Page 108 of Challenge Me

Oli moved more casually as he situated himself. He could barely stay upright from the way he laughed as he turned to face me. His smile felt like home, even in the midst of what I’d walked in on.

“You fucking asshole,” Dean grumbled. He pulled his t-shirt on, tucking away his ridiculously chiseled abs. The guy was a walking poster-child for pre-workout. Or steroids.

“So, is this the first time you’ve defiled my bar?” I asked, maintaining my stern demeanor. “Or shall I say . . . came inside Remi’s back room.”

Oli tried his best not to laugh, but Dean was too chagrined to recognize good humor.

He pointed a finger at Oli as he marched past me. “Don’t tell him a thing.”

“Uh, hey,” Amir said awkwardly.

Oli gasped dramatically. “Oh my God, it’s the baseball star.”

I put a hand on his chest to keep him from assaulting Amir with his overwhelming, albeit lovable, personality. “Maybe give them both a minute to get through the awkwardness as a team.”

Their voices got further away, so I focused on Oli. With a smile, I dropped into my chair. Remembering how my office had been desecrated, I quickly checked the armrests for suspicious wet spots before I used them.

“So,” I mused, spinning in a full circle. Oli appeared for a second before I made another round. “Tell me everything.”

He stuck his foot out to stop my orbit. “It’s been good here.”

I gave him a pointed look. “Not about the bar. You texted me every day about it.” Zeroing in on the desk behind him, I narrowed my eyes. “What on earth did you need that for?”

He looked at the gun with a grimace. “It’s not loaded.”

“Please tell me you didn’t . . . Oli . . . Did you . . .” With a groan, I slumped in the seat.

“Come on. You can’t convince me you haven’t done it.”

“No, I haven’t. When I’m feeling extra frisky, I use my teeth, maybe draw a little blood, but not too much to warrant an investigation. That”—I nodded toward the gun—”is stuff for books, not reality.” I grabbed his wrist and got serious. “Be honest with me. Are you bored with each other?”

He smiled a little goofily. “We’re never bored, Rem.”

I crossed one leg over the other. “Good. Now, tell me.”

“He was robbing the place.”

“A bad porno. His idea?”

“Mine.”

“Disgusting.” I held my fist out and waited for him to bump it. “Proud of you, kid. Why live vicariously when we’ve got free will to spare?”

“I’ll drink to that.”

Clapping my hands on my thighs, I stood. He followed me out to the front of the bar, then hopped up onto the counter.

I held up a glass. “Root beer?”

“You know it.”

After filling it, I slid it over to him, then grabbed a bottle of whiskey and poured one for the rest of us. When I raised it like a toast toward Dean, he begrudgingly sat at the bar.

“Wait,” I said, holding it away from him. “Give me all your money.”

“What?”

“Or do I need to get the gun?”