No, wait. He squinted, realizing the couple he’d glimpsed wasn’t actually kissing. Their faces were close, but they seemed to only be talking.
And yup, it was definitely Darcy Grant. Now that he was five feet away, he was clearly able to make out her features. Wide-set blue eyes, high cheekbones, that sexy mouth—
He forcibly shoved the last thought out of his head. He wasn’t allowed to even think the word “sexy” in relation to AJ’s girl. It was a total violation of bro code.
Then again, who was he kidding? He’d broken the code a hundred times over when it came to Darcy. All those dirty, dirty thoughts he’d had about her pretty much ensured he’d be going straight to shitty friend hell.
At the moment, though, he was more concerned with why AJ’s girlfriend was flirting with another man. Maybe it wasn’t his place to interfere, but damned if he’d let his best friend get played for a fool.
AJ Walsh was the closest thing Reed had to a brother. The two of them had grown up together in South Boston, attended the same schools, played on the same sports teams. Reed would take a bullet for his buddy, and he knew that if their roles had been reversed, AJ wouldn’t hesitate to stick up for him.
Squaring his shoulders, he marched up to the couple’s table and donned his best death glare. “Hey, Darcy,” he said loudly.
Her head swiveled, eyes widening when she recognized him. “Reed!” Her voice came out shrill, and there was no mistaking the guilty note ringing there.
He shifted his gaze to her companion, a lanky man with pale blond hair and a smug grin. “Can we help you?” the guy demanded.
Reed experienced a case of instant dislike. Scowling deeply, he jabbed a finger in the air and snapped, “Get out of here.”
The guy’s jaw dropped. “No way, man. The lady and I were in the middle of—”
“Nothing,” Reed finished. “You were in the middle of nothing. So get lost.”
Darcy’s companion turned to her with visible wariness. “Is this your boyfriend or something?”
“Or something,” Reed answered for her.
Several more seconds ticked by, until the blond guy finally hopped off his stool and glowered at Darcy. “You should have fucking told me you had a boyfriend instead of wasting my goddamn time.”
As he stormed off, Reed usurped the empty seat, rested his elbows on the table, and looked at AJ’s girlfriend with cold eyes. “What. The. Fuck. Is. This?” He could barely get the question out he was so pissed.
Christ. How was he supposed to tell his best friend about this? AJ would be devastated when he learned what his girlfriend was up to.
“We were just talking,” Darcy retorted, sounding as mad as Reed felt.
“Bullshit,” he shot back. “Whatever this was, it was leading toward a hookup, and we both know it.”
“So what if it was?” Her blue eyes blazed. “Yeah, maybe it’s kinda soon, but what I do and who I see is none of your damn business! If I want to have a rebound fling with some guy I met at a club, then I’m damn well allowed to!”
Rebound?
Reed furrowed his brows, wondering if he’d misheard her. No way had she and AJ broken up. From the moment AJ had introduced her to his friends, Reed had known that Darcy was perfect for the guy, which only made this messed-up attraction he felt for her a million times more wrong. Her easygoing, bubbly personality suited AJ’s equally laidback demeanor, while her adventurous nature balanced AJ’s tendency to constantly play it safe.
The fact that she was sexy as hell was only icing on the cake.
AJ’s cake. Reed clung to the reminder, as he’d done often ever since AJ and Darcy had started dating. It didn’t matter that each time he saw her he wanted to bury his face in her graceful neck and breathe her in. Or that his fingers tingled with the urge to stroke her thick, strawberry-blond waves. Or that his cock damn near burst out of his pants at the thought of sinking into her hot, tight—
AJ’s girl, yelled the reprimanding voice in his head.
Right. Didn’t matter how hot the woman got him. She was off-limits.
But God, did she ever look gorgeous when she was pissed off.
“And you know what else?” Darcy went on, her fair cheeks flushed with anger. “You’re not exactly one to judge. You’re the biggest player on the planet! But I guess it’s okay for you to pick up strangers at nightclubs, right, Reed? But when I, an unattached adult woman, does it, suddenly it’s sooooo wrong and—”
“You and AJ broke up?” he interrupted.
She blinked in surprise. “What?”
“Did you guys break up?” he repeated through clenched teeth.
Looking bewildered, she offered a nod. “Yeah. Last night. He didn’t tell you?”