“Unbelievable,” I mumble around my straw and force myself to look away from him because despite the annoyedact I’m giving him, I realize, that’s just what it is—an act. I can’t stop my face from betraying me, and the constant need to want to smile when I’m around him. It’s infuriating.
“If you’re not out celebrating our win, then this is just a regular Friday night for you?”
Shit. Chloe.I should have my best friend card revoked for momentarily forgetting I was waiting for her.
“I’m with my friend,” I absently answer him, twisting in my seat, searching for her.
“Your friend is safe and having a good ol’ time with Gabe.”
“Who?” I whip my head around, and in the same second, Noah is up and standing beside me. His hand rests at the nape of my neck again, and he uses it to guide my focus across the bar. His attempts are in vain, though. All of my attention falls on the way his touch electrifies my skin. The sheer size, and the way he’s able to cradle my entire neck under that one palm, causes me to melt into him.
“That’s her right? The crazy little blonde one?” His beer comes into my line of sight, making the blurry images around me come back into focus. He points to where Chloe is throwing her head back, laughing with another guy I’ve never seen before.
“What makes you think she’s crazy?”
“For starters, I just watched her do a Jagerbomb.”
I pull my lips between my teeth, because yeah, that’s exactly something she would do.
“And she’s wearing cutoff jean shorts in the dead of winter.”
I snort a laugh. She is wearing shorts and an oversized T-shirt, looking more like she’s going to walk to get some ice cream on a July afternoon in the Outer Banks, rather than walk home through a dusting of snow.
I squint my eyes, trying to make out if the guy she’stalking to is someone she knows or not, before I remember Noah knows him.
“Who the hell is that?”
“I told you. Gabe. And possibly your friend’s date for the rest of the night.”
“Fat chance.”
“Is she single?”
“Technically? Yes.”
That damn smirk appears as he cocks a brow and somehow he’s able to grow more attractive. “Alright, Savannah. I’ll bet you anything you want that Miss. Jagerbomb goes home with Gabe tonight.”
I take one last look over at Chloe, hoping he sees a little bit of hesitation in me. But I know my best friend, so I turn back to the man with a cocky smile. “Anything?”
“What do you want?”
I pretend to think about it for a moment. “S’mores flavored jelly beans.”
He barks out a laugh, and it's deep and warm, but I don't give in. I stare him down. “They're the best flavor and they're really hard to find.”
“Alright. S'mores flavored jelly beans. You got it.”
I extend my hand out to him and he wraps his around mine. It’s big and rough, and the contact sparks something through me.
“Don't you want to know what I want if I win?”
“Not really. It won't matter.”
“Are you sure? He’s a defenseman. He’s charming and a really good guy.”
I crane my neck, looking at him, and he drops his hand, sliding it effortlessly into his pocket.
“You and your ‘good guy’bullshit really need to give it a rest.” The words flow out of me without thought, like they are second nature—it’s the teasing tone and the way I can’t stop smiling that I’m having a hard time recognizing.
