Page 79 of Wild As Her
“Shut it.”
“You’re head over boots in love,” Ollie singsongs.
“Shut it,” I grit.
He leans over and whispers, “You’re like a barn cat who hisses every time someone else pets her.”
“You know I will punch you in the throat, Ollie."
“Wouldn’t even blame you,” he says cheerfully, tipping his beer back.
They come over to our side of the bar, pulling tables together. Jenna makes a beeline for some poor guy by the dartboard and gives him a hug, knowing him from somewhere. Poppy gives Ollie a mock salute and sits down across from him. Beau leans on a chair, all easy charm and polite nods.
And Cami?
She slides onto the stool next to me like we hadn’t fought earlier. Like she hadn’t nearly made me combust with our tension.
“Jessop,” she says.
“Wilder.”
She orders a hard cider, settles in beside me, and throws me a lazy glance.“You look like someone who’s one beer away from making a scene.”
“And you look like someone whowantsto be the reason I do.”
Her lips twitch. “What can I say? I’m a giver.”
“Careful,” I murmur, “I bite.”
“Even better.” She winks and clinks her glass against mine.
But before I could say something smart, Beau turns toward her with some joke about baking and offers her the last of his fries.
I hate him.
Cami laughs. Genuinely. And leans in, brushing his arm as she takes a fry.
I hate himmore.
Ollie leans over. “You’re doing the eye twitch again.”
“I’m not,” I protest.
“You are. It’s like watching a sad country song in real life.”
“I will bury you under the pool table,” I tell him.
“You need tosaysomething to her.”
I glance over at Cami again. She’s still smiling at someone next to her, but then her eyes slide to mine. Like shefeelsme watching. And she holds my gaze for one long, loaded second.
Maybe I don’t have to say anything.
She hops off her stool and comes over. “Want to shoot a game of pool? Or are you going to sit here glaring until your beer cries?”
I shrug. “I’ll play. But don’t cry when I win.”
“You haven’t beat me at anything since we were fifteen, and I let you win at horseshoes because you looked like a sad cowboy whose horse ran away.”
