When the women flirted a little too much, the guys were amazingly diplomatic, remaining polite and funny without encouraging.
At Rowdy’s request, they moved to the side of the floor for a few photos with regular customers. The location would keep the crowd from jamming up the rest of the bar. Grinning, Denver stood between a woman and her boyfriend, his arms spread behind them. He was so big he towered over both of them, his shoulders broad enough to encompass them both.
So gorgeous, so sweet, so talented—and currently all hers.
“Young love,” Armie quipped beside her with a dramatic sigh.
“Looks like Denver must be doing something right,” Stack agreed while giving her a playfully critical appraisal. “She looks...satisfied.”
Leese, now an accepted part of the group, laughed while nodding his head toward Denver. “So does he.”
They all turned to look at Denver, who was now looking at Cherry.
She blushed at the heat in his eyes; Denver gave a slow, knowing smile.
At the table next to them, Vanity handed Cherry a magazine. “What do you think?”
The magazine showed a woman with a shoulder-length sleek hairdo. “You’re getting your hair cut?” Cherry couldn’t imagine it. Vanity’s heavy, pale blond hair had just enough wave to always look amazing.
“Not me,” Vanity said. “Merissa is thinking of changing her look.”
Yvette crossed her arms on the table. “She wants to change things up a bit.”
It was hilarious how all the men—all but Armie—started objecting to Merissa at the same time.
“But your hair is so pretty.”
“It’s downright sexy.”
“Why would you want to cut it?”
Merissa went bright red at all the attention. “It’s just...there. I wanted a style.”
“Hell no,” Stack said, and he reached out to run two fingers down a long tress. “Take it from me, dudes like your long hair, styled or not.”
Leese smiled at her. “Hair that long is part of a dozen fantasies.”
“Really?” Merissa didn’t look convinced.
“At least,” Stack said.
“I told you so,” Vanity said, and then she seemed to remember her own hair was as long and she glanced at Stack.
He lifted a brow, and nodded.
Yvette and Cherry shared a look. They both realized that everyone had weighed in except Armie. And that was probably the person Rissy most wanted to hear from.
Vanity must’ve caught on, too, because she finally pulled her gaze away from Stack and leaned around Cherry to see Armie. “What do you think?”
“It’s her hair,” Armie said with bland indifference. He took a pull off his beer and shrugged. “She can do whatever she wants with it.”
Merissa ducked her face, and damn, Cherry wanted to smack Armie. She was thinking of kicking him under the table when big hands settled on her shoulders. Standing behind her chair, Denver bent to whisper in her ear. “You doing okay?”
Happiness bubbled up. “I’m terrific.”
He kissed her cheek, nuzzled her neck, then tipped her face back so he could put his mouth to hers.
After ending the kiss, he crouched down beside her chair. “I’m sorry about the fans.”
“Don’t be.” Cherry cupped a hand to his jaw. “You’re a very popular guy. I love it.”
His golden eyes searched hers. “You’re sure you don’t mind?”
Of course she didn’t. She’d fallen in love with a fighter; she accepted that his career would require a lot of training and many trips away from her. His success was important to him, and that made it important to her.
With a pat to his chest, she said, “Do what you need to do to keep your fans happy. It’s not a problem.” She leaned closer until her nose almost touched his. “But at the end of the day, you’re all mine.”
Funny, given they’d had sex many times now, but Denver’s eyes flared with hot interest. “Damn, girl,” he whispered low. “Much more of that and I won’t be decent to talk to fans.”
Giddy elation had her smiling like a sap. “Denver?”
“Yeah?”
“This is the best date ever.”
He cupped the back of her neck and drew her in for another long kiss. “I’ll wrap up soon.”
“Don’t rush. I’m enjoying myself.” And after that display, not a single female in the bar had any doubts that Denver was taken. She especially loved him for that.