The Chase

  “You can ogle me,” Hollis offers.

  She ignores him and scopes out the seating situation. When she realizes neither side of the booth can accommodate her, she shrugs and grins at me. “Guess you can be my chair, Fitz.”

  My mouth opens to voice a protest, but it’s too late. She’s already plopping onto my lap.

  Brenna’s eyes widen.

  She squeaks in surprise, and I curl my fingers around her hip and shoot her a warning look. If she says one word about the erection pressing against her left butt cheek, I’ll be the target of my teammates’ ragging until the end of time.

  “What is it?” Summer asks in concern.

  Brenna recovers quickly. “Sorry, didn’t mean to alarm you. I think I’m sitting on your phone, Fitz.” She makes a big show of shifting around, then slides her hand in my pocket and pulls out my phone. “This was digging into my butt.”

  “Hot,” Hollis says.

  She ignores him again, probably because she’s focused on fishing her own phone out of the pocket of her black hoodie. The sweatshirt is half unzipped, revealing the tops of a black lacy bra. Only Brenna would wear a zip-up with nothing but a bra underneath.

  She texts something one-handed, and I stifle a resigned sigh when my phone buzzes. I nonchalantly read the message.

  BRENNA: Please please tell me that boner isn’t because of me!

  The sigh slips out.

  When she raises her eyebrow, I quickly type, No.

  BRENNA: OK good. It was there before I sat down so I assumed it wasn’t me. Just making sure, tho. You and I aren’t meant to be, sweet Fitzy. I’d eat you alive

  Ha. She’d eat any man alive. And for some reason, I feel the stupid need to justify why I have a boner. Or rather, had, because the poor fella has retreated like a Confederate soldier.

  ME: Chick sent me some nudes right b4 u got here. I’m a guy. Shit happens

  BRENNA: Think about Hollis. That always kills my desire

  I laugh out loud, causing everyone to look in my direction.

  “What’s so funny?” Summer asks lightly.

  I set the phone on the table and pick up my beer bottle. “Nothing. A friend just sent me a funny meme.”

  “Your mean your girlfriend?” Summer’s tone doesn’t sound as light and airy anymore. A darker note threads through it, something I can’t quite decipher.

  Nate looks surprised. “You have a girlfriend? Since when?”

  “Is she hot?” asks Hollis.

  Brenna wads up a napkin and throws it at him.

  He catches it easily. “Hey, it’s a valid question.”

  She sighs. “It’s never a valid question when it comes from you.”

  “She’s pretty,” Summer says grudgingly.

  I’m a bit lost. I thought this was a joke conversation, but obviously she’s referring to a real person. Suddenly it occurs to me. “Oh, you mean Nora?”

  Summer’s mouth flattens in thin line. “Yup.”

  “You don’t sound like a fan,” Nate says, lips twitching in humor.

  She shrugs, reaching for her vodka cranberry. She takes a demure sip, and I see every guy in the booth eyeing her lips. “I think she’s condescending. And she was rude to me because I admire a Nazi sympathizer.”

  Hunter chokes on his beer mid-sip. “I’m sorry—what?”

  “Chanel,” Summer explains. “Chanel’s my idol, and Fitz’s girlfriend—”

  “Not my girlfriend—”

  “—wouldn’t shut up in class about how Chanel was a wartime criminal.” Summer juts her chin stubbornly. “Allegedly.”

  Nate snorts.

  “How dare she,” Brenna says mockingly.

  “Wait, this is your girlfriend?” Matt asks me.

  “No. We went on one date,” I say in aggravation. “I doubt there’ll be a second one.”

  Summer’s contemplative gaze fixes on me. “No?”

  I shrug. “Probably not.”

  Nora and I have texted a few times since we went for drinks, but to be honest I’m not feeling the click. Nora’s really nice, but the chemistry isn’t quite there. I’m usually a believer that two dates are required before you completely write someone off. People are always nervous on the first date. Maybe Nora was anxious, and that’s why the conversation felt so stilted.

  When she suggested we go out again, I said yes, but I haven’t followed up on it. Now I’m not sure if I will. The fact that I jerk off every morning to fantasies of another girl kinda tells me everything I need to know about my feelings for Nora.

  “Okay, clearly our server is never coming back,” Brenna announces, sliding off my lap. “I’m going to order a drink at the bar.”

  “I’ll come with you,” Summer offers, and Matt gets up to let her out of the booth.

  We all turn to admire the two girls as they walk away. Two pairs of skinny jeans means two amazing asses for us to salivate over, and the sleek bare skin of Summer’s back is an added bonus. It means she’s not wearing a bra, and my mouth turns to sawdust as another dirty image flies into my brain—Summer’s naked tits jiggling softly with each sultry step she takes.

  Nate gives a low whistle. “Da-yum. They really are the hottest girls in this place.”

  “Everyone wants to kick our asses,” Matt agrees, smiling ruefully.

  “Eh. We can take them,” Hunter assures him. That’s not an exaggeration. Summer and Brenna might be the hottest girls in the bar, but we’re the biggest guys in the bar.

  From the corner of my eye, I see the girls approach the counter. Another shadow crosses my peripheral. I glance over and hide a frown. Some guy in a black polo shirt is chatting up Brenna, who touches his forearm and says something that makes him guffaw loudly.

  “She is smokin’,” Hollis says with a heavy, soul-sucking sigh. His blue eyes are locked on Brenna.

  “Aw, why so glum, chum?” Nate mocks.

  “Yeah, you should be wearing a perma-smile because that gorgeous chick actually fooled around with you,” Hunter pipes up. “That’s probably how Jesus felt when he turned water into wine.”

  Matt and Nate snicker.

  Hollis flips up his middle finger, but he doesn’t offer his characteristic douchebag response. He simply picks up his glass.

  I lift one eyebrow. “What, you’re not gonna say that it wasn’t a miracle because you’re such a stud, et cetera, et cetera?”

  Rather than answer, he chugs the rest of his beer, as if he needs the liquid courage to speak his next words.

  “Guys. I think maybe she only hooked up with me that night because she was bored.”

  Everyone goes dead silent.

  Hunter’s the first to laugh. I can’t help it—I do too. Then Nate and Matt join in.

  Hollis buries his face in his hands. When he lifts his head, he’s scowling. “You guys are the most unsupportive assholes I’ve ever met.”

  “Dude, she cuts you down every time she sees you,” Hunter finally says, but I don’t miss the way his tone has softened. He’s trying to let Mike down gently.

  I feel bad letting Hunter do this alone, so I speak up too. “It’s not gonna happen,” I tell Hollis.

  “It might,” he protests.

  We all look to the bar again. Brenna flips her long, dark hair over one shoulder. She’s still with the frat boy. I can tell he’s in a frat not just because of the polo shirt, but because a couple of his friends have joined him, and one is wearing a hoodie with the Sigma Chi logo on it. The other one is talking to Summer.

  I notice Hunter’s shoulders stiffening as he watches Summer and the guy. Luckily, the bartender finally gives the girls their drinks. I didn’t see any money exchanging hands, which tells me the male barkeep is as enamored with them as everyone else in this bar.

  They return with a second vodka cranberry in Summer’s hand, and a bottle of Harpoon in Brenna’s. This time Brenna squishes in beside and not on me, while Summer settles next to Matt on the end instead of between him and Hunter. Hunter flicks a contempla
tive look at her.

  “Frat boys are the worst,” Brenna tells us as she raises her beer to her red-painted lips. “They have a sense of entitlement that really pisses me off. Even the poor ones.”

  “Are there poor ones?” Nate cracks.

  “Of course. Anyone can pledge.” She rolls her eyes. “You just have a better chance of getting in if you’re rich.”

  Summer shrugs. “Those guys weren’t too bad.”

  Jealousy stabs at my gut. Luckily, Brenna’s reply ensures that I don’t have to worry about Summer going home with one of those dudes.

  “Polo Douche tried to slide his hand in my shirt and cup my boob, Summer.”

  Her eyebrows fly up. “Seriously? Oh my God. Gross.” She shakes her head. “I thought the one in the salmon shirt was really nice.”

  “Pink,” Hollis grumbles at her. “Just fucking say pink, Summer.”

  “There are different shades of pink, Mike.”

  “Yeah? Name ten.”

  “Fine.” Like a pro, she starts listing hues. “Salmon, rose, blush, fuchsia, watermelon, flamingo, cerise, bubble gum, magenta—”

  She’s on number nine when a blur of red and yellow rushes up to the booth.

  I barely have time to blink before a pale arm flings out and a waterfall of liquid rains down on us. The intended target was Brenna, who receives the bulk of it, but Hollis, Nate, and I are victims of secondary splashing.

  Brenna’s jaw falls open as a furious blonde glares down at her. “What the—”

  “Keep your hands off my man!”

  18

  Summer

  Brenna is soaking wet. Despite her initial shock, she recovers quickly, reaching for a napkin to wipe her face. “Who exactly is your man?” she asks calmly.

  The blonde points to a spot about ten feet to her right. She’s got long fingernails, painted bright fuchsia (or pink, as a naïve Hollis would say) and one sharp talon directs my gaze to the polo-shirt-wearing guy who was hitting on Brenna. The attempted boob-grabber.

  “Him?” Brenna’s disdain is written all over her gorgeous face.

  “Yes.”

  “Funny. He didn’t mention he had a girlfriend when he was offering to take me for a spin in his Lambo.”

  Hollis snickers.

  “You’re a liar. Davey would never do that.” The girl is still spitting mad, cheeks redder than the crimson tank top she’s got on. Her top clashes with her nails. I hate that. “He said you were throwing yourself at him.”

  Brenna’s lips curve in a mocking smile. “Of course he did. His ego was bruised. But if I’d agreed to blow him in his fancy sports car after you went to bed tonight? I guarantee you never would’ve known he talked to anyone but you.”

  “Truth,” Hunter drawls.

  I hide a grin. She’s absolutely right. The only reason this loser even mentioned the existence of another woman to his girlfriend is because he needed his ego stroked. He probably knew she’d go apeshit on Brenna and stake a claim on her man, which makes him feel nice and wanted after Brenna laughed when he suggested they hook up in his Lamborghini.

  Brenna gets to her feet. Her face is dry, but the front of her sweatshirt is still sopping wet. The clear liquid doesn’t reek of alcohol, so I suspect it was just water. With an annoyed breath, Brenna unzips the wet hoodie and peels it off her slim shoulders.

  “Oh my fucking God,” Hollis groans, arousal darkening his eyes.

  She’s wearing nothing but jeans and a lacy black bralette that’s more crop top than bra, and not much skimpier than what the blonde has on. She won’t get kicked out of Malone’s for indecent exposure, but she’s definitely about to be responsible for every hard penis in our vicinity.

  Even Fitzy’s? a voice taunts.

  I try to swallow my jealousy. I do not like the idea of Fitz getting hard for Brenna, no matter how incredible her boobs look in that bralette.

  But a quick glance across the booth at Fitz reveals a harsh expression and sneer of distaste as he eyes the polo-shirt guy, who’s now creeping toward his girlfriend. Fitz’s big hands aren’t quite fists, but they’re curled on the tabletop. He’s on guard and not liking this escalating situation.

  “Hey, sweetheart?” Brenna says to the blonde. “Your man is a fuckboy with a capital F. Drop him now before he hurts you worse.”

  “Did you just call Davey a fuckboy!” is the outraged response. “You’d be lucky to have someone like him! If he tried to get with you, and you said no, then you’re a stupid bitch.”

  Brenna’s brown eyes twinkle. “First you’re mad because you think I tried to steal him from you. Now you’re pissed because I turned him down. Pick one injustice and commit, sweetie.”

  I can’t help but laugh. The blonde glares daggers at me.

  “But if you want, I’d be happy to bang him,” Brenna offers. “His technique was wicked clumsy when he tried to grab my breast. I could probably teach him a few things.”

  “Slut,” the girl spits out.

  “Right. I’m the slut, not him.”

  “You wouldn’t know a good man if he walked up and smacked you in the face.”

  “Neither would you, apparently.”

  Hunter chuckles.

  The girl’s face is so red, I almost feel bad for her. Almost.

  “Stupid slut!”

  Just like that, I officially reach the maximum amount of slut I’m willing to hear.

  I shoot to my feet. “Enough with this slut bullshit,” I snap at her. “Do you realize how many decades you set us back every time you call another girl a slut? We’ve spent years fighting to not be viewed as sexual objects or be judged and shamed if we happen to enjoy sex. It’s bad enough that men still do this to us. When you do it too, it sends the message that it’s fair game for women to be treated this way.”

  “Shut up,” is her comeback. “You’re a slut too!”

  I cross my arms tight to my chest. “Say that again. I dare you.”

  She flashes a smug smile. “You’re. A. Slut.”

  I might have let it go. I really might’ve. If she hadn’t stepped forward and flicked her razor fingernails against my cheek in a mocking, dismissive gesture that turns my vision into a haze of red.

  I launch myself at her.

  “Catfight!” Hollis yells, jumping out of the booth.

  I’m too busy tackling the blonde to chastise Hollis for the enjoyment he’s receiving from this. Straddling her, I get one good punch in before her own fist flies out and connects with the corner of my mouth. I taste a burst of copper on my bottom lip, lick it away, and grab a hunk of her hair. She wails when I give it a sharp pull.

  “What the hell happened to girl power? Did you never listen to the Spice Girls?” I growl in her face. “What’s wrong with you?”

  She slaps at me with her taloned hands. “Get off me!”

  Her wish is granted, because suddenly I’m being heaved off her body. Strong arms wrap around my waist to keep me away from her. She jumps to her feet and pounces again. “You broke my nail!” she screeches at me.

  Davey grabs her and tugs her backward. She clings to his arm as if it’s the last remaining lifeboat on the Titanic.

  I frown at the sight. “Your loser boyfriend tried to grab another girl’s boob—how is that not what you’re mad about?”

  Holding his girlfriend protectively, Davey announces to the world that he’s a dumbass by picking this exact moment to join the conversation.

  Because only a dumbass would point at Brenna and say, “Look at what she’s wearing! She was asking for it!”

  Oh no he di’int.

  I lunge forward again, but those big arms lock tighter around me. They belong to Hunter, I realize. But even if I’d been able to charge, I’m nowhere near as fast as Fitz. One second he’s seated, the next he’s got Douchebag Davey by the collar.

  “She was asking for it?” Fitzy hisses. “Did those words really just come out of your filthy, rapist mouth?”

  Davey gasps for air. “I didn
’t mean it like that—”

  Fitz slams the frat boy against the brick wall next to the booth. I swear I feel the entire room shake. Malone’s has framed sports memorabilia hanging on the walls, and several photographs of hockey players I don’t recognize crash to the beer-stained floor. I hear the crunching of glass beneath Fitz’s Timberlands as he shifts his feet.

  A server comes flying over, but she’s a tiny woman and no match for a six-two, enraged Colin Fitzgerald. His dark eyes spit fire as he literally dangles Davey a foot off the ground with one hand around the guy’s neck.

  Concern flutters in my tummy. Shit, this isn’t good. Fitz is strangling the—

  Nope, he’s punching him. With his free arm, he takes a powerful swing that lands a bone-cracking blow to Davey’s nose. Fitz releases him, and Davey crumples to the sticky floor, blood pouring out of his nostrils.

  “I’m having you arrested for assault!”

  “Go for it.” Fitzy sounds amused by the threat, and there’s something so insanely sexy about that. “Saves Brenna a phone call to the cops. She can press charges against you at the same time.”

  I cannot take my eyes off his face. His jaw is sharper than steel. His mouth is hard and dangerous. And his arms are… Oh sweet Lord, his muscles are coiled with tension, taut with rage, and his tattoos seem to ripple across his skin as he presses his sculpted arms flush to his sides. The dragon on his left biceps looks as if it’s about to take flight and rain fire on the world. Fitz is as primal as the creature on his arm. He looms over the fallen Davey. Big and broad and radiating raw, masculine power.

  I’ve never wanted to fuck anyone more.

  “Good idea,” Brenna pipes up, smiling at Davey. “Not sure if you knew this, but groping a girl in a bar is considered sexual assault in this state.”

  Her words succeed in making him go pale. His bloody nose paired with cheeks devoid of color gives Davey a ghoulish air. He stumbles to his feet and tries to push past Fitz.

  Fitz is a wall of muscle. Muscle walls don’t budge.