“I can’t handle the smoke.” She fakes a cough then immediately turns a grin on the guy next to her. As happy as I am to see her moving on, I’d like to see a little more action over here. I don’t even know half of these people, but I’m burning alive by the grill… in a hundred-degree weather… to feed them food I can’t afford… so they can flirt with Millie.
And her theme? Pretty sure it’s males. There area fewwomen here who are having the time of their lives with all the single men.
Speaking of one of the women—a girl in a skimpy pink bikini leans over the half wall the grill is fastened to.
“Can I get another bun?” she asks, her wandering eyes cluing me into the kind of bun she’s in search of.
I wave the tongs behind me. “Over there.” I realize my mistake when she takes a step around the wall. I hold the tongs up between us.
She bites her bottom lip and inches closer. “You look hot.”
Original. I fold my arms across my chest, warding her off. I don’t know her name, nor do I care to ask. “Well, Iamplaying with fire.”
She tosses her hair over her shoulder. “I like a man who’s dangerous,” she says, running the tip of her finger along my forearm.
“Connor?”
That sounded like… “Maddie?” I glance over the blonde’s shoulder to find the most beautiful woman in the world. She’s got on fitted denim jeans and a black tank. My eyes drink her in like they’ll never get their fill. I think Arizona just got ten degrees hotter.
“You’re not dressed for a party.” She’s dressed to steal my breath away.
She doesn’t smile. In fact, she’s glaring at me. Shoot, what did I do now? “Maybe because I wasn’t invited,” she says through tight lips.
Wasn’t invited…?Uh oh. For the last two days I’ve been meeting with Max’s dad and a few other lawyers to figure out the life insurance debacle. I only got home an hour ago, and Millie stuck me in front of the barbecue.
“I forgot to text you.” I smack my forehead.
“There was something else you forgot.” Her eyes narrow until there are twin lasers shooting straight into my soul.
I gulp. “What?”
She stomps toward me and snatches the tongs out of my hands. Only then do I realize the flirtatious blonde has disappeared. Darn. I could use a shield.
“Does dinner with my parents ring any bells?” Maddie aims the tongs at my face like she’ll take out my eye.
Dinner. Her mom. It’s all coming back now. And it doesn’t paint me in an excellent light. “Shoot, Maddie. I’m so sorry. I’ve been busy with this important case, and then Millie threw this party last minute. It slipped my mind.”
Judging by her scrunched brows, this isn’t the answer she wanted to hear. But if she’s upset, that means she cares. I hope.
“Well, you blew your chance. I won’t be someone’s afterthought.” She shoves the tongs at my chest, and I grab them before they impale me. I toss them onto the wall and grab her arm before she can leave.
“You’re never an afterthought,” I whisper. “You’re in every thought. You’re the first thing I think about when I wake up and the last thing on my mind before I fall asleep.”
“Liar.” She pulls away and backs up a few steps toward the pool.
I raise an amused brow and stalk toward her, but she continues to retreat. “I see we’re back to name-calling.”
“You don’t think about me any more than you think about your arrogant self.”
I purse my lips. “Really?” I know what she’s doing. She’s trying to start a fight, to get me to say something that will make it easier for her to pull away. I’m not about to let that happen. “What else?”
“You’re a cheater.”
Those old, familiar words make my jaw clench.Don’t give in. Let her get it out.
She frowns when I don’t respond. “And…you smell horrible!”
We are at the edge of the pool now, and if she isn’t careful, she’s going to drop herself in.
