“Did Thatch tell me what?”
It wasn’t that she wouldn’t know about Sean eventually, but I knew she’d both flip her shit and be angry with me that I hadn’t said anything sooner, and I wasn’t ready for the negative side of that coin. My plans for tonight were going to be flirting the line with pissing her off enough.
“Um,” Wes stalled and widened his eyes at me uncertainly. “Did he tell you how much he sucked at rugby practice earlier?”
I closed my eyes and waited for the fallout. I was surrounded by absolute shit liars. How could I be so gifted in something all of my friends struggled with? Wouldn’t I start to rub off eventually?
But Cass didn’t call him on it, instead dissolving into a gentle laugh. “Yeah, right. Have you seen this guy? He tosses people around for breakfast. Trust me, I know.”
Wes’s smile came back at that, and it’d taken on an air of insinuation. “Oh, yeah? How do you know that?”
“Fuck. Forget I said that shit, or I’ll kill both of you.” She shoved off of me so hard it made me grunt in the middle of my laugh.
Cassie’s hand fell easily into mine as she talked to the people around her. She didn’t notice the way people’s eyes went there, the way they watched and smiled—or sneered in the case of a few women and pricks with dicks—but I did. Their eyes widened just slightly, and the corners of their lips turned up or down just enough. The tiny tics of a person’s thoughts out there for anyone to see if they took the time.
I knew I hardly ever did, and I honestly don’t think Cassie ever concentrated on anyone else’s opinion. But tonight, as I publicly claimed her as mine over and over again, I found myself fascinated.
I gently tugged her hand before releasing it and sliding a possessive hand around the curve of her waist to settle on her opposite hip. She sank into me effortlessly, and I wasn’t sure if she’d even noticed what I’d done.
“Excuse me, ladies, but I’m going to steal my girlfriend for a little while.”
Once again, mouths turned up and down in equal supply, but the corners of mine went distinctly north. Cassie hadn’t even questioned the sentiment. I’d obviously done a stellar job of desensitizing her to it. And tonight, I had practically followed her everywhere she went, touching her without permission and interjecting about our relationship anytime the opportunity presented itself. Pushing the boundaries as always, I’d even told a couple of guys I was planning to propose soon. She’d smiled. Of course, she’d felt secure in the fact that I was joking.
I wasn’t so sure.
It was the most fun I’d had in a long time.
Once we were several feet away, Cassie’s commentary returned. “You didn’t even wink at any of those women, Thatcher. Is your game failing?”
I bit my lip to stop a smile, but I didn’t fight the urge to lean down and press a subtle kiss to her lips. “It wasn’t really necessary.” When I pulled back, I didn’t deny her the pleasure, though.
“Ah, there it is,” she breathed. “Just delayed a little, I guess.”
“Something like that.”
I held the door as we walked inside and then pushed through the crowd until we came to another door on the other side. It read Emergency Exit in big official letters, but I knew there was no alarm on it. At practice, one of the guys had been telling a story about drunkenly stumbling through it while trying to woo a woman. Not exactly A game material, but I wasn’t going to be the one to tell him. That was a lesson he really needed to learn for himself.
And tonight, I was going to make sure it paid off to pay attention.
“Where are we going?” Cass asked as we stepped out onto the deserted rooftop patio on the other side.
“Just doing a little experiment, honey.”
“Experiment?” she questioned suspiciously.
She had good reason. I wasn’t really sure how my plan was going to go over, but I had to try. This was the kind of opportunity smart men didn’t pass up.
“Just a little pleasure versus fear tug of war.”
“Fear?” she snapped. “What the fuck are you up to?”
“Come here, baby,” I coaxed with a tug on her hand when she turned for the door. “I promise to make this whole ordeal worth your while.”
“Ordeal? That’s not a fucking promising word. Ordeal suggests pain and suffering.”
I laughed.
“I don’t like to suffer, and if you make me, I’ll be sure to return the favor.”
“Duly noted,” I agreed.
All the way across the patio now, I pulled her toward the fire escape ladder and urged her to go up in front of me. She didn’t exactly do cartwheels.
“You want me to go higher? Are you crazy? You know I fucking hate heights. I already threatened to murder Georgie in her sleep for choosing this as the venue, and she’s my best friend. I like her better than you.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”