Page 41 of Bully

Which meant I was on the hook to endure the evening out with all three.

Yay me.

Chapter 18 – Sloane

Igiggled.Again.

God, I hated giggling. Yet around Peyton and Olivia, I couldn’t stop it. Especially when they were picking on Tamen to make me laugh. It didn’t hurt that Tamen didn’t act like the stick in the mud he usually did when his sisters-in-law picked on him.

Since we got to the loud sports bar and found a table in the corner to sit down and people watch from, he had been almost—likeable.

Sure, don’t get me wrong, unfortunately I had always actually liked Tamen. But my like for him was usually outdone by my irritation with him and his snarky, pompous attitude. It was like one minute I’d be intrigued by his brilliant business savvy mind and plans, and then the next I’d want to beat him over the head with a vase for something he said in the very same breath.

It was wild to have such a swinging pendulum of emotions around a man for me. And tonight he was holding that pendulum to one side.

The side where I actually liked him.

Or tolerated him, maybe.

Watching him interacting with Peyton and Olivia, with actual affection and caring even through his crass and sass, was making it impossible to want to pummel him.

Fuck him, yes. Pummel him, no.

And God, did I want to fuck him. But I wouldn’t. Nope. I could not sleep with Tamen Bryce.

Ever again.

The man had starred in every fantasy I had when I closed my eyes since that night at the private event, maybe even before all of that. But since knowing his touch, knowing how my body reacted to him physically, not just mentally, left me unable to think of anything else.

Maybe I was just ovulating and desperate for dick, or something else. It didn’t change the fact that I was horny for Tamen Bryce.

“Okay,” Peyton slapped her hand on the table and giggled when a piece of popcorn shot out from under it and hit Liv in the nose. “We have to leave before we get a drunk in public ticket.”

“How are you getting back to Hollowbrook?” Tamen asked with a smart mouth glare. Did that make sense to anyone but my drunk brain? It was like I could hear his glare.

“I figured we’d jump on our brooms and fly back, duh.” Liv rolled her eyes as Peyton checked her phone.

“Dane is here to drive us home. How are you getting home?” She asked, looking over at me, and I hiccupped like a fool.

“Uber.” I drank another sip of water. “I’m good.”

Peyton laughed and rolled her eyes, “Oh, I’m sure.” The girls stood up and waved goodbye as they giggled and weaved their way out of the crowded restaurant. As soon as they were gone, the loud cheers and noise from the merry crowd faded away to a buzzing noise in my ears. Tamen stared at me from his spot across the table, over the rim of his glass as he finished his drink.

The silence between us built, lingering longer and longer as we just stared. Finally, I caved and gave in. “Okay, I’m leaving. Thank you for a weird but entertaining afternoon.”

“Sit down.”

Nothing more. Just one command consisting of two words. There wasn’t even a change to his facial expression as he said it.

“Why?”

“Because you refuse to communicate with me in any other way. So while I have you here tonight, I have things to say.”

“Is that what the other night was?” I snapped, letting my buzz talk for the emotionless girl that pretended not to care for hours. “Did you stumble upon me there and say, ‘What the hell, while I have her here’?

“You don’t believe that, so don’t play dumb.” He countered, finally leaning forward on the table between us to level me with his dominating gaze.

“I don’t know what to believe when it comes to you, Tamen. Nothing ever adds up or makes sense. Every time I think that maybe for one second, I might actually have a peg on you, you flip the script, do a complete one eighty in personality and leave me dumbfounded.”

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