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I smiled and shook hands and was going to just forget all the faces, as I normally did, but Aaron took a breath, and everyone went quiet, even in the middle of the noisy club.

“This is my boyfriend, Duncan. Everybody, say hi.”

It was all over their faces—the surprise and interest and sudden scrutiny. When he sat down, his hand went to my knee, and he gestured for the two hostesses and instructed everyone to order whatever they wanted.

He never took his hand off me. When I reclined, his hand was on my thigh; when I leaned forward, it was on my lower back. He had to get up to go walk the room, and when he did, he bent and kissed my temple. When he returned, I got fingers sinking into my hair until I tipped my head up. The kiss on my forehead was my reward for following direction.

More people came, and a couple of guys, with others in tow, sat on the edge of the table in front of Aaron.

“I wrangled invites for us to a private club,” one of them said, glancing over at me, his gaze missing nothing, moving slowly. “You can bring the flavor of the week.”

Aaron cleared his throat, and both men turned to him. “Go ahead and go. Have a great time.”

“You’re not coming?”

He shook his head.

The man who had checked me out was startled. “It’s exclusive?”

“It is.”

“Aaron, I didn’t mean any dis⁠—”

“It’s fine,” he cut him off, which just illustrated the fact that he was upset. Even I could tell. “Have a good time.”

They were being dismissed. Aaron really didn’t like what he’d called me.

“I guess we’ll go, then,” one of the guys mumbled.

Aaron didn’t say another word, just completely ignored them.

“Here,” he said when one of the hostesses put a dirty martini down in front of me. “Try this. I ordered it for you.”

Gin wasn’t my favorite, but this had more brine in it, which made it saltier, so I liked it better than martinis I’d had in the past.

“It’s good,” I said, leaning in and kissing him. “Do I taste salty?”

“Open your mouth and let me really taste you.”

I grinned. “You’re kind of insatiable.”

“I seem to be somewhat addicted to you.”

Our eyes locked, and everything else sort of stopped.

“You should go,” Aaron suggested suddenly. “See if you get any bites.”

“I was just thinking that.” I winked before I stood up.

His hand in mine stilled me for a second, and he made sure to squeeze it before he let go.

I really had to wonder how in the world someone had not wanted to sit and soak up every drop of his attention before me. How could you not want Aaron Sutter all over you?

I went to stand at the edge of the dance floor, and after being there for a few minutes, sipping on a Coke, I felt a hand on my back. Turning, I found a man I had never met before in my life.

“Duncan?”

“Yes.”