Page 28 of The Snowflake Effect

Sawyer studies my ticking jaw.

I’m dying to get home to Jackson, but the last four days have been…unexpected—the last word Shay wrote on my palm. Lying beside her on the hill was easy and comfortable, and when she said skiing in Chile was on her bucket list, my jaw nearly dislocated. Just last month, I’d been clicking through the Internet, dreaming about that trip. Then there’s the mind-blowing sex.

“I know Toronto’s far,” Sawyer says, “but you can’t keep your eyes off her. And you’ll be in her city for a couple months this summer to build out the new shop. Why not keep things going until then, sext each other and whatnot? Then pick things back up during the summer.”

A pretty blond with a long black apron tied around her waist steps in front of us. “If you’re looking for a table, the wait’s pretty long. At least forty-five minutes.”

I shake my head. “We’re good, thanks. Just meeting some friends at the bar.” She smiles and walks off, but Sawyer and I don’t budge. I roll the coin in my pocket. “I’m into her, okay? Something about her gets under my skin, but long distance is bullshit. You know what happened with Marina. There’s no point pursuing it. And I’m pretty sure this is a vacation fling for Shay. She’s probably using me to get over her ex.”

“Have you told her about Moondog? Maybe the hairdressing thing isn’t working for her.” Sawyer grins.

I jab my elbow into his side. “No, asswipe. I haven’t. You didn’t say anything to Lily, did you?” He looks down and brushes his foot over the wood floor. Motherfucker. “I asked you to keep a lid on it.”

He scrubs his hand down his face. “You should hear her, bro. Her design ideas are sick. Really fresh. I couldn’t keep listening to her and not engage about Moondog. We’re actually planning to work together on some of her ideas, which, by the way, means you need to get the paperwork going to hire her as a freelance designer. She’ll work remotely from out east. And before you tear me a new one, she promised she wouldn’t tell Raven and Shay. You can trust her.”

I shift on my feet and attempt to rein in my temper. I get where Sawyer’s coming from. Lily’s designs are innovative and having a woman’s perspective might do good things for our accessories and brand. Hopefully, he’s right when he says she’s trustworthy. If she tells Shay what I do and Shay contacts me, my wealth putting dollar signs in her eyes, it would ruin whatever this thing is we had. Or she could be royally pissed I lied to her. “You’re a dick, but fine. Does that mean you’ve charmed your way into Lily’s pants?”

He widens his stance and narrows his eyes as two dudes make their way over to the women. “She’s not like that.”

I glance over my shoulder and turn in a three-sixty. “Who the hell just said that? The ‘I don’t work women unless they’re a sure thing’ Sawyer wouldn’t be caught dead speaking those words. Did your balls get snipped?”

“Seriously. I’m not working her. I just…I don’t know. I like hanging out. She’s different. And anyway, she’s got a boyfriend. This is all business.”

Business, my ass. His stance is as rigid as mine as those two fuckwits flirting with the girls move in for the kill.

Without a word, we push through the crowd. I tap the first guy on his shoulder. “They’re with us.”

Shay rolls her eyes but doesn’t contradict me, and Lily’s straight spine relaxes. The guys shrug and take off. We hang our jackets on nearby hooks, then Sawyer slides his arm around Lily’s high-backed stool.

Raven leans so she can see me from behind Lily. “Territorial much? What if I wanted my breasts ogled?”

Sawyer wiggles his eyebrows. “I thought your type was six foot four, two hundred and seventy pounds, and covered in tats.”

Raven winks. “I’m all for diversity. Any word on the big guy?”

It’s a casual question, but she asks it too fast. Like she’s worried I’ll tell him she’s poking around. “No,” I say. “But no news is good news. When it comes to his brother, Nico’s always putting out fires.”

Wanting to spend my remaining time with Shay, I turn from the group and lean into her ear. “You packed?” I rub my nose in that spot she likes.

She presses into me and shivers. “Mmmhmm.”

I don’t ask for her number. Or her e-mail. Or her last name. There’s no point. This is the final time I’ll see this woman, and for some reason, my chest aches.

I nod at her bright green martini. “Is your plan to get drunk enough so you pass out for the flight? Redeyes are a killer.”

“Something like that. And redeyes are cheaper, so…” A pause, then, “How’s your shoulder today?”

“Tender, but fine. I had a great nurse.”

That earns a smile. “Maybe I missed my calling.”

She lifts her drink to her lips, her long hair reaching her waist as she tilts her head to take a sip. I slide my hand along her back and step closer. She doesn’t shrug me off, doesn’t get snarky. I’d swear her breath catches.

“Today was fun,” I whisper as I wrap my arm tighter around her waist. The sound of her crying my name earlier while our skin slapped is filed away for future reference.

She turns her face into my neck, her lips grazing my skin. “I’ll take that memory over the ones of you spouting your know-it-all bullshit.”

And there’s the feisty Shay who pokes inner bear. Not tonight, though. Not for these last hours. Tonight, she can goad me all she wants, but I’m not ending this wild fling with our bickering. “Agreed,” I say.