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“What crawled up your ass?”

Could I have used a less confrontational tone? Sure. But his silent censure bugged the crap out of me, and I couldn’t resist poking him back. I’d texted him about Ed. He had nothing to be upset about.

He tilted his hat up, giving me a quick shot at his full expression, before pulling it back down, shrouding his features again.

“Who’s your new teammate? I don’t think I recognize him.”

It wasn’t an answer, but the hint of jealousy clued me in to the real problem. A thread of hurt washed through me. Did he still not trust me? Even after I’d given him a heads-up that Ed would be joining our team?

Ty leaned against the wall next to me, and I couldn’t help but drift a bit closer. The soft navy T-shirt clung to his upper body, emphasizing the musculature that made my mouth water. Heat from his body engulfed me, and it was my turn to rub my bare shoulders, but not from cold. Goose bumps pearled on my skin, and my nipples peaked.

Unfair. My body acted like it was starved for him, but I couldn’t shake the irritation over his attitude.

“Ed’s just a friend from work. Which you’d know, if you read your text messages.”

His lips firmed, but I caught the flash of guilt as comprehension dawned. “I know we haven’t talked about exclusivity. I just didn’t expect you to bring someone else to trivia night. It’s kind of our thing. And I was running a little late. I didn’t check my phone,” he muttered.

A mix of frustration and understanding washed through me. “Ty. I say this with all sincerity. You’re. An. Idiot.”

I poked his chest with every word for emphasis.Of course,trivia was our thing.

His expression folded into something stoic and blank, and I gripped my scalp, tugging at my hair. Name calling. Poking him. Not my finest moments. Why did Ty push all my buttons? I knew the rules of a fair fight, but I was breathing too hard to bring my emotions under control.

Disappointment cascaded through me. He was shutting down. Choosing flight over fighting for me. For us. I’d done my best to meet him halfway, aware that bringing Ed might jab at old wounds if I didn’t. I’d been up front. Open. Sharing the parts of me that usually made men turn away. But Ty didn’t want me. Unless someone else did. Then he put on the wounded bear impression. And locked down every single emotion. Looking at him now, I’d never guess he had a feeling. Ever.

He pushed away from the wall, backing slowly down the hall, hands up.

“I’m sorry I bothered you.”

As apologies went, it sucked.Botheredme? Frustrated enough to scream, I stalked him instead.

“Yes, Ty, youbotherme. I’ve been hot andbotheredfor weeks. I thought we had the start of something good. But you don’t talk to me. You don’t share. You shut down on me after our last date, and I don’t know why. And I need more. I want someone who wants me too. To distraction. Not only when it’s convenient.”

He sputtered to a stop at my last words, gripping my elbows. Thanks to my advance, we were chest to chest, and I could easily see his eyes under the brim of his cap. They were on fire. For me.

“Hah. Convenient?” He tugged me an inch closer, near enough I could feel the bulge in his jeans. “You thinkthisis convenient? I pride myself on being calm. Rational. I have to keep my cool in a crisis, and, Andi, you bring out the monster in me. Easy would have been ignoring what was between us. Not jeopardizing my friendship with Jimmy and Chase. Not putting my peace of mind at risk. Endangering my principles at court by being unable to think of anything but you. The one thing you’ll never be, Andi, isconvenient.”

My pulse accelerated at his words, my breath coming fast. For once, I wasn’t the one coming on too strong. Forgiving him shouldn’t have been so easy but seeing the flare of lust convinced me it was necessary.

“Good.” I forced the words out between labored breaths, my focus narrowing on his chiseled lips. “We need to talk more.” Those lips. They called to me. “About all the things,” I murmured as he dipped closer.

“Agreed.”

His husky tone made me shiver, and he groaned as the ripple brought me in closer contact with his erection.

I sank into his kiss, letting the velvety wetness absorb every last thought and worry. Lost in him.

He tugged me closer, welding our hips together, and I rubbed against him, trying to assuage the ache between my thighs as he devoured my mouth.

The palm on my forehead pushing me away from Ty shocked me out of the moment.

“Ugh. Knock it off. It’s trivia time, and I drew the short straw of trying to hose you two down.”

Jimmy’s brotherly disgust jarred me back to reality, and I blinked.

With one hand on each of us, Jimmy stood like a referee, holding us apart. Ty scowled, and I batted at Jimmy’s hand.

“Knock it off, Jimmy.”