Love Undefeated (Unexpected #5) (27 page)

“Oh yeah? How’re those fools?” Shawn was a member of the swim team and Samuel was on the school paper. They were nice guys who made our frat officially cool in front of the Board of Regents.

“They’re good. Shawn’s on the U.S. Team practicing with that Olympian Kieran Stone.” Kieran was Zander’s wife’s BFF so I hung out with him a few times. The dude was intense. He out-carbed everyone at any party. “Samuel’s an editor for an online news magazine. Think New York Times but funnier and catchier and less politics.”

“Good for them,” I responded. Damn, the ahi was delicious. “Lemme know when you see them again. I wouldn’t mind hanging out.”

He nodded and continued eating.

I was just about to pick up a handful of truffle fries when a soft hand wrapped around my right arm.

“Sorry I’m late. The Uber guy got lost and gave me a tour of the bay,” she explained. She had to stand on her tiptoe to kiss my cheek. My lovely and incredibly short girl.

“It’s okay, honey.” I gave her a quick kiss. She was all business-like today, black long skirt and a light orange blouse that hung loose but couldn’t hide her bountiful breasts. Sue me if I admired my girlfriend’s attractiveness.

“I want you to meet my frat brother,” I said, catching a breath at the hazel eyes that stared at me tenderly and a smile that could light me up at my surliest mood.

“Frat brother?” Her eyebrows lifted to her temple. “Which frat brother?”

A voice beside me answered, “It’s Devon, Nalee.”

Nalee?

Devon knew Nalee?

An odd look crossed over Nalee’s features. It was a mix of recognition and anxiety.

“You know each other?” I managed to say. I knew all of Nalee’s friends. And if I didn’t, she told me about them. I didn’t have to know all of them, but that was Nalee. She talked about all of them. Just liked she liked to tell stories of how Hello Kitty changed over time.

The knowledge that I didn’t know she knew Devon didn’t bother me.

It was the fact that when I looked over at Devon to ask how he knew my girl, he stared at her like she was
the
shining light on a gloomy San Francisco day.

She left my side and went to hug him.

And a pang.

An unsettling feeling.

Hung over my chest.

Striking me right on my solar plexus.

I wasn’t familiar with jealousy and its evil twin.

But right now, right at the very second she let go, his blue eyes lingered on her face for more than two beats.

The mother of all jealousy bore a child.

And implanted itself…

Smack.

Dab.

In the middle of my chest.

Devon engulfed me in a hug. Like Xavier, he wasn’t wearing a suit jacket, so I felt the broad muscles on his chest cocoon me in.

He was a great guy with a great personality topped off with a great body.

One lucky woman would have the benefit of calling him hers. It just wasn’t going to be me.

I had chemistry with Devon. It’s human nature to be attracted to another person, to feel desire towards a hot guy. I read romance books. In the books, the heroine always fell for one guy while the guy had slept with many women before meeting the heroine. During the getting-to-know each other period, the heroine and the hero would only have eyes for each other. How was that possible? There were too many people in the world, how can you be only attracted to one? It didn’t make sense.

What I do believe is that even if you’re attracted to other people, there’s that one guy who was meant to be yours and you his.

Mine was burning holes at Devon’s back right now.

Xavier was pragmatic. He wasn’t the jealous type. We were friends before we were together. If he was jealous, he never showed it.

But right now, varying gamut of emotions were all over his face. Tense jaw, tight posture, eyes that even in the dim lighting inside the bar were shooting green arrows that could have punctured Devon’s back.

Giving Devon another quick hug, I said, “So, what brings my two favorite guys together?”

Devon’s smile got wider while Xavier downed his drink.

“Remember, gorgeous, I told you we’re frat brothers.” Devon shrugged, the smile not leaving his face. His blue eyes twinkled in mischief, he was baiting Xavier. Devon knew exactly what he was doing.

Xavier was silent, and if you knew Xavier for a long time, you’d know that the man didn’t do quiet. The last time we went to Hawaii with our friends, we tried meditation with the group, Xavier was booted out from the beginning of Ohm.

“I remember,” I laughed, he was a cool guy. He made me feel at ease. I haven’t seen him since we gave Briles and Sons the green light to submit the project to the City. I foresaw no issues ahead. But who knew. He called twice last week to ask if Nelson and I were available for lunch, but we were working through lunch so I’d taken a raincheck.

“Have you guys been waiting long?” I asked. As usual my meeting ran late and I had to rush out to get here, but rush hour beat me to it.

“Not that long.” Devon rapped a knuckle on the side of his glass, calling the attention of the bartender. “What would you like to have?”

“Sea Breeze for the lady.” Finally Xavier spoke. You know that thing about being
the one
? From the start, Xavier was the only one who could take a quick look at me and know just what I needed. The sweet and fruity cocktail was just what my system needed to get me out of work mode.

Devon quirked a brow and I leaned in towards Xavier’s arm. “Thanks.”

He tightened his hand on my waist, definitely showing his possessive side. A side that rarely reared its head, but when it did, it came with an extra set of horns.

“So, how do you two know each other?” Xavier’s hands pointed at Devon then at me. “Because Nales, my dear girlfriend, hasn’t said anything about you.”

The bartender came back with Devon’s refill and my drink. His brows crinkled before asking, “Where are you sitting, Miss?”

There was an empty seat beside Devon and also an unoccupied one beside Xavier since I was standing between them.

I gestured towards the chair beside Xavier and he nodded before handing me my drink. He placed a few napkins between the appetizer plates and put a small empty plate on my side.

“Thank you,” I replied. “Can I also get a glass of water?”

“Perrier or tap?”

“Tap please,” I said, slowly getting loose from Xavier’s hold. I readjusted my skirt so I wouldn’t have an unsightly wedgie. It usually happened with these stretch skirts, which was why I was careful not to sit too long and stand right away without checking myself. I haven’t even gone to the bathroom though I was dying to before getting here. On my way here, I was chatting with Tanya about her trip to Malta. And once I spotted Xavier and Devon together, emptying my bladder was the last thing on my mind.

The bartender nodded, dark locks falling over his eyes. There were guys who wore long hair like a king. I may be partial to clean cut dark blonde guys, but it was fascinating to see how man-buns held up in the busy and hot bar.

Please don’t let those long locks dip into my drink.

“You look great, Nalee,” Devon said. The blue in his eyes looked darker, it could be because of the lighting. Bars usually had their lights on the lowest settings, the dimmer the better. Maybe that served a purpose, if you were here for a hookup, then it was an advantage that you couldn’t see what the other person really looked like until the harsh bright lights of the morning sun sent you back to reality.

“Are you hitting on my lady?” Xavier asked, trying to sound as if he was joking, but his eyes were miles away from laughing. There was a coiled undercurrent simmering through his unmoving stance, my waist being gripped by his hands.

“I tried to,” Devon smarted, letting his fingers roll over the glass.

This scenario would be really funny if I didn’t know that Xavier was already seconds away from bursting into seams. Like I said, I’ve never seen him this way. If breathing could kill, the deep, ragged breaths he was taking were clear indications that if Devon pushed, Xavier’s buttons would come loose. It might be a thrill for other women to have two guys fighting over them, but in reality, it sucked donkey double doo.

We weren’t in middle school anymore.

Boys didn’t have to pee around a girl to mark their territories.

Xavier never had to.

Would never have to.

He should know this.

Even when we were apart, I had a feeling that we were going to find each other again.

That I was going to be back in his arms.

So, the way he was balling his fist by my waist was unnecessary.

“I tried to,” Devon answered. Did this guy have a death wish? “I mean, Nalee is a beautiful woman.”

Xavier huffed, “I know how beautiful she is.”

“Listen boys, as much as I’d like to know how beautiful I am, I just want to let you know that once you’re done with the pissing match, I will be right there.” Pointing to the seat next to Xavier, I removed his hand by my hip and hoisted myself up on the bar stool right by his side.

Devon pressed, “I told Nalee that I wanted to put a ring on her.”

“What the fuck?” Xavier’s head turned all the way to the left. “Are you high?”

“Why?” Devon’s shoulders flexed. “You don’t think she’s marriage material?’

This was almost as good as watching the unveiling of Hello Kitty on the body of the popular electric guitar manufacturer, Fender.

Vidal Sassoon and his locks appeared with my water and Sea Breeze. He eyed my two immature companions with scrutiny, probably wondering what happened to the comrades in arms earlier who were now glaring at each other.

Xavier was doing ninety-nine percent of the glaring.

Devon still had his relaxed, care-for-nothing stance. If only Xavier took a second to look, really looked at Devon, he’d know that his frat buddy was just goading him. But jealousy dropped blinders on a guy.

“You’re outta line, Devon,” Xavier said flatly. His spun the empty glass that was in his hands. He was fidgety. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, I know.” Devon shook his head. “I know that she’s smart, fun to be around with, and funny. She’s the kind of woman I wanna bring home to my mom.”

Xavier had amazing facial bone structure. Even now, with his jaw clenching, his expression unreadable, his Adam’s apple bobbing uncontrollably, all signs that he was going over the edge, he was still a gorgeous man.

My man.

“Let’s get outta here, Nales.” Xavier stood up, dropped a handful of twenties and a fifty on the table and tugged on my arm. He hadn’t looked Devon’s way.

“No,” I said. Xavier’s tantrum had to stop now. While I knew that Devon was attracted to me, he was a polite gentleman who was just ribbing his buddy. Trying to get a rise out of him. I didn’t know why Xavier was oblivious to Devon joking around. “Come on, Xavier, you know your friend’s just joking.”

“Is
he
?” Xavier muttered. “I didn’t know that you worked with him.”

Devon chuckled, “Dude, come on. I’m just playin’.”