His Off Limits Best Friend - Vivian Wood Page 0,25

why he kept shifting around. He wrinkled his nose at her, and she giggled. That giggle was enough to turn his erection hard as steel. It took all his willpower not to groan in frustration—or go somewhere and jerk off just to get her off his mind.

“These stools are a bit uncomfortable,” the one investor who had no interest in Sam said.

“The price you pay for minimalism and overpriced watered down drinks,” he said.

“Oh, definitely,” said the investor. “No lounge could get away with such nonsense a few years ago. But the hipsters persist. Yes, they do,” he said. “White on white in a room full of people guaranteed to spill their drinks. What were they thinking?”

Eventually, the investors trickled out of the bar. The sun was setting, and Connor could finally relax. It was just the four of them, and it seemed so natural. Like Sam had always been a part of his crew, of his life. “So, shall we?” Chase asked.

Connor looked around the bar, which was packed already for a Thursday evening. “Yeah, this place is dead anyway.”

“You gotta update your pop culture references, man,” Jay said.

“Come on, it was a good movie!” Connor said. As they stood, Connor was grateful for the dim lighting and dark suits. You need to stop looking at her at least for a little while. Otherwise, the whole bar is going to know you’re hard for her.

Chase clapped him on the back. “You bagged a good one, buddy,” he whispered into Connor’s ear.

He didn’t know what to say. It’s all a sham. The lies just piled on top of each other. First it was his family, now his friends. He’d thought it would be easy, this whole façade, but he wasn’t sure how he felt about the whole thing. Part of him wished he could just start over. What would it have been like if I’d dated Sam for real? Knock it off, you can’t be thinking about things like that or ‘what ifs.’

Yet Connor felt a twinge every time he looked at her. It was a pull that was more than sexual desire—that he could have brushed off. At least until the show was over.

The four of them walked out of the bar together into the deep pink and purple light of the sunset. As they parted ways, both Chase and Jay pulled her in for hugs and kisses on the cheek. “Next time bring your girlfriends,” she told them. “I could do with a little more estrogen at these things.”

“Will do,” Chase said.

“Can’t,” said Jay. “Single again.”

“Ladies beware,” Sam said with a smile.

“Nobody you can hook me up with? A sister perhaps?” Jay said with a smile.

“My sister’s too young for you,” she replied.

“As long as she’s eighteen, ain’t no such thing,” he said.

Chase groaned. “Come on, I’m driving your drunk, inappropriate ass home.”

“My friends really like you,” Connor told her as they stood on the sidewalk and watched the guys head to their car. Small groups of women in cocktail dresses, men in suits, and couples who clung too tight to each other continued to pour from their daily lives into the bar.

She smiled up at him. “They have good taste, just like you,” she said with a wink.

It was strange, how Sam seemed to have it all. Looks, personality, intelligence, charm and wit. She was the perfect girl. “I don’t know,” he said. “They never seemed to really like my ex.”

Sam cocked her head. “Maybe that’s why she’s your ex, then.”

He laughed. “Maybe you’re right. Although, in Sandra’s defense, they weren’t around her much. I guess that’s not much of a defense. We were together for years and she met them maybe five times.”

“It was fun hanging out with them. Outside a club setting, I mean. It was… I don’t know. A chance to get to see there’s more to you than meets the eye.”

He snorted. The vulnerability put him on edge. “Plenty of women would kill to get with what meets the eye.”

Sam blushed and looked away. “You know what I mean,” she said. “And, besides, wow. Way to go full cocky on me.”

“I do know what you mean,” he said softly. “Sorry.” Connor looked at her and wondered. It was early, and she looked incredible. Underneath that fitted white jacket was just a slip of a silk camisole. Should I invite her to the underground fight club I’m headed to? Or… shit, no. It’s stupid to let her get so close.

Sam started walking toward the