He laughed. “Okay.”
“But the wine has nothing to do with it.”
“Yeah, it does, because you should know you don’t have to worry about—”
She dug in, stalling their progress. “But Mary is here tonight, too!”
“Who?”
“Keep up, will you? She’s the woman Cannon was going to sleep with, except I showed up and accidentally derailed his plans.” Which she was now glad about. “I’m sure she’s hoping to...reconnect.”
Armie blew out a breath, and smiled. “Hate to break it to you, honey, but Mary and Mindi will have to wait in line.”
They stopped at the front of the crowd, and Yvette found Cannon with a gaggle of ladies hugged up to him for a picture.
More ladies waited, as Armie had said, in a freaking disorganized line.
So many women.
She deflated.
“He doesn’t cheat,” Armie said into her ear so only she would hear.
She knew that, but she didn’t want him to be tempted either, to maybe regret his decision to move in with her.
Watching the indulgent, comfortable way Cannon interacted with the women put her stomach in knots. These ladies were straightforward, without complications; they wanted him, and he could have them. Any one of them would wallow in his attention and in the pleasure they received.
When someone crowded close to her other side, she paid little attention. The place was so jammed that personal space was in short supply.
Then the expensive perfume hit her and she wanted to groan. She swiveled her head around and met Mindi’s patronizing smile.
“Hello, Yvette.”
Armie glanced at her, too, then away. Maybe, Yvette thought, they could shun her and she’d just go away.
That plan got foiled when Merissa waved to them from across the room. Yvette waved back, but Armie, after a muffled groan, deliberately stepped to her side and boldly ran his gaze over Mindi from the top of her head to her toes and back again to her cle**age. “Mindi, right?” he asked her boobs.
Smile slow and full of pleasure, Mindi nodded. “That’s right.” And to Yvette, she said, “You’ve moved on, I see.”
Not understanding, Yvette lifted her brows.
“I’m surprised,” she murmured, giving Armie a reciprocal study, “since they’re so different.”
“Oh.” She actually believed Yvette would leave Cannon for Armie? Absurd. “No, I’m not... That is...”
“I’m a mutual friend,” Armie drawled. “No more.”
Hearing that smooth, seductive tone, Yvette slowly pivoted around to look at Armie. Right before her eyes he transformed into a man on the make.
Fascinated, Yvette stood there, her eyes wide. Was this because Mindi turned him on, or because Merissa was watching? She glanced to the side, caught the hurt on Merissa’s face.
“I totally get what you’re putting out there,” Armie murmured, “and I approve.”
His seductive words recaptured Yvette’s attention.
Mindi preened.
“Tell me you came here alone.”
Yvette wanted to gag. Actually, she might have, given how Armie smiled at her and rubbed her shoulder.
Interest quickened Mindi’s breath. “I’m alone, yes.”
He somehow got between Yvette and Mindi without his movements being noticeable. “You won’t leave alone.”
“I won’t?”
Firm, confident, he stated, “You’ll be coming home with me.”
“Oh.” Hand to her chest, Mindi leaned toward him, then caught herself. “But I came to see Cannon.”
“Look at him all you want, honey, I don’t mind. But that’s as far as it’ll go.” He touched her collarbone, and both Mindi and Yvette held their breath. But he just drifted his fingers over her shoulder—in a pretense of moving her hair back.
Good Lord. This was worse than watching a p**n o, because it was up close and personal. Yvette needed to get away from them before she saw more than she wanted to.
“What do you say?” Armie asked her.
Mindi’s gaze went from Armie to Yvette and back again. “You’ve convinced me.”
“Was there any doubt?”
So cocky. Yvette shook her head. It was going to take a very strong woman to get Armie in line. And thinking that... She searched for Merissa and finally located her at the table in back with the other fighters. She faced away from Armie.
“There’s such a crush up front,” Mindi purred. “Would you mind getting me a glass of wine? Then we can get better acquainted.”
“Let’s seal the deal first.” Armie dipped in and took her mouth—not touching her anywhere else—and Mindi sank like a stone. She leaned into him, clutched at his shoulders, went on tiptoe—
Armie eased her away with a smile. “Don’t go anywhere, now.” As he started off toward the bar, Yvette tried to high-five him.
He laughed, squeezed her hand instead and strode away.
Well, whether he celebrated with her or not, she appreciated how he’d given Mindi a new focus.
A focus that wasn’t Cannon.
Mindi seemed to be trying to regroup, which Yvette took as a good time to escape.
Until Mindi stalled her by saying, “I wanted to talk to you about Cannon.” Nudging Yvette toward a quieter corner, she added, “More specifically, you and Cannon.”
“I can’t imagine why.” They had to step around Cannon’s line. He was now serving drinks to ladies who waved their money in the air.