When I Need You (Need You #4)(72)

"So . . . now you've met Simone," Ash said dryly.

I said, "Too bad she's not a silent partner."

"Good one, JB."

Rowan frowned. "Do I want to know why you called him JB?"

"Habit when we're in public and he doesn't want to be recognized by his distinctive name." Nolan winked at her. "I'll let you ask him what the B stands for."

After Simone dropped off our drinks, the four of us fell into an easy conversation for the next hour.

I took a moment when Rowan was discussing cheerleading athletic scholarships with Ash to soak up the atmosphere. Everything in here was vintage. The long carved bar, the wood floors, the smoke-stained tin ceiling. The two stories of windows and the curved staircase leading to the second floor. There wasn't a single TV in the joint. Music played in the background, but not at a noticeable level. A great vibe filled the space and I could see why Jax had invested.

Rowan's hand slid up my thigh, startling me so I nearly spilled my beer.

"Sorry. I just-"

I held her hand in place when she attempted to pull it away. "Never apologize for touching me."

"I haven't had a chance to say that you look great tonight."

"Nolan's doing. But I am going to make an effort to look less like a college frat boy from here on out."

"You're mistaken that any woman would look at you and see a ‘boy.'"

This was what I'd been waiting for. For Rowan to be comfortable enough to show me that the physical aspect of us didn't scare her. I understood her skittishness. She'd been so loaded down with responsibilities at such a young age that she never had a chance to explore the sexual side of herself. Oh, it was there. I saw it. I wanted it. I couldn't wait to bear the brunt of all that pent-up sexual energy because I knew how to handle it.



       
         
       
        

Seeing Nolan and Ash deep in conversation, I set my elbow on the table to give us some privacy. "What were your plans for tonight that fell through?"

"Seducing you."

I would've choked on my tongue if my mouth hadn't gone dry.

"After I left Calder at Nicolai's, I stood outside your apartment. I almost knocked to tell you I had a free night. But showing up looking like I normally do didn't seem special enough." She glanced away for a moment. "My hesitation with you hasn't been about you."

Special enough. Christ, she didn't have the first clue about how special she was. I angled my head to softly kiss her shoulder. "I get that."

"So I got dressed up and gave myself a pep talk." She released a nervous laugh. "I even practiced saying sexy things out loud because I worried I'd go speechless when I saw you naked."

"You're killin' me here."

"It took three tries before I had the guts to completely cross the hallway."

I had a sudden panic about how long it would have taken her to find that courage again if I hadn't been home tonight.

Question now is: Why the hell are you here and not at home, naked with her, proving that her trust in you isn't misplaced?

I slowly pulled her hand up my thigh until it reached the hardness between my legs. "See what just thinking about you in my bed does to me?"

"Kissing you has the same effect on me." She dragged an openmouthed kiss from the edge of my jaw to my ear. "So hot it feels like fire dancing across my skin."

"Rowan-"

"Hey, guys. Chill on the PDA."

I eased back but didn't take my eyes off hers. "Fine. We were leaving anyway."

"Nope. Karaoke starts in ten."

"Well, have fun with that."

"JB, I'm holding you to your promise."

I finally glared at my annoying cousin. "What promise?"

"You skipped karaoke at Axl's bachelor party. You skipped it at Mimi's birthday party. You swore-pinky-swore with Dallas and Annika as your witnesses-that the next time we were in a karaoke situation, you'd sing. It's time."

"And if I say fuck no?"

Ash dangled my keys over the table-when in the hell had he snagged those from me?-and smirked. "Then you forfeit. I call Uber to haul your loser ass home and I will make sure everyone in the family knows you're a chickenshit pinky-promise breaker."

Why was Ash pushing me on this? He didn't give a damn about karaoke. Was he purposely trying to keep me- 

"Got eyes on the prize," he said casually.

Then it made sense. That was code for we were being watched.

I hated this part of being a public figure. I didn't bother to ask where the person spying on us was sitting. Ash never lied about this. And he'd never been wrong.