Page 30 of Fall With Me

Drunk Guy swayed left and then right as he straightened. “What?”

“Apologize to her,” Reece demanded again.

“Are you serious?” the guy replied, face ruddy.

Reece leaned back, raising his brows. “Do I look like I’m fucking joking? You don’t know her at all and you say something like that, you dickhead. Apologize.”

Absolutely stunned, I watched the guy turn to me and stutter out an “I’m sorry.”

“Now fuck off,” Reece added.

The dude fucked right off.

I turned my wide-eyed gaze to Reece. “I had that handled.”

“I know you did.” He picked up his glass of water again and smiled up at me, the picture of freaking innocence. “But I’m not the kind of guy to sit here while some dickhead is being disrespectful. And that was disrespectful.”

“Totally was impolite,” Nick commented as he walked behind me.

“It was,” I said over the sudden cranking of music. My eyes met Reece’s. Part of me wanted to tell him again that I had it handled, because I was woman, hear me roar and all that girl power, but he stood up for me... and that was important. It really was important for guys to do that when other guys were getting out of line.

“Thank you,” I said, smiling a little.

He sat the glass down and before I knew what he was doing, he placed both hands on the bar top and rose. Stretching over, right in front of everyone in the bar and God, he leaned in, and I thought for a second he’d kiss me, and then I’d melt into a pool of gooey nothingness. He was going right for it. Anticipation swelled sweetly. I was seconds from grabbing his cheeks as my gaze centered on his mouth. I was so ready to melt into that pool.

Reece didn’t kiss me. He tilted his head at the last moment, placing his lips near my ear. When he spoke, he sent a tight, hot shiver right down my spine. “Two more hours, babe, and you’ll be all mine.”

On the way to my place, Reece kept the conversation light and flowing. Sticking to a topic such as the stormy forecast for the weekend worked to calm me enough not to drive off the road and plow into a mailbox. Reece, on the other hand, was 100 percent relaxed.

Every time I peeked over at him, he was the picture of lazy arrogance. Knees bent and spaced wide, one arm rested on his leg, the other against the window. His profile was open, jaw relaxed as his head was tipped back against the headrest. There was a slight, almost knowing grin that settled on his lips.

My heart was doing jumping jacks by the time I pulled in front of the Victorian. As I turned the key, cutting off the engine, he reached over, folding his long fingers over mine. Surprised, I glanced over at him, my breath stuck in my throat.

His eyes were the color of midnight in the dark interior of my car. “I’m gonna ask you a question and you’re gonna be honest with me, okay?”

“Okay,” I whispered.

He leaned over the center console, keeping his hand on mine. “If you’re not okay with me coming in or staying, I can call a cab. You just tell me when you want me to leave and I’ll leave.”

Not surprised that he was giving me an out in case I wasn’t kosher with him being in there, I nodded. “Okay.”

His lips tipped further up on one corner. “But I have a feeling you’re gonna ask me to stay.”

I drew back, eyes narrowing. “Cocky bastard.”

“Confident bastard, actually.” With a chuckle at my exasperated look, he slid his hand off mine and climbed out.

Shaking my head, I followed suit. His long-legged stride got him to the porch before me and he opened the storm door. Grinning at him, I unlocked the door. “Such a gentleman,” I told him.

“After you,” he said.

I stepped into the silent, cool house, letting out a tiny squeal when he swatted my behind as he walked in after me. His answering chuckle sent a riot of shivers over my skin.

“Couldn’t help myself,” he said as I flipped on the living-room light. “Had to equal out my good-guy side with my bad-guy side.”

“Wow.” I dropped my purse on the worn recliner. “Do you keep a tally or something?”

His gaze found mine. “Only with you.”

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