Miller pours Sunny a glass of wine. I trail a finger up the side of Lily’s neck. She inhales a tremulous breath, and goosebumps rise along her skin.

“Cold?” It’s warm for late September, and heat lamps are set up all over the place, but Lily doesn’t have much in the way of body fat.

She gives me a strained smile. “I’m fine.”

“You want something to drink?”

“It’s okay. I can get it.” She reaches for the bottle of wine in the center of the table. As she stands, the back of her dress rides up. I stand and move behind her so no one gets a view they shouldn’t.

“It’s okay, baby, let me do that for you.” I put my palms on her shoulders, thumbs smoothing down the ridges of her spine, fingertips caressing her collarbones. Lily drops back into her chair, her fingers brushing along mine, close to her throat. Everyone is looking at me. Or her.

I don’t know why it’s such a big deal that I’m considerate enough to get my date a damn drink. I pour her a glass of wine, then offer it to everyone else to make a point before I sit back down. Kirk drops down in the empty seat across the table. He drags the chair the blond girl is sitting in closer to him so he can use it as an armrest. She nearly spills her wine all over her dress. Fortunately, it’s black, and she doesn’t seem to care. He rests his elbow on the back of her chair. He’s got pit stains. And his forehead is sweaty.

“You guys get lost in the bathroom or something?” Kirk winks at Lily.

“They were getting the house tour,” Tash says, then goes back to chatting with the blonde and ignoring Lance.

I scoot my chair closer to Lily and put an arm around her. It’s not that I feel some kind of ownership, or the need to stake a claim, or that we’re having a pissing contest; Kirk’s a dickface. He’s the kind of guy I don’t ever want to become.

He’s approaching the end of his career. Winning the Cup last year bought him an extra season. But he’s pretty much done. Now that his wife has finally left him and taken his kids, he’s all about getting the bunny action.

He didn’t make a mistake once or twice; he did it all the damn time. Like being away from home was a reason to fuck someone other than the person he married.

I remember the fights my parents used to have when they thought I was asleep. The nights my dad came home from away games were always the worst. When I was old enough, I could’ve stayed at Miller’s, but then I would’ve had to leave my sister to deal with it alone, and she was too young. It was a lot of years of listening to screaming matches and tears before my mom finally had enough of the bullshit. I don’t see much of my dad. I don’t have much use for him. My sister moved all the way to Australia last year for school, so she sees him even less.

Lily’s hand on my thigh pulls me out of the dark spiral of my thoughts. I realize I’m glaring at Kirk and give my attention to her. Her smile is tight, questioning. “You okay?” she whispers.

I shift her chair so she’s right up next to me and brush my nose against her cheek. She shivers. “I’ll be better after dinner’s over.”

“You’re not hungry?” She pokes at her salad.

I don’t think she’s eaten anything. Based on how lean she is, and how active, and how incredibly flexible, I don’t think it’s advisable that she misses any meals.

“I’m hungry, but not for this.” I stab some lettuce, so I’m a good role model, and shove it in my mouth, chewing slowly.

She spears a lone leaf and regards me thoughtfully. “What’re you hungry for?”

“You. Come home with me tonight.” I don’t consider the words before they’re out. I just say them. If she was a bunny, the answer would always be yes.

“I-I—” She removes her hand from my leg. “I can’t. What would I tell Sunny’s parents?”

“You don’t have to tell them anything.”

“I’ve been invited to stay with Alex and his family for the weekend. We have some kind of shopping thing we’re doing tomorrow.”

“I’ll drop you off early, then pick you up later, for dinner.”

“Don’t you think it’s kind of rude to take off so I can have my brains screwed out?”

“Is that what you think I want to do?”

“Isn’t it?” She arches a brow.

“What if I just want to talk?”

“In moans?”

I laugh. She’s a funny girl. I really do want to screw her brains out, without having to worry about anyone interrupting, or either of us having to be quiet. “If you don’t feel comfortable coming home with me tonight, you should at least plan to stay over tomorrow.”

“You’re determined to get me back into a bed.” She stabs another piece of lettuce and takes a bite.

“The bed isn’t the most important part; it’s the getting you naked again part.” I trail a finger across the back of her dress from shoulder to shoulder.

She shivers. “I can’t do a sleepover. My flight’s super early on Monday. I have to work in the afternoon.” She looks at me, her bottom lip caught between her teeth. “You could crash here tonight.”

“I haven’t been invited.”

“No one’ll notice.”

I spend the rest of dinner trying to get my hand up Lily’s skirt while she tries to eat. It’s next to impossible because of how close we’re sitting together. It’s a good thing I’m a lefty and she’s a righty, otherwise I’d have to leave more space. She excuses herself to the bathroom, and I think it’s going to be the perfect opportunity to follow her out for a quickie, but Sunny goes with her.