Page 84 of A Flighty Fake Boyfriend
“I didn’t quite catch that, Epic,” I teased. “What did you just say?”
“I had a good time,” Epic practically shouted. “I had the best time, except when William jumped you in the bushes and asked if—”
I clapped my hand over his mouth. “Look at the time. Is it really that late?”
Epic’s blue eyes sparkled with humor. “Mph, mphre mmph.”
“Did you say something?” I lifted my hand cautiously.
“I won’t tell.”
Around the table, pleas to hear the story went unanswered.
I finished my bourbon and sipped my beer while I picked at the nachos and the rest of the table chatted, and drank, and blew off steam.
Epic didn’t seem to notice how many times he reached for me. Except for the fact we were with his friends, I probably wouldn’t have noticed it either. He liked touch. He didn’t hesitate to reach for people—not just me, but obviously, the way he touched me was sensual. Tantalizing.
Occasionally, I met Cam’s or Dan’s knowing gaze and flushed with a hot mixture of pride and shame. Ego because Epic seemed happy to be with me and guilt because I didn’t know what to do about that.
Epic’s friends graciously welcomed me to the tribe. Whether that was because people came and went often in Epic’s life or they simply took a chance I was okay, I didn’t know.
“Okay, drink up and let’s go.” I guessed Epic had checked his phone and decided it was past my bedtime.
“All right.” As we left, Epic flung his arm around my shoulders possessively.
Every eye in the place watched us go.
Because we’d been drinking, we walked to the rental. Epic promised to get my car in the morning.
We walked hand in hand, avoiding root-buckled sidewalks and crossing empty streets together. Each house we passed had a different level of wear. Some were dilapidated. Some were quaint. It couldn’t be easy to maintain the older houses this close to the beach. Few had lawns, but there were several overgrown gardens. Ornamental grasses whispered as we passed. Moonlight spilled over fragrant jasmine-covered fences.
The porch light welcomed us to our rental. I opened the door and let Epic inside. He went straight to the kitchen where I’d spread out some paperwork, pens, notebooks, and Post-its.
“Wow. You really carry your office with you.”
“I have to with the way I travel.”
He smiled patiently. “As long as you don’t bring it into the bedroom. Deal?”
“Can’t make that deal. The job stays in my head.”
“I know.” He laid his hand on my shoulder. “I’ll take your mind off it tonight.”
Oh yeah, he would.
We took turns in the bathroom, got undressed, and brushed our teeth side by side. Epic was a habit already. More than smoking for sure, because I didn’t give cigarettes a single thought until I was ready to slip between the sheets.
“Do you think you could help me remember to get a nicotine patch, or gum, or something?”
“Happy to.” He burrowed under the covers like a cartoon gopher snatching a carrot.
I caught his body to mine—my surprisingly solid, surprisingly strong, surprisingly dominant boy-man. I’d seen and done a lot of things, and I thought nothing could surprise me, then along came Epic Alsop.
Surprise, surprise.
Chapter Twenty
When I woke, the bed beside me was empty. I rolled out and hit the bathroom to piss and brush my teeth before looking for Epic. One of the fluffy bathrobes was missing. Presumably Epic had it. I put on the other.
