Page 19 of Icebound Attraction

Rule number 1, my best friend told me, is to never accept open bottles or glasses from strangers. Yeah, you never know what they've put in them!

“What are we celebrating?” she asks.

The guys look us up and down before one of them answers.

“Your beauty!”

What a cliché!

We just laugh, almost out of politeness, and toast. Maddie winks at me, discreetly pointing at the blond in front of me. She accompanies her maneuver with a nudge of her elbow. I roll my eyes and shake my head almost imperceptibly. She laughs out loud and raises her hands in apology.

After a little chat with our three flirts, which is far from interesting, Maddie drags us back onto the dance floor and, as always, she doesn’t take ‘no’ for an answer. At least it gets us out of this kitchen!

Suddenly, I feel a hand on the small of my back. My whole body stiffens as someone whispers in my ear how much they'd like to help me take off my dress.

No, I'm dreaming! Feeling his breath on the back of my neck sends a chill down my spine and I try to free myself from his grip. Cassy observes the scene before slipping in between me and the obviously drunk man.

“You're wasting your time. She's mine,” she says, hugging me.

“Thank you,” I whisper.

But the drunk doesn't seem to want to leave his place. He soon reaches around Maddie to grab me by the arm and pull me close. Just then, Liam reappears in my field of vision. His eyes narrow when he sees me and his gaze settles on the guy's hand gripping my arm, rather forcefully. I must have the face of a girl who doesn't consent, because soon he approaches us and pulls the intruder by his shirt.

“Back off, Josh. They're with me.”

“Oh, sorry, man! I thought that...”

“Stop thinking and go look somewhere else,” he growls through gritted teeth.

The so-called Josh scratches his cheek contritely and scurries off. Liam then looks me up and down, and his face closes.

“No wonder people are sniffing around you in that outfit. That said, it suits you.”

I open my mouth to say something back, but he's already walking away.

But what nerve!

Well, I should thank him too. He pulled me out of that other jerk's hands, but he's still a jerk too.

“What happened?” asks Cassy, who hasn't really grasped the situation.

Maddie shrugs in response, and I shake my head in turn.

“Nothing...”

My eyes search for Liam, but I don't see him.

“Is everything okay?” my roommate asks again.

“It's just that... This guy here was a bit too insistent, and Liam Scott just had him removed.”

“Some of them have a knack for not knowing what the word ‘no’ means, or even seeming to understand when you don't want to be approached.”

She sighs and raises her eyes to the sky.

“Let's get something to drink,” says Maddie.

As I turn to leave the dance floor, I spot Liam with a pretty blonde. She's standing next to him, staring at him like she's about to devour him.

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