Page 124 of Black Willow Witch
‘Why?’
‘You’re all class and elegance. I figured you would have ordered cocktails.’
‘It’s fun to keep you on your toes.’ She tipped back her bottle, and the cool liquid went down easy. No sooner had she set her beer back on the damp coaster than he held yet another nacho to her mouth. ‘Thank you.’ She ate it, the tastes of salt and cheese bursting on her tongue.
The arm hooked over her chair stiffened, so she wasn’t surprised to see that some wolves were on their way over. People occasionally stopped by their table to say hello to their Alpha. Ripper handled it graciously, but she sensed he’d prefer if they were left alone.
As Kerr and Logan boldly took the seats opposite, she nabbed a napkin from the dispenser and wiped her wet hand.
‘Hey,’ Kerr greeted with a chin lift.
Ripper gave him a flat stare. ‘What do you want?’
‘To win your heart,’ he mocked. ‘What do you think I want? I came to say hey.’
‘Which you’ve done twice tonight already, so . . .’ Ripper waved them both away.
Logan smirked. ‘I’d give you shit for wanting to have Emberlyn all to yourself, but I totally get it. You serious you’d never share her?’
‘Yes,’ Ripper stated.
His brother sighed. ‘That’s a damn shame.’
‘No, it ain’t.’
Knowing that Logan was only poking at Ripper for fun, Emberlyn balled up the damp napkin and tossed it Logan’s way. ‘Stop taunting your brother.’
‘But it lifts my mood,’ Logan quipped.
Kerr grinned at him. ‘He’d share her with me.’ His attention moved back to Ripper. ‘Wouldn’t you?’
‘No,’ Ripper stated.
Kerr’s lips parted in mock hurt. ‘I thought we were best friends. Sharing is caring.’
His brows drawn tight together, Ripper looked from one male to the other as he said, ‘Fuck off, both of you.’
They only chuckled.
There was a screech of wood against wood as a burly guy stumbled into the neighboring table and made it skid along the floor. Bottles tipped over and a burger hit the floor with asplat, but the people sitting there only laughed good naturedly.
Sighing, Logan stood. ‘We’d better get some coffee down him so he sobers up some.’
Nodding his agreement, Kerr pushed out of his chair and followed Logan to the slurring, staggering male wolf.
Ripper’s tension eased, but not quite enough for Emberlyn’s liking. The truth was that a fine line of tension had been humming through him all evening, and she couldn’t ascertain the source of it. Initially, she’d assumed that he was just annoyed over Crew and Paisley accompanying them on their date. Shehad thought his tension might therefore disappear after some time chilling at the bar, but she’d been wrong.
Emberlyn gently poked his side. ‘What’s wrong?’
His gaze snapped to hers. ‘Nothing at all.’
‘Then explain why you’re wound tight, and don’t blame it on how many people keep interrupting our date.’
He looked away, a subtle sigh easing out of him. ‘I planned to tell you tomorrow so it didn’t shit on our evening.’
‘Much as I appreciate the sentiment behind that plan, I’m not down with it. I’d rather know now.’ Otherwise it would only play on her mind, and he wouldn’t be able to properly relax.
He angled his body slightly toward hers, saying nothing for long moments. ‘I had a visit from the Reeds earlier.’
