I held my bottle up and smirked. “And look at you now.”

After the third one on an empty stomach, I started to feel good, and my muscles relaxed. That was when she returned—my siren.

She avoided me, looking at Dex instead as he ordered us an appetizer and pizza—the same thing we ate every time. The intense reaction I had to her crashed over me like it had never waned with her farther away. It crippled me. Every muscle tensed to keep me in place.

If she looked at me, there would be no way to stop myself.

From what?

That was the million-dollar question. All answers involved her skin against mine in some capacity—the more, the dirtier, the better.

Her hand shook as she scribbled our order, eyes looking down as they rotated toward me. She didn’t make it past the height of my chest before her lips parted and she stopped.

“The pizza will take about an hour, but I’ll get the appetizer out shortly.”

“Thank you, Hope.” My voice was harsh, thick, my dick twitching when she licked her lips.

I had something for her to lick. In fact, it had her name and hers alone on it.

The thought stopped me cold. Realization took hold, my fever for her burning me from inside.

She had to be the one to get me off. Only her touch, her lips, her pussy would do. Until then, I would continue down my maddening spiral into hell, lust consuming me until there was nothing left but a devil bent on taking her.

“You’re so fucked.”

I leaned forward and slammed my head against the table. “I think I need some air.”

“You need something, but air isn’t gonna help you.”

My eyes were glued to her as she moved around, noticing how she avoided looking in my direction. She recognized me from the church. Was she embarrassed?

Curiosity added to my already-insane attraction, and I wanted to know why.

Why was she avoiding me? Why did I need her so much? Why her?

Why couldn’t I stop wanting her?

By beer six, an appetizer, a passed hour, and my obsession avoiding me, I was pissed in both the British and American sense. I batted the newest empty bottle around the tabletop until Dex’s hand slapped down on it.

“We came here to drink, watch the game, and have a good time. Your moody, hyper sexed-up ass is fucking that up.”

“We also came to take a load off.”

“Not get a load off.”

I flipped him the bird. “Keep it up, and you aren’t coming with me. I’ll leave your ass with the bitch and the prissy boy.”

He smirked and passed me another beer. “Nah, you need me too much. I’m better looking.”

“Hell, no.”

“It’s true. The girls at the gym did a poll.” He flexed his muscles and grinned. Corn-fed Indiana farm boy with blond hair and blue eyes. Add in the body he spent too much time on and the tattoos, along with his ultra-friendly personality—he could be hotter than me. I’d never admit it to his ass though. It amazed me his girl put up with him.

“That’s because you’re always taking your shirt off and flirting with every female that walked in. Monica always got mad when I looked at another woman.”

“I still won.”

I shook my head. “I demand a recount.”

A shudder rippled through me right before Hope arrived at our table with our pizza in hand.

“She’ll settle this.” I pointed to her, shocking her enough to look up at me.

Her fucking doe eyes were a gut punch. I imagined them looking up at me with her mouth around my cock.

Dex shook his head. “Yeah, she’s not a good judge.”

“What?”

“Huh?” Her brow scrunched up, lost to the conversation I’d thrust her into.

Mmm, thrust.

My hips flexed, and I fought the incredible urge to touch her, to lean forward and lick her skin. Losing my inhibitions with her around was a bad combination.

Dex turned to her. “We’re having a debate on who’s hotter, but I already know who you’ll say.”

Her brow scrunched, and a clarity I hadn’t seen moved through her. “What does that mean?”

“Are you going to tell me you’d say me after the eye-humping that’s been going on between you two?”

Her mouth and eyes popped open as she stared at him. I wanted to give him shit for calling us out, but I’d become transfixed by her parted lips. The image of running my cock head against them before pushing into her hot mouth was squashed when she turned to me with an angry pout and attempted glare, then walked away.

“Thanks, man.”

He dished out a piece of pizza, grinning as he eyed it. “Truth is tough sometimes. Just seeing if your little obsession can handle it.”

I looked in the direction she went and sighed. “I don’t know if she can handle me.”

“There is that. You’re gonna have to fuck her before you can get to know her.”

I pulled a piece onto my plate and tossed some crushed red peppers on top. I sighed. “This didn’t turn out to be the relaxing night I’d hoped for.”

He tipped his head back and laughed. “That’s ’cause your dick isn’t being touched by that girl of yours.”

My brow furrowed. “She’s not mine.”

“Yet.” His smile fell, and he let out a hard breath. “In all seriousness, the chemistry is obvious. I wasn’t kidding about you fucking her before seeing if there’s something more permanent than the lust that’s pouring out of you.” He pulled the last beer out of the bucket and popped the top. “And instead of being the third bad thing to happen to you in such a short time, she could be the one good thing.”

Two questions went through my mind with his comments. Was he right about a good thing, and was I capable of handling all of that?

A half hour later, I patted my overly stuffed stomach and had a nice buzz going on. I texted Cassie to pick me up in about thirty minutes. There was no way I was going to attempt to drive. I knew my limit, and I hit it two beers and four pieces of deep-dish pizza ago.

Hope remained scarce while we ate, and refused to even look at us when she dropped off the check. I blamed Dex for embarrassing her.

When she reached for my credit card, I grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward me to whisper in her ear. “I’ll be back for you.”

A blush spread on her face as she looked at me. She licked her lips as she pulled away.

I continued to stare at her, my body buzzing. “I am so fucked.”

The morning after seeing Hope at Union Jack’s, I awoke just after eight with a small hangover and dried jizz all over my skin and clothes. The memory of masturbating while thinking about her was clear, but I must have fallen right to sleep after I came.

After a shower, I headed downstairs. Cassie and Mom were playing cards on the dining room table. I smiled, happy to see Mom looking perkier than she had over the last few days.

“Morning.” Cassie smirked at me.

The devious tone in her voice set me on edge, and I narrowed my gaze at her before grunting in return. I poured a cup of coffee and grabbed a protein bar, then headed in to join the girls. Mom looked up at me, and I kissed her head as I walked around the table, making sure to ruffle up Cassie’s hair as I moved to take a seat.

Cassie slapped at my hand, scowling up at me. “Be nice. I left my warm, comfy bed to come pick your drunk ass up last night.”

“It wasn’t that late.” I peeked at the scorecard. The cards told me 500 Rummy, and the paper told me Mom was winning.

Go, Mom.

“No, but I was snuggled in bed with my husband.”

“Oh, you were gettin’ it on.”

She shook her head while Mom’s chuckle danced around the room. “So, you going to tell me about this girl?”

My brow scrunched up. “What girl?”

She rolled her eyes and set down a row of cards before discarding. “I had the unfortunate sight of a bulge in your pants when you got in the car.” She made a yacking sound.

“Hmm, that. Well…it’s complicated.”