Page 106 of In Your Wildest Dreams
“You came to the bar just to be in the same place as him, but have no intention of talking to him or kissing him or interrupting that girl that’s trying to get his attention?” Scarlett asks.
When I glance back at where Ash stands, he is indeed talking to a girl.
“Want me to go tell her to get lost?” Ev asks me.
“We’re not exclusive,” I say as jealousy sweeps through me. “And yes, I know it isn’t ideal, but I want to support him even if it means we can’t make out in the corner like Jade and Declan.”
“Oh, honey, that is just about the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard.” Scarlett reaches over and squeezes my hand.
She and Everly are both giving me weird looks.
“And to hang out with you guys,” I say quickly before taking a drink. “Do you want to play pool or darts or something?”
“I’m gonna go to the bar.” Scarlett tips her head toward where the guys are. “Leo and I only have about an hour before we need to go pick up Callum.”
“I’m in.” Ev finishes off the last of her soda and then stands. She grabs my hand and pulls me to my feet. “But first we need to get another drink.”
I have no idea why I’m nervous as Everly tugs me behind her toward the end of the bar where Ash is standing with Jack and some girls I don’t recognize. My friend obviously is not because she marches right up between Jack and Ash.
“Hey. Nice game,” she says to them. She moves closer to Jack, forcing him to make room and then uses our joined hands to pull me beside her.
“Congrats!” My smile is timid, but my heart is beating so fast as I get a whiff of Ash’s cologne.
“Thanks,” he says, then turns sideways to lean one hip against the bar. He tips up his beer with long fingers and stares at me. I watch as his throat works. One day. It’s only been one day since I’ve seen him, but it feels like an eternity. Dating a hockey player means lots of time apart when the team travels. A month ago that seemed like no big deal. Those were simpler times back when I didn’t know how hard Ash Kelly could make me come. Or how many times. Or…
Ev breaks me out of my daydream by squeezing my hand. “Do you want something to drink?”
“Oh. Yeah. Chardonnay,” I say to the bartender.
“Same,” Ev tells him.
“One Chardonnay and one Pepsi,” Jack orders the guy behind the bar while giving Everly the side-eye. “Put their drinks on my tab.”
“Having a good night?” Ash asks. He leans an inch closer, and I can feel the heat of him. I’d think he were completely unaffected if not for the way his eyes hold me captive and the tension in his shoulders. He wants to throw me over that tense shoulder and get out of here. I want that too. So badly.
But Ev has been giving me shit for not going out with her and Grace more since I started seeing Ash. And I know that somewhere, deep down below the sex haze we’re in, Ash wants to celebrate the win with his teammates too.
“Pretty average so far,” I say with a small shrug, fighting a smirk.
He invades my space so quickly it catches me off guard and I inhale sharply.
“I have a few ideas on how to improve both our nights,” he whispers, breath tickling my neck and making goosebumps dot my skin.
He pulls back as quickly as he came. Everly hands me my wine. I take a large sip, but it doesn’t do anything to cool the warmth flooding my body.
After a few more torturous minutes of talking with Ash and Jack, Everly and I leave them. The dartboards are occupied, but Ev recognizes a couple of guys from school, and they let us join them. She introduces me, but I barely catch their names. Ash and Jack have attracted more people, mostly women, and I want to claw their eyes out.
He isn’t even paying them that much attention. Every time I look up at him, he’s staring back. And I know Ash well enough to know he isn’t going to hit on anyone in front of me or do anything to purposely hurt me. That isn’t him.
Blowing out a breath, I do my best to ignore my hot man at the bar (for now) and hang with Ev and get to know her friends. They turn out to be pretty nice. I think they both like Everly, but that’s not all that surprising because she’s beautiful and fun and has that air of confidence that guys love.
We play two games, then go to sit at a table with them across the bar.
I can’t see Ash from here unless I crane my neck over the crowd of people between us.
My phone buzzes in my pocket.
Ash
