“Good. Glad we got that cleared up. And just to clarify, does that make you my man, bloke, geezer, guy, whatever?”
He smiles.
“Geezer? I swear Gracie you just make half these words up as you go along.”
“I really don’t, Google it—oh you can’t. I keep forgetting.”
I pull my phone from my back pocket and pretend to answer it.
“Hello, yeah, one minute.”
I look at Koa, Shannon, Dean, Lee, Mason, and Blake, who are now all watching.
“It’s for you,” I tell Koa, pointing my phone at him but not handing it over.
“It’s nineteen-ninety-nine, they wanna know if they can have their phone back.”
“Jesus, Carmichael, please tell me you’re not still using that flip phone?” Blake asks.
Everybody else laughs. Koa licks his lips, smiles, and nods at me.
“Gracie gets a few wines inside her and turns into a comedian.”
“Comedienne,” I correct him. “Remember, I’m female, which also makes me funnier. And,” I add, tossing him a smile, “get a few more wines inside me, play your cards right, Cowboy, you might just get inside me, too.”
That earns me a few whistles and a round of applause. I also get Koa between my legs as he kisses me stupid in front of everyone.
“That a promise, Essex?” He finally comes up for air and asks.
“Cross my heart and hope to die.”
“We should leave now then.”
“Nope, delayed gratification is half the pleasure. I want you thinking about the fact that I plan on sliding that big, beautiful cock of yours right to the back of my throat when we get home.”
“Gracie!” He says my name like it’s a warning. “We’re in a bar full of people, and now I’ve got a raging fucking hard-on.”
“Oops. Soz.”
The band have apparently finished tuning up and one-twoing into their microphones, because one of them chooses that moment to announce, “Thanks for coming out to see us on this cold, cold night Addison, a special shout-out goes to local boys Koa Carmichael and Blake Edwards from yours and our favourite band, That Addison Sound. Give it up for them ladies and gentleman, please.”
“This is not happening.” Koa groans as a spotlight is aimed right at him. He turns awkwardly, keeping one hand innocently hanging at the front of his jeans, while he waves with the other.
“Just wondering guys, if you wouldn’t mind getting up here in a bit and joining us.”
The crowd goes absolutely wild and Koa and Blake both nod, seriously, what else could they do?
“Okay, have a think about what you wanna sing and let us know. Now, we’re gonna start with something you should all know.”
It’s “Bad Moon Rising” byCreedenceClearwater Revival. I don’t know how I know this, I just do. It’s one of those songs that people justknow.
Shannon passes me a glass of wine, and I take a sip, watching as the dance floor fills with people. I look across at Koa and see that he’s watching me as he sings along to the song and smiles. I’ve no clue what he’s thinking right now, but he looks happy, and that makes me happy. We stare at each other and something, something that’s almost tangible passes between us, interrupted only when Blake says something into Koa’s ear and he turns his attention from me to listen.
“Welp, thank fuck I have an IUD firmly lodged in my uterus. Otherwise, that look you two just shared would have just turned me into Octo-mom.”
I don’t even blush at Shannon’s comment, because it’s true, whatever that was, it was hot.
“Finish your drinks, let’s dance,” she orders.