I look to Banner and then in the direction she’s tilting her head. Every person in the bar is chattering now with the arrival of Cavanaugh Westman. Good grief, does the guy not know how to go incognito? Shouldn’t that be Hollywood 101, along with the condom thing? Then again, maybe he just makes his own rules.
It takes me a moment to realize he’s not alone. There are two large, burly guys following behind him. Security? Wow. Not something I expected.
Cav finds our table quickly, nodding as he passes through the crowd of gawkers. The two security people keep the crowd away as he slides into the booth beside me.
“What’d I miss, baby girl?”
“Huh-uh. Excuse me? What are you—”
He leans in and presses a kiss to my cheek, stalling out the rest of my stammered words.
“Stopped by your place to pick you up for dinner, but you were gone. Doorman was nice enough to let me know your regular haunts.”
“Traitor. His Christmas bonus may be less impressive this year,” I say under my breath.
“Hi! I’m Banner,” my friend says brightly, holding out a hand. “I’m just letting you know that if you don’t get the friend seal of approval, we’re going to have issues. You want me to like you. It’s pretty damn important.”
Cav grips Banner’s hand and shakes it. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m glad Greer has you around to weed out the assholes.”
Banner grins. “She doesn’t always listen to me. Exhibit A, Tristan.” She shakes her head, and I want to bean her with an olive.
A glance around reveals a crowd of onlookers and more than a few flashing cameras. I’ve seen enough with Creighton and Holly to know that what’s happening right now is going to make the gossip rags. Cav doesn’t seem to care at all, though, as he slides his arm around me, his other hand resting on my thigh. The gesture is one hundred percent possessive.
“Fair enough. If you’ve got a problem with me, lay it out. I’m not afraid to work for something that matters.”
“From what I hear, you’ve already put in some serious work.” Banner winks conspiratorially.
Yep, she deserves an olive right between her perfectly arched eyebrows.
“Really? Friendship foul, B.”
She lifts her drink, salutes me, and sucks it down. I turn my attention back to the man beside me, or rather, surrounding me, as he doesn’t seem to understand the concept of personal space.
I shift just enough to put an inch of space between our thighs. Cav immediately moves closer, his heat soaking into me.
“What are you doing here? And what’s with the goons? You didn’t even try one of your hip Hollywood disguises?”
Cav’s arm tightens around my shoulders. “I’ve got no problem with the world knowing you’re mine.”
Then it dawns on me. He’s staking a claim. A very public one.
“What’s your angle? Is this you trying to save my reputation?”
He and I both know that my character is still being savaged in the media. Even with Creighton’s PR team playing cleanup crew, there’s no stopping it.
Cav fingers a lock of my hair. “I’ve never played a white knight role, but I’d like to think I could pull it off.”
“Villains are even better,” Banner quips. “Just sayin’. And the ad is kinda my fault. So feel free to save the distressed lady’s reputation.”
Cav grins as Banner makes her confession, and I have no explanation for why I’m so envious that she’s on the receiving end of his smile. This man . . . he makes me crazy.
“Why am I not surprised that putting the two of you together with a hell of a lot of alcohol will end with batshit-crazy stuff every time?” He shakes his head, looking from me to Banner. “I owe you a big thank-you, Banner. You’ve got my marker. Anytime you need a favor, just let me know.”
He has no idea what he’s just done. Clearly. Because I can already see Banner’s brain working overtime. She’s going to be cashing in this favor for a Hollywood insider’s trip.
Banner rubs her hands together with a mischievous smile. “I really hope you’re ready to deliver when the time comes.”
Cav just smiles confidently. “How about I buy you another round first?”
Sitting here in the bar with Greer and her friend, I can’t help but remember the first bar I ever went to with the woman sitting beside me who keeps trying to put space between us. What she doesn’t realize is that her chance at putting any distance between us is gone. She blew that right out of the water the moment her hand wrapped around my cock for the first time.
Our second round arrives, and my memories surface as Greer and Banner banter back and forth across the table . . .
I knew it was a bad idea before we even walked in the door. I didn’t belong in this bar with this woman on my arm. Sure, it was a student haunt and a hole-in-the-wall, but I was the only guy in this place without a collared shirt and an overinflated ego fueled by Mommy and Daddy’s money.