“Grey Goose martini, straight up. Make it a double.”
“Iced tea.” Seth picked up the rose and sniffed it. “You relax with your cocktail, honey. I’ll drive home.”
Beck looked ready to come across the table and punch him, but the waitress chimed in. “Great. I’ll get your drinks, come back with some bread, and take your order.”
When she walked away, her utilitarian braid swaying across her back, Beck turned to him with a scowl. “What the hell are you doing? Honey?”
“Would you prefer baby?”
“I prefer you to shut the fuck up and go away. I get why you came back from New York. Hammer needs you. Hell, Raine could clearly use your help, too. We have to figure out if River has an agenda and keep her out of danger.”
Yes, especially since River had already once tried to kidnap her in the name of “saving” her from Hammer and Liam. “But?”
“Heavenly is off-limits.”
“I’ll see what she says. I don’t take direction from you.”
“You blew your chance with your late-night vanishing act. You’re not getting the chance to upset her again. Don’t visit her at the hospital. Don’t follow us on our dates. Don’t call, text, or stalk her. She’s moved on.”
“Nice speech.” Seth braced his elbow on the table. “But you’re out of luck. See, at Christmas, she texted me and told me that she was going to miss me. I’m rolling with that.”
Surprise widened Beck’s eyes for a split second before he banked it. “And have you talked to her since?” When Seth hesitated, Beck smiled. “I didn’t think so. Look, that was then, and I’m keeping her more than occupied now.”
“We’ll see. You know, Raine has a very different opinion of this situation.”
Beck scoffed. “Well, Raine is wrong. And don’t think I’m sharing Heavenly with you, either. So if you’re into that—”
“No. God no. I don’t want to get that close to you. The swinging junk thing with Liam once awhile back cured me. What about you? You like knocking nuts with another guy when you have a woman between you?”
“I don’t share, period.”
“Well, there’s one thing we have in common. A first.” He lifted his water glass in a mocking salute. “And I guess we have Heavenly in common…for now.”
Apparently, Beck wasn’t in the mood to raise his glass. “You’re wrong. You had your chance and you ran away when she hurt your little feewings.”
Before Seth could reply, the waitress brought their drinks, took their dinner order, and left with a cheery smile. He wasn’t keen about sitting across from the taciturn doctor for another hour, but if he wanted Heavenly, he had to deal. At least until he could figure out how to make Beck go away.
“Let’s get real.” Seth leaned in. “How can a sadist who’s…what, fifteen years older be good for Heavenly?”
“Shy of fourteen,” Beck ground out. “You don’t know me or have any idea how I treat her. You certainly don’t know my intentions.”
“I know you’d ruin her.”
“That’s your opinion. While we’re on the subject of who’s bad for her, have you looked in a mirror? You don’t even live here, so—”
“Who says I can’t move?”
“But you’re not. Right?”
Seth shrugged. Let the bastard wonder…
Beck crossed his arms over his chest. “You don’t even have a job out here.”
“I’m self-employed, asshole. I can go anywhere. And by the way, putting bloody stripes on her ass won’t get me hard. You can’t say the same.”
“I’d never fucking hurt her. I’ve been taking my time and learning her, so when she’s ready, I’ll know exactly what she needs and how far I can take her.”
“What a fidiot.”
“You’re not perfect, Casanova. I doubt you can keep your pants zipped long enough to be faithful. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me to find out you got some action back while you were back in New York.”
Seth felt a guilty flush crawl up his face. “Is your sex life so lacking that you have to ask about mine?”
“Get serious. Heavenly won’t be able to handle you playing musical beds.”
“The truth might actually shock you.”
“Oh? You don’t know anything about commitment.”
“I know it isn’t doing the same club sub two nights in a row. It takes caring, compromise, understanding—”
“Don’t lecture me. I’m not the one with the revolving-pussy policy.”
Seth didn’t owe Beck any information about his personal life. “For the right woman, I’d be very monogamous.”
“Really? Earlier today, Hammer mentioned a woman you loved who scared the shit out of you. Were you faithful to her?”
Seth clutched the butter knife and fought the urge to eviscerate the bastard. “Every fucking day, so why don’t you shut up? I listened to you. Now hear me: I’m not leaving Heavenly until she realizes I’m the one for her. So we can squabble about it like boys. No, like Hammer and Liam—”
“I wouldn’t waste the energy to punch you in the snow.”
“You’re not worth freezing my ass off, either. So we can spend dinner talking about weather, sports, and Hammer’s situation or eat in silence; I don’t care which. After that, I’m bringing my A-game and letting Heavenly decide who she wants.”
“That’s fine by me.” Beck lifted his martini. “I know the best man will win.”
“Hi!” Raine opened her front door the following afternoon. “Come in. I’m glad you had time to hang out today.”
With a smile, Heavenly stepped inside her friend’s big house. The place always awed her. It was somehow opulent and cozy at once.
As she entered, the scents of vanilla and cinnamon hit her, along with baking nuts and something yeasty. “Me, too. Thanks for inviting me. Gosh, something smells divine.”
Raine shut the door and led her inside. “After the morning I had, I needed to bake.”
“What happened?”
“Several things. Hammer’s got a lot going on. It’s”—the brunette waved her away with a sniffle—“hopefully fine now. Everything is emotional. I visited my
