Page 72 of How to Ruin Your Ex's Wedding
Even-keeled? Tabatha? Is he thinking of the right girl?
“Besides,” Hunter continues, “what’s to mind? It’s not like they are strippers or prostitutes. This is my bachelor evening, so I’m sure even if I had a stripper, she would be fine with it.”
“And are you?” I ask him.
His gaze hits me. “Am I what?”
“Are you having a stripper?”
“Of course not. Are we not civilized enough to be able to enjoy an evening of conversation and wit without having breasts and buttocks shaken in our faces?”
I look around the room at the guys assembled here. “No, I don’t think we are.” I’m only halfway kidding. And it’s meant to be a joke. Hunter doesn’t seem to take it that way.
“You’re welcome to leave anytime. You weren’t even on the guest list.”
I hear a noise of suppressed laughter. I’m sure it was Geek One or Geek Two if not both. I catch Hunter’s eye and hold his stare, not looking away until Gregor interrupts.
“So, how ’bout those Seabirds?”
We laugh, which was his intent.
I get up to grab a bottled water from a chilled bin on a side table. A body appears beside me. I know it’s Hunter without even looking.
“Don’t push me, Pax. I could bury you so fast it would make your head spin.”
“I don’t think so, bud.”
“You’re a photographer.” He says it like it’s a dirty word. “It’s nothing in my world. I could buy and sell you one hundred times over. I know the deal. If I want Gregor, I have to take you as well. But mark my words, it won’t always be this way. At some point, he will realize the trash that you are. Then who will you tag along with to the big boy parties?”
I could hit him. I really could. I won’t. But I could. My fist tightens at my side. He’s just such a—
The door to the room crashes open.
“Surprise!” In walks Tabatha, with her little entourage behind her.
21
Tabatha
I’m kind of nervous walking into the steakhouse where I know Hunter and his friends are. Though, I can’t really tell you why. The girls follow closely behind me as the hostess shows us to the private back room. We get to the closed door, whereI smell the faint aroma of cigars and hear male laughter. It makes me smile knowing that Hunter is in there with his friends, doing what he enjoys.
Maybe we shouldn’t interrupt.
“This was a dumb idea,” I whisper. “We should just leave them alone and let them have their guy night.”
“I think it’s cute,” Crystal whispers back. She would. Michael would be happy to spend his bachelor evening with her. Hell, he’d probably rather. But I’m not sure Hunter and I are the same way.
“Just go,” Angela urges.
“Okay, fine.” I push open the door and waltz in. “Surprise!” I cough a bit from all the cigar smoke in the air and look around for Hunter.
Instead, the first person I see is Pax.
What in the actual fuck is he doing here?
He catches my eye, then purposefully looks me down and back up again slowly. Appreciation and desire are written all over his face, and a hunger in his eyes.
That’s it right there!
