Always Loving You (Danvers #6)(24)
Mac stood across the table during the birthday song and the gift presentation glaring daggers at her. After a while, it started to piss her off. What right did he have to judge her? If she wanted to plan a fake sex date with her fake boyfriend, who was he to object? After all, he was probably having plenty of real sex with his real girlfriend. She hadn’t even set out to make Mac jealous. That was never her goal. But damn it, how dare he stand over there looking so angry over her love life? If not for the fact that Mac and Dominic were best friends, she would walk over there right now and kiss Dominic so hard he’d never recover. Okay, maybe she wouldn’t quite have the nerve to do that, but she’d do something for sure.
Emma walked up to her, forcing her from her heated eye-lock with Mac. “I think Ella rolled you under the bus there. If the big vein throbbing in Mac’s cheek is any indication, though, she might have done you a favor. He looks like he’s gonna combust.” They both glanced back over at Mac, who refused to look away. “Well, anyway, we’re gonna take off now. Brant is just itching to get over here and scold you, so I’m going to drag him out of here so he can have his tantrum in the privacy of the car. We also promised my parents we’d be back for an early dinner.”
Ava turned to hug Emma, thanking her for intervening with Brant. “Please tell your parents I said hello. I’d love to see them before they go back to Florida.” Emma grabbed her purse and pulled a stiff Brant out the door.
That left one brother, who took the opportunity to move to Ava’s side.
“So, what’s going on with you, sis?”
Trying for her best innocent expression, she said, “Just enjoying the party like everyone else.”
Seeming exasperated, he said, “You know that’s not what I’m talking about. What’s all this with Mac and Dominic? Plus, I saw you on the back of Dom’s bike. Mac’s completely pissed too.”
Ava had finally had enough. Did everyone give Mac a hard time when he had started dating Gwen? Were they worried about her feelings then? A little voice in her head said that she hadn’t professed her love for him the whole time they were such close friends, so it was different, but she was tired of listening to that rational, reasonable voice. She felt that her own family cared more about Mac than her.
So she followed Emma’s lead by grabbing her purse before turning to Declan. “You know what—how about me? Aren’t you my brother? Maybe I could use a little of that support that you seem to be giving to your friend.” Declan flinched at the accusation, and she felt like a complete bitch as she stalked out of McDonald’s only to realize when she stood on the sidewalk that she didn’t have a car. There was no way, though, that she was going to go back inside after what she knew was her childish exit. She stomped off toward the street, determined to walk home if necessary.
She had only traveled a few yards when she heard the roar of a bike and Dominic pulled up next to her. “Get on, Blondie.” Not in any mood to argue and certainly having no better offers, she awkwardly climbed on the bike, wedging in behind him. For someone who’d never ridden a motorcycle, she was getting rather used to it. Regardless, it’d never be her first choice of transportation, but she didn’t have many options right now. “A little heads-up about the fact that we’re gonna be f*cking soon would have been helpful,” he threw over his shoulder before pulling away. She tried to yell a denial at him, but the bike was too noisy for a conversation, so she held it in until he pulled to a stop in her driveway.
After a particularly ugly dismount from the damn bike, she threw her hands on her hips, mad at the world. “Listen, you . . .” Ava inwardly groaned at the completely pathetic comeback. Thankfully, only a small grin pulled at his lips as he held his composure. “I did not say anything to anyone about wanting to do anything of the sort with you.”
Lifting a sarcastic eyebrow, Dominic said, “Come on, babe, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Most women probably feel that way around me.” Looking her up and down in a way that made her breath catch, he added, “Normally, I’d have no problem at all obliging you, but you belong to Mac. So, if you can possibly keep from mentally undressing me while we’re trying to help each other out, that would be great.”
Ava’s mouth dropped at the sheer size of his ego. His confident pose, leaning back on his bike, was the perfect complement to his over-the-top statement. Then she snapped. She had completely had it with the men in her life, and that included the smug * sitting in front of her. “You f*cking man—” She stood taller thinking how much an insult was with some profanity in it. “I would love nothing better than to wrap my hands around your thick neck and choke you right now!”
Dominic, appearing far from offended, said, “I think you’re just looking for ways to get those hands of yours on me, aren’t you, Blondie?”
She grabbed handfuls of her hair in frustration, trying to control the anger coursing through her body. “You pig! I don’t want my hands anywhere on you, and for your information, I don’t belong to Mac regardless of what either one of you thinks.” Stabbing her chest, she added, “I belong to me, damn it, just to me!”
Dominic stepped away from his bike, walking over to her with a strange expression on his face. It looked almost like pride. Had he missed her whole rant toward him? She was so surprised when he gently took her shoulders in his hands that she stood glued in place. “It feels good, doesn’t it, Blondie?”