Page 3 of Devour

Rhory arched a brow at me, then gestured to the barkeeper for another round.

“I’m trying to keep an open mind.”

“Mind open or options open?”

“I don’t have many options,” I said with a laugh that sounded bitter even to me. And really, I didn’t. No one in my position, with the sort of family I had, would.

“Seems to me you have some options. Ember likes you.” Rhory tongued his straw while his eyes remained steady on me. “I probably shouldn’t say that as her friend, but keeping it to herself hasn’t done her much good.”

“Yeah, I don’t know about that.” I wasn’t stupid. Hopelessly naïve and even awkward, sure. Not stupid.

“Asher likes you, too.” Rhory said this not only casually but factually. As if Asher had stated his opinion of me upon introducing himself to Rhory.

“He does not.”

Flirting almost made up Asher’s entire personality, but he never did with me. Besides, we were best friends. Even if I met Ember first and still considered her one of my closest friends, I spent a substantial amount of time only with Asher. I rolled my eyes and went back to my beer. This area stunk like spilled drinks, and I’d never intended to be here this long. How had enough time passed for us to order another round at the bar?

“He does.”

“How would you know?” I scoffed.

“I know.” When I said nothing else, Rhory leveled his gaze and leaned closer. “Are you offended?”

“No.” Because even if there was no way Asher had those kinds of feelings for me, I didn’t think one should take offense. We were supposed to love one another.

Rhory seemed satisfied with my short answer, and no longer intent on making me squirm. Instead, the heat behind his eyes returned, and I wondered if he was checking me out. Not likely. The guy was attractive, and he knew it. Not that I found myself attracted.

“Hey.” Asher’s voice right in my ear startled me and he barked a laugh before clapping me on the back and leaving his hand there. Part of me wasn’t surprised he hunted me down, yet the other wondered why he ditched his party to find the stragglers. “You two camping out here?”

“Sorry, I—”

“Let’s do some shots,” Asher interrupted.

Asher spoke to the bartender and before I could argue with the birthday boy… the glasses were being lined up along the bar. After easing into the space between us, Asher lifted a shot glass for himself—effectively putting himself between Rhory and I. Huh.

After the customary clack on the bar top, we knocked our drinks back.

Now, I could handle a glass of wine. And the few times I had a cup or two of beer when Ember or Asher dragged me along to some college party, I didn’t see the appeal, but also didn’t mind the taste. Hard liquor burned while going down, almost like hellfire. The only difference being my throat calmed soon after and the heat merely lingered.

Our empty glasses clinked down onto the bar in unison. Asher motioned again, then said, “Another.”

“Ash, I—”

“You’re not driving.”

Asher just might be trying to kill me. After two shots, and… how many beers had I downed already? Anyway, after those two shots, I was certainly feeling… something. It wasn’t as if I had been nothing but sober my entire life. I was of age. Yet, aside from the toast at the last wedding I attended, I hadn’t drunk so much as a sip of anything.

“So, what’ve you guys been talking about?” Asher asked no one in particular.

“Eli doesn’t believe Ember likes him,” Rhory said, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.

“What?” Turning to me, Asher smiled, already looking flushed in the face from the liquor. “Everyone knows my sister has the hots for you. Everyone. Even me.”

“I guess,” I agreed. Not that I wanted to broach this subject again, least of all with her brother, or to explain the difference between no knowledge and no interest.

“You guess? You guess!” Asher paused and his grin grew even wider. “Or is it because she’s not marriage material?”

“Sounds like me, admittedly, but that never occurred to me,” I said.

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