Ryder grins at me and takes a sip of his beer.
“What?” I ask when he keeps grinning.
“It's the same way I felt when I met Eve. You’re in deep, brother.”
“So deep I can’t find my fucking way out,” I mutter. “I just wish she would let me in more. I feel like she’s hiding something, and if I knew what it was, I could get a better read on her.”
“She’ll tell you when she’s ready. Just keep showing up for her and being your charming self. The trust will follow once she realizes you’re not going anywhere.”
“I hope you’re right.” I down the rest of my drink and signal the bartender for another.
“I’m always right,” he grins. “Especially the part earlier when I said I was going to kick your ass in pool.” He stands up and takes the full beer that I just ordered for him.
“Care to make a bet on that?”
“You’re on.” His eyes gleam at the challenge as we walk to the back room where several billiard tables sit. A few tables already have games going as we pick one in the back corner. Two girls at a high-top table stop talking as we walk by. I avoid their stares, not wanting to give them encouragement. When I hear my name being whispered along with the name of the band I used to play with, I know it’s only a matter of time before they wander over.
I start to rack up the balls when we reach our table. I’m only six turns in when I smell a light perfume against my back as I straighten from the shot I just took.
“You’re Miles Montgomery, right? Drummer for Southern Tides?” I turn to the two girls standing behind me. They are in their mid-twenties, both pretty and my usual type that I would go for.
“Used to be,” I say to the blonde one who asked. Her blue eyes size me up, and she doesn’t hide the fact that she likes what she sees.
“We saw you in concert. You were amazing.” She plays with the straw in her fruity drink as her pink tongue comes out in a clear, suggestive way.
“Thanks,” I say, glancing at Ryder, who is standing there, finding this way too amusing for my liking.
“Who’s your friend?” The brunette one says, nodding at my brother. It couldn’t be clearer that they want to double up.
“His friend is married,” I hear Ryder say, and my lip quirks up. I wouldn’t expect anything less from my brothers. They are as loyal as they come, and their wives are their world.
“Oh,” she pouts, looking in his direction before turning her brown eyes on me. “I guess we get to share tonight then.”
I eye the two of them and wait for the rush of adrenaline or the thrill of anticipation to hit me, but it never comes. I feel…nothing. If anything, I feel a little pissed that my game got interrupted and annoyed that I’m getting hit on by two girls I don’t want and ignored but the one Idowant.
“Sorry, girls. The only thing I’m interested in doing tonight is finishing this game with my friend.” I don’t even want to share the fact that he’s my brother. Everything feels wrong all of a sudden. The way their perfume smells, the color of their eyes, how they're not…
My brain scrambles to catch up with what my heart andbody are telling me. In the past, I would have already left with them both and slapped a fifty on the table, forfeiting my game with Ryder.
They're not her.
Olivia flashes in my mind, and all I want is for her to be standing here in their place. I don’t want anything else.
“Are you sure?” The blonde’s hand touches my chest, and I gently but firmly move it away.
“I’m sure,” I say, walking away to the other side of the table to line up my next shot, making it clear that I’m done talking to them. I hear their high-heeled shoes walking away, and I breathe a sigh of relief.
“You just turned down a threesome,” Ryder laughs. “I can’t believe I just witnessed that.”
I lift my eyes from the pool stick and glare at him before focusing on my shot again.
“Didn’t feel right.” I pull back and do a nice hit, easily pocketing the blue striped ball.
“And that right there,” he grins, “should tell you everything elseisright.”
I feel a smile touch my lips as my thoughts go back to Olivia. She definitely feels right. Besides the feel of drumsticks in my hand, nothing has ever felt more right, and I intend to do whatever it takes to keep her in my life.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
