Chapter 10
10
ASHER
My beer glass was to my lips, my mouth full of bittersweet ale, when Summer strolled into Drunken Destiny looking like a goddamn wet dream. I sputtered and choked as my drink caught in the back of my throat, and it was only by a miracle that I didn’t spit ale all over Connor, who was seated opposite me at our table.
Toby clapped me on the back, harder than necessary. “You okay there, Ash?”
“Fine,” I muttered, coughing into my elbow to clear the last dregs of liquid from my windpipe. “Went down the wrong tube.”
“You’re supposed to swallow it, not inhale it,” he teased.
“Yeah, yeah.”
My eyes found Summer again. Grace and Nate were with her, but I barely noticed either of them, my attention consumed by the tight gold dress wrapped around her stunning little body.
The neckline rode low over her breasts, exposing cleavage and collarbones, and the skirt only fell to mid-thigh, revealing tanned legs that seemed to go on forever thanks to the high-heeled black boots she wore.
Holy fucking shit.
I blinked a few times, but the gorgeous mirage didn’t disappear.
“Wow,” Darcy breathed.
Liam shoved his shoulder. “Don’t undress my baby sister with your eyes.”
Guilt soured in my stomach, and I snapped my gaze away from Summer.
That’s right. There were reasons I hadn’t already claimed her. Firstly, she might not even want me. Secondly, she was my best friend’s sister. And thirdly, I wasn’t the stable, predictable Mr. Right she deserved. The fact she’d opted for a dress more suited to clubbing than the jeans or sundresses she usually preferred didn’t give me any excuse to ogle her.
“I’m not,” Darcy protested. “She’s pretty, that’s all I’m saying.”
“Too old for you,” I reminded him.
Not too old for me, though.
I ignored the rogue thought. It didn’t matter that I was more than happy—and ready—to settle down. She was Liam’s baby sister—a sassy, impulsive woman who would be better off with a steady man who could balance her out. She and I were like a fire and gasoline.
A bad idea.
Nate joined us, and when I glanced over, I saw that Grace and Summer were chatting with Heather and Kennedy at the bar. We were officially here to celebrate the pregnancy, although it wasn’t a baby shower. That would come later. This was just an excuse for Eugene to throw a party.
“I’m glad we’ve already done all the baby parties,” Nate said, gesturing for Bailey to bring him a beer. “I’m more than happy for it to be someone else’s turn.”
Liam chuckled. “You think you’re through it all? Just wait until the birth.”
“Nope.” Nate held up one of his fingers. “I made Mum promise. No parties, and no massive family gatherings until they’re at least a month old. “There’s no need to put either Grace or our child through that.”
Liam laughed. “Good luck with that.”
“What do you mean? I—”
The music suddenly got louder, and Nate stopped talking midstream. I looked around to see that a few people had started dancing in the area of the pub that Eugene had cleared to serve as a dance floor.
Bailey brought Nate’s beer over and I watched her return to the bar, snag Summer’s hand, and pull her onto the dance floor. They bounced and spun together, both laughing.
Damn, Summer’s smile was gorgeous.
Kennedy joined them, and they all held hands and swayed to the beat.
“Are you going to dance with them?” I asked Liam, who was gazing at Kennedy fondly.
“Maybe later, but I have two left feet. No one needs to see that until they’re a few drinks in.”
I shot him a look. “Kennedy isn’t drinking, is she?”
He snorted. “Hardly. She’s having those virgin cocktails that Bailey has been making for Grace the past few months. All fruit juice and sugar, so I don’t need to worry about her getting drunk, just sugar high.”
Bailey disconnected from the group and went to the bar, where Eugene had been inundated with orders.
Darcy stood and wiped his hands on the front of his dark jeans. “Well, even if none of you are dancing, I am.”
He made his way around the tables to the dance floor, where he headed straight for Summer. I narrowed my eyes as he spoke to her, and gritted my teeth as he touched her arm.
“You seriously don’t have a problem with that?” I asked Liam.
He shrugged. “Is he what I want for her? No. But like I said before, I don’t think there’s any reason to worry. He isn’t what Summer wants for herself either. Haven’t you ever noticed that the men she brings home are usually older than her, not younger?”
Huh. I’d never picked up on that. I filed it away to think about later.
“What about you?” I asked Connor.
His lips twitched. “I trust that Summer knows exactly what she’s doing.”
“Since when?” I demanded. After Nate, Connor was the most overprotective of her brothers. But the bastard just gave me his signature Mona Lisa smirk.
“I have a problem with it,” Nate said, swigging his beer. “But I also like to keep all my parts in working order, and if I interfere right now, there’s every chance that Summer will break something. It’s easier to let it go until later. I have a good view from here, so I can see whether she’s making good choices or not.”
I side-eyed him. Being married to Grace had mellowed him, which was usually a good thing, but right now, I wouldn’t have minded the old, hot-tempered Nate showing his face.
A new song started, and on the dance floor, Darcy took Summer’s hands and whisked her into his embrace. My scowl deepened as I realized that, to my annoyance, Darcy was a decent dancer. He had light feet and spun Summer with ease.
Perhaps once, I might have thought they were a good fit for each other, but now, I knew better. Darcy couldn’t give Summer what she needed, just like I couldn’t. Unfortunately, that didn’t seem to be holding him back the same way it did me.
My jaw clenched as he checked out her legs when she twirled away from him.
“Calm down before you break something,” Toby said cheerfully.
I settled back sullenly and did my best not to pay any attention to Summer and Darcy. However, a few songs later, when Summer broke off from him to go to the bar, my feet carried me right to her side.
I shoved through the cluster of people around the bar until I was beside her. “You look cozy with Darcy.”
I cursed myself as soon as the words were out of my mouth. The last thing I needed was for her to guess I was jealous.Especially considering our history.
She glanced over her shoulder at me, but fortunately, the wicked temper she so often displayed around me was nowhere to be seen.
“He’s a great dancer,” she said.
I scoffed, even though yeah, he was.
“What?” One of her eyebrows arched up. “If you think you can do better, I’d be happy to see you try.”
I was tempted.
Damn, I was so tempted.
I longed to take her hand, sweep her onto the floor, and show her exactly how good we could be together. But I wouldn’t. If I did that now, her brothers would know exactly why I’d been so sour about her dancing with Darcy, and then I’d be in trouble.
I shook my head. “I just didn’t think you’d want to be seen as a cougar.”
Her mouth fell open, and warning alarms blared in my head.
Fuck, I’d gone too far.
Oh, shit.
Fury blazed in her eyes, and for a moment, I thought she might hit me. But then she snatched up a glass of wine from the bar and tossed it in my face. I closed my eyes and sputtered, my nose burning as I inhaled. I wiped my eyes on the back of my sleeve and blinked at her.
She went onto her tiptoes, her nose an inch from mine. “At least Darcy knows what he wants and isn’t afraid to go for it.”
Then she spun around and sashayed away. Right back to Darcy.
Fuck my life.
“Asher.”
I glanced up. Bailey was holding a towel out to me.
I took it and dried my face, then passed the towel back to her. “Thanks.”
“It’s fine,” she said, tossing it aside.
I flinched. Coming from Bailey, the queen of enthusiasm, a simple “fine” was definitely the cold shoulder.
Fair enough. I’d insulted her best friend.
My head down, I returned to our table, beer-less and reeking of wine.
“What was that about?” Liam asked.
Toby looked like he was about to bust himself trying to hold in his laughter.
“Let it out,” I snapped. “Go on.”
He burst out laughing. Nate joined him. To their credit, both Liam and Connor resisted.
“Seriously,” Toby gasped between laughs. “What did you do to her?”
I didn’t reply, but I felt my face turning red as shame heated my insides. I’d been an ass. I looked over at Summer, who was once again spinning in Darcy’s arms. I wanted to stride over there and tear them apart, but after how poorly I’d behaved, I deserved to have to sit here and watch her with someone else.
Karma at its finest.