Holding Strong
Page 3
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Armie snorted. “You all expect me to balk at the sight of a tux, but what the hell, man, you’ll be wearing the same monkeysuit.”
Watching Armie to gauge his reaction, Denver said, “Mostly I expect you to balk at the idea of being in the wedding with Merissa.”
Looking past Denver, Armie narrowed his eyes. “Who’s that dude hitting on Cherry?”
Twisting around, he forgot all about harassing his friend—which had probably been Armie’s intent. But damn, he hadn’t lied. Denver watched Cherry laughingly refuse an insistent guy bent on gaining her cooperation. The slow, thrumming music would have meant a different type of dance and Denver let out a breath when she didn’t give in.
Seeing her body to body with another man, this time someone he didn’t know, would have made him nuts.
Stack sat to one side of her, also watching the idiot who refused to take no for an answer.
To her other side, Miles started to frown.
Suddenly Cherry pushed back her chair and an ugly tension sank into Denver’s chest—until she grabbed up her purse and made a hasty getaway toward the restrooms.
When the idiot started to follow, Miles blocked his way while Stack spoke close to his ear. Whatever he said made loverboy frown and search the bar.
It wasn’t until his gaze clashed with Denver’s that he gave up and stalked away—in the opposite direction that Cherry had gone.
Smiles quirking, Stack and Miles both saluted Denver, then went back to their table and the other women there.
He was wondering what Stack had said when Armie shoved him, and Denver almost dropped off his seat. Righting himself, he muttered, “What the fuck?” and shoved Armie back. But since Armie wasn’t daydreaming as Denver had been, he barely budged.
Snickering, Armie shook his head. “Damn man, get it together or go after her.”
“No need. Stack got rid of him.”
“Yeah,” Armie said, his tone mocking. “Stack handled it.”
Sarcasm? “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“We both know Stack just threatened that poor bozo with you.”
“Me?”
“Yeah, Predator, you.” After emphasizing Denver’s fight name, Armie sipped at his third drink. “You have a nasty death stare and you know it. That chump probably felt your evil intent all the way down to his balls.”
“You are so—” Just then, Denver spotted Havoc scanning the crowd before a group of fans stopped him. “Think he’s looking for you?”
Armie slunk lower in his seat. “No.”
“You are so hopeless.”
“Know what’s hopeless? This denial you have where Cherry Peyton is concerned. Give it up already.”
Denver glared at him. Why the hell did everyone want to butt into his private business? “Why don’t you at least talk to the SBC? Maybe—”
“Why don’t you talk to Cherry?” He tossed back his shot and asked for another. “Better yet, don’t talk. Take her straight to bed and work off some tension.”
Armie fought hard, played hard, but usually didn’t drink hard. Denver eyed him. “This isn’t about Cherry and me.”
“It’s about you trying to avoid talking about you and Cherry.” He grabbed a handful of peanuts while waiting for the next drink.
Disgusted, Denver said, “Are you going to turn around everything I say?”
“Know what I’d like to turn around?” Armie nodded at someone. “That.”
When Denver looked up he saw a stacked redhead coming their way. Lips pursed, eyes big, expression coy.
Definitely on the make.
“She looks ripe to ride doggy style, doncha think?”
At times Armie’s brazen outspokenness bordered on obnoxious. Often, actually. But in this instance, with that girl’s hips, Denver totally got his meaning and even had to grin in agreement.
Seeing their humor, the lady narrowed her coal-lined eyes.
Thank God it was Armie she’d zeroed in on. “You know her?” Denver asked.
“Nope. But give me a minute.”
The redhead stopped in front of Armie and touched a finger to his chest. “You’re Armie Jacobson.”
“Guilty.”
“So are the rumors true?”
“Sure.”
Denver stifled a laugh; Armie hadn’t even asked her what rumors she meant. But when it came to Armie, just about anything was possible.
Bracing her hands on his thighs, she leaned in more, making sure to put her cleavage on display. “I watched you fight.”
Watching Armie to gauge his reaction, Denver said, “Mostly I expect you to balk at the idea of being in the wedding with Merissa.”
Looking past Denver, Armie narrowed his eyes. “Who’s that dude hitting on Cherry?”
Twisting around, he forgot all about harassing his friend—which had probably been Armie’s intent. But damn, he hadn’t lied. Denver watched Cherry laughingly refuse an insistent guy bent on gaining her cooperation. The slow, thrumming music would have meant a different type of dance and Denver let out a breath when she didn’t give in.
Seeing her body to body with another man, this time someone he didn’t know, would have made him nuts.
Stack sat to one side of her, also watching the idiot who refused to take no for an answer.
To her other side, Miles started to frown.
Suddenly Cherry pushed back her chair and an ugly tension sank into Denver’s chest—until she grabbed up her purse and made a hasty getaway toward the restrooms.
When the idiot started to follow, Miles blocked his way while Stack spoke close to his ear. Whatever he said made loverboy frown and search the bar.
It wasn’t until his gaze clashed with Denver’s that he gave up and stalked away—in the opposite direction that Cherry had gone.
Smiles quirking, Stack and Miles both saluted Denver, then went back to their table and the other women there.
He was wondering what Stack had said when Armie shoved him, and Denver almost dropped off his seat. Righting himself, he muttered, “What the fuck?” and shoved Armie back. But since Armie wasn’t daydreaming as Denver had been, he barely budged.
Snickering, Armie shook his head. “Damn man, get it together or go after her.”
“No need. Stack got rid of him.”
“Yeah,” Armie said, his tone mocking. “Stack handled it.”
Sarcasm? “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“We both know Stack just threatened that poor bozo with you.”
“Me?”
“Yeah, Predator, you.” After emphasizing Denver’s fight name, Armie sipped at his third drink. “You have a nasty death stare and you know it. That chump probably felt your evil intent all the way down to his balls.”
“You are so—” Just then, Denver spotted Havoc scanning the crowd before a group of fans stopped him. “Think he’s looking for you?”
Armie slunk lower in his seat. “No.”
“You are so hopeless.”
“Know what’s hopeless? This denial you have where Cherry Peyton is concerned. Give it up already.”
Denver glared at him. Why the hell did everyone want to butt into his private business? “Why don’t you at least talk to the SBC? Maybe—”
“Why don’t you talk to Cherry?” He tossed back his shot and asked for another. “Better yet, don’t talk. Take her straight to bed and work off some tension.”
Armie fought hard, played hard, but usually didn’t drink hard. Denver eyed him. “This isn’t about Cherry and me.”
“It’s about you trying to avoid talking about you and Cherry.” He grabbed a handful of peanuts while waiting for the next drink.
Disgusted, Denver said, “Are you going to turn around everything I say?”
“Know what I’d like to turn around?” Armie nodded at someone. “That.”
When Denver looked up he saw a stacked redhead coming their way. Lips pursed, eyes big, expression coy.
Definitely on the make.
“She looks ripe to ride doggy style, doncha think?”
At times Armie’s brazen outspokenness bordered on obnoxious. Often, actually. But in this instance, with that girl’s hips, Denver totally got his meaning and even had to grin in agreement.
Seeing their humor, the lady narrowed her coal-lined eyes.
Thank God it was Armie she’d zeroed in on. “You know her?” Denver asked.
“Nope. But give me a minute.”
The redhead stopped in front of Armie and touched a finger to his chest. “You’re Armie Jacobson.”
“Guilty.”
“So are the rumors true?”
“Sure.”
Denver stifled a laugh; Armie hadn’t even asked her what rumors she meant. But when it came to Armie, just about anything was possible.
Bracing her hands on his thighs, she leaned in more, making sure to put her cleavage on display. “I watched you fight.”
