My eyes flutter closed beneath Lyle’s ministrations. I reach back and swat him away. “Stop that,” I growl, losing the ability to focus.

“So,” Aiden says, propping an elbow on the counter. “I hear you’ve got the crème de la crème of well…” He stares at me as if I should understand where he’s going with this. “Uh, crème.”

Lyle chokes on his beer behind me.

“Is he referring to what I think he’s referring to?” I ask, my eyes volleying from each member of our very captive audience, which now includes the entire band, their wives, and a few elders I haven’t met yet who I’m assuming are the birthday girl’s grandparents.

“I believe your husband’s exact words were that he found the Cristal of…well…” The scoundrel’s eyes drop to my waist while he runs his tongue over his lips seductively. “Kitty.”

My husband jumps into action, ready to go after him, but I pull him back, shaking my head. Something tells me I need to prove I can hold my own with this one.

“Well,” I say leaning in close, “considering I’ve sampled it myself, I must concur.”

Aiden pounds a fist on the countertop, laughing hysterically. “You’re a little pistol, aren’t ya?”

I shrug. “Got a big brother. And grew up next door to this one.” I dip my head back toward Lyle. “You ain’t got shit I haven’t seen before.”

It’s hard not to react to everyone hooting and jeering around us, but that would diminish my badassery. Make it seem like I’m playing to an audience. So, I stand firm, refusing to crack even a hint of a smile.

Then Anika comes slithering out from behind the crowd, positively beaming, her face red from laughing. It’s the first time I’ve seen her smile. “Wooo,” she howls, slapping her hands on Aiden’s shoulders. “I do believe you’ve met your match,” she goads.

Aiden hangs his head in mock sadness. “It’s true,” he says, shaking it from side to side, “but as luck would have it, Lyle met her first.”

Anika walks up to me, looking every bit the dog with its tail tucked between its legs. “Anyone who can get one over on Aiden Addams is all right in my book.” She holds out a hand, a peace offering.

If she were anyone else, I’d tell her where she could shove that olive branch. But I’m smart enough to know when to fold. Anika isn’t going anywhere, and neither am I. So, I swallow my pride for the benefit of my husband and the band and reach back.

“Welcome to the family, Cristal Cooch.”

Chapter Fifteen