“I’ll just take club soda with a twist of lime, please.”
“Sure. Are you the designated driver tonight?”
I shrugged. “I guess so. Thanks, Josie.”
She turned on her heels and sauntered back to where the bartender stood.
Jenna stared at me, tapping her finger on the rim of her beer bottle. “What the hell is going on with you? Why aren't you drinking?”
I looked at her and saw understanding dawn immediately. I didn't even get a word out before she gasped.
“Oh my God. Not you too.”
“Not me too what?”
“Mackenzie isn't coming because she's been puking for the last three days because she's pregnant. Sera’s pregnant again. And now you.” She smacked her palm on the table.
“I’m not pregnant,” I said. “Yet.”
Her eyes went wide. “Wait, are you serious? You’re really doing it? Getting a donor?”
I bit my lower lip. It was hard not telling her the entire truth. But it was also for the best. “I got a donor. I made my first deposit, and now I’m waiting to see what happens.”
“That's really exciting. And scary as hell. What does this mean for girls’ night?”
I laughed. “We can do girls’ night at my house or at Mack’s place. It doesn't always have to be out here. Really, we don't have to be around cowboys to make it a fun night.”
“That's true,” she agreed. “Usually the cowboys are only good for a little bit of fun. And some are really hard to get out of your house.” She stared me down, but her gaze flicked past me, and those perfect brows of hers rose. “Are you gonna explain why Maverick Wilde is here and looking at you like he wants to have you for dinner?”
I turned my head, and sure enough, Mav stood in the doorway with Trent Ryker, gaze leveled on me, a smirk on his lips.
What was he doing here? Checking up on me? Making sure I was okay? Making sure I stayed out of trouble? He knew this was where I was going to be. The cocky bastard winked as he approached our table, and I could practically feel the questions building in Jenna.
“Hi there, ladies. I hope you don't mind us interrupting your girls' night,” Trent said, his eyes on the woman at my side.
Gaze trained on Trent, she shrugged and pretended she was unaffected. “I think we'll manage. At least now there are some gentlemen here who can push us around the dance floor, right, Trent?”
Trent took his hat off and put it on his chest, offering her a slight nod of his head. “Yes, ma'am.”
Then, like a good boy, he held out a hand and waited for her to take it so he could lead her out onto the dance floor.
“What are you doing here? I thought you had hockey games to watch,” I asked.
“Nothing. Going out for a beer with my buddy. You know, wingman stuff.”
“You are so transparent.”
“Oh really? Am I?”
“Yes, you came out here to check on me. Admit it.”
He shoved his hands in his pockets and stared down at his boots. Then, he deliberately dragged his gaze all the way up my body before stopping on my eyes. “So maybe I wanted to see you. Is there anything wrong with that?”
“You can see me, but you shouldn't be looking at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you’re picturing me with no clothes on.”
“Well, what if I am?”
A shiver ran through me. What if he was? What was I going to do about that?
“I just think if we're going to keep this quiet, then you can't look at me like that.”
“I see. Do you want me to look at someone else like that?”
“No.” My response was so fast, I didn't think he would even register that I'd spoken. But he did. Clearly. Because he started chuckling.
“Come on. Let me push you around the dance floor.”
“No.”
“Baby, we do this all the time. People see us out at weddings. They see us here. They see us dance, talk, play, and be friends. So if you're telling me that this arrangement we've got means I can't be your friend in public, we’re going to have to rework things.”
I sighed and nodded before standing and taking his hand. “Okay, you're right. And I do love this song. Seems a shame to sit it out.”
“Exactly.” He took my hand in his and led me out onto the sawdust-covered dance floor.
Amidst the other couples, we two-stepped our way around, him spinning me out then pulling me back in. Dipping me, making me laugh. The smile on his face reached his eyes and made his entire expression more youthful and light. Like he was genuinely enjoying this, enjoying being with me and having me in his arms. The song changed to a slow, romantic ballad, as they always seemed to do when the dance floor was full of happy couples. Instead of releasing me like he normally would, he pulled me tight and held me close.
“Don't go away just yet, darlin’. I'm not done with you.”
I couldn't bring myself to force the issue, because truth be told, I enjoyed being in his arms. Way too much. I glanced around to see if any of the other people at the bar noticed us. They weren't focused on me; they were paying attention to the people with them.
The only person who paid me any mind was Jenna. She and Trent had left the dance floor as soon as the song changed. Now they were sitting across from each other and having a conversation they both seemed very interested in. That was good. Jenna needed to know good guys existed. And Trent Ryker was as good as they came.
“It seems like you're down a person tonight, maybe two. Where are Sera and Mackenzie?”
“They're both pregnant and sick. Mackenzie says she can barely stand up without getting nauseous, and Sera is feeling extra exhausted this time around. Don't tell her, but I think it's twins.”
“You do?”
“Yeah. It's just an instinct. Poor Sutton. He had a hard enough time with the first one. What's he gonna do with two?”
“He was pretty good. I think he'll be just fine. Those two might have fallen into a marriage, but they make a really solid team.”
“Yeah, they do. You're right. And he puts her first when she really needs it. That's important for a marriage to really work—for any relationship to really work. You have to communicate. And you have to put the other person first when they need you the most. Not always, but when they really need you. You have to be there. No questions asked.”
He took a deep breath and held me just a little tighter. “Do you want to get out of here now? Because I've been thinking about you all day. Thinking about when you're gonna come over. When I get to see you . . . taste you.”
My nipples tightened. God, he was so good at derailing the subject and making me horny. “I don't want to leave Jenna by herself.”
“Right, right. I just got carried away with all the possibilities. Especially having you so close, moving with me, and you smell so good.”
“We've only been here a little while. I can’t leave yet. How about I spend some time with her, and you go be the wingman you were born to be for Trent? We'll see where the night takes us, okay?”
“The night is taking us home to my bed.”