Hot Stuff

I dip behind him and into the door as he sits back down to check in more frenzied women, and it takes my eyes a minute to adjust to the change in light before I can move forward.

It’s probably because the room is absolutely packed, shoulder-to-shoulder with teeming women as they wait for the show to begin.

Most of the guys are over by the lockers, looking on from the periphery, but a couple of them are deep in the crowd, exercising their right to flirt. I can’t remember their names, but it looks like they’re no strangers to trying to get it on with…well, a stranger.

I shove my way through the crowd as gently as I can manage, but when a couple people get feisty, I have to use an elbow to carve a path.

I don’t even bother feeling bad about it, though, because by the time I turn around to check on them, they’re already back to whatever conversation they were invested in before.

Holley spots me finally, getting up on her tiptoes and waving me over wildly. It didn’t occur to me until just now that I don’t really have a reason for being so close with her that doesn’t involve Garrett if my dad were to ask, but I’ll just have to come up with something on the fly if it comes up. As it is, Garrett’s standing with Holley, Jake, and Chloe, and he turns to look at me when Holley says something to him.

My dad intercepts me on my way, though, effectively cutting off my view of Garrett’s face.

“Hey, baby. Thanks for coming. Crazier than shit here today, huh?”

“I guess women love firemen.”

“I don’t have a goddamn clue why.”

I laugh. “Dad.”

“We’re assholes, Laurie. All of us.”

I shake my head and give him a kiss on the cheek. “Where can I put this dip?”

“Just toss it on the table over there in the corner. I’m sure it won’t last long with these vultures, but thanks for bringing it.”

“I don’t know. If you start the auction soon, they might be preoccupied.”

“Fifteen minutes,” he declares. “We’re starting in fifteen whether they’re all in the door or not.”

Patience has never been his strong suit. Waiting for everyone to get inside seems like it would be a better game plan for raising more money, but I don’t bother telling my dad that. I know he won’t want to hear it.

Plus, I’m ready to be released from his hold so I can go see Garrett under the pretense of hanging out with Holley and her family. I have a limited amount of time, and I want to use it. Leaving him in bed this morning to go home and get ready and make dip—all while knowing that the next time I saw him would be here, in a literal fucking human meat market—has not left me feeling all squishy inside. In fact, if I’m honest, my nerves are on a one-way bullet train to Shitsville.

I haul ass over to the food table, drop the dip, and then scoot back in the other direction. There are people everywhere, but I can still see Garrett’s back in front of Holley and Jake.

I take a deep breath and head that direction as casually as I can manage since my dad is up at the stage, talking with one of the other guys while he messes with audio equipment.

When I make it over to the group, Garrett turns around slowly, a huge smile spreading his mouth from one corner of his face to the other.

“Hi,” he says softly, leaning down to place a tender kiss on my cheek.

It’s both intimate and innocent, but when Jake moves toward me with his eyes to the stage to do the same, I know my dad must have been watching as it happened.

I bite my lip as Holley laughs at the unexpected show of affection between her husband and me.

“Good to see you, Lauren,” Jake says with a chuckle as he pulls away from my face and winks at Garrett.

“Yo, bro, excuse my language,” Garrett says with a flick of his eyes to Chloe. “But what the fuck?”

Jake bites his lip in an effort to stifle the volume of his chuckle. “You should be thanking me, dude. Cap’s watching our exchange, and you got a little too intimate with your lady. I was just covering for you.”

“Wait a second,” Chloe says in an excited whisper. “Is this a secret relationship?”

I shake my head, but Holley jumps in before I can, her excitement palpable. “Yep. Forbidden romance. It’s amazing.”

“Come on,” I say with a roll of my eyes. “It’s not…forbidden. We’re just giving ourselves time to get to know each other before we get anyone riled up,” I excuse, turning partially to Garrett. “Right?”

He doesn’t look exactly thrilled, but he agrees. “Right.”