Free Triple Time by Regina Kyle

Ariela a force of nature, but Devin was the dynamo. She seemed to have an endless supply of energy, bopping from bar stool to bar stool, introducing him to everyone, picking up the slack when the conversation lagged.
    â€œHaving fun yet?” Devin asked midway through their third stop on the tour, Kettle of Fish, a basement bar with a divey, bookish vibe frequented by beatniks like Bob Dylan and Jack Kerouac.
    â€œSurprisingly, yes.” He rested a foot on the bottom rung of his bar stool. “Although I don’t think I’ll remember the names of half these people in the morning. Hell, I don’t remember them now.”
    â€œYou’re doing great, all things considered.” She glared at Kara, a few feet down the bar rail, then looked back at him, her eyes warmer. “There’s hope for you yet.”
    â€œThanks.” He owed her. Big time. And not just for helping him break the ice. He was pretty sure she was responsible for keeping Kara at bay, too. The few times he’d thought his ex was about to approach him, Devin had stopped her with an evil eye and a possessive hand on his arm or around his waist. A hand that felt a little too warm. A little too familiar. A little too comfortable.
    Not that he needed protection. Watching Kara holding court all night had only proved that marrying her would have been a colossal mistake. But it was nice to be the protected instead of the protector for a change.
    â€œJust a few more minutes here, and we’ll move on to the fourth and final stop on our literary and epicurean journey,” Josh announced. “The Minetta Tavern, favorite haunt of poet E. E. Cummings and home of the famous Black Label burger.”
    Gabe’s stomach grumbled at the mention of food.
    â€œI need to make a pit stop.” Devin handed him her half-full glass. “Try not to get in too much trouble while I’m gone.”
    â€œI’ll wait until you get back to start anything.” He set the glass on the bar behind him.
    She sauntered off, her perfect ass swaying hypnotically in her cutoff shorts as she weaved her way through the packed bar. He shifted in his seat and reminded himself—not for the first time—of all the reasons why acting on the obvious chemistry between them would be a screw-up of epic proportions. Sister’s best friend. Holcomb’s endorsement. The upcoming election.
    â€œGabe.”
    A breathy voice interrupted the laundry list of excuses running through his mind.
    â€œKara.” He swiveled on the bar stool to face her. “You look well.”
    â€œAnd you look—” she studied him “—different.”
    He shrugged. “It was time for a change.”
    â€œI hope it’s not because of anything I said.” She fiddled with the clasp on her trendy bag.
    â€œNope.” He picked up his drink, swirled, sipped and stared at her. He wasn’t trying to be rude. It was just that after weeks of wondering how he’d react if he saw Kara again, he didn’t have much to say to her.
    He checked the clock behind the bar. Where was Devin? He’d never understood why women took so long in the bathroom. What the hell did they do in there, anyway?
    â€œSeriously, Gabe. I’m worried about you.” Kara pulled out the stool next to his and sat, putting a hand on his thigh. Her shiny red nails were a stark contrast to the faded denim of his jeans. “The clothes. That girl you’re with. I wanted to talk to you earlier, but I was afraid she’d come at me with a switchblade.”
    Christ, had she always been so judgmental? Yet another flaw he’d overlooked.
    â€œI’m a big boy.” He picked up her hand and removed it from his leg, relieved that he felt nothing when she touched him. “I can take care of myself.”
    â€œI’m sure you can, but...”
    â€œHey, babe.” Devin came up behind him and snaked an arm around his waist. Her hand came