Throttled (Wild Riders #1)(16)

“You too,” he said before pressing his lips to mine. I held our kiss for a few seconds longer than normal, and I could still feel Reid’s eyes locked on me. I’d told him I’d moved on and I wanted to make sure he could see for himself. “You really missed me.” Beau laughed when he broke our kiss and slid into the booth where I had been sitting.

“Why are you here?” Georgia asked.

“Don’t worry about it.” Beau rolled his eyes and she returned an equally sarcastic glare. The two of them seemed to have mastered the exchange of dirty looks. I ignored my sister and Beau’s general dislike of one another. I had other things to focus on at the moment.

“You want a drink?” I asked, gaining Beau’s attention. “I’ll grab it.”

“Okay,” he answered.

“Be right back.” I smiled, as I pulled some money from my back pocket and walked over to the bar. I caught a reflection of myself in the mirror and I straightened my posture. I could do this. I could not let Reid being here affect me. I’d said I wanted to keep living the life I’d built for myself and I was going to do it.

I ordered Beau a beer and while I waited, I looked back at him and my sister, now involved in a deep conversation that I was sure included the lines “you always do this” and “this night was for me and my sister.” One day Georgia would like Beau, I just knew it. I’d make her see that he wasn’t the same guy he was back then. He was the guy that wanted me. Who was interested in a life with me. Which was a whole lot more than I could say for Reid.

“Beau f*cking Gregurich,” his voice said into my ear. A shiver ran across the back of my neck from the heat of his whisper and the proximity of him to my body. “Tell me you’re not seriously with him.”

“I can’t do that,” I answered, looking to my left and straight into Reid’s eyes. The usually inviting chocolate brown of his stare appeared dark and ominous. He could be as mad as he wanted about my choice in who I dated. He had zero say in the matter. “I am seriously with him. Have been for a while now.”

“You really know how to kick a guy when he’s down, Bennett.”

“I could say the same about you,” I replied. “For a guy that was just missing me so much, you’ve rebounded quickly.” I rolled my eyes at the self-congratulatory smirk he gave me. “Tally Westbrook? She’s a real peach,” I jabbed. “I’m pretty sure she’s already made her way through everyone in town, might as well add the tourist to the list.”

“Tourist? This is my hometown too,” he reminded. “And who the f*ck cares about Tally? You jealous?” he asked. I shook my head.

Jealous? Hardly.

“Was she your mortal enemy in high school?” Reid continued. “Did she do everything she could to ruin your shot at the pros? Like cut the brakes on your bike right before the final race of the season or purposely run you off the track when she knew the sponsors were watching.” Listening to him list off all the reasons he’s hated Beau rendered me speechless. I hadn’t forgotten about why Reid disliked him, but there was a possibility I had activated my selective memory skills. I swallowed hard as he continued to stare down at me, but I couldn’t answer him. “Yeah. I didn’t think so.” His eyes went wide. “Is that why you’re with him? Just to get back at me?”

“Don’t flatter yourself,” I answered quickly. “Nothing I do has anything to do with you. Period.” Mostly. The crowd standing around us was oblivious to our interaction—the music and the conversation forming a bubble around us where only we could hear the words and see the looks that were being exchanged. How could they not feel the hot tension radiating around us? I wouldn’t be surprised if the place burst into flames from it. “I haven’t thought about you in years,” I assured him. “And mortal enemy? That’s a bit of a stretch.”

Dramatic *.

“Really?”

“Really. What is this the Old West? You going to ask him to meet you in the parking lot next for a show down?” I chuckled at my observations, but Reid’s serious expression said he didn’t find it funny.

“I might,” he said. “But that’s not what I’m thinking about. You really haven’t thought about me at all?”

“Nope.” I continued to stare him down, refusing to let him believe that for one second I’d missed him. I tried to steady my breathing the best I could, but when he leaned in, practically resting his nose against mine, I felt my chest still the same way it had earlier when we were outside. The sudden urge to feel his lips on mine… or slap him once again overcame me. If I didn’t hate him before, I did now, because no matter how hard I resisted, he seemed to be reeling me in. His hand grazed mine and I felt my knees wobble. The scent of whiskey on his lips tempting me to taste them. “Not... one... bit,” I said, between breaths.

“Keep telling yourself that,” he said with a wicked smirk, as he stepped back and stood straight. His shoulders and back straightened proudly as if he’d just taken back control.

“Reid Travers,” Beau said, breaking the trance I’d found myself under. I turned to find him standing directly behind me. I faced Reid again as Beau drew his arms up around my waist and positioned his head next to mine. He must not have heard anything going on between Reid and I or he would have surely been a little less comfortable. “Halstead’s very own celebrity. How nice of you to grace us with your presence.”