Page 10 of The Heart

I take a breath and focus back on reality.Work. We’re at work. I can’t fuck them right now, we’re working.

I don’t let go of Leena as my eyes look over her head to find Luke’s. He’s staring at me with that goddamn dimpled smile, and fuck me if I don’t want to kiss him too. But there are cameras everywhere, we made sure of that.

So it will have to wait.

I look back down at Leena, giving her an appreciative smile. I’m still angry about that asshole, but I don’t actively want to murder anyone at this moment. So I guess that’s a start.

I finally let her go and offer my arm to her. She takes it, smiling up at me. It captivates me. No one has ever looked at me the way she does.

The way Luke does.

He steps up next to me and puts a hand on my shoulder in a friendly manner that somehow seems awkward now.

This isn’t how he touches me when we’re alone.

Still, I appreciate the contact. Appreciate the understanding I find in his eyes. Those two gestures from him, and that kiss from Leena, are what I needed. So, with a clear head, I give them each a nod as the three of us step back into the ballroom.

—

The next several hours are relatively uneventful. Aside from how Luke, Leena and I keep sneaking glances at one another as the party continues around us, like a bunch of goddamn horny teenagers with a crush.

What the fuck is wrong with me?

Luke, Leena and I make our way outside to find all the teams, along with several lingering waitstaff, hanging out on the front steps. And it seems they managed to snag more than a few bottles of leftover champagne.

“Alright, people. Great fucking work tonight,” I say as we approach them. They all cheer in a manner that lets me know they’ve already made it through several of those bottles. I look over at Ryan who’s holding one awkwardly by the neck, looking concerned by both it and the crowd, and take it from him. “Now, would one of you good-for-nothings take this man to a bar and buy him a real drink?”

“First round’s on us,” Luke adds and they all cheer again, a few of them slapping Ryan on the back, embarrassing the hell out of him.

“Oh, no, that’s alright,” he says, already trying to skip out on Bar Night.

“You handled all our asses tonight, obnoxious as they were. You’re coming,” I tell him. He glances over at Ava sitting next to him and she gives him a hopeful smile.

“Fine,” he gives in, grinning a little as he straightens his glasses before going back to not looking at her.

I hand the bottle over to Jace to finish. His tolerance for alcohol might just outweigh Colton’s.Where is that asshole?But I know damn well what he’s up to.

Horny bastard.

“So where are we going?” Jace says, looking around.

“There’s a roadhouse off the interstate!” a local from the catering crew answers and the teams start clearing out, heading toward the parking lot to pile into various vehicles.

God, they’re fucking loud.

“Come on, roomie!” Jace says, wrapping an arm around Ryan’s shoulders. He grumbles as Jace leads him toward the parking lot.

“Wait for me!” Ava chimes in, following after them.

“Hold it,” I call out before they can get too far away. “Ry, give me the keys, you guys can hitch a ride and we’ll meet you there.”

“Why?” Ryan looks back at me.

I don’t say anything.

“Come on, Ry, give him the keys,” Jace winks at him, and it only takes a few seconds for him to get the picture.

“Oh,come on. Not again,” Ryan complains, reluctantly handing them over to Jace who tosses them to me.“Gross,”he mumbles as the three of them make their way down the steps.

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