Page 62 of Double or Nothing

“I don’t owe you shit.”

“Whatever the client wants, the client gets,” I remind her.

“You’re not doing this as my client. You’re doing this because you’re an asshole who thinks he can do whatever he wants.”

“I’m doing it because I’m an asshole who misses you and just wants to spend some time with you,” I correct her.

“Aww,” Liz swoons behind me.

Kat eyes me for a moment.

“Fine.”

The bartender delivers our shots, and she grabs one from the tray, throwing it back.

“Happy? Let’s go, Liz.”

“I don’t want to go,” Liz whines. She throws her arms around Mac’s neck. “I miss this.” Mac has a cheesy grin on his face, indicative of just how much he likes this girl. I knew he had a thing for her way back when but didn’t know he still did.

“Stay, Kitty Kat,” I urge, nodding my head toward our two friends. “And I’ll let you off the hook.”

“Off the hook?”

“For dinner. Being my host. All of it.”

“Really? This isn’t just some ploy.”

“I’ve hurt you enough,” I say, using Callum’s words. “I don’t want to hurt you anymore.”

“Okay.”

Kat might have agreed to stay, but she sure as hell doesn’t pay me any attention. She spends the better part of the night chatting with Mac and Liz, making me feel like an outsider.

The only upside is the more they talk, the more they drink, and when Kat drinks… Let’s just say Kat gets a little touchy-feely. Her cheeks are a bright pink, her eyes just a little glassy, and her hands—well, they’ve found their way to me, and they’re all over me.

“Jesus,” she sighs as her hands run down my stomach, then back up under my shirt. “You feel even better than you look.” Her mouth falls open, her eyes popping open wide from the tiny drunken slits they had been moments ago. “I didn’t mean to say that out loud.”

Shocked by her admission, Kat pulls her hands off me and covers her mouth. Unfortunately for her, touching me was doing more than just turning her on. It was also helping her keep her balance. Balance that is clearly gone now. I watch her sway for a moment, almost toppling over.

“Easy there, Kitty Kat.” My hands drop to her hips to balance her.

“I’m drunk.”

“That you are. Maybe it’s time to go.”

“No.” She shakes her head adamantly. “I want to dance.” Kat steadies herself, then walks toward the dance floor, stops, and looks back at me. “Well? Are you going to dance with me or not?”

I’m not much of a dancer, never have been, but no way in hell am I turning that down.

“Lead the way.”

The feel of her in my arms is heaven. The thoughts in my mind as she presses her body up against me are going to send me straight to hell. I know she’s drunk, and I shouldn’t push the envelope, but I can’t keep my hands off her. My palm slides along her stomach beneath her shirt, her skin setting me on fire, and all I want to do is touch more.

She drops her head back onto my shoulder. It’s sexy as fuck, and I’m so damn grateful it’s my arms she’s in.

“I want to fuck you,” she says, her voice far from quiet.

“Shhh,” I whisper in her ear.

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