Page 81 of Shutout
Mina ventures to say, “Two gin and tonics.”
I don’t even have to look at Barry to know he’s scanningthe two girls and making mental math. Finally, he says, “Two more ice teas.”
I chuckle, and the stretch makes Liv’s fingers release my face. My skin tingles, not because she squeezed it too hard, but because it misses her warmth. It’s a shame that Dane and Mina are around, because their scrutiny will make it so much harder to slip Liv’s hand in mine like I did two days ago.
Unless I send them away.
“Should we play a round of pools? Darts?” I ask and very discreetly elbow Dane’s side.
He yelps. The sucker. “Ouch. What? Oh. Yeah! Let’s go, Mina.”
I want to die. Or kill him. He couldn’t be less tactful if he tried.
“I like pool,” she says, sliding her arm around his once he’s got both feet firmly on the floor.
“But are you any good? Because I’m not going to let you win just because you’re really pretty.”
“Oh, you’re on, boy.”
Liv’s caressing her cheek as she watches their retreating figures intently. Almost like she didn’t want them to go, either because she didn’t want to be alone with me or…
Nah. She can’t possibly be into Dane, can she? I mean, her friend wouldn’t steal the guy Liv likes from under her nose. Unless Liv’s never told a soul, which I can also see happening. If I’m private about some aspects of my life, Liv can be a downright vault. For example, it’s only recently I found out some of my past girlfriends used to bully her in high school behind my back.
I gnaw the inside of my cheek as she hops on the barstool that Dane vacated and looks sadly at the fries. They’re cooked in peanut oil and while delicious, they would send her straight to the hospital. Hooking my finger around the basket, I slide it over until it’s basically behind me.
Sighing, she unbuttons her jean jacket and?—
I start choking.
“Uh…” She stretches over to pat my back, which makes everything so much worse.
“What the hell are you wearing?” I manage to spew out between coughs.
Liv looks down at herself, her bottom lip still jutting out too damn cutely. But that’s a massive contrast compared to whatever this outfit is. It’s like lingerie, because there’s no way that’s a blouse or something. It’s too tight. It frames her chest in a way that has me in a crisis, and I don’t just mean the coughing fit. And if that wasn’t all, it’s too damn transparent—at least around her torso. Like, I can’t see any of the saucier bits, but never has my brain had more input than this to imagine them.
“Clothes?” she asks, sarcasm dripping from the word.
After taking two punishing gulps of ice tea, I mumble, “Those are not clothes. That’s underwear.” My voice comes out thick and raspy. Hopefully, she thinks it’s because of the coughing and not because I’m more turned on than a torch.
Maybe I should just look at the game, or she’s going to start noticing that her bestie is a total horndog for her. Talk about easing her into the idea of dating me, huh?
“Is it too much?” She grabs the flaps of her jacket and opens it further while inspecting herself.
I have to drink more tea or I’ll choke again.
“I just wanted to wear something different. See if…” She trails off to bite her lip. “See if it got me some attention.”
I’m so aggressively happy we’re facing the bar, and that the only one on duty right now is the grouchy owner who couldn’t care less about the college kids that contaminate his establishment. If we were sitting at a table, or playing pool right now, the like, three other guys around the place would be salivating about her. Like I am.
I run a hand through my hair. My voice comes out a bit breathless as I ask, “What kind of attention?”
“A guy’s.” She closes her lips around her tea’s straw and sucks.
I look away. I can’t believe I’m jealous of a damn straw.
“Dane?”
“What?” She snaps.
