“When are you going to make a move there?” I ask him quietly.
“It’s complicated,” he says with a shrug, watching as Zeke breaks the balls. “And may not happen at all.”
“The way you two watch each other? Circle around each other? Come on, man.”
But he shakes his head again and glances over at Sarah, who’s laughing and pointing at her bull’s eye.
“There’s history there,” he says. “And she’s still recovering from the asshole she married.”
“But she’s not now,” I remind him.
Just then, Indigo Lovejoy walks over to Sarah and June and asks if he can join in on their game.
“You might want to move in before someone else does.”
Tanner’s jaw tightens, and his eyes narrow as he watches Indigo shoot darts with the girls. When Sarah laughs at something the man says and lays her hand on his arm, Tanner swears under his breath.
Just then, Indigo takes a call and walks away from Sarah, and Tanner sighs in relief.
“Think about it,” I suggest.
“Damn it, your turn,” Zeke says after he misses a shot.
Zeke likes to lose as much as I do. Which is to say, not at all.
“Prepare to get your ass handed to you,” I tell him with a cocky grin.
But just as I’m about to sink the third ball in a row, Luna walks past and completely destroys my concentration. I miss.
“Damn.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you lose it over a woman,” Zeke says thoughtfully. “And I’ve known you for a damn long time.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I sip my beer and keep an eye on my girl as she throws a dart, and it bounces off the board and onto the floor.
So, darts aren’t her strong suit.
Maybe I should give her some pointers.
Suddenly, a dance song comes on through the speakers, and June, Sarah, and Luna scream in excitement.
“I guess they like this song,” I say.
“Oh, God. Here they go,” Apollo says with a grin, and the three women begin to dance a routine they’ve clearly known since they were teenagers.
They wiggle their hips, fling their arms over their head, and then squat like they’re dropping it like it’s hot.
It’s fun and oddly sexy.
“They remember the moves,” Tanner says with a grin.
“Are you kidding?” Apollo asks. “They did this dance every damn day the summer before their sophomore year. I got so sick of this stupid song.”
When the song ends, and the women strike a pose, all in different degrees of height, we break out in applause.
Luna takes June’s and Sarah’s hands, and they bow to their audience and then laugh. I can’t help myself. I stride over to Luna, take her face in my hands, and kiss the fuck out of her, right in front of most of Huckleberry Bay.
There are whoops and hollers and one request for us to get a room before I pull back and smile down at her.
“God, I fucking love you.”
Luna laughs. “Because I can do a silly dance?”
“Because you’re amazing.”
“Okay, break it up, you two,” June says, clapping her hands. “I haven’t had enough shots to witness this kind of PDA.”
“You haven’t seen anything yet,” I warn her, but I just continue grinning down at the woman I love. “Let me know when you’re ready to get out of here.”
“No. Absolutely, not,” June says, pulling Luna out of my grasp. “You’re not going to steal her away just because you want to…do things. We’re having a party here, in case you missed it.”
“Honey, I planned it.”
“Exactly,” Sarah jumps in. “So, it’s rude to leave early. Let us have some fun before you whisk her off to engage in your sexy ways.”
Luna’s been giggling this whole time.
“But the sexy ways are something to write home about,” she declares.
“I don’t want to know,” Apollo decides and returns to the pool table. “I actually want to poke my mind’s eye out to erase that image from my brain.”
We return to playing pool, and the girls play their darts, and before I know it, the whole place is pretty much empty, and it’s past midnight.
“One hell of a party,” Indigo says as he walks over to shake my hand. “You didn’t have to foot the bill.”
“Yeah, I really did. Thanks for all your help, man. I appreciate it.”
“I’m around if you need more.”
As Indigo makes his rounds through all the guys to say goodnight, I cross to Luna. She, June, and Sarah have been sitting at the bar, chatting and laughing, for the past hour.
“Are you ready to head home?” I ask her.
“Yeah, my lips are numb,” she says and blinks her glassy eyes. “And I’m tired. Too much tequila.”
“You’re impressive,” I tell her. “No salt and lime?”
“Who needs training wheels?” June asks and then laughs. “Boy, we’re drunk.”
“I’ll drive you home,” Apollo informs her.
“No,” she says, shaking her head. “I’d rather walk.”