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They’ve all taken to calling me Pippa. Well, everyone but Tav. Not once has he called me my preferred name. Nope, if it’s not Olympia—which he seems to reserve for the frequent moments he’s pissed with me, it’s Princess.
If he called me Pippa, maybe my heart wouldn’t snag on so many beats.
Fixing my attention on Cash, I frown. “Who are you trying to kill, then?”
Cash leans in close, his rumble filled with humor. “Break, Pip.”
“Pip.” My hand lands drunkenly over my heart. I just know my wide smile is filled to the brim with goofy emotion. “No one has ever called me Pip. I like it.”
Tav makes a noise beside me, his hand hooking me around the waist as he tugs me away from Cash, commanding, “Focus, Olympia.” He’s pissed. He must be, if he’s calling me Olympia. “Break.”
“Fine, fine,” I huff, wiggling from his grasp as I grab the stick, lean over the table, and take my shot. I miss by what feels like a mile, and frown as Kane hoots a laugh. “How’d I miss? I didn’t hit even one of those balls.”
“Probably has something to do with Cash’s mixing,” Ian mutters from where he sits on a bar stool, his legs spread around Candace, one arm slung across her chest as she leans her back into him.
I huff at the still perfect triangle of balls. “This is impossible.”
“Tav’s just a shitty teacher,” Kane taunts. “Ilya’s in town. Bet if I called him, he’d come, bend you over the table and really show you how it’s done.”
The sound Tav makes is something I expect from a jungle cat. My head swivels as my brows slam down. His big hand comes out to snag hold of me as I attempt a booze-delayed move to escape him.
“Anyone’s bending her over the table, it’s me.”
Cash claps a hand on Ian’s shoulder. “You owe me fifty bucks.”
Ian shifts, a hand digging into his pocket for the bill he slaps against Cash’s vibrating-with-laughter, chest.
I think Tav’s voice pitches even lower, the tenor somehow seeping danger. “You’re betting, now?”
Kane’s blue eyes glimmer with testy humor as he slides his phone into his pocket. “Ilya says he’s got something to deal with, then he’s on his way.”
Tension erupts in the room. Everyone seems to know what’s happening, apart from me.
Feeling nervous and a lot flushed, I try again to cool myself with a big gulp of whatever Cash has mixed into the lemonade. When that doesn’t work, I shrug out of my cardigan with a, “Whew, anyone else hot?”
Wrenlee looks like she might choke on her laughter. “It’s hot in here, hon.”
“It really is.” I’m waving a hand at my face now. “Who is Ilya?”
“No one,” Tav grits a warning as Kane says, “My brother.” Kane nods to the table. “Beginner gets another shot at break.”
I scowl at the balls but pull in a deep breath as I ready myself for another round of humiliation. What I’m not prepared for, however, is the way Tav’s body bends over mine, his arms coming to rest over mine as he takes control of the stick. In this position, I’ve never been more aware of our size difference. Tav is so much bigger than me, his body able to cover mine completely as he lines up, arms cradling my body, his hand pulling back on mine, moving the stick, stroking. And then he shoots. The white ball breaks the triangle of colored balls, sinking a solid.
“Nice shot,” Nevaeh compliments, but I don’t reply. I’m too distracted as Tav dips his head, the blade of his nose dragging against the bare skin of my shoulder.
A shudder rolls through my body that I can't hide, not from any of them. It's no secret that this man affects me. I'll never be able to hide that. I won't even try. It would be foolish to try. Besides, it will help me in my quest to win this bet I have with him.
Still, I'm entirely affected.
When his deep voice rumbles a dark warning in my ear, “Stay away from Ilya.” Goosebumps ripple across my flesh.
And then he's gone, the warmth of him gone, too.
I had been hot. So hot only seconds ago. Now, I just want the heat of him back.
I want to question him about Ilya, but I don’t. Somehow, instinctively, I know better. Besides, I think Kane is playing with Tav. Trying to push him.
I wonder, does he have his own bet running? Is there another fifty floating around, waiting to be won?
