“Later,” Charly says and plops down in one of the plush couches. I turn on the gas fireplaces for light and heat and walk to the bar.

“Shall we keep drinking wine?” I ask.

“Shots first!” Gabby yells and runs to the bar just as Adam comes upstairs. “The hot guy can pour us shots.”

“The hot guy can,” Adam agrees and winks at her. “What’s your poison?”

“Tequila!” all of the girls exclaim at once, and before I know it, we’ve all had three shots and are nursing glasses of wine.

“We should totally drunk text the boys,” Kate says, pulling her phone out of her purse. “Eli will love it.”

“Good call!” Gabby says and pulls her phone out. “I’m telling Rhys that he needs to go downtown on me on a piano.”

I smirk and sip my wine, squirming a little in my seat as I remember the sex on the piano last weekend. Damn, Declan’s good at the getting laid stuff.

Too bad I’m not seeing him tonight.

“That good, huh?” Charly asks as she sits next to me.

“You have no idea,” I reply and clink my glass to hers.

“Been awhile for me too,” she says with a sigh. “Men suck. And sometimes you get hung up on them, and can’t have sex with someone new, and they still suck.”

“Are you hung up?” I ask, watching as Van takes her phone out of her pocket, and with her tongue between her teeth, punches out a text, then puts her phone away with a satisfied smile.

“Unfortunately,” Charly says. “Because men suck.”

“They sure can,” I reply. “Women can suck too.”

“I don’t swing that way,” Charly replies, then we both erupt into giggles.

“You know I didn’t mean it like that.”

“I couldn’t resist,” Charly says, also watching Van as she retrieves her phone again and responds to a text. “This is fun. Thanks.”

“Thanks for inviting me to play with the shoes,” I reply. “I love shoes.”

“Honey, if you didn’t love shoes, there would be something fundamentally wrong with you.”

“Eli!” Kate exclaims and then shimmies in her seat as Eli walks across the room to her. “You came!”

“Your offer was compelling,” Eli replies and sits next to her, then scoops her into his lap and kisses her hard.

“What did you offer him?” Gabby asks.

“I just offered to blow him while he drove home.”

“Good one,” I murmur, longing to suck Declan’s cock. I’m gonna do that the next time I see him, and there’s nothing he can do about it. He’s not gonna distract me with his lips and hands and cock.

Nope.

“Will you drive us home?” Van asks Eli. “I don’t want to call a cab.”

“No problem.”

“Hey! Ben’s here!” Charly says.

I watch as the hottest-man-in-the-known-universe, besides Declan of course, walks over and stands right in front of Van.

“Who’s Ben?” I whisper to Charly.

“Long time friend of the family,” she whispers back. “And he might be in love with Van.”

“Does she love him back?” I reply and watch as Ben pulls Van to her feet, wraps his muscly arms around her and hugs her close.

“Do I have to stay with Charly tonight?” Gabby asks Van with a frown. “Are you guys gonna do some weird shit?”

Ben just chuckles.

“After everything she’s been through, Van needs Ben right now,” Charly says softly.

“What has she been through?”

“That’s a sad story for another night,” Charly says and pats my knee. “Let’s not ruin this buzz. Come on, Gabby, you can stay with me.”

Without a word, Ben leads Van to the stairs. She waves, then disappears behind him.

“I hope she knows what she’s doing,” Kate says with a frown.

“They’re adults,” Eli replies with a frown of his own. “They’ll be fine.”

We say goodbyes, and Eli ends up promising to drive Gabby and Charly to Charly’s house. When they’re gone, I join Adam at the bar.

“Declan’s family?” he asks.

“Yep.”

“Do I need to call him to come and get you, or are you actually going to sleep in your own bed tonight?” The words are meant to be teasing, but I sense a seriousness to them that I don’t want to examine right now. I’m enjoying this buzz, from the alcohol and the good time with new friends.

“Awwww, do you miss me, Adam?” I ruffle his hair and then wrap my arms around his waist and hug him close. “Don’t worry, I’ll be home to tuck you in tonight.”

“I think I’ll be the one tucking you in,” he replies with a laugh and kisses my head. “Did you have fun?”

“Mmm hmm.”

“I’m glad you’re making new friends.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

“I don’t like seeing you lonely, Cal.”

“Been lonely most of my life.”

“I know.” I feel him sigh, his hand is rubbing up and down my back. I’m still buzzing good and man, I could fall asleep right here.

“But know what?”

“What?” he asks softly.

“You can be in the middle of a crowded room and still be lonely.”

“I know that too,” he replies, then tips my face up so he can look in my eyes. “Damn, you’re toasted.”

“Feels kinda good.”