Page 129 of Love, Luck & Clusterf*ck

Before he could finish that thought, I was weaving to the bar. I smooshed in between two guys who didn’t seem the least bit irritated by the intrusion.

“Hey, we have company,” one of them said. “A little lady filling for our sandwich.”

It was such a dorky thing to say, but for whatever reason, I found it outrageously funny. I started laughing hard, which made me giddier.

The touch on my back almost had me shooting to the ceiling. I’d recognize that touchanywhere. I looked down, having a silent conversation with my pussy.Don’t you fucking even think about getting wet or I swear to God I will never pamper you again.

“Perry.” He put his hands on my arms and pulled me away from the bar. I squeezed my lids shut. “I only want to know one thing and then I will leave you alone.”I love you. I hate you. I love you.He leaned in closer to my ear. “How could you do this to me?”

My eyes popped wide and I spun around. How could I do this tohim? I flipped him off, then stormed back to my table without my cherry shots.

Kate and John still weren’t back yet. I gave Adam a once-over as I approached. Why couldn’t I just be into him? He was cute, fun, a great guy. My feelings would be simple with Adam. Not this irritating ‘you’re my boss, I can’t stand you, I like you, you’re my best friend, I love you, you’re the most mind-blowing lover I’ve ever had’ royal clusterfucked arrangement.

“Trouble in paradise?” Adam said.

“Suck it.”

I could feel Stephen near my back even before I saw Adam nod. “Well, it’s about that time for me to go free Willy.” He winked then took off. Damn him.

“No Dre tonight?” Stephen asked, his tone all sharp, jagged edges.

That totally threw me for a loop. Why the hell would he ask about Dre? “No Stefanie tonight?” I retorted, knowing damn well she waslong gone by now. Until October, if I had her heat cycles correct.

“What?” Ha. I’d thrown it right back. Now we both could be discombobulated together. But separate.

“Did you see Stefanie on Sunday?”

I didn’t know why he looked the least bit surprised. Did he think Adam would keep his dirty little secret from me?

“Yes.”

Even though I knew the answer already, it still slammed me hard. I hadn’t realized it until then how much I was holding out for a shred of hope that it wasn’t her. A long-lost relative, perhaps? Freya, goddess of love and war?

“Fuck you,” I said, and his eyes widened. It was the first time I’d really taken a good look at his face since he’d arrived. The dark circles were apparent. He hadn’t been sleeping well either. Good. I would’ve been smacking him around if he had. “Either you can leave or I will.”

“You’re in no condition to be driving.”

Hey, I just meant leave the table, but if he meant the bar, so much the better. “Then I guess it’ll be you.”

I turned my back to him. I could be going off about how he’d smashed my heart into dust, then power-washed it away, but I didn’t fucking want to. I didn’t have to spell it out for him. He wasn’t a toddler still learning the rules. He knew exactly what he did to me.

John and Kate came back to the table with her arms draped around his neck. He’d probably dragged her all the way.

“Lookie, is Bossman,” Kate mumbled. “Thanks for coming.” She closed her eyes and smacked her forehead on John’s shoulder. That’d leave a nice lump.

“It’s time for me to take this one home,” John said. “I can give you a ride now too, Perry.”

“No, thanks. I’m not drunk enough yet. I’ll get a ride with Adam if I need one. Tell Kate I’ll give her a call tomorrow. Late.”

“Perry,” I heard Stephen say behind me.He’s still here?I wasgetting anesthetized and it was harder to feel him. Exactly my intent.

I turned around. “Getting a ride isn’t against policy, is it, Mr. Davidson? You seem to be stellar at enforcing them. Following them is where you fuck up.”

I left for the bathroom, passing Adam on the way. “You invited him here. Now please make him leave.”

I waited a good ten minutes before coming back. Stephen was gone. Adam had a shot waiting for me at the table.

“Aww, thanks,” I said, tossing it down. “Kate was right. These do grow on you.” The floor shook with that last one. Maybe I wasn’t shooting Everclear, but it still packed a wallop, especially because I wasn’t used to it. Maybe I should think about curbing it a while.

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