Then, the whole scenario deteriorates when Sara Brunswick slides down next to him. With a snap of her fingers, our contact breaks, and mine veer down to Sara’s finger steadily moving along his forearm. Looking back up to Tanner, he studies me. He used to date Sara for about four months last year. They were hot and heavy, but I’m not sure about the seriousness of their relationship. Since freshman year, it was the first time I separated myself from hanging out with Tanner and Brad. My emotions were high, and I was jealous that Sara could grab his attention like I always did.
Tanner and I have steered clear through the years. Before, we snuck in one hidden kiss or a prolonged stare and even a few tingled brushes of arms. But the line between friendship and romance was drawn a long time ago. We both dated people, but it was never more than a casual thing—a few dates, prom, or drunken nights. The two of us never officially got involved in any serious boyfriend-girlfriend relationships. I assumed we were waiting for Brad to notice the intensity between us when we were together and for him to accept it.
Then, Sara strolled in one night at their apartment when we returned from a bar, and I watched Tanner take her to his bedroom. My heart sank to the pit of my stomach. I can’t lie. I was happy when they didn’t work out, but Tanner had hurt me. I stayed away from them until swim practice started back up, and we were thrown together. Soon, his comedic personality beat the anger out of me, and we were back to where we’ve always been—flirtatious friends.
“Tanner, I called you last night.” Sara’s sweet voice nauseates my stomach.
She peers at Bea and me, releases a huff, and then she casts her glance back on Tanner.
“Sara, you know Piper and Bea.” He nods his head our way.
When I begin to shift my weight, he locks my knee tighter between his legs.
“How could I forget?” She barely raises her hand off Tanner’s to give us a small recollection.
“Well, they do say hair dye—”
I elbow Bea, pursing my lips together to keep from smiling.
“What?” Bea turns to me. “It’s been researched.”
Noticing my stern appearance, she lets it fade away. She gives Sara a fake smile before turning around to peruse the bar.
I’m aggravated that it takes Tanner two minutes to remove her hand. The heat from the rage boiling in my veins makes me hot. I’m torn. Do I leave and act like a bratty two-year-old? Or stay and take the chance of my knee unlocking between Tanner’s legs to shoot right up to kick him square in his crotch?
Disregarding Bea and me, Sara leans across the table, face mere inches from Tanner’s
Um . . . hello? Someone should tell her that we are in a booth. Unless she somehow slides onto Tanner’s lap, positioning herself between Tanner and the table. She can’t shield our view.
Maybe Bea has a point about the hair dye.
“Tanner,” she whines.
I shake my head, nudging Bea to move out of the booth.
She cocks her head back at me and mouths, No.
Turning her attention to Tanner, he snickers. He knows, between the two of them, I’m locked in place.
Crossing my arms over my chest, I let out a huff, and Tanner full-out laughs.
“What do you want, Sara?”
When his eyes don’t falter from mine, I want to reach across the table and smack a kiss to his lips.
“Can we talk?” she half-whispers, not aware that Bea and I can hear her plain as day.
Tanner’s sights never veer, remaining pinned on me.
“No,” he answers.
He winks at me, which earns me a pinch from Bea. The weight of her glowering stare into the side of my head doesn’t cease. Plus, Tanner’s lips are moving into a smirk because he sees it, too.
“Come on.” Sara scoots closer to him, and she takes a sip of her drink in a lame form of seduction, except it slips from her hands and dumps into Tanner’s lap.
“Fucking Christ!” Tanner screams. The table pushes forward, locking Bea and me in. “Shit!” He grabs the edge of the table, pulling it off of us.
“I’m so sorry, Tanner. Let me . . .” She grabs the napkins on the table.
At this point, I’m done. She’s already got one hand on my man’s crotch, blotting it and her other grabbing more napkins.
Tanner attempts to push her hand away, peering up at me and then back down, but the girl will not relent.
Somehow, my body begins to react. Before I can stop myself, I push the table back, and my hand is on her wrist, yanking it off. Tanner chuckles, and Sara cocks her head back at me. My teeth nail down my lip, and between Tanner and Bea’s hysterical laughter, I come back to the moment. Tanner and I are not publically out as a couple. Sara files out of the booth to clean it up and Tanner follows.
“What the hell, Piper?” Sara places her hands on her hips.
My teeth bite harder. “I’m sure Tanner can manage.” I quickly sit back down, looking anywhere but at her.
“Oh, man. Party foul.” Brad decides to make his entrance now. “Piper, don’t stop Tanner from getting felt up.” He laughs, almost spitting out his beer.
He’s clearly had too much to drink.
“I know she’s always had a thing for you, but come on,” Sara talks only to Tanner.
He stands up straighter now, the amusement faded. She leans over, brushing her chest against his arm, and this odd adrenaline shoots through my veins. It’s the same breathlessness I have when I’m standing on the board, waiting for the shot of the pistol.
“Just get out of my way.” Tanner elbows her to push her out of the booth.
Sara relents, and Tanner escapes without a look my way, walking in the direction of the restroom.
“You.” Sara points her manicured nail my way.
Bea sits up straighter, her back flat as a board, ready to protect me. “Just leave, Sara,” Bea warns her.
“No. So, what? Are you guys finally together or something? You’ve finally stopped fucking with other people’s emotions in the stupid game of I Like You or I Don’t Like You?” She places one hand on her hip and juts it to the side.
Bea slides out, and Taylor walks over, obviously aware of the escalating situation.
“What are you talking about, Sara? You’re the one who ended it with Tanner.” Brad tries to play referee.
I’m surprised he isn’t thrown back the slightest by Sara’s words.
“I only broke up with him because I’d never live up to what he really wants.” Sara tosses her hand in my direction.
I slide out of the booth, leaving all of us in a narrow opening, as we become the entertainment for the crowded bar. “Don’t blame me for that,” I hammer back at her.
Sara shakes her head, tossing it back, while giving out a hollow laugh. “You were always hanging around.”
She leans forward, and Brad intervenes by stepping between us.
“She’s my sister. Of course she’s always around.”
I’m mildly amused by Brad at this moment because he’s so naive as to what Sara is saying.
“Trust me, Brad. She’s not hanging around your apartment for some sibling bonding.” She swivels around on her heeled boot, her bleach-blonde hair smacking Brad in the face.
He looks at me, and then Taylor cozies up to him.
“She’s ruining my party,” she whines. Leaning close, she softly says, “Look at everyone staring. Come on, Brad. Dance with me.”
“All right, baby.” He wraps his arm around her waist.
When they are a few tables down, Taylor turns around and winks at me.
Man, I pinned her wrong.
“Are you ready to tell me what the hell is going on? I’m your best friend, and it appears that little Miss Peppy over there knows, so cough it out,” Bea says from behind me.