They all drank. The men all downed theirs in one swallow. Shannon sipped hers. Cole tipped the bottle up again, filling their glasses. Shannon continued to sip her first drink.
“You’re not keepin’ up, girl.”
She smiled. “Sorry, I’m not much of a drinker. I’ll never keep up with you boys.”
“Well, at least finish that one,” Cole lifted his chin toward her glass.
Shannon took another sip and looked over at Crash. His eyes were scanning the room over his shoulder. Then they came back to her. “What are you looking for?” she asked.
The corner of his mouth pulled up. “Lookin’ at you, Princess, and every guy here’s doing the same.” Crash settled his arm across the back of her chair, a predator openly marking territory. She was his.
Green walked up and bumped Crash’s shoulder with his hip. Crash turned, startled, and his eyes came in direct line with Green’s crotch. He elbowed him. Hard.
Green doubled over in pain and wheezed, “Christ, man. What the hell?”
“Well, get your junk out of my face, motherfucker!”
Cole and Red Dog collapsed into hysterics.
Crash turned back to Shannon, his arm draping around the back of her chair. “Sorry, babe. Couldn’t help myself.”
Shannon rolled her eyes. “How long do we have to be here?”
At her comment, Cole and Dog burst out laughing again.
Crash picked up the bottle and topped off her glass. “Here, have another drink.”
“I don’t think it will help.”
“Yeah, well, do it for me. We may be here awhile.”
“I thought you said I only had to have one,” Shannon reminded him.
“Didn’t your daddy ever tell you—never trust guys. We lie. Big time,” Cole teased her with a waggle of his brows.
Crash’s eyes met hers, and he changed the subject. “So, you pick this outfit out all by yourself?”
She lifted her chin. “Of course.”
“Really? Where’d you get the money for it?”
She faltered. “I, um, stole it out of your wallet.”
“I know you didn’t pay for it, so don’t even try that,” Crash called her on it.
Cole tried to stifle a grin. He shook his head at her. “Shannon, Shannon, Shannon. You’re sitting next to two of the best damn liars in the free world. Don’t embarrass yourself.”
“Okay, fine. Your wife paid for it. With your credit card.”
That shut him up. Momentarily.
“My wife did what?”
Crash couldn’t help but grin. “You do something to piss her off?”
“Apparently.”
“Maybe she was just trying to be nice,” Shannon suggested.