His stomach flipped. Because the want wasn’t only physical. He’d loved falling asleep with her, loved waking with her, loved making them both giant omelets during their recovery period. If he was honest, being with Catie just felt… good.

“It kinda sucks that it won’t last,” he said quietly. “I mean, I was just thinking—if we could make it work, it’d be the dream, right? We both do sports, our families are tight, and there’d never be any trust issues.” Yes, he was still sore about that one date who’d tried to sell her story to the tabloids; she’d only failed because she’d had zero juicy material—they’d literally just met for a coffee in a busy Mount Eden café.

But a future with Catie was a pipe dream. The two of them were too combustible for it to last. They’d be back to their antagonistic relationship as soon as the lust went cold.

Spot leaned his body against Danny’s, Domino echoing him on Danny’s other side. Bending down, Danny patted one dog, then the other.

“Yeah, it sucks,” he repeated, his chest tight and hurting. “But I guess that means I better enjoy it to the limit while it lasts.”

He got a chance to do exactly that two days later, when Catie texted him midmorning: Going to see the new Star Gen movie with Veni and the gang. You want in?

Yeah. He wasn’t as big a fan of the franchise as Catie, but he’d seen all the movies. When?

Seven p.m. showing. Usual theater.

After confirming he’d meet her there, he blew out a breath. He knew a number of her friends—a result of the fact he’d known her so long—but they’d never had a mingled friend group. This was a serious departure from their norm.

He wondered if he should wear armor. He’d also forgotten to ask if he was going to be the only guy there, because that would be flat-out terrifying. The latter fear proved unfounded. Arriving at the theater, he found that two of her girlfriends had brought their guys. Ward was also present.

Danny barely stopped himself from curling his lip. What the hell was that loser doing here? Yeah, the dick was a top athlete, but he was also such a poser. The kind of person who was always “look at me.”

Danny still didn’t understand what Catie had seen in him.

But he kept a smile on his face as he was introduced around to the friends he hadn’t previously met. He got narrow-eyed looks from the women, Veni included, that told him they were withholding judgment, and friendly hellos from the guys—all but Ward. Dude’s smile was so fake-ass Danny didn’t have high hopes for his rumored dreams of a Hollywood career.