Page 68 of The Cupcake Standard

That’s new. I glared over at him. “Whiskey.”

Carla wrinkled her nose at my drink choice.

“What are you having tonight, Carla?” I asked politely, ignoring Derek as he poured us drinks.

“Oh.” She smiled at me, her breathy voice a tad on the grating side. “Riesling, from right here in Michigan.” It was clear her boyfriend had scored brownie points when she laid her head on his shoulder. “Liam found it for me. Isn’t he just the sweetest?”

Liam grinned, and I gave him a thumbs up when she couldn’t see it. After grabbing a cheese tray from the fridge, I handed it to Derek, taking the opportunity to say, “What was that pinch all about?”

He whispered back, “Pirates like booty.”

I snorted so loud I had to clamp a hand over my face. Derek patted me on the shoulder.

Carla's concerned frown was gratifying as she asked, “Is she okay?”

Derek rubbed my back. “Oh, she’s just fine. Took something the wrong way, I imagine.”

He got an elbow to the ribs for that one, which I covered by handing him the box of crackers. “So what do we want to do tonight?”

We sipped our drinks, me and Derek leaning next to each other on the counter. The cheese and crackers were perfect to tide us over until dinner, whenever and wherever that would be. Getting Carla and Liam to agree on a place was like getting oil and water to stay together.

Carla wasn’t a bad person, but it was clear she wasn’t right for Liam. She was a veggie-eating, wine-drinking, prim and proper lady. Liam was much more laid-back than she could stand. He enjoyed his steak while it was still mooing, drank his beer from a tankard and wiped his mouth on his sleeve. He might have been raised upper class, but that didn’t mean he wanted to act that way every minute.

Derek managed to come up with a solution, a Hibachi grill that had just opened up on the other side of town. They had the regular Hibachi menu, including sushi, and several vegetarian options.

“Nice job, Captain,” I told him on the way out of the door.

“Thanks, Cupcake.” He linked his fingers through mine as we waited for the elevator. We took the rear facing seats in the limo, Derek pulling me firmly against him. I clenched my thighs together, wanting more already. Of course, Derek noticed and smirked at my discomfort.

I was a little distracted, so I didn’t hear the beginning of the conversation, but somehow the subject of escape rooms came up. Carla had never been to one.

“They’re so much fun,” I told her. “Clues and puzzles. Six people is a good number for most of the ones around here.” I turned to Derek. “Know who’s really great at escape rooms? Gina. She’s amazing at putting all those clues together.”

Liam snorted, while Carla looked confused.

“Who’s Gina?” she asked.

“Oh, she’s my best friend.” I grinned, and Carla returned my smile.

“Well, we should all do that some time. Bring her along. Does she have a boyfriend?”

Crap. I tried to keep my smile from faltering as I nodded. Liam and Gina in a contained room trying to solve puzzles together for an hour? Sounds like a recipe for disaster.

Carla beamed. “That’s perfect then.” She latched on to Liam’s arm and squealed. “What about tomorrow or Sunday? We don’t have any plans, do we, honey?”

I slowly turned to Derek, blinking up at him, pleading for him to help me.

“I’m free. How about you?” He just grinned, peering down into the hole I’d dug for myself.

When I pulled out my phone, I didn’t dare look at Liam. I felt his glare from here. “I’ll just see if Gina’s free then.” I took my time texting her the details, along with an apology that I’d volunteered her unintentionally. Her response was immediate. “She and Josh are available tomorrow.”

Carla squealed, already looking at escape rooms on her phone. “There’s one not far from here with an availability at eleven-thirty tomorrow morning. Should I book it? Says it’s for up to eight people.”

Derek and I shared a look, then nodded. I texted Gina to let her know.

Carla was over the moon, but if looks could kill, Liam would be sent to jail for my murder. At least dinner was nice. Hibachi chefs amazed me with their skills, the chopping, sliding, scooping, serving. Although Carla refused to catch a piece of shrimp in her mouth, the rest of us were game. The chef tossed a cooked piece of shrimp from the spatula into the air for each of us to catch. I didn’t snag mine on the first try, but I nailed it the second, pride shooting through me as I smiled triumphantly at Derek.

There was a chill in the air that I couldn’t quite shake, and Derek offered me his blazer. I accepted happily, letting him drape it over my shoulders. His thigh pressed against mine, the casual touch sending thrills through me, making me wish for more. But once he was done eating, his warm hand rested on my leg, just under my hemline.

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