“Did someone tell you this was one of my favorite places? Or are you a mind reader?”
“Just a hunch.”
I peered up at him. “Really?”
“No.” He smirked, and my knees weakened. “It’s open mic night tonight, thought maybe we’d get lucky and hear some decent comedy.”
“In that case…” I gripped his hand as we started toward the door.
“So, you’ve been here before?” he asked as we walked inside.
“I love this place. It’s one of my favorite places in the city. My friends and I come here probably twice a month.” I smiled up at him. “I’ve met the owner.”
Edge glanced down at me. “Have you?”
“Yes. Gretchen…” I couldn’t remember her last name.
“Not best friends, then?” he teased.
I grinned. “No. But I have met her, I swear.”
“Gretchen Reilley,” Edge provided.
I frowned. “You know her?”
His knowing smirk said he did. “She’s my sister.”
“Your…” Well, hell. I would’ve never put two and two together, although looking at him now, I could see a family resemblance. They both had the same aquamarine eyes and pointed eyebrows.
“Why don’t you grab a table while I get us drinks,” he suggested.
I nodded. “Sure.”
I found a small table that was relatively secluded while Edge went up to the bar. I watched him interact with the bartender. Although he seemed more comfortable tonight, there was still a lot of tension in his shoulders. But he was smiling, so I took that as a good sign.
When he joined me, he was carrying two glasses of wine, one red, one white.
“I ordered some finger foods. Hope that’s all right.”
“Sounds perfect.”
He motioned toward the glasses. “Your choice.”
Figuring he was more of a red drinker, I selected the white. He took his seat, moving it around so that we were on the same side, close enough to touch.
“How was your weekend?” he asked.
I sipped my wine. “Not nearly as good as the week’s starting out to be.”
Edge grinned, then leaned over and pressed his lips to mine. The sweet gesture caught me off guard, had my breath stilling in my chest.
“How was your weekend?” I asked, tossing the conversational ball back to him. “Do anything exciting?”
“Actually, yes.”
“Do tell.”
Edge held my gaze for a moment. “I stopped by Cav’s hotel room on Friday night.”
I stilled. “After our date?”
“Yes.”
“And…?”
I watched his Adam’s apple bob. “I kissed him.”
Ever step outside in the heat of the summer when the sun’s been bouncing off the buildings, steaming up the ground, and you can actually see the heat shimmering? I felt like I walked right into it. The hairs on my nape stood on end, the heat so intense I thought I might need to step outside.
“Jamie?”
“I’m sorry.” I cleared my throat, took a long swallow of wine. “You can’t just throw that at a girl and not expect her to … fantasize.”
His blue irises actually darkened. “You fantasized?”
I nodded, took another sip of my wine.
A guy walked up onto the small stage, set up the microphone and a stool, then disappeared.
“Have you heard from Cav?” Edge asked.
“I have. We … actually, we had lunch today.”
Based on the small line that formed on his forehead, Edge didn’t know that. I was surprised he didn’t. From the discussions I’d had with Cav, the two of them were tight. Considering Edge’s revelation, they were really tight.
“Really?” His hand slid around the stem of his wineglass and he stared down at it.
“Yeah. We grabbed burgers between classes.”
“Hmm.”
“You didn’t know this,” I stated, working the information over in my head. Why wouldn’t Cav just tell him?
Edge put his arm around my chair. “It’s not necessary for me to know everything you do with Cav.”
I glanced at him, then over to the bar, not sure where to keep my eyes. “Well, it would seem he didn’t tell you about our lunch date and he didn’t mention to me that you’d shared a lip-lock.”
“Does that upset you?”
I shook my head. “No.”
“Do you expect him to?”
I shrugged, let my gaze scan the room so I didn’t have to look him in the eye. “I guess I’m confused because I thought this was going to go a different way.”
“What way was that?”
I let my attention drop to the table. “Based on what you outlined at the club that night—”
Edge gripped my chin, turned my head to face him. “I said a lot of shit that night.”
“You did. And you sounded so … serious.”
His jaw muscle flexed. “I was. I am.” Edge closed his eyes for a moment, breathed deep. When he opened them, they were clearer. “This is new for us, Jamie.”
My eyebrows lifted. “What is? Dating? Or dating the same woman?”
A slight dimple formed when he grinned. “Both.”
“Whatever.” I chuckled. “I’d bet my last dollar you have to fight women off. Both of you.”
“Not true.”
Our eyes held and I could read his sincerity. How was that even possible?
