Page 65 of The Wingman

“Do you have something you want to tell me?” I ask.

She shakes her head quickly. “No.” Okay, now she’s the one avoiding eye contact, but I don’t have time to question her on that. She’s darting down the steps. I lock up and follow her to Kane’s sports car.

“You look gorgeous, by the way,” she says to me.

“Thanks, you do too, and you have nothing to be nervous about. Everyone will love you.”

“You have nothing to be nervous about either,” she says again.

“I’m not nervous.”

“Oh, okay.”

I slide into the back seat. “Hey Kane. Nice to see you again.”

“Jules,” he says and glances over his shoulder to give me a big smile. I try not to fidget in the back seat as he negotiates traffic and pulls up in front of Rider’s house. House? Okay, more like big-ass mansion. The driveway is empty and there isn’t a vehicle on the street. Everyone must have parked elsewhere to keep the surprise.

We wait for a second, and Kane shoots off a text. He checks his phone. “He’s running late and said for us to come in. Front door is open.”

We all climb from the car and I follow the two up. Lindsay casts me a glance over her shoulder and I smile at her. Yup, I’m good. I’ll make an appearance and as soon as she’s comfortable, I’ll get an Uber home. I just pray Rider is too busy with his brother and forgets his lame idea about setting me up.

Kane enters the dark house, and he flicks on the light. Dozens of people jump out at us and yell surprise. Kane curses and falters backward, and Lindsay laughs and hugs him. He hugs her back and the affection between the two warms me. They might be the real deal, and I’m not jealous at all.

Nope, not at all.

Or much.

I scan the crowd, check out all the smiling faces, and my stomach tightens when I see Rider. He’s not looking at his brother. No, he’s looking at me, and the intensity in his gaze robs me of my next breath.

“You bastard,” Kane says, and shakes his head. “I told you I didn’t want a party.”

Rider makes his way through the crowd, hands Kane a beer and slaps him on the back. “The role of a big brother is to piss off his little brother, is it not?”

The two hug, and my heart pinches. They break apart and Kane introduces Lindsay to everyone. I hang back as they greet her, and wonder exactly what I should be doing. Soon enough, Rider is beside me.

“Hey,” he says quietly, a voice reserved for the bedroom that does ridiculous things to me. “Drink?”

“Yes please,” I say, needing one or a dozen.

His gaze moves over my face, and honest to God if I didn’t know better, I’d think he felt the same way about me as I do about him. But I do know better, r

ight? I mean, he talked about setting me up with his friend. Maybe we need to talk. Really talk. His childhood was rough, getting tossed around from house to house and yes, he’s a grown man, but maybe that frightened boy still exists somewhere deep inside.

“Your friends seem nice,” I say quietly.

“Let’s get you a drink and I’ll introduce you.”

“Okay,” I say. Rider wants to introduce me to all his friends? They’ll probably all get the wrong idea—we both know that. Hell, we talked about that. Does that mean he’s okay with that? Oh God, am I making more of this than I should? Is it just wishful thinking on my part?

We make our way to the kitchen. “Your home is beautiful,” I say. “I like the color scheme.”

“Liar,” he says and I laugh, some of the tension easing from my body.

“I don’t lie,” I say.

“Then tell me what you really think.”

Oh, how I want to open my mouth and do just that. How I want to confess my feelings, and throw myself at him, but I’m not sure his kitchen, during Kane’s party is the right place for it. No, I’ll have to get him alone before this night is over.

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