Page 4 of Forgotten Comeback (Parisi Family #5)

Chapter

Three

Taylor

“Excuse me.” I shove my way through a group walking too damn slow, squeezing my way to the front of the bar.

“Sorry, that took forever. The line to the bathroom is out of control.” I scoot in beside Mia, shooting Ace’s Wild fuckboy the evil eye.

“No problem,” she tells me.

“No problem at all,” he interjects. “The beautiful Mia and I were getting to know each other.” He flashes Mia a panty-dropping smile before turning his attention to me. “Nice to see you again, Taylor,” he says in an amused tone, and I wonder how he knows my name.

“Oh, you and Gavin know each other?” Mia asks with a raised eyebrow.

“Not exactly; we go to the same gym.” I shoot this Gavin a withering look.

“What gym?” Mia asks.

“Ace’s Wild Boxing club,” I tell her.

“That sounds intimidating,” Mia says, finishing her drink.

“I’d be more than happy to show you the ropes,” Gavin tells her with a flirty grin.

Is this guy seriously trying to fuck up my game?

“You’re more than welcome to come as my guest. Unlike some at the gym, I don’t take myself too seriously.” I give Gavin a pointed look.

“Ms. Serious doesn’t take herself too seriously?” He raises an eyebrow.

“I love how you think you know me based on one interaction in which you were being a complete and total ass,” I tell him dismissively.

“Um, I need to go to the bathroom,” Mia interjects.

“Walk behind the bar and straight back to the employee bathroom,” Gavin tells her with a wink.

“Thanks. Be right back,” Mia tells me.

I smile until she disappears, turning to Gavin with a scowl. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing? You stole my bag, and now you’re trying to steal my girl?”

“Is she your girl, though?” Gavin says with laughter in those annoyingly exotic eyes of his. “Funny, she never mentioned you.”

“She’s about to be my girl,” I say confidently, even though I’m not so sure. I thought Mia and I were headed that way until Gavin had to get his arrogant ass in the middle of it.

He leans over the bar on his elbows, the veins in his muscular forearms popping. It’s annoying how attractive that is. “Maybe she’s about to be my girl.”

I cross my arms and lift my chin. “Guess we’ll find out, won’t we?”

“Huh,” he says thoughtfully.

“What?” I say, exasperated.

“So man-eater is really a woman-eater. Makes sense,” he muses.

“I’m an equal-opportunity-eater, but let’s address your assumption. Because I didn’t fall at your sweaty feet, I must be a lesbian?” My God, the ego of this man.

His lips quirk. “Funny, I seem to remember you falling at my ‘sweaty’ feet.”

“Because you knocked me down!”

“I’ll try not to sweep you off your feet next time.” He winks.

My eyes roll as far as humanly possible. “You are delusional.”

He stands to full height, giving his thick neck a stretch side to side. “I’ve been called worse.”

I scoff. “That I have no doubt.”

“Everything alright?” Mia returns.

“Nothing that a little vodka can’t cure.” Gavin twirls the bottle in his hand before holding it over his shoulder and expertly pouring three shots.

Such a showoff.

He slides a glass to Mia and me, lifting his in a toast. “Cheers.”

Mia smiles as she clinks glasses with him, and not to be left out, I clink my glass to theirs. Closing my eyes, I kick back the burning liquid.

Gavin leans across the bar and flashes a flirty grin to Mia. “My shift’s over. Let’s take this afterparty back to my place.”

Not fucking happening. “I was thinking we could take this afterparty back to my place,” I tell Mia, flashing her a flirty grin of my own.

“Why don’t we take this afterparty back to my place? The three of us,” Mia whispers, shocking the shit out of me.

“I’m game. Taylor?” Gavin dares me.

Am I really considering this? I look over to Mia, a woman I’ve been crushing on for weeks, and I’ll be damned if I get squeezed out of this hookup by the likes of Gavin.

“I’m game. But,” I hold up my finger, “Gavin and I touch only Mia, not each other.” I stare him down.

“Afraid you’re gonna fall in love with me?” he taunts.

“Of course not,” I say dismissively. “I’m afraid you’d fall in love with me, and I don’t have time for obsessed fuckboys.”

Gavin nearly chokes on a laugh. “Glad that’s settled. Ladies, give me a minute to clock out, and then let the games begin.” He winks at Mia as he disappears to the back.

I waste no time, grabbing Mia and kissing her, staking my claim first.

Gavin wants to play games? He should know I’m more than willing to play dirty.