same time, he and Kris reached forward for the glasses of water in front of them and took a drink.
Yeah, as far as group dates went, this one was pretty much a disaster.
Chapter 23
It was bad enough for a guy to walk through a restaurant when he knew his pants were tenting. It was even more awkward to know that the woman who’d made it her business to get him in that condition was in hot pursuit.
Heaven help him, but Mike wasn’t ready to get a hand job in public on a first date. No thanks.
Mike couldn’t let Sydney follow him into the bathroom. He had to draw the line somewhere. So rather than pushing into the men’s room, he waited until he was around the corner and out of sight of the table before turning and waiting for Sydney. Mike wasn’t sure what he was going to say to her, but whatever might have come out was squashed by what Sydney said the moment she joined him.
“Seriously?” she hissed the second she turned the corner.
“Seriously, what?” Mike asked, honestly confused.
“You’re into her,” Sydney accused.
Mike hadn’t been expecting that and faltered before a moment before turning incredulous. “What? Into who?”
“Really?” Sydney folded her arms over her ample chest. “You’re going to look me in the eye and pretend to think that I’m possibly referring to your sister?”
Okay, she had him there. He’d played too dumb and gotten caught. But even still, his brain hadn’t quite transitioned from what she’d been doing thirty seconds ago to what she was asking him now. It was a bit of a chasm for his mind to cross. And she wasn’t done talking.
“I may not be known for being the sharpest tool in the shed, but I can read a room like a fucking savant. And that?” she said, stabbing her finger the direction of the table. “That’s too fucked up for even Hollywood.”
“It’s not that weird.”
“No?” she said, her voice raising as she squared off with him. “Well, excuse me if I’m not used to a guy eye-fucking another woman while my hands are on him. Or if I find it totally weird that your sister’s date is playing footsie with me under the table while your sister fumes like a jealous wife every time Rori and Luke brush up against each other—which Rori is only doing so you’ll be more into me, by the way. Don’t think I don’t see those competitive glances you two keep sending each other. Just fuck her already, and let the cards fall where they may.”
“But she’s engaged to my—”
“Such a joke,” she said over him. “And no offense, but your sister’s the worst. Frigid as hell, but still wanting Luke to get jealous? That girl needs to raise her game, like yesterday. Luke is nice and all, but he’s totally clueless. Even for a man.”
“I don’t interfere in my sister’s love life,” was all Mike could think to say, even as his mind raced to process everything Sydney had just said.
“Well, that’s obvious!”
“And what did you mean about Caleb playing footsy?”
“Well, what I mean is that the guy is playing footsy with me under the table, but you’ve been so busy sneaking peeks at Rori while I handle you that you haven’t even noticed.” Her face turned thoughtful. “And he’s not bad, I have to say. He found the doorbell pretty quick, if you know what I mean.”
“What?” Mike said, spinning toward the table in reflex. Sydney grabbed his arm and stopped him.
“Oh, please. No need to defend my honor. It happens all the time.”
Her honor? In truth, that hadn’t even occurred to him. Caleb was on a date with his sister and cheating on her right under the table. That was it! Ruse or no ruse, there was no way Kris was seeing him again. Not a single chance.
“But this does present a dilemma,” Sydney mused as Mike fumed. “You all clearly need help. Maybe even professional help. Who knows? But I’m all you’ve got, so what’s a girl to do?”
Mike was only listening with one ear. “I’m going to kill him.”
“Aw. You make such a cute protective older brother. I always wanted one of those.”
“He’d have his hands full,” Mike said, before thinking better of it. Luckily she laughed.
“I imagine he would, but Mike? Look at me.”
She got his full attention back when she grabbed his chin in one hand and forced him to look at her. “Answer me this: what color are Rori’s eyes?”