Page 12 of Mr. Charming

Game time. Do not let him see how much this hurts you.

After my version of a pep talk, I pick up my drink and swivel around on my stool.

All four of them are here. The Trifecta and Pinkie. Tweetie’s head is buried in his phone. As the other three stand with their jaws on the floor, he’s clueless. Conor elbows Tweetie and he glances from his phone to him, then Conor nods toward me at the bar.

Do not feel hurt that you felt him enter the room, but he didn’t sense you.

Tweetie’s head turns in my direction, and I swallow the lump in my throat until our eyes meet. I refuse to give him the satisfaction of a reaction from me.

So I bring my drink to my lips with a smile as if to say I’m perfectly fine. “Hello, boys. If you’ll all excuse us, Tweetie and I have some things to discuss.”

Tweetie’s phone slips from his hands and topples to the floor.

Ruby laughs behind me. “Back room,” she says, and I hear her feet hit the floor. “The rest of you, what can I get you?”

As if she’s their mother, the other three walk over to the corner of the bar, as Tweetie stands in place. I’m pretty proud of myself. I’m doing a bang-up job of acting as if my heart isn’t pounding out of my chest. I deserve an Emmy for this performance.

Until his gaze falls down my body and rises back up at a sloth’s pace. His eyes are like a caress, and it’s impossible not to remember when his hands used to travel the same path.

God, no other man has ever incited the desire he can from just one look.

Seven

Tedi

I down the rest of my drink and place it on the bar, acting as if his teammates aren’t slyly looking at me the entire time. I slip down from the stool and point at the door to a back room I noticed earlier.

“In there?” I ask Ruby.

She nods, opening a water bottle and handing it to Rowan Landry.

Without glancing at Tweetie, I walk across the bar and into the back room that has a large round table along with some smaller tables for two on the wall, giant televisions, a dartboard, and a pinball machine. I don’t bother turning around when the door clicks shut behind me.

“You look good.”

I clench my jaw, gather my confidence, and circle around. “You always were an ass man.”

“When it came to you, I was an everything man.” His eyes dip to my chest.

Why does he have to be better-looking than when I first fell for him? It’s so unfair how men become more handsome as they get older.

“You can tone down the flirting. Save that for your next victim.”

He widens his stance, crosses his arms, and chuckles. “Victim? I don’t remember you screaming for help when you were under me…” He cocks his head. “Or over me for that matter.” He shrugs.

“Listen, I’m sure you’ve gotten wind as to why I’m here.”

He saunters over to the table and slides a chair out for me before taking the one next to it. Is he delusional? I’m not going to sit that close to him. So I leave one chair between us, and he laughs. “Damn, I almost forgot how stubborn you were.”

“Almost?”

He lifts one shoulder. “You’re hard to forget.”

I inhale what I hope is a cleansing breath. “Let’s just get this over with. Who knows about us here?” I lean back and cross my arms.

“And what if I said no one?”

I roll my eyes. Games. Always fucking games with Tweetie. “I wouldn’t be surprised.”

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