“What’s with the pouty face?” she asked, frowning at him as she leaned back against Adam, smoothing her silky purple negligee over her baby bump. “You’ve been staring at Ellie like you’re a sugar addict and she’s the last cupcake on earth.”

Jared snorted as Leigh started giggling, while Liam and Adam exchanged looks.

“You have such a way with words,” he teased a small smile lifting the corners of his lips, even though his thoughts were already whirling. He didn’t really look that obvious and pathetic, did he?

“I know,” Angel said smugly. “But you didn’t answer my question. What’s going on with you and Ellie?”

He shrugged, trying not to look or sound as down as he felt. “We have a club relationship, that’s all. It’s a bit of an adjustment.”

Angel cocked her head to the side, her curls sliding over her shoulders. Behind her, Adam gave him a sympathetic look.

“So you want a date with her,” Angel said, but not like she was asking, more like she was thinking.

“We should do a group outing,” Leigh suggested, giving him an encouraging smile. “Then Michael can try and make it date-like.”

Looking down at her, Jared squeezed his arm a little tighter around her shoulders. “No match-making unless Michael actually wants your help.”

“Actually, that sounds like a pretty good idea,” Michael admitted as he thought it over. “I’d like to spend some time with her outside of the club, to see if we can work our way to more than just a club relationship, and I think the only way she’s going to be comfortable doing that right now is with a group.”

“Sharon’s been wanting to go to the zoo,” Angel said brightly. “I’ll organize it and make sure we get Ellie to come too.” When Adam groaned, she twisted around to glare at him. “And you’re coming too!”

“I hate the zoo.”

Hiding his own smile, Michael reached out to clap the other man on the shoulder. “Thanks for taking one for the team, man.”

“I kind of hate you, too.”

There used to be more truth to that statement, as Adam had struggled with jealousy over Angel and Michael’s close friendship, but there wasn’t even a little bit of bite in his voice when he said it now.

Still, Michael couldn’t help but tease him. “Blame your baby momma.”