I run my fingers through my hair, ignoring the pulsing feeling in my pants. “Well, let’s hope Kat stays out of trouble, because my mom is happy now, and I think my dad is going to open his own rink here,” I say, trying to regain some kind of composure.
“That’s awesome,” she says, tucking her hands between her thighs. It’s hard for me not to notice or want to touch, but I’m a gentleman, so I only scoot closer so my knee touches hers. She looks up at me through those incredible, dark-lashed eyes, and my pants get a little tighter.
Yup, if I were on the ice, it’d be a hat trick kind of night.
Once I gulp the pull of beer I took, I ask, “So, how’s business?”
“Really good,” she answers, setting down her glass. “I’m trying to figure out if I want to sell my company or if I want to continue developing more software for it.”
“Sell? Weren’t you just in Forbes magazine?”
She grins. “I was, but a lot has happened, and I’m unsure about it. Don’t get me wrong, I love helping law enforcement get the bad guy. But I don’t know. I don’t love it the way I used to. Things have changed.”
“Why is that?” I ask, but then I notice she isn’t looking at me any longer. Her whole demeanor changes, her eyes widen, and she goes still. I look to where she is staring, but all I see is a group of dudes. After a second, I ask, “Emery?”
She clears her throat and takes a deep breath. Under her breath, she whispers, “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”
“What’s wrong?”
But still, she doesn’t answer me, her gaze fixed on someone behind me. I look over my shoulder just as a rather tall, athletically built, very familiar guy with dark-blue eyes and shaggy brown hair comes toward us. It clicks who he is, and I grin widely.
“Holy shit, Quinn,” I laugh as I stand up. Surprise falls on Quinn’s face as recognition comes to him, and he smiles back at me. We embrace, and he hugs me tightly, smacking my back in a true bro hug. “Damn, man, you’ve shot up. You weren’t this tall at the wedding!”
Quinn laughs as he nods, squeezing my shoulder. “Yeah, I can beat up both my brothers now.”
Emery snorts. “Hardly.”
I smirk over at her, but Quinn doesn’t laugh as I say, “Hell, the last time I saw you, you were smaller than her.”
By the looks of it, no one appreciates my joke. I laugh by myself, looking like a dumbass. I glance back at Quinn, confused by the way they’re staring at each other. I almost feel as if I’m interrupting something intimate and private, but he came up to us.
“Emery,” he says after a second, and Emery sits up taller, spine straight as she crosses her arms over her chest. In doing so, she makes her breasts look way bigger than they did a few moments ago. I watch as Quinn’s breath catches when his gaze moves to her chest and then back up to her face.
Damn. I don’t know what is happening, but by the way he says her name and is looking at her, there must be something going on. With a dip of her chin, she says, “Quinnifer.”
“Quinnifer?” I ask, but neither of them looks at me.
“It’s what she calls him when he pisses her off,” Stella says from my side.
I chuckle, but neither of them pays us any mind. With a deep rumble in his throat, Quinn bites out, “What are you doing here?”
She points to her glass. “Drinking water.”
He nods. “With him, or was this coincidental?”
Emery’s brows knit together tightly as I look between them. Man, the sexual tension between these two is palpable. It’s coming off them in waves, smacking me right in the face. “If you’re asking if I’m here with Dimitri, then the answer is none of your gosh darn business.”
“Cute, Em. Cute.”
“Whoa,” I say, exhaling as I sit down. “So, history, eh?”
“Something like that,” Emery says as Quinn says, “A bit.”
“So, you’re dating now?” he asks, pure venom in his voice. “Because I thought you said you weren’t looking for a relationship.”
“I did, and just so you know, dating for a relationship and dating to fuck are two different things,” she snaps, and his eyes darken as I choke on my beer. Well, okay, I guess I read the situation just fine. But I’m pretty sure I’m out of the picture now. Especially with the way they’re looking like they’re about to tear each other’s clothes off and do it against the bar. Maybe I should leave? “I’m here for the latter.”
Her shoulders are taut, her eyes dark and full of challenge as he shakes his head. His eyes darken, and I’m pretty sure she’s about two seconds from kicking him with how fast her leg is swinging.
“Wow. Real rich, Emery. Real fucking rich.”
“What’s it to you?” she snaps, glaring at him. “I thought you moved on with what’s her name… Oh, that’s right. My cousin. Penelope Odder.”
These people can’t find partners outside of the Assassins’ world. I swear it.
His eyes flash with something, I’m not sure what, but I’m pretty sure I should go. “You know that was only to make you jealous, and it was over before it started.”
“Oh, you think you can make me jealous?” she says, her words dripping with so much sarcasm, I’m surprised he doesn’t laugh. “How cute.”
“Funny, you’re the one who brought it up.”
“To state a point that you’ve moved on, so I can too.”
“I didn’t move on, Em,” Quinn says, shaking his head, and then he leans in. “If you wanted to be fucked, Emery, I could take care of you, and you know I can.”
Emery’s eyes widen as her breath catches, and I hold up my hands. “Jesus Christ, do I need to go?”
Quinn looks over at me. “Dude, I’m sorry, but I’m in love with her, and she keeps playing this game with me.”
Emery throws her hands up. “There is no game, Quinn. I don’t want to be in a relationship, and you’ve proven over and over again I can’t just fuck with you ’cause you throw feelings around. And next thing you know, I’ve got a ring on my finger and a baby in my belly. I can’t fucking do it!”
Quinn looks away, and his nostrils flare. “So, you want me to sit here and watch you hook up with someone else?”
“No one says you gotta watch.”
“I can’t not watch you. Need you. Love you.”
“Quinn,” she practically begs. “Not here, please.”
“Embarrassed? Think of how I feel.”
“I know how you feel! I get it, but damn, let me be. I’m not ready for you…this…us. I need to experience the world. Respect that!”
He nods slowly and then leans back in. “I am doing my goddamn best, and I get that’s not what you want. You want me to disappear, let you be, but I can’t. You’re everywhere I go, everywhere I look. I can’t not love you.”
“Damn,” Stella says, handing me a little bowl of popcorn. “This is some show.”
I snort as I take a handful. “Who you telling?” I throw some into my mouth. “Ooh, cheddar popcorn.”