Page 132 of Crash & Burn

Then there is Eddie.

My rainy day.

My broken boy.

My drummer with the sad eyes.

The eyes that aren’t so sad anymore.

Eddie leans in, pressing a kiss to my temple as we listen to Annie talk about how vet school is picking up as the second month starts. Luke gives her a hard time, telling her to come back to Lenny’s because Emmett still hasn’t hired her replacement yet.

Emmett rolls his eyes, and Drew laughs at her future-husband’s look of annoyance at his bartender who knows exactly how to push his buttons.

I turn to Eddie. “I’m going to go get some water.”

“I’ll get it for you.”

“No, no. You stay. I’ll be right over there.” I point over my shoulder to the bar not even ten feet away. “I’ll be fine, Eddie.” I lean in, knowing our friends can see but not caring anymore, pressing my lips against his. Feeling the warmness of his full lips, making me forget we aren’t the only one’s on the rooftop.

“There it is,” I hear Annie yell. My exposed chest reddens as our friends hoot and holler.

“About time,” Emmett says under his breath as he takes a sip of his whiskey.

“You guys are stupid,” I say as I stand up.

“Not stupid enough to know you guys have been falling for each other for over a year now. About time you stopped your silly hiding,” Annie replies, slapping me on the butt as I scoot past the lounger she and Luke are sitting in.

“Watch it, Ann.” I hear Eddie say. “There’s still one more person to tell.” With that, I walk over to the bar, a smile on my face at the fact that our friends were so happy for us to come out with our relationship, even though all of them have known about it.

It is nice to feel like Eddie and I are finally out in the open, after being a secret for so long.

“Can I get a water, please?” I ask the bartender. I have a pleasant buzz, and one more drink will take me over the edge.

“You got it,” the bartender says, as he grabs a plastic cup to fill with ice.

I set my elbows on the bar, waiting for my water. I’m tempted to turn around, knowing Eddie’s eyes are one me. I can feel them like a handprint on my heart, always looking out for me, the protective man that he is.

“Hey,” a voice says. I turn to my left to see a guy about my age. He is cute but nothing special, no striking green eyes, no mysterious scar, no calloused hands that fit perfectly around my hips.

“Hi,” I say, to be polite. I look back at the bartender who left the cup with ice unattended as he took other orders. My water long forgotten.

“I like your dress,” the guy to my left says.

“Thanks,” I say. He isn’t being too forward or rude, but I still feel my skin prickle at how he seems to inch into my space with every second that passes.

“Can I buy you a drink?” he asks, and he no longer keeps his hands to himself, his shoulder now against mine as he copies my position against the bar.

“I’m good,” I politely decline, moving my upper body a few inches the opposite way.

I glance over my shoulder, but I don’t see Eddie where I left him. I turn back to the bar, contemplating just forgetting about my water like the bartender did.

“Hey,” the guy says, but he is looking over my shoulder, and I feel the familiar presence before I even have to look. “Back off, she’s mine,” the guy says, a new edge to his voice, no longer playing the nice guy.

“Sorry, man. I’malreadyhers.” Eddie loops his arm around my waist, pulling me into him. My skin no longer prickling at the unwanted attention of some stranger but instead heating at Eddie’s choice of words.

I know Eddie is protective, possessive even. I’ve seen him lose control before, the anger he buries boiling over in a matter of seconds. But not today.

Granted, no one was threatening me or refusing to let go of me, but I can’t help the smile on my face and the heat swirling in my belly at his calm and cool demeanor, simply stating that he is mine.

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