“Are you going to dance with her, or are you going to stare at her like some creeper?” Dan asks.

“I’m giving her space. She’s with her friends.”

“Don’t wait too long. You don’t want someone else taking her home at the end of the night.”

I arch an eyebrow. “She might not want to be taken home by anyone at the end of the night.”

“She will if you play your cards right.”

“I don’t need to play games to get a girl.”

“Well, you need to do something,” he says. “I know your hand is tired of jerking off in the shower every night.”

“First of all,” Shaun says, back from the bathroom, “how do you know he jerks off in the shower every night?”

“Jealous?”

Shaun laughs. “Hardly. But he has a point, Jax. It’s been long enough. Don’t you think it’s time you broke your dry spell?”

I drain the rest of my beer. “I think you guys worry too much about my dick.”

“Or you’re not worried enough.” Shaun claps me on the back. “I hate that bitch for doing such a number on you, man.”

My stomach clenches at the reminder. “Change the subject.”

“All right, all right. I’m just saying—”

“You’ve said plenty. Your turn to get the next round.” Smith nudges Shaun toward the bar.

I give Smith an appreciative nod.

“You know he’s just worried about you,” Smith says. “We all are.”

“Look, I wanted to come out tonight to celebrate, not to talk about my past. My life is finally back on track. I don’t need to be reminded of my failures.”

“You didn’t fail at anything,” Dan says. “None of what happened was your fault.”

“I’m not having this conversation. It’s over. I’ve moved on.”

“Have you?”

“I have.” My jaw ticks. “Now drop it.”

“Consider it dropped.”

I know the guys are looking out for me. I’d do the same for them. My ex-girlfriend shattered my heart and ran away with the pieces. I’d tried to fuck the memories away, did the whole different-girl-every-night thing. Nothing worked. If anything, random slutty women only reminded me of the she-devil more.

So I swore off women altogether. I threw myself into work, got my administrator’s degree, and today I landed my dream job.

I’m finally on the upswing.

My eyes lock with Raegan across the room and the smile spreads across my face. It’s been a while since I’ve felt drawn to a woman like this. A connection. She’s a sign of all the good that’s about to come my way. Maybe it’s time to break my dry spell.

Dan takes the beer bottle out of my grip. “Stop creeping and go dance with her.”