches and cream, yet all Lex could think about were roses. The woman got handsier by the second, something she’d usually escalate on her own, finding excuses to reach out and touch. Those pink manicured tips glided up her forearm where she’d gotten her first tattoo, an intricate black and white wing.

“You’ve got gorgeous ink,” Aquamarine purred.

Lex chewed on her lip, warring with the need to be smart and keep floating on the surface and the fucking temptation Cam presented. “Thanks, sweetheart,” she responded. “I tattoo over at Inkspirations.”

The woman’s eyes lit up, and Lex bit back her weary sigh. Whatever shit revelation reared its ugly head, somehow she wasn’t in the mood for her usual prowl tonight. Lex leaned forward to Mitch and snapped her fingers to get his attention.

“Hey, you good if I jet early? I’ll make it up to you,” Lex mouthed. Mitch nodded, though his forehead creased in concern. She’d have to spin some bullshit he’d never believe later.

Lex leaned into Aquamarine. “I’m trusting my friend here with you and yours, got that? Stick with him tonight and he’ll make sure your girl has an unforgettable bachelorette. Promise.”

The woman bobbed her head, but Lex already slid up by the time her mouth opened to ask where she was heading. The heavy thump of the bass beat reverberated through her bones, her mind, and her soul tonight, shaking her up like a cocktail. When the emotions ran too hot and the nerves got too high, she needed to sling a punch, fuck someone senseless, or speed along the highway until her cheeks iced.

---