Reya laughed quietly next to him, and I looked away, trying to control my blush. Right then I wanted to kick him, annoyed that a cocky little twenty-three-year-old could embarrass me like that. Thankfully, there was a distraction when a group of girls barely out of their teens approached, smiling demurely and giggling as they eyed the aforementioned cocky little shit.

“Hi, Trevor.” One of them finger-waved.

Reya began fixedly studying the crumpled ice cream napkin she held as Trevor flashed them a charming smile. “Ladies.”

“We were watching you earlier. It’s amazing the stuff you guys can do.”

“Oh, yeah?” Trevor preened.

Reya quietly stood and announced, “I just remembered I have to go collect my laundry. I’ll see you all later.” With that she turned and walked away, an urgency in her gait.

I glanced at Lee. “I’d better go after her.”

He nodded. “Go. Will I see you tonight?”

“Sure, we’ll stop by around eight or nine.”

His eyes warmed. “Okay, see you then.”

***

When I caught up to Reya, she still wouldn’t admit that she had feelings for Trevor, and swore out and out that she really did have laundry to pick up. In the end I left her to it, with a promise to meet up later for Lee’s birthday drinks. My stomach was all a-flutter at the thought of seeing him again, but it felt different now. There was no anxious sense of foreboding, no feeling like I was doing something wrong. All I felt was excitement that I was going to see a man I found attractive and had some deep unresolved feelings for.

So, you know, the usual.

Look, at least he wasn’t thieving anymore, nor was he on my dad’s watch list. Although Lee and his brothers were being monitored by Dad’s team originally, he knew he didn’t have anything on them. Plus, he seemed satisfied enough that Stu was doing time, the person he’d always thought was the ringleader.

That was the problem with my dad. He was so wrapped up in his own alpha maleness that he couldn’t see another alpha when he was staring him right in the face. And sometimes, the big dog wasn’t necessarily the largest.

Feeling the need to get Lee a birthday gift, I stopped by a bookstore on my way home and picked up a Cordon Bleu cookery book that I knew he’d like. I smiled to myself, remembering the time I’d teased him for baking lemon cakes like a little old granny. In truth, the idea of him with his shirt sleeves rolled up, tattoos all on display, and wearing an apron was kinda sexy. Or maybe I was just a weirdo.

I spent the rest of the day helping Alexis with Oliver, then went to get ready. Settling on a pair of black skinny jeans, boots, and a white shirt, I thought I looked good without making too much effort. I tied my hair up in a stylish ponytail before heading out. Reya met me on the Tube, since she lived two stops away, and when we got to the pub, the place was busy. I spotted Lee, Trevor, Liam, and two other blokes sitting at a big table, drinking pints.

“Hey, everyone,” I said in greeting, and Lee immediately stood to place a kiss on my cheek. His gaze travelled over me as I shrugged off my jacket, and then he whispered in my ear, “You look hot as fuck.”

I shivered at his words, wondering if he only said it because he was drinking, but the alcohol on his breath wasn’t heavy. I sat down, and Trevor proceeded to quiz Reya on where she’d run off to earlier. He’d been so busy flirting with his gaggle of groupies that he hadn’t even noticed her leave, which just said it all. I thought maybe my friend was better off with him staying oblivious. Sure, Lee was a handful, but I imagined it’d take ten women to keep up with Trevor’s hyperactive personality.

Reya needed someone kind, someone safe. Not an adrenaline junkie who jumped off buildings and climbed mountains just for kicks. Sure, Lee was…okay, you get the point. Of all the brothers, Trevor was the wildcard. Speaking of brothers, Liam was eyeing me cautiously from the other side of the table. I understood why he was sceptical, especially with Stu’s current incarceration. But I wasn’t there for any reason other than the fact that I was drawn to Lee.

We’d been out of each other’s lives for three months. I’d thought I was over him, insomuch as you could ever get over a lost love. But the second I walked into that delivery room and saw him there, standing by my best friend’s side as she went through one of the most difficult and important experiences of her life, I knew I wasn’t over him. Not by a long shot. All my feelings had come rolling back, but with a renewed sense of warmth. I didn’t have to worry about my career or my reputation. He was just a man now. Just an ordinary man. Anything could happen. The idea caused my every pore to draw tight with anticipation.

I wanted to say something to Liam, but I knew that if he was ever going to accept me, it was going to take time. I’d have to get him to warm up to me little by little. For now, I simply nodded my head at him in lieu of a hello. He nodded back. This was good. I’d half expected him to flip me off.

“Oh, I brought you a present,” I said, turning to Lee. My knee knocked into his, and I was far more aware of the simple touch than I should have been. Pulling the gift-wrapped book from my handbag, I passed it to him. Lee stared at the gift, a grin tugging at one corner of his mouth.

“Aw, Snap, ya shouldn’t have,” he said, leaning forward and giving me yet another peck on the cheek. This time it was dangerously close to my mouth, and I inhaled a sharp breath. A second later, Lee’s attention was on the book as he pulled it from the wrapping. The smile took over his entire face then, and his eyes lit up as he looked at me. “This is great, thanks.”