Page 37 of Only With You

River looks just as confused as I feel. His gaze flits between Landon and me, then something lights in his eyes like he’s connected the dots. “Oh, shit, are you guys…”

“God, no!”

“No.”

A crease settles between his brows, then they flatten back and he smiles. “I should probably get back to my friends anyway.”

I want to tell him not to go. I’m sure I look desperate with the way I’m looking at him. But it doesn’t matter, because he mistakes my desperation as a cue for him to leave.

“It was great to meet you, Landon and Julianna. I’ll see you around.” He happily says, despite Landon hardly acknowledging him as he walks away.

“No, don’t go,” I plead, but he’s already gone and the music drowns out my words. I spin to look at the giant in front of me, but immediately regret it as everything spins.

“This is why we’re leaving. You’re drunk.”

I glare, holding the bar top to keep my balance. “You just ruin…everything. You asshole, leave…”

I think he rolls his eyes, but I’m not sure. He motions for the bartender and she sits a clear cup in front of me and walks off to attend to someone else.

“Drink this.” He encourages, but I push it away and go to pick up my drink, but it’s gone.

“Hey! I wasn’t—I wasn’t done with that. You’re going to pay for that!”

“Stop being a fucking brat and drink the water, Julianna,” he irritably says, sliding the cup back in front of me.

I can’t begin to explain why my ears like how my name sounds leaving his lips.

“Make me. I bet you’d love that, huh?”

He inches closer, invading my space. “What I’d love is if you drank the damn water.”

I lean in, staring up at him. “And what I’d love is if you disappeared.”

I try to get the bartender’s attention, because there’s no way I’m going to stop drinking just because he said so. I call for her again, but still, she doesn’t approach me. It almost feels like she’s intentionally ignoring me.

I frown. “Did you tell her not to?—”

“You’re drunk. You’ve had enough.” He pins me with a look as if he’s daring me to argue with him.

“I’ll decide when I’ve had enough.” I try again to get the other bartender’s attention, but she doesn’t look my way. I blow out a harsh breath, hiking my purse up my shoulder. “I hope you’re happy.”

“Ecstatic. Now, let’s go.”

I slap his hand away as he goes to grab my arm. “Whoa, wait a minute! I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“I’m taking you home,” he simply says as if that should be enough to appease me.

“You meanyou’regoing home.”

He frustratedly runs his fingers through his hair. El’s right, he does have beautiful hair.

“—they know I’m taking you home.”

I snap out of it and pick up the cup, feeling extremely parched. “Who knows?”

“Everyone’s gone.”

My heart lurches painfully and I spin to look at the VIP section that’s taken up by people who I didn’t come with. They left me?

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