“I don’t think you’re old enough to come in here.” The man stared her down.
“Oh, I guarantee you I am.” Dani met his glare head-on. “Do you want to see my ID?”
Michael watched as another man with the same leopard tattoo as McCord moved in and stood next to the first guy. This wasn’t good.
The bouncer folded his arms across his chest. “Even if you are, I suggest you go somewhere else.”
Suddenly, three more men from the shadowed entrance slipped out the door and surrounded them. Great. Five thugs, each packing. And no backup.
This was why they should’ve had a plan!
But before he could suggest going back to the car and formulating one, Dani moved in closer to the big guy. “I don’t want to go somewhere else. I have business here.”
Was she purposely poking the bear? Not a great strategy with a five-to-two ratio and his hidden Glock their only weapon. But obviously, she had something in mind. He would let her lead and just try to be ready.
“And what business would that be?” the bouncer asked.
“I need to speak to Colter McCord.”
The other man stood shoulder to shoulder with the bouncer. He wasn’t as big in his matching black jeans and combat boots—like it was a bouncer uniform—but he uncovered his holster and pulled out a knife. “Colter is busy at the moment. And we’re done asking. You need to leave now.”
Michael didn’t like that two of the men moved in behind him. He couldn’t keep an eye on them all. As tough as Dani was, they were outgunned and outnumbered.
Dani chuckled. “Look, I’m not here to cause trouble.”
Apparently, she was now going for the charming-slash-disarming routine to back her way out of this situation. Not wanting to mess with her approach, Michael simply stood next to her.
“I just want to talk to the guy.” She flashed a sweet smile.
The big guy raised an eyebrow. “I’ll be happy to pass along a message. But you’re not going in there.”
“You’ll give Colter a message?” Dani asked him. “Promise?”
The guy shrugged. “Sure.”
“Fine. Tell him Dani came to tell him we’re through and he needs to get over it. And if he still doesn’t believe me that we’re done”—Dani spun and wrapped an arm around Michael’s neck—“tell him this.” And before Michael could respond, she pulled him in and kissed him.
Pure shock was the only thing that registered for a moment. Then the warmth pressed against his lips thawed everything else. And really, he had to help sell this, or things were going to get really bad, really fast.
So Michael kissed her back.
He couldn’t forget the audience they were trying to convince, but for one sweet and shocking moment, he held Dani close and soaked her in, the way her hand curled around his neck, the smell of her floral perfume wrapping around him, and the quiet sigh as she pulled away. It was only a second, but it rocked him to his core.
The men laughed and fell away. The big guy nodded to them. “Message received. I’ll be sure he gets it.”
“Good.” Dani slipped her hand around Michael’s arm, and they walked away.
Michael scrambled to understand what had just happened, but nothing made sense anymore. One moment they’d been surrounded by danger, then his best friend’s little sister had kissed him, and now they were walking away unscathed and he wasn’t sure he could remember his full name.
Dani, on the other hand, seemed completely unaffected.
What in the world was going on?
That had to have been one of the dumbest things she’d ever done, and yet…she’d kissed Michael Martinelli!
What had she been thinking?!
So maybe it had been better than she’d ever fantasized. Maybe it had totally taken her breath away and had her seeing stars—in a good way.