Theirs to Protect - Julia Sykes Page 0,30

get back to the woman I loved.

Chapter Eight

Ashlyn

“Come on, Ashlyn, can’t we drink the Champagne?” Jayme asked, eyeing the bottle of Veuve Clicquot with longing. “I know that guy’s a creep, but they already popped the bottle.” She gestured at the ice bucket on our table. “I can practically feel the bubbles tickling my tongue from here.” She tucked her long blond hair behind her ear and sniffed delicately.

“Marco says we shouldn’t,” I told her, my voice uncharacteristically stern. Jayme loved to flirt, but she agreed that the middle-aged man at the bar was gross. Neither of us had any interest in his very blatant attention, and I didn’t want my best friend to get mixed up in anything unpleasant. Accepting the Champagne would give him a reason to approach us.

Marco had been right to advise me not to drink it. He’d replied to my text with a clipped response that betrayed his worry: Don’t touch the Champagne. Don’t leave Jayme for any reason. I’m on my way.

My friend pouted her cherry-red lips. “You have two hot guys who adore you. I want to have some fun, too.”

I smiled, despite the prickling awareness of the man’s eyes on my skin. I could still hardly believe that Jayme fully accepted and supported my relationship with Marco and Joseph. When we’d first moved to Boston together, I’d worried that she wouldn’t understand. But I’d refused to hide our love. It meant the world to me that Jayme had responded with enthusiasm rather than disgust. She was open-minded and had a good heart. I never should’ve doubted her.

“But you don’t want to have fun with that guy, do you?” I offered an exaggerated cringe, and she giggled.

She dared one glance at the man who’d bought the Champagne, shuddered slightly, and turned her green eyes back to me. “Definitely not. He’s way too old for me. And not a silver fox.” She frowned, considering the bubbly. “More like a rabid wolf. Ugh, I can feel his eyes on me. So gross. No means no, dude!” Before I could stop her, she shot him a rude hand gesture over her shoulder.

“Jayme!” My gasp was caught somewhere between exasperation and laughter. We were nearly finished with our own bottle of prosecco, and we were both feeling a little silly.

She laced her fingers together and propped her chin on them, batting her long, dark lashes in a mockery of innocence. “What? Did I do something wrong? He’s the one being rude. We made it clear that we weren’t interested, and he’s not backing off. Now that delicious bubbly is tempting me right in my face, but I can’t touch it because that will be an invitation for him to come over here. So annoying.” She glanced at the untouched bottle again, then looked back at her nearly empty glass of prosecco.

“We agreed no more than one bottle between the two of us,” I reminded her. “You have an early flight, remember? Just think about all the hotties you’ll meet in Cancun and forget about that old creep.”

Her eyes widened, imploring. “I wish you would come with me. I really like Sarah and the girls, but they’re not you, bestie. Are you sure you can’t get a ticket and hop on the plane with us tomorrow?”

“That would be amazing,” I said truthfully. “But Joseph’s academic schedule is different from ours, and his spring break is next week. We agreed not to go on vacation and focus on our studies. You and I can plan a trip for this summer. Maybe Europe?”

Jayme sighed, suddenly glum. “You’ll have your sexy men, and I’ll be the third wheel. Fourth wheel.”

I reached out and squeezed her hand. “I meant a girls’ trip. I love Joseph and Marco, but I love you, too. They can figure out how to entertain themselves for a week this summer while we go on an adventure.”

Her eyes sparkled. “Really? Oh my god, that would be so fun!”

“Ladies,” an oily, accented voice oozed over my shoulder. “You’re not drinking my Champagne.”

Jayme’s eyes snapped to my left, spearing the older man with a glacial green stare. “No, we’re not,” she replied coldly, lifting her chin in dismissal.

“But we can’t let something so lovely go to waste.” The heat of his hand whispered by my shoulder as he reached for the Veuve. I flinched, and he laughed. His dark brown eyes danced, and his thin lips tilted in a smirk as he winked at me. “Don’t worry, I won’t bite.”

Jayme