I rest my head against his chest. This isn't a slow song. We shouldn't be dancing like this. But that's another thing that doesn't bother me.
He holds me until the song stops. I can feel Mal and Joel's stares, but I can't bring myself to care. Let them stare. Let them gossip.
Ethan plants a deep, slow kiss on my lips. When he pulls back, he nods to the table. "Meet you there."
I nod back then I float to the table. Mal is still holding his usual poker face. Joel is amused.
He motions to the pitcher of beer on the table. "Want a glass?"
"No thanks. I hate beer." I slide onto the bench opposite Mal and Joel.
"You prefer acetone to barley?" Joel raises a brow.
"Yes, I do. How else could I change my nail polish once a week?" I show off my red nails.
My eyes go to Ethan. He's still standing at the bar. He always looks good, especially with his jeans snug around his perfect ass, his tattoos poking out from the v of his v-neck and the sleeves of his t-shirt, but there's something about him today… It must be my body fighting with my mind. My hands want to trace all his tattoos. Fuck, my tongue wants to trace all of those tattoos.
Joel is looking at me. I can feel his eyes on me even though my gaze is still on Ethan.
He gets our drinks and moves closer.
Then he's sitting next to me.
His body is warm and hard. And there's my drink, my vodka soda. I take a long sip and set it down.
I'm supposed to be sparring with Joel.
I'm supposed to be pulling back from my relationship with Ethan.
Fuck, I really am terrible at this.
Okay, need a second to think. I'm here as a wingwoman. I can do that.
The bar is mostly men. But there is a cute blond sitting by herself. I motion to her then to Joel. "What do you think?"
"You a pimp, Valentine?" he asks.
"I've never been a wingwoman before."
He laughs and shoots me a tell me something I don't know look.
Ethan laughs too. It's a damn, you're adorable laugh. It's an I think I'm falling in love with you laugh.
The flutter in my stomach turns to something ugly. I keep up my smile enough to push past Ethan. "Come on, Joel, let's do this."
Joel shakes his head but he still gets out of the booth.
He leans in to whisper in my ear. "You okay?"
I nod but from the expression in his grey-green eyes, I'm pretty sure he doesn't believe me.
Joel steps in front of me. "Follow my lead, okay?"
"Okay."
He shakes his head to say you're hopeless at this but he still moves forward. He goes up to the bar, one seat away from the blond, and he hails the bartender.
He looks back to me. "All right, sis, time to get you drunk enough you forget that bitch."