Page 38 of Bad Boy for Hire

“Would have been better if her ex was a raging asshole, but he wasn’t.”

“That would have been better?” Griffin asked with a laugh. “Did you want him to rage at seeing you with May? Give you an excuse to break his nose?”

“That wasn’t going to happen with his fiancée on his arm.” Xavier took a swig from his own beer cup. “I didn’t like him, even though on the outside he seemed likable. He was polite. Reserved. Annoyingly unruffled.”

“Sounds like a posturing asshole. How’d May do?”

“Handled it like a champ.”

“Not surprised.”

Xavier hadn’t been surprised either. Despite her trepidation about going to the wedding, once they’d locked in their date, she’d committed. “They split up right around the time I bought Salty, so it’s been a few years. But sometimes those situations can linger, you know?”

Griffin emitted a noncommittal grunt.

“We danced, drank, left. I took her to the Bluffs after.”

“The Bluffs,” Griffin said with approval. “Then?”

“Then”—Xavier sat back in his chair—“I invited her to my place.”

“I’m impressed.”

“It was good. Phenomenal, to be honest.” Xavier checked their surroundings and found that the only other people here was a foursome three tables down. He lowered his voice anyway. “I might have fucked it up.”

“Already? This was last night. Unless you left her unsatisfied, how is fucking it up possible?” Griffin’s tone was serious when he asked, “You didn’t leave her unsatisfied, did you?”

“No. Of course not.”

Griff pulled a hand over his brow to show his relief.

“I forgot…to put on something. During.” Admitting that made Xavier feel young and stupid.

More specifically, like his irresponsible and self-absorbed younger brother. About five years ago, Lynx had come to him with a similar issue. At sixteen years old, Lynx had been rightfully freaking out. Xavier wasn’t sixteen; he was old enough to know better.

“She’s on birth control, right?”

“I—don’t think so.” If she were, Xavier guessed she’d have mentioned it instead of being worried about their “accident.”

“You didn’t ask?” Griffin’s eyebrows lifted.

“We were both alarmed after it happened. We didn’t talk about it. Much.”

“Don’t panic.” Griffin held out a hand, his alarmed expression hinting that he was giving himself that same advice. “Very unlikely that one shot did the job. Possible, but unlikely.”

“That’s the same advice I gave Lynx when he thought he’d impregnated his girlfriend in the tenth grade.” Xavier scrubbed his face. “God. I’m a tenth grader.”

“You’re not a tenth grader. You were excited. You’ve been wanting May for years. Some eagerness is to be expected. Anyone could have forgotten their place with her naked in their bedroom.” Griffin shook his head. “Not that I’m picturing her. Respect.”

“Thanks, buddy.”

“She stay over?”

“Yeah. I slept on the couch, we had coffee, and I drove her home. Then I called you.” Xavier scrubbed his palms over his jeans. “Not sure what the fuck to do now.”

“Sure you want advice from the guy who can’t keep a woman?”

“Not really, but you’re all I got. Brady and Ant?—”