“Just be careful lightweight. We don’t want drunk Reese to come out and play.” She tilts her head. “Then again, maybe we do.” The corner of her mouth slants.
I whip my head around. “Hey! You’ve only seen me drunk once.”
“Yeah, I know. Remember?” She lifts her brows, and I press my lips together to keep from arguing. “Just saying.”
“What’s she doing out there?” I ask, nodding my head in Reese’s direction. She’s on the dance floor—swinging her hips from side to side—with some random loser standing right up behind her.
Kyle chuckles. “I think she’s trying to piss you off.”
“She’s succeeding,” I respond, unable to tear my eyes away.
“Look at your straw.” He grins. “You’ve been chewing on it like candy.”
“Habit,” I say back then take it out of my mouth and grab another.
“You want to dance, handsome?” a tall blonde purrs into my ear. She’s got her tits pouring out of her shirt, and it’s obvious she’s braless. Kyle freezes beside me as I eye her from head to toe. The only woman I’m interested in is the feisty little brunette on the dance floor.
“I’m busy.” I flick my gaze back to Reese. “But Kyle over here would love to.”
Reese is wearing a sexy little dress that clings to every part of her body. I had to blink away the images that came to my mind the second she opened the door.
“He thinks he’s getting laid,” Kyle says after we watch some loser press his mouth to Reese’s ear.
“Not going to happen,” I growl back, ready to hit someone.
“You don’t think?”
Giving him a lethal glare, I tell him, “I’m her ride home, and I’m pretty sure she’s not that kind of girl.” Cocking a brow, I ask, “Aren’t you supposed to be with boobs?”
He gives a half grin. “She turned me down, man. Shit, she was fine.”
“I tried,” I mumble.
“Thanks for tryin’,” he replies before his eyes focus back on Reese. “He’s going to be disappointed, cuz her body language says he’s getting lucky.” Shaking his head back and forth, he adds, “She’s got killer legs dude, and that dress is …” I swat him in the back of the head, and he flies forward. “Ouch!” he yells. “What the fuck, man? I didn’t say I was taking her home!”
“You wouldn’t have a chance,” I snort.
“Yeah, I know. Even if I did, I’d be competing with the big, bad Luke Ryann, who would kick my ass in the process,” he says. “It’s clear that you’re in love with her.”
I choke on my straw and turn to him. “How many drinks have you had?”
“I don’t know, like five or six,” he pauses then asks, “Why?”
“Cuz you’re starting to get on my nerves.”
After the music changes tempo, Reese makes her way in our direction. The guy who’s trailing behind is staring at her ass, and I’m about to lose it.
“You ready?” I ask her.
She grins and looks over her shoulder. “Actually we’re getting another drink.”
The happy look on her face bugs the shit out of me. I stare down the prick as I lean in close to her ear, letting him know she’s important to me, but also marking my territory. “Are you sure you need another one?” Mmm, I love the way she smells. When I pull away, she furrows her brows.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means I think you’ve had too much,” I answer. Sure, I’m being a dick, but it’s the truth, and she needs to hear it. I’m trying really hard not to earn myself a lawsuit, but if she keeps this up, shit’s about to go down.
She looks at me quizzically. “Are you mad or something?”
“No, I’m not mad.” Irritated, definitely. “You’ve just reached your limit, and I’m not going to stand back and let this dildo take advantage of you.”
She puts her hands on her hips, ready to give me attitude. Bring it on, princess. “So we’re back to that now, huh? You treating me like a child?”
I shrug. “Only when you act like one, sweetheart.”
“Says who?”
I take a step closer. “Says me,” I say, pointing to myself.
She stands on the tips of her toes, trying to get in my face, but I don’t back down. “Oh yeah, how’s that?”
My face is less than an inch from hers when I say, “First of all, your demeanor has completely changed. You’ve tipped back several drinks since we’ve been here, and you don’t seem to mind that Johnny Dildo over here’s putting his hands on you.” I pause before continuing, “And staring at your ass!”
The guy chuckles.
“Something funny?”
His grin quickly disappears. “No sir.”
My eyes fall back on her when she walks around me, stumbling her way to the bar. The guy follows with his hand on the small of her back. He’s got a lot of nerve. I’ll give him that. I guess I’m going to have to scare the hell out of him.
“The tension between the two of you is sick,” Kyle says, distracting me.
I give a short laugh. “You think?”
The corner of his mouth slopes. “It’s like a contest. Who can piss the other off more,” he says, very matter of fact.
“I’ll admit, I like to piss her off,” I grin. “Don’t know why, but I do.”
“She likes to piss you off, too.” We both laugh at that.
“Hell yeah she does, and she’s good at it.” I put another straw in my mouth and contemplate that for a second. “Why is that, I wonder?”
He looks at me like I’m insane. “Isn’t it obvious?”
I lift my brows, waiting for him to continue.
“It’s passion.” He bobs his head. “Get it over with already.”
For once, I have no idea how to respond to that.
After another hour of talking myself out of putting Johnny Dildo in a body bag, he gives up. To my amusement, Reese wasn’t interested in what he was offering. Now she’s dancing with a group of girls, and I finally feel like I can relax.
“Will you keep an eye on her while I hit the head?”
“Uh … sure.” Kyle responds. “She’s gonna be pissed if she finds out you just asked me that.”
“She’s drunk man. You think I give a shit?”
“Hell no!” He grins.
It takes less than two minutes to take a leak and make my way back to our spot, but Kyle isn’t there, so I flick my gaze to the dance floor, narrowing my eyes on a couple straight ahead. You’ve got to be kidding me.
“Don’t kill me, man. I didn’t want to mess with that dude. He’s like twice my size,” Kyle says, instantly blocking my view.
“Move,” I growl. “And shut up.”
I watch them sway from side to side as she sips on another drink. I wouldn’t be surprised if she puked or passed out from all the alcohol. I’ve tried to consider her feelings—tried not to treat her like a child—but he’s pressing himself against her, and I’m drawing the line.
“Luke!” Logan grins. “What’s up buddy? Good to see you here, man!”
Keeping my eyes on Reese, I ignore him. “It’s late. I’m tired, let’s go.”
“You two know each other?” Logan asks as Reese looks back and forth between us.
When she speaks, it’s apparent she’s drunk. “What’s your problem? I’m dancing. You should try it.” She’s the only person I’d want to dance with. But I can’t, not when she looks like that.
I grab her arm. “You’re drunk. We’re leaving.”
She jerks it away. “I’m not going anywhere with you! I said I’m dancing!”
“Oh yeah? Well the party is over, and I’m your ride. Let’s go.”
Logan places his hands on her shoulders. “I don’t know what’s up with you, buddy, but the lady says she doesn’t want to go.” Dropping his gaze to Reese, he continues, “I can take you home if you need a ride.” His voice is soft; it’s the voice he uses when he’s trying to get laid.
“The hell you will!” I shout, inc
hes from his face.
He puts his hand on the small of her back. “Calm down man. Let the lady decide who she’s going home with. You don’t get to have them all.”
“You have one second to move your hand before I break it,” I say calmly, meaning every single word.
Understanding flashes in his eyes before he backs off, carefully watching me.
“Not this one Logan. You got me?”
The corner of his mouth angles. “Yeah,” he answers. “I think I do.”
I drop my gaze to Reese and notice her bright red cheeks. She’s more pissed than I’ve ever seen her. Blowing a piece of hair out of her eyes she says, “I’m not going with you, Luke!”
“You’re coming with me, even if I have to carry you.”
Her mouth drops. “Why are you being like this?”
“So you enjoy being molested by strangers when you’re intoxicated? I’ll have to take note of that.”
She slaps me. It stings, but I don’t flinch or break eye contact. I don’t care that I’m pissing her off. I want to get her home safe, far away from here. I take her by the hand and drag her toward Kyle and the rest of the group. Like a spoiled child, she fights me the whole way.
“We’re leaving,” I tell them.
“I want to stay,” she yells, glaring at me. “And of course I don’t enjoy having a total stranger rub all over me. In fact I think it’s disgusting! But I don’t need you intervening. I can take care of myself.”
“You don’t look so good Reese, you should probably get going,” Kyle tells her. I give a small nod of gratitude as she huffs behind me. We make our way to the parking lot, and she’s running her mouth.
“Let go of my arm! You can’t make me leave!”
“If you keep fighting me, I’m gonna do something you’re not gonna like.”
“I was having fun! He offered to give me a ride anyway!”
“Believe me, your fun was about to end pretty quickly.”
“You’re just jealous!”
“You’re right, I’ve always wanted to be groped by two dildos in a club.” She yanks her arm out of my hand and marches back toward the entrance.
“That’s it,” I say, following her. “You give me no other choice.” I pick her up and throw her over my shoulder, sticking my hand right on her ass, giving it a squeeze, just to make her angrier.”
“Put me down you pervert!”
“Nope.”
“Why are you doing this?” she yells.
“Because I care about you.”
“Ha! Well, I don’t care about you,” she scoffs, punching the middle of my back.
She eases up a little when I finally get her in my truck. We pull out of the parking lot and head to her apartment in complete and utter silence.
“I think I’m going to be sick,” she grumbles against the window.
“Do you need me to pull over?”
“Not yet. I’ll let you know.”
“Five minutes.” I pat her on the knee. “I’m hurrying.” She stares out the windshield and doesn’t respond.
We finally make it to her complex without any accidents. I watch her reach under the passenger seat, frantically feeling around her feet.
“What are you looking for?”
“My keys,” she gasps. “I locked them in my apartment.”
“Do you have another set somewhere?”
She shakes her head. “No, only at the front office.”
I purse my lips taking a look at the clock. “You could always come home with me. I’d bring you back in the morning.”
She fidgets nervously.
“Are you feeling okay?” It’s been about an hour since she had her last drink. If she were going to hurl, it would happen about now.
“I still feel the alcohol, but as long as I don’t think about it, I should be fine.” She grabs her phone and says, “Let me call Gia and ask if I can stay there.” I watch her tap in the numbers.
“It’s Reese, call me as soon as you get this. I’m locked out of my apartment.” Glancing at me, she adds, “I’m in the parking lot with Luke. Hurry. Call me back.” Snapping her phone shut, she frowns.
Unable to hold back my amusement, I say, “How many personalities do you have?”
Her brows lift. “Me?”
I look around the cab of the truck. “Yes you. I saw a side of you tonight I never thought I’d see, completely unlike the girl I know.”
Biting her nails, she mumbles, “How?”
I chuckle. “Promise you’re not gonna slap me?”
She slowly nods her head, eyeing me warily. “I promise.”
“Right now, sitting with you in my car, I see your vulnerable side. It’s a side I’ve become used to. Right there.” I point. “The color in your cheeks, I’ve seen it many times. It’s a part of this you I’m used to.”
Turning away, she asks, “Then what’s so different?”
“Tonight at the bar,” I pause, shaking my head, “you were somebody else.”
“Is that a bad thing?” She waits, as she plays with the hem of her dress.
I cock a brow. “I’d say both good and bad, if you want me to be totally honest.”
She throws her head in her hands. “Tell me the bad first. I already have an idea.”
“Are you going to yell at me or start swinging if you don’t like my answer?” She peeks through her fingers and shakes her head no.
“Promise?”
“I promise! Damn it! Just tell me already!”
“All right, here goes. The bad, is that you were acting like a spoiled child who couldn’t get her way. Not to mention, you had two or three pairs of unfamiliar hands rubbing all over your body, which you seemed to thoroughly enjoy.” She opens her mouth to interrupt. “Can I finish?” I ask.
“Oh God,” she moans. “Go ahead.”
“In your defense, you could blame it on the alcohol. It just caught me off guard since you freak out whenever I touch you, and I’ve never touched you like that.”
I reach over and brush her bright red cheek with my thumb. “Can I continue with the good, or is there something you wanted to say?”
“You can, um … continue,” she answers, clearing her throat.
“As for the good …” I grin. “Well, that’s easy.” I let my eyes roam over her, slowly lifting my gaze back up. “Your dress.”
She tilts her head. “What do you mean?”
I wink. “I mean you’re wearing it.”
Her mouth drops, and she playfully swats me with her hand.
“Ouch! I’m being nice. Why are you hitting me? And you made a promise.”
“You know why. That’s the only good thing you could come up with?”
I shrug. “Yeah, you were a pain in the ass tonight, and every time I see you, you’re dressed for work. When you opened your door wearing a dress that fits you like … well … like that, and your hair was all up … like that … I just …” Hesitating to find the right words, wondering where I’m taking this, I pause.
“You just what?” she asks softly.
“I just … think you look beautiful,” I finally say, feeling like I never should have opened my mouth. “Look, we’re both tired, and it’s getting late.” I sigh. “Why don’t you stay with me?”
She bites her lip, getting all shy on me, and the color comes back to her cheeks.
“That didn’t come out right … I’m saying, why don’t you just stay at my place. I’ll bring you back in the morning.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, I’m sure.”
She hesitates. “Do you have room? I mean, where will I sleep?” She looks nervous as hell, and I can’t help the grin that spreads across my face.
“In my bed of course.” I look straight ahead, while she shuffles in the seat beside me. I cock a brow. “I’m teasing you. I’ll take the couch.”
She grins. “Ha ha, very funny.”
“I couldn’t help myself.”
We’re almost to my place
when Reese breaks the silence saying, “I don’t want you to think this is something I do all the time—that I go to the bars regularly or sleep around … because I don’t.”
“I never thought that, but thanks for letting me know.”
“And I could count on one hand how many times I’ve been drunk.”
I snort. “Well that explains a lot—all the more reason to get you out of there.”
“I’m glad you did. Thank you,” she says, looking out her window as we pull into the driveway, and I can tell she means it.
“I’d do it again.” I reach over and squeeze her hand.
“I know you would.”
“So this is it,” I tell her, watching her stumble her way into my kitchen. “There’s not much to it.”
She grips the large island to balance herself and gazes at all the modern décor. “I think it’s great.”
I chuckle. “Maybe you should take those things off.” I glance at her heels.
“You don’t like my stilettos?”
Running a hand through my hair, I reply, “I think they’re sexy as hell, until you start stumbling around in them.” She blushes then slowly takes them off.
“You’re blushing again.” I smirk. “Don’t get all embarrassed. I’ve been there … many times. Trust me.”
Her eyes fall on the granite as she brushes her fingers along the edge. “That’s not why I’m blushing,” she says, gently biting on her lip. “I’m blushing because you said my shoes are sexy.” She lifts her lashes.
I could take the look she just gave me a couple of different ways—both of them lead to reminding myself which head to listen to. “Come on. I’ll show you around.” I make my way down the hall, and she follows closely behind.
“So you like the modern look,” she quips, glancing at what little décor I have. I’m not in to harboring junk, and I don’t like to deal with clutter.
“You could say that.” I shrug. “I like it simple … clean.”
She taps a finger against her lips, playfully arching a brow. “Interesting. I wouldn’t expect that from a bachelor.”
The corner of my mouth tips, and I lean against the wall crossing my arms. “Really now?”
She nods her head and smiles before she continues, “I’d expect a mess, clothes all over the place, and dishes piled high in the sink.”
Raising Ryann Page 10