Fighting Dirty

“It’s two months away!”

“Cannon said you’d say that.”

“Yeah?” His eyes narrowed as he looked around. “Where is your husband?”

Ignoring his implied threat, Yvette laughed.

Armie gave up the hard act. “One beer won’t hurt anything, honey.” He took it back from her. “Promise.”

Yvette didn’t look convinced, but she gave in. “All right. One.” She slanted her gaze to Merissa. “Do me a favor, Rissy, and make sure he behaves.”

Merissa sputtered, but Yvette had already walked off with the chips, again leaving her alone in the kitchen with Armie.

His expression carefully blank, his muscles tensed, Armie looked at her.

She let out a long, dramatic sigh. “One Mississippi. Two Mississippi. Three Mis—”

He frowned. “What are you doing?”

“Seeing how long it takes you to panic and run.”

He took a step back. “I don’t panic.”

“Bull.” She pushed away from the counter and saw his eyes flare. “Ever since that ill-fated kiss a few months ago, you see me and hightail it in the opposite direction. But don’t worry, Armie. You’re safe from my evil clutches. I got the message loud and clear.” Leaving her drink on the counter, she started off.

Armie caught her arm.

Just that. His big hand wrapped around her upper arm, warm, strong. Gentle but firm.

Her back to him, her heartbeat thundering, Merissa waited. He said nothing, but after a few seconds his thumb moved over her skin. It almost stopped her heart, and how pathetic was that? He didn’t want her. He’d made it as plain as he could. Back in November he’d kissed her, and then immediately told her it was a mistake. Now it was February and in all that time he’d barely even looked at her.

“I don’t mean to run you off.” He stepped closer. Close enough that she felt the warmth of his body.

Shoring up her resistance, forcing herself to remember her new resolve, Merissa turned to face him. Her height and the small heels on her boots put her on a level with him.

He stared into her eyes, and then down at her mouth.

Desperate yearning stole her breath and turned her denial into a whisper. “No.”

“No?” he asked, just as softly.

Flattening both hands to the front of that ridiculous shirt, her palms over his solid chest, she stepped him back. “You kissed me once. Felt like you meant it at the time—until you got all disgusted.”

His chin hitched. “Disgusted? Not even.”

Undeterred, Merissa pressed a fist to her heart. “You leveled me, Armie. You made me feel terrible. Over a single kiss. So yeah, I get it. You don’t want me. Understood. Believe me, I don’t want to put myself through that again.”

Before she could move he caught her arm once more.

She stared at him, waiting, some small part still hopeful that he’d say something to change it all.

He didn’t. His gaze shuttered, his jaw working, he fought himself. And then, as if by force of will, he opened his fingers and turned her loose.

Almost choking on her hurt, Merissa turned to leave—and nearly crashed into her brother. His muscular little mutt, Muggles, yapped at her.

Cannon took one look at her and drew her into his side. “Hey, you okay?”

Armie made to move past them, but without accusation, Cannon blocked him.

Merissa muttered, “I’m taking off. It was a long day and I’m beat.”

He kissed her forehead. “All right.” Turning to Armie, he included them both when he said, “Yvette has an announcement to make first.”

Keeping his arm around her, Cannon led her to the living room. Muggles ran up to Yvette, who stood at the front of the room with that giddy smile back on her face. All around her were their friends Denver and Cherry, Stack and Vanity, Gage and Harper. The single guys—Leese, Justice, Brand and Miles—had all arrived solo, so maybe they’d known this would be a party with an intimate announcement.

Guessing their news, Merissa found another smile, too. “Go on,” she told Cannon. “I’m fine.”

He hugged her, then joined Yvette up front. He scooped up the dog in one arm and put his other around his wife.

Feeling a little giddy herself, Merissa ignored Armie at her side and just concentrated on her brother’s happiness.

Leaning her head on Cannon’s shoulder, Yvette said, “I’m pregnant!”

And Cannon, so much in love, added with satisfaction, “We’re having a baby.”

The cheers were nearly deafening, and that set Muggles to howling in excitement, his pudgy legs pumping as he tried to run. Everyone started hugging everyone else and somehow... Yeah. Merissa ended up against Armie.

He looked as stunned as she felt, but only for a second. Then he grinned, hugged her off her feet and whirled her. When he set her back down, his grin tapered off to a fond smile. “You’re going to be an aunt.”

“A baby.” Tears pricked her eyes and her own smile kept twitching. “I can’t wait.”

When Cannon regained everyone’s attention, they faced forward again. But this time, Armie slipped his arm over her shoulders. It was so much like the old days when she’d been younger and Armie was always around, teasing her and looking out for her. Just being there. Emotions swelled.

“I’ve known for a little while now,” Yvette said.

That got everyone playfully complaining.

“We had Denver’s fight, and then he and Cherry got married,” Cannon explained. “Then Stack and Vanity turned Vegas into a wedding, and we figured that was all good news enough.”

“Ours could wait,” Yvette said. “But now I’m so glad to share.”

“Must be something in the air,” Vanity said. “Stack’s sister is expecting, too.”

Denver cocked a brow at Cherry, but she hurriedly said, “No. Not me. I’m enjoying being a wife for a while.”

Vanity saluted her. “Hear, hear.”

For the next hour everyone chatted and laughed, discussing everything from names to nursery furniture to a baby shower. The food Yvette had set out got devoured in record time and overall, the mood remained jovial. After she’d put in enough time for Cannon and Yvette to know she was thrilled with their news, Merissa decided to slip away. Or at least, she tried to. Armie followed her without being obvious to others. She, of course, was acutely aware of his nearness. If he looked at her, she felt it like a warm touch. Whenever he brushed against her, it hit her like a jolt. Maybe he could take it, but she couldn’t.