Taylor smiled. “I hope so. I’ve been working on my Dragon Rider all week. I reinforced all her gear.” She’d needed something to do while online and spending time with Sigmund.
“Me, too. Tonight’s going to kick ass.”
She hoped so.
One of the guys held the door to the pub open and Taylor slipped inside—and almost dropped her laptop when she saw Loch sitting at the bar.
He was impossible to miss—Loch was head and shoulders taller than the two guys who sat next to him, and he had all that gorgeous tawny hair. He gazed up at the soccer game playing on the television over the bar, and then glanced at the door, as if waiting for someone.
And he smiled when he saw her.
Taylor’s steps slowed. A mixture of excitement and dread pooled in her belly. Loch had come to see her?
Oh, god. She hoped Sigmund didn’t hear about this.
“What are you doing here?” she asked as Loch got up from the bar and moved toward her.
“I thought I’d come to the party.”
She leaned over, looking for a backpack. “Where’s your computer?”
“Oh, is it a computer party?”
“What did you think a LAN party was?”
“No idea, actually.” He shrugged and grinned at her, taking a sip from his beer. “But if you were here, I wanted to be here, too.”
Warmth spread through her body at his sweet words. “It’s a computer party, you goof. Everyone brings their laptops and plays on a local network.”
“Ah. Then can I watch you play?” He wiggled his eyebrows at her, and she remembered last Saturday night. Man, that had been an awesome night. Everything in her screamed for a repeat. After all, how better to unwind than with a few intense orgasms?
But she hesitated. “Loch, I don’t know. I wasn’t joking when I said my life was super complicated right now.”
“And mine’s not,” he said with a grimace. “Actually, mine’s boring as shite. You’re the only interesting thing right now, so I thought I’d come hang out with you.”
She bit her lip, glancing over at the guys. They were heading into the back room with their computer gear, and casting a few looks in her direction. If Loch hung out with her, someone would say something to Sigmund. Gamer geeks gossiped worse than anyone she knew.
“I can’t, Loch. I’m sorry.”
“Why not?” His brows drew together. “Is it me?”
“No, not at all! You’re like, amazing, and magical, and I would climb you like Mount Everest right about now if my life weren’t so messed up.”
His sexy mouth curled into a smile. “You do like the mountain euphemisms.”
“That’s because you’re a damn mountain. A big, sexy, man-mountain.” She reached out to touch a bicep, and then forced herself to put her hand away. If she caressed even one of those muscles, she’d be lost. “I can’t.”
“A man’s only going to ask so many times,” he murmured in a low voice, leaning in.
“I know.” It felt like giving up Christmas, but she had to. Even now, she shouldn’t have been talking to him. Reluctant, she took a step backward and then gestured at the back room, where her friends were setting up. “I should go.”
“Taylor,” he began, stepping forward.
No, this was a bad idea. All of it. She turned on her ankle and rushed toward the back room, pushing past Geoff and a few others who’d stopped to get beer at the bar. The LAN party room was crowded, the tables squeezed together so they could fit everyone inside, and she moved sideways, dodging heavy furniture and sprawled legs to get to one of the back seats. Please don’t follow me, Loch. Please don’t.
“Hey, Tay-Tay, check out what came in for you!”
She looked over to see Gina standing up and pointing at the center of the pushed-together tables.
In the middle of the room was an enormous bouquet of red and white flowers. Heart-shaped mini-balloons had been stuck in between the roses and an equally heart-shaped card protruded out of the center. She moved forward, stumbling over a chair that backed out, and plucked the card off the flowers.
I’m sorry I’ve been so needy. Hope these make you smile. Your friend, Sigmund.
Fuuuuuck.
She stared in horror at the flowers. Those weren’t something you gave a buddy. Those were the flowers you gave a girlfriend after you’d fucked up. The arrangement was enormous, and expensive, and had been deliberately left for her, because Sigmund knew she would be here. And if she wasn’t, he’d have known that, too.
Taylor felt trapped.
She flung the card down and hurried away. Back of the room. She’d get back there, throw on her headphones, and hide.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Loch’s big frame in the doorway. Shit. He’d see the flowers, or Gina would say something, and—
She was so busy hurrying away that she wasn’t looking where she was going. Taylor’s feet got caught up on someone else’s leg and in the next moment, the table rushed up on her.
Something hard smacked her head and then the world went dark.
***
Loch twisted his hands in the waiting room, watching the clock. Down the hall, the busy emergency room hummed and babies cried. Someone complained and nurses rushed past. He shifted on the uncomfortable seat in the sterile white hallway, gaze fixed on the door that Taylor had disappeared through a short time ago. He’d never been so damn scared as when he’d seen her passed out, blood on her forehead.
He was pretty sure he’d run all the way to the hospital with her in his arms. There might have been a taxi involved, but it was all a blur.