moments later lines up Carly’s shots and Will’s stupid Leg Spreader on the bar.
She starts knocking them back.
“Got something to prove tonight?” Will asks.
She shrugs. “Maybe.”
“You may want to pace yourself.”
“Yes, Dad.”
I’m about to take one of her drinks, just to slow her down, when a woman calls out to Will. We all turn toward her voice—a stunning brunette with hazel eyes and the softest but sleekest cheekbones I’ve ever seen. Wow! She could pass as the real-life Belle from Beauty and the Beast.
“Oh, hi, Carly. This is a nice surprise,” she says as she lets herself into our private area.
Carly smiles. “Hey, Lucy, how are you?”
“Good.” The woman gives Carly a gentle hug.
“Got the night off?”
“You mean from Alexander? Yeah, the crazy kid is upstairs with Bryce and Alexis. I think his presence helps them both, strangely enough.”
Carly nods her agreement then gathers up her shots and heads toward our private booth, which is only a few metres away. “Come sit with us,” she says to Lucy and Will, and they follow her.
“Who’s that?” Sal whispers.
I shrug. “I don’t know, but she knows Alexis, Bryce, and that rude jerk.”
“You mean sexy jerk.” Sal fans her face. “Talk about delicious caveman.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Delicious?”
“Uh huh. Yum!” Her eyes gleam as if he’s a big bowl of naughty pasta.
“He looks like a security guard… or a bear.” Inconspicuously glancing over my shoulder, I snap my head back toward the bar when I find him staring at my legs. “Damn it! Why did I wear this T-shirt Carly calls a dress?” I wrench it down and grumble when it barely covers my arse.
“T-shirt or not, you look great!” Brooke says. “I’ve never seen you in something like that.” She swirls her finger in my direction.
I glance down at the body-hugging, emerald-green dress. “I look partially naked.”
“You look hot!”
“Here you go, ladies.” The bartender places three drinks on the bar top. “Two Cosmos and a Maneater.”
Brooke snatches hers up and sips on the tiny straw. “I think Caveman agrees with me, because he can’t keep his eyes off you, Lib.”
“That’s because he sees me as a piece of meat he wants to rip into.”
Sal almost drools. “I wouldn’t mind being his meat.”
“Really?” I glance over my shoulder again, and he tips his chin up before taking a swig of his drink. “You should go for it, Sal. But I’m sure he’ll chew you up and then spit you out. He seems the type.”
Picking up my drink, I sniff it hesitantly.
“What’s in that?” Brooke asks.
“No idea.” I scrunch my nose. “I’ve never had a Maneater before.”
We both laugh, and all three of us make our way back to our private booth, the taste of rum, Coke, and perhaps lime, coating my tongue as I deliberately avoid eye contact with Will. The drink is gross. Fuck Maneaters.
“Lucy, these are my friends, Brooke, Sal, and Lib,” Carly says to the woman.
“Oh, thank you for using my proper name this time,” I deadpan.
The cheeky bitch pokes her tongue out at me.
Lucy laughs but looks from me to Carly and back to me again, a little perplexed. “Hi.” She extends her hand. “Nice to meet you.”
I shake it when Carly adds, “Lucy is Bryce’s sister.”
“Oh!”
That explains her fairy tale beauty. Apparently, the extremely good-looking gene is strong in Lucy and Bryce’s family.
Carly offers one of her shots to her. “Would you like a Slippery Nipple?”
Lucy blushes but then smiles and bites her tongue, and Will bursts into laughter. I’m at a loss as to what’s so funny. Maybe he’s just one of those immature guys who laughs at the stupidest things, like the word nipple. It wouldn’t surprise me.
Giving him a playful glare, Carly continues talking to Lucy. “I’d offer you the Cum Shot, but apparently, you’re not into that.”
“No, I’m not. I’ll take a Slippery Nipple over a Cum Shot any day.”
I’m so confused.
“Fuck, this conversation is hot.” Will leans against the concrete pylon next to our booth then takes another swig of his cocktail. He swallows then pulls a face similar to a cat’s bum. I almost laugh—serves him right if his Red-Headed Leg Spreader is as revolting as my Maneater.
“William,” Lucy says, “when are you going to grow up?” She pats his shoulder condescendingly. “So I’m a lesbian. Big deal.”
Ohhh! Okay. I feel a little less out of the loop now.
He smirks and blows her a kiss.
I roll my eyes at his lack of decorum and decide to remove myself from his presence. I