“Something like that.”
“My ass,” Todd scoffed. “You got on her.”
“I—”
“Didn’t you?”
“Maybe. Once. I think. We might’ve just mugged during a party.”
The girls were now receiving instruction from several other customers on how to line up a pool shot. The lesson required bending over the billiard table, which provided Todd an anatomical perspective of Christie that actually caused him to moan. “Damn.”
“Try not to drool, okay?” Roark admonished. “It’s embarrassing.”
He slid from the booth and approached the laughing group. The other men eyed him resentfully when he took Christie’s elbow and steered her toward the booth. “Christie, Todd, my roommate. Todd, this is Christie.”
Roark ushered her into his side of the booth, so that they were seated across from Todd. “Hi, Christie.”
“Hi.”
“Would you like a beer?”
“Love one.”
Todd signaled T.R. to bring another pitcher and a third mug. “Pizza?”
“No, thanks.”
Roark waited through the pouring of the beer before saying to Christie, “Listen, this is a bitch, but I gotta split. Are you okay with me leaving you in Todd’s company? He’s fairly harmless.”
Her pout could have sold a million tubes of L’Oréal lipstick—to men. “It’s Saturday night, Roark,” she whined. “Where do you hafta go?”
“I left Gatsby, Daisy, and the gang waiting on me. I need to get back to them.” He tilted his head toward Todd. “If he gets out of line, let me know. I’ll knock him around for you.”
She glanced flirtatiously at Todd. “I can handle him just fine.”
“I bet you can,” Todd said, bobbing his eyebrows. “Anytime, sweetheart.”
Roark left her giggling over the innuendo. It was hours later before he returned to his and Todd’s room. After listening at the door for several moments, he knocked tentatively.
“Huh?”
“Okay if I come in?”
“Yeah.”
Todd was alone in his loft, lying on his back, one bare leg and foot dangling over the side. He looked completely done-in but managed to mumble, “Thanks for keeping your distance. Where’ve you been all this time?”
“The library.”
“How’s Gatsby?”
“No more pussy-whipped than you, ol’boy. When d
id Christie leave?”
“About ten minutes ago. Your timing was perfect.”
“Happy to oblige.”