Page 37 of Gin and Lava

“Wow,” I say, realizing he totally bet against me. “Yee of little faith. And yes, you have no idea how voracious that girl’s appetite is. It was fucking amazing.”

“I told you it wasn’t a small flirtation,” Ned says, as Connor pulls out a hundred-dollar bill and pays him. “That girl is into you.”

“For one night, she let me beinher,” I correct. “And only because you fuckers have all coupled up. If Esme’s movie-star stooge had brought a famous friend, I would’ve been shit-out-of-luck.”

“I don’t buy that,” Ned disagrees. “You two have chemistry.”

“Wait.You’rethe one who was drunk?” Connor asks, not believing my story. “She drove you home and boned you like it was the second coming?”

“Oh, it was definitely the second coming.” I make a gesture with my hands.

“Ned didn’t text you before we showed up?” Connor asks skeptically. “Ned didn’t tip you off and tell you to play along and pretend you slept with Naomi so he could rob me of a hundred dollars.”

“Like I need your money,” Ned sasses his brother who’s clearly forgotten the man owns two houses in Hawaii and his own law practice.

“Nope, it really happened.” I pour myself another drink. “It was hot. It was fun. And no, I wasn’t so drunk that I don’t remember the whole thing—cause fuck, that’s the kind of shit you don’t want to forget.”

“She was that good?” Connor asks.

“Remember how pissed off I was when you quit your job here to chase Arie pussy?” I ask, referencing the one-night stand Connor had with Arie before he tossed everything away to work at Flambé. “Well, that sort of makes sense to me now.”

“Fuck? Really?” Connor’s eyes widen, impressed. “Naomi’s your white whale of pussy.”

“What does that mean?”

“It’s a literary allusion,” Ned says dryly. “He’s referencing Captain Ahab’s obsession with the white whale inMoby Dick.”

“Yes,” I turn to Connor. “She wanted myMoby Dick, and bad.”

“That’s not exactly how an allusion works,” Ned says under his breath, taking a drink.

“So, you’re going to see her again. Yes?” Connor asks, and I push his whiskey glass toward him and make a face that says he needs to drink a hundred more of those before making a shit-ass suggestion like that again.

“It’s Naomi,” I say, crossing my arms over my chest. “You already know she’s never going to give last night a second thought. That girl is way out of my league.”

“You were that bad? Huh?” Connor jokes, making me smirk at him.

“You’ve seen my cock, asshole,” I growl. “In fact, knowing that vital piece of information, I’m surprised you only bet on a little face time.”

“She’s Naomi,” he defends, throwing my words back at me. “I didn’t think she’d actuallyletyou get far enough to see your cock. That was the bet, licking pussy or less.”

“Turns out weddings are that girl’s kryptonite,” I say. “Because trust me, I was surprised too.”

“You better not fall in love with her,” Ned warns, giving me a steely frown.

“Who the fuck said anything about love?” I return Ned’s grimace with equal muster. “I know you just got married and have romance-dementia, but it was a hot hook-up, nothing more.”

“I’ve seen you get worked up about a girl before,” Ned replies.

“Yeah, back when hanging out with the Voss brothers made me think I was one,” I toss back. “Only I’m not, and this is Naomi. She’s the golden ticket of pussy. One tour of the chocolate factory, and then I get banned for life. I don’t get a second ticket, asshole.”

Ned narrows his eyes at me, not convinced.

“Oh my God.” I shake my head at him. “Olivia’s turned you into a sap.” I look to Connor for help. “Can you please explain to your brother how I don’t get the Voss brother’s second shot when it comes to women? I get one night. If I’m lucky.”

“It’s the penis shirts,” Connor confirms.

“Why do people keep saying that?” I ask, shooting him a scowl.

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