Anna seemed offended that he didn’t love it. “Oh, you just don’t understand girls, Denny. They’ll go nuts for this. Right, Kiera?”
I had to laugh at Anna dragging Kiera back into the conversation. I bet this was a question she was thrilled to answer too. Looking embarrassed and unsure what to say, she muttered, “Yeah, sure, Anna. He’ll be—”
Unable to stop myself, I interjected with the term Kiera had used once before to describe me. “Man-candy?”
Anna squealed and slipped her arms around me. “Oohhh…I like that!”
Kiera didn’t. Eyes narrowed, she spat out, “Are we ready to go?”
Nodding, I stood up. I wasn’t sure exactly how I was going to get through this, but I was definitely ready to get it over with.
Not wanting to be stuck in a car all night with Denny and Kiera, I suggested to Denny that we take separate cars. I figured then, if it got too hard to handle, I could bail without leaving everyone else high and dry. Anna, of course, climbed in with me, while Kiera naturally rode with her boyfriend. Once we arrived at the place Griffin had suggested, a dance club comically named Spanks, I made sure we all got inside, then took off to buy everyone the first round.
The line for drinks was thick, but as I approached, the bartender motioned me forward. Knowing Kiera was going to hate it, I ordered tequila. After the bartender eagerly filled four shot glasses, I carefully pinched them together with my fingers. Grabbing the salt and the container of limes in my other hand, I bumped and slid my way around people to get to the table. Kiera looked surprised to see me return so fast. I watched her look over at the bar, then frown. The bartender must still be staring my way then; she’d been eye-fucking me the entire time I’d placed the order. Well, sorry, Kiera, it’s not like I can help how people react to me.
After I passed out the drinks, Kiera returned her attention to our table. Picking up her shot glass, she sniffed it. I knew my grin was childish, but I couldn’t help it. The look on her face was priceless. I could almost hear her thoughts. Tequila? Are you kidding me? No, Kiera, I’m not. We have a history, one you begged for. You cried for me, pleaded with me to stay. You’re jealous of the attention I’m giving your sister, because you care about me. Like it or not, you do care. I’m sure of it.
While she stared at me with disbelieving eyes, I set down the limes and salt. Anna and Denny started preparing their drinks, but Kiera seemed like she was going to outright refuse to do it. When she set her jaw and stubbornly started prepping her shot, a laugh escaped me. Teasing her was almost as much fun as making her jealous.
When I started making my drink, Kiera closed her eyes. I wondered if she was being flooded with memories…just like me. Please, Kellan…take me to your room…It was almost too much for me to take, and I almost stopped this charade right now, but Denny leaned over and said something to Kiera that broke me out of the sadness of the past. I wasn’t sure what he asked her, but her answer was directed at me. With icy eyes, she said, “Yeah…I’m just not a big fan of tequila.”
Considering what I’d just been reminiscing about, I found that amusing. “Really? You struck me as the type that would…love it.”
While Kiera frowned, I laughed and Anna offered up her opinion of the drink. “Well, I love it…Cheers!”
I raised my glass to hers and Anna and I did our shots together. It burned going down, and I thought that was appropriate too. Everything with Kiera burned a little, sometimes in a good way, sometimes not so much.
Denny raised his glass to Kiera, and the two of them copied Anna and me. Except for the last step. With a barely noticeable peek at me, Kiera took Denny’s lime from his mouth, then she stayed there in a long, lingering, fuck-you-and-your-tequila kiss. My sudden humor about the situation vanished.
While Denny kissed the woman I loved, Anna shouted her approval. “Wooo…there’s my girl!” I felt ill watching them make out. But when they pulled apart and Kiera shot me a glance, I felt even worse. So, she wanted to play mean, huh? Well, I could do mean.
Focusing my attention on Anna, I extended my hand and nodded toward the dance floor. “Want to?” I asked her. Anna enthusiastically agreed. After she practically leaped into my arms, I escorted her toward the floor with my hand almost on her ass. I glanced at Kiera before Anna and I were swallowed up by the crowd; she looked furious, and I was glad about it. I was a little upset myself. Yes, I’m taking off with your sister. Yes, my hands will be all over her body. And yes…every second that goes by, I’ll wish she were you.