Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
TESSA
Unbelievable.
Instead of four sets of eyes on me, now there are five. How is that fair, and why does Rome even care what I do when we’re not at work or on the track?
Ugh.
“I thought today went well,” Gia notes from beside me.
She’s sipping on Rome’s Corona because I learned that the saying ‘Beer before liquor, never been sicker. Liquor before beer, in the clear’ is the cold, hard truth.
“It went better than I thought it would,” I admit. “I didn’t think we’d get first. Not yet, even if Rome is extremely skilled–” I pause. “Do not tell him I said that.”
Gia smiles with the beer bottle up to her lips. “I don’t think Rome needs any ego-boosting. Your secret is safe with me.”
True.
I grab my new Jack and Coke and take a sip. “Once we work the kinks out, I think he’ll be right up there with Noah.”
“Once you two trust each other, you mean.”
I eye Gia from the side. “Same thing.”
She laughs. “I’m going to take some content. Are you good over here?”
“I’ll keep an eye on her,” the bartender says from behind, his accent thick but his English well pronounced.
Gia glances from him to me, and I wink at her, giving her the okay to leave me.
I’m a big girl, even if my brothers think otherwise. What more do I have to do to prove to them that I can handle myself? I’m paired with Rome Pierce, for goodness’ sake, and we somehow still finished in the top five today.
I’m fully capable of surviving the real world.
“Aren’t you supposed to be working?” I ask, turning around to face the bartender.
He’s a handsome guy–tall, with a black t-shirt that hugs his toned biceps. He shakes a drink with a sexy grin. “I am, but as long as you stay right there, I can make sure no one hits on you.”
I eye him closely. “And what if I think you’re hitting on me?”
He stops mid-pour and glances at the faint grin on my lips. “What if I am?”
I think about it for a second, and knowing my brothers and Rome are behind me, likely plotting some grand scheme to interrupt any type of fun I want to have, I fix my small smile into a larger one. “Then I guess I’ll stay.”
His smile grows, and it’s a nice one. He has bright, white teeth that stand out against his tanned skin with scruff lining his jaw. “Then drinks are on me.”
Butterflies flutter as I tip my drink back and swallow the rest of it.
I know my limit, and I won’t go beyond it, so when he puts another drink in front of me, I drink it slowly while chatting in between his drink orders.
Rome saunters up beside me at one point, ordering another Corona.
I keep my fingers wrapped around my drink and pretend he doesn’t exist. Even when his gruff chuckle hits my ears, I stay angled away from him.
It isn’t until I hear a girly voice ask him to dance that I give in. Her hand falls to his chest, and I can’t help but turn my nose up at her. I don’t know why the reaction comes, but he doesn’t notice because his eyes are too locked in on her cleavage spilling out from her low-cut dress.
I focus on my burly bartender.
He’s much more interesting.
Right?
A Corona slides next to my Jack and Coke. “Can you watch this for me?”
I turn and gape at Rome with irritation.
“I’m going to dance, and since you’ve sat here most of the night, I don’t see you getting up anytime soon.”
A devilish smirk curves onto his face, and I scowl.
He lets the woman pull him to the dance floor, and my face heats. I jerk back around and focus on the bartender.
“Hey, Sully? You good to take your break?” another bar tender asks.
Sully turns to me with a knowing grin.
“Yeah,” he calls back to him.
One second passes, then another, before he’s edging his chin to an area that leads to the back.
I nod subtly, but before I go, I down the rest of my Jack and Coke, all while leaving Rome’s Corona alone on the bartop.
I weave through the crowd, ping-ponging my eyes at each of my brothers.
They’re all busy talking, mingling, and dancing.
Rome’s back is to me with the woman’s hands wrapped around his neck.
Each team is split into different sections throughout the bar area, and I’ve kept a close watch on Beau, who hasn’t done so much as look in Rome’s direction.
Vinny is too swept up in the women with barely any clothing on to cause a scene, so I take the bait and push through the swinging doors into the abyss.
It’s dark and stuffy, but his manly cologne gets stronger the farther I step.
“Sully?” I whisper.
His hands find my waist, and desire sweeps me off my feet. I clasp my fingers around his neck, and he pulls me in close.
“Is this okay?” he asks, gruff and low.
“Mm-hmm.”
His mouth hovers over mine. “Can I kiss you?”
Instead of answering him, I press my lips to his. Our tongues move against each other in a slow, intimate way, a little whimper leaving me from the pressing need I’ve pushed away for months now.
It isn’t easy to act on.
Not with how much time I’ve been putting in at work and with my brothers always near.
Rome’s face pops up in my head, and I bite down on Sully’s lip.
A sexy growl rumbles from his chest, and he guides me against the wall. “I’ve never seen such a sweet face before, but damn you kiss like you know what you’re doing.”
I go in for another before breaking away. “That’s because I do.”
His hand travels up my leg, his calluses scraping against my smooth skin. I hook it around his waist, and he squeezes my thigh.
Rome pops into my head again—the brief memory of his hand splayed on my thigh during the press conference days ago.
“When is your break over?” I ask, hoping to continue this so I can rid Rome from my brain. He takes up all the space lately, and I'm desperate for a break.
“Now.”
My heart stalls, and if it weren’t for Sully’s mouth pausing over my neck, I would’ve thought Rome's voice was in my head.
Except, it’s not, and he’s standing less than a foot away from me.