I don’t know why my stomach drops. I’m not sure what I wanted her to say, but somewhere I feel that this wasn’t it.
“Then drunk you shall get.” With a nod, I pull back my hands, and we walk over to the nearest club—side by side, our arms brushing whenever someone walks by close, sending heat rushing through my veins.
I stuff my hands in my pockets, fisting them toresist the urge to touch her. Touching her chin like that was already a step too far.
* * *
Four glasses of scotch later, Andie iswasted.
And with each passing second, it gets harder and harder for me to stick to my seat by the bar and not pummel every guy in this club who’s staring at the stunning yet hammered woman beside me.
I want to gouge out their eyes for looking at her this way. And that thought alone surprises me, along with what happened at the restaurant. I’m not a violent guy. I may be the broody kind and keep to myself most of the time. But never do I wish to harm people the way I did, who I now know is Sean, and every guy in this club with his lecherous eyes on Andie.
“Why do people alwaysssss make fun of my body?” Andie’s slurred words grab my attention, pulling me away from the murderous thoughts for the good of the world, really.
My features soften when I look at her as she tips the glass back and chugs another one down in one go, making me wince. Fuck, her hangovertomorrow is going to be a bitch.
“Why doesn’t anyone laikeeee me?” Her speech is as clear as a toddler’s, and God, I can’t help but find it adorable. Though the question she asks pierces my heart. How the fuck can people make her feel like that?
How can she not see just how gorgeous she is? Only if she knew the thoughts I harbor about her. She’d run for the hills or, more likely, to her brother to have me buried in a ditch somewhere.
Andie hiccups and continues, “No one,” she sniffles, wiping her nose with the back of her hand, “looks at me like they want me.”
Oh, howwrongyou are. If you were sober, you’d see how the gazes of men here wish to eat you up. And for some reason, I hate that.
I wish I could throw them out, or I don’t know, smash their heads on the table. I’m not sure the club owner would appreciate it, though. He has clearly tried to make this place appear classy and high-end.
When I look around, all I see are golden and red lights drowning the sea of people, the music so loud that I can hardly hear my own thoughts.
People on the dance floor sway to the rhythm, wanting to forget all about real life. It’s theperfect place for that. I wish it were that easy, though—forgetting about real life.
I go back to staring at the woman in front of me, rambling to herself. Suddenly, her eyes widen, and she animatedly turns to me.
My back straightens, and I lean closer to her so she can hear me over the music. “Everything alright, Andie?”
She vigorously nods her head. “I have an ide—” Her sentence breaks on a hiccup. “Idea,” she finishes, her hand covering her mouth.
I raise my hand and signal the waiter for a glass of water and something for her to eat because she needs something in her stomach to soak up the alcohol.
Sliding my gaze back to her, I tentatively ask, “Okay? What’s that?”
A beaming smile replaces her upset face, and my heart fucking flips, my stomach swooping low. Andie falls over me, her hands on my thighs. If she moves them an inch, she’ll realize what she does to me. So, to stop her, I instantly place my hands over hers.
Her dress bunches low on her chest, giving a peek into her cleavage, and I can’t help but have a look. However, the moment my gaze reachesthere, I force my eyes shut.
That’s wrong. She’s your best friend’s little sister.
“Have sex with me!” Andie yells, her mouth a hair’s breadth away from me, laying waste to the reminder I’ve been giving myself just a second ago.
What the actual fuck?
I choke on nothing but air, her words making no logical sense—let’s keep the mechanical on the side for now.
My dick jumps to life at her words, twitching in my pants, getting excited. My hold on her tightens. Fuck, this is bad!
Is it?My mind intervenes.
Goddamn! Focus, Noah!