Page 61 of Hooked On Them

My stomach did a weird little flip-flop of disappointment.

“And there goes grumpy sperm donor.” Carter stopped beside me, following my gaze to the door.

I smacked his arm. “Carter! Someone could hear you.”

“Not over this acoustic nightmare they’re playing.” He went back to the table and sank two balls in one impressive shot. “But noted. No baby-daddy jokes in public.”

I tried to focus on the game, but my eyes kept drifting to the empty space at the table where Dominic had been. Had he left because of me? Was he angry about Miles and me? Or Carter? Or was I being egotistical in assuming his departure had anything to do with me at all?

“You keep looking at that door like you expect it to answer all of life’s questions.” Carter leaned against the table, studying me. “I’m no psychologist, but that seems significant.”

I was saved from responding when a familiar presence appeared beside me.

“Room for one more?” Miles’s voice was casual, but his body language was anything but as he positioned himself strategically between me and Carter.

“Always room for the fake boyfriend.” Carter’s grin was wolfish.

Miles didn’t take the bait. Instead, he picked up a cue stick and tested its weight. “I figured I should come rescue my girlfriend.”

“I need it. Turns out he’s shark-level good.” I stepped back to give Miles room. “I’m getting destroyed.”

“It’s just a friendly competition.” Carter moved in closer on my other side, leaving me exactly zero space to move. “Though it looks like she’ll be coming home with me to enjoy a nightcap at my place afterward. I’ve got an amazing view of the city.”

I felt the shift in energy immediately, crackling and electric, like the air before a thunderstorm.

Miles stepped in a little closer on my left, his arm brushing mine as he studied the table. He angled his body to subtly shift into my space. It was a silent message that saidminewithout a single word.

Carter, not to be outdone, casually drifted behind me under the pretense of reaching for his drink. His fingers skimmed the small of my back as he passed, the contact lingering long enough to make my breath catch.

“Your boyfriend’s got that protective act down,” Carter murmured from behind my right shoulder, loud enough for Miles to hear, soft enough to make my pulse trip. “Very convincing.”

“How is anyone supposed to concentrate with your inability to shut your mouth?” Miles looked ready to break his stick over Carter’s head.

“Performance anxiety happens to everyone.” Carter winked at me. “It’s how you recover that counts.”

My cheeks flamed hot. “Are you two going to play pool or compete in the Innuendo Olympics?”

They both looked at me like I’d just issued a challenge.

Miles racked the balls to start a new game, and when he broke, the balls scattered across the table like startled chickens, not a single one finding a pocket. The look of disappointment on his face made me want to pat him on the head and tell him it would be okay.

Carter, of course, couldn’t let the moment pass without commentary.

“Tough break, Captain.” His eyes found mine, lips curving into a smile that spelled trouble. “Looks like Nora will be trying my... cheesecake tonight.”

“Cheesecake?” I raised an eyebrow.

“Mmm.” Carter circled the table like a predator. “It’s rich, creamy... decadent. The kind you have to savor slowly.” His voice dropped an octave. “One... small... bite at a time until your eyes roll back.”

Miles’s cue stick creaked under his grip.

“It’s New York style.” Carter made direct eye contact with me. “Firm on the outside, but when you slide your fork in, it just... yields.”

I nearly choked on air. “Are we still talking about dessert?”

“What else would I be talking about?” Carter’s face was the picture of innocence, but the gleam in his eyes was pure sin. “I can’t wait to watch you... enjoy it.”

Miles stepped between us. “Your shot, Campbell.”

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