“Do you speak like that to all your colleagues?” I snide before I lick my lips, trying to bring moisture to my mouth. His eyes flick down, watching the movement before looking at my eyes again.

“Ahhhh, everything alright here?” Chloe asks, coming up to my side. Only, neither of us breaks eye contact for long seconds.

“No, your friend here is out.” My mouth falls open. Is he seriously kicking me out of a club?

“You can’t be serious!” I almost screech in disbelief.

“Deadly. Let’s go.” With his hand still holding mine, he takes a few steps toward the back stairs.

“Wait. What?” Chloe tries to stop him, looking between us, completely bewildered.

“She has had too much to drink. Can’t handle her liquor,” he says as he starts pulling me along, and I nearly stumble in my Jimmy Choos.

“Wait! Stop! Have you lost your goddamn mind?” I hiss at him, trying to pull my hand away from his chest where it remains in his grip tight.

“If you don’t come along willingly, I will carry you out,” he deadpans, and my eyes widen before they narrow in challenge.

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“I warned you.” Moving fast, his hands encase my waist, and he hoists me up, plastering me to his body like I weigh nothing.

“Arghhh! Put me down, you idiot!” I’m acutely aware that people are looking, never having been this embarrassed in my entire life.

“As soon as you are outside,” he grits out as he starts to descend the stairs. His hands are wrapped tight around my middle, and the warmth that flows through my body is instant. I don’t think a man has ever picked me up before.

“What! Stop!” I hear my friends following, but I can barely see them over his shoulders.

“At least take me out the back where no one can see me,” I hiss into his ear so he hears me over the music as we reach the dance floor. I am thankful it is crowded and too busy for anyone to really notice us as he walks around the perimeter with ease.

“Babe, I’m calling to get the car!” I hear Simone yell, the three of them right behind us.

“You will go out the front like everyone else,” he growls, not even giving me the courtesy of turning his head to look at me when he speaks to me.

“I cannot believe this,” I mutter to myself, my anger rising. I don’t bother kicking or punching him because there is no point. This guy is a brick wall with a personality to match. There is no fighting him.

“Here,” he says once he pushes us through a door and plonks me on my feet in the front foyer.

“Oh, thank God!” Chelsea says dramatically behind me.

“Do you have any idea what you’ve just done?” Chloe says to him, her hands firmly planted on her hips, but he doesn’t flinch. His eyes don’t even move from where they now stare at my face. With his arms crossed against his chest, he stands tall, looking down his nose at me.

“Watch your step, ladies. I wouldn’t want you to trip on your way out,” he says sarcastically, his eyes burning into mine.

“Now you are chivalrous,” I quip back to him, biting my tongue so hard it stings.

“Car is here, let’s get out of here before cameras catch anything,” Simone whispers to me, and I see the big guy's eye twitch a little, registering the words, but they still don’t leave mine.

“Are you alright?” Chelsea grabs my hand as I turn to leave, breaking our stare and walking with her to the car. Our driver has the back door open, and I see a few people in the crowded line watching. Some already have their cell phone cameras out, and I internally cringe, wondering what they have captured. We all remain tight-lipped until the car door closes and we pull away from the curb.

“That was intense,” Simone says, looking at all of us with wide eyes.

“I accidentally spilled drinks on him. I apologized, but he had an attitude,” I explain, while swallowing down my adrenaline and trying to get my racing heart under control.

“He has got something…” Simone murmurs, looking out the rear window. I don’t dare turn around. I still feel his eyes on me.

“That was the hottest thing I have ever seen,” Chelsea admits, biting her lip. “He is so into you.”

“He was sooo not. He is infuriating. He just kicked me out of a club for doing nothing!” I have never been manhandled like that before in my life. No man has ever picked me up before. But as furious as I am, it was… kind of hot.