“I’m so sorr—”

Caden burst out laughing. “Like you didn’t still take her home and bang the fuck out of her.”

Diego’s smirk turned prideful, and he puffed up his chest. “Well, I mean, she was sexually frustrated after getting the boot from you. What could I do? Send her home unsatisfied?” Diego shrugged. “I do what I can. I banged the fuck out of her, and it felt so good. Then I banged her sister the next night, and that felt even better.”

Caden turned toward me. “He didn’t explain that before his girl hit on me, her sister was hitting on him.”

“What can you do? The ladies love me.” Diego pounded his fist on the table, sitting upright. “But those girls weren’t worth it.” He softened his tone, his eyes finding me again. “But you, mi bonita, you would be so worth it.”

“Nope.” I shook my head. This was an easy decision. “If that means being laughed about later and not hanging out with you again, I’ll stay single. Thank you, but no.”

“What?” His hand touched his chest, over his heart. “I’m hurt.”

“I don’t want to make things awkward with Asshole here either. I’ll still have to go to his fraternity house sometimes.”

Diego burst out laughing. “Asshole. That’s what she calls you?”

The server returned, setting our drinks in front of us. I hadn’t ordered, but she placed a soda in front of me.

Caden waited ‘till she left and grabbed his beer, watching me the whole time. “Apparently.”

Diego was loving this. “To her credit, you can be.”

Caden frowned. “Yeah, and you like when I’m an asshole, especially when I back you up after you get yourself in some stupid fight.”

“I never do that.”

“Last night.”

Diego quieted, then bobbed his head up and down. “You’re right. I could’ve not punched that guy. That one was on me.” He saluted Caden with his drink. “Thank you for having my back.”

Caden shook his head, drinking his beer.

Diego didn’t seem to care that he wasn’t saluted back. He took a long drag from the bottle and set it down. He wiped the back of his arm over his mouth and turned to me. “Now we’ve gotten through the obligatory chit chat and small talk that’s really a facade for how much I care for this big oaf.” He winked at me, “Or asshole, as you call him. I want to know more about you. Caden’s not brought a girl here with him before.” He leaned closer. “Are you two doing?” His hands lifted and began to form a crude gesture—until Caden slapped them down.

“Diego.”

Caden was ignored. Diego lowered his voice. “I mean it. Are you guys? Because if not, I’m serious about my invitation. You can sleep in my bed any day or night of the week. I’m here for you.” He raked me up and down, his smirk showing again. “All of you.”

“Fuck this.” Caden stood, holding his beer. “I’m headed inside. I thought I saw someone I knew in there.”

I tried to gauge how furious he was, but to my surprise, he didn’t seem angry at all. I knew he’d been mad leaving the country club, but since arriving here the tension had quickly fled. He held my gaze for a split second before turning to go, but even then, he didn’t have his usual look.

“How does he look at you, then?”

“What?”

Diego gestured over his shoulder, where Caden had gone. “You said he looked different.”

“Oh.” I hadn’t realized I’d spoken out loud. I shrugged. “He usually looks like he wants to either snap my neck or throw an arm around my shoulder because I amuse him. It’s those two things mixed together.” I frowned, thinking about it. “It’s odd. I’ve never been looked at like that before.” Then again, I hadn’t acted like this before either.

Diego pursed his lips, studying me. He hummed under his breath, holding his drink in his hands. When his head started moving up and down in rhythm with the music, I rolled my eyes.

“What?” I asked him.

“What?”

“Stop. You were thinking something. What was it?”

His eyes narrowed slightly before he leaned back and lifted a shoulder. “Nothing. Maybe something.” He grinned crookedly. “But whatever it was, I’m not telling.”

“That’s annoying.”

“I can be annoying. Annoying works for me.” He winked as he lifted his drink. “Annoying makes me charming, and girls like charming. I can charm almost anyone’s pants off, if I really want to.” He shook his head, taking another long drag before setting his drink on the table. “Not you, though. I’m going to pass you up, though it’ll pain me. I think I have to.”

“Why?”

He leaned back, throwing his arm across the back of Caden’s empty chair and kicking out his leg. He had a twinkle in his eye, one that I already recognized as troublesome.

“When it comes to my friends, my true friends, my lips are sealed. And regarding you, and why I’m not going to charm your pants off, my lips have to be sealed. Though it really does pain me. I’m hurting in my heart right now.”

I rolled my eyes. “Please.” The table of girls had been watching us, and two of them were eyeing Diego openly now. “I’ve got a feeling that pain won’t last long.”

He barked out another burst of laughter, shaking his head. “I like you. A lot. If anything goes wrong, you can come here with or without Caden. You hear that? You’re welcome here.” He gestured around the veranda. “I’m part owner of this place, and what I say goes. And you go. Know that. You’re always welcome.”