Page 32 of Back in Black

She looked at his mouth. “Possibly.”

They were out in public, but other than Dickey, who paid no attention, there wasn’t anyone around. Deciding it was safe enough, Drew kissed her. But he felt the chill in her lips and the way she trembled, so he cut things short.

For only a moment, Gillian put her icy nose to his neck. Then, with renewed purpose, she pushed back and held out a hand. “Do you have his keys?”

Since he knew he wouldn’t win, Drew dropped the keys into her palm. “Stay close, okay? I’m not entirely sure where the dumb-ass is staying, and I don’t want to lose you.”

“Drew,” she chided. “You should stop calling him that. He might hear you.”

Ignoring that lame bit of advice, Drew said, “You still have my cell number just in case?”

“In case what? Good grief, Drew. Idoknow how to drive. Now, unless you’re dragging your feet out of performance anxiety—”

Laughing, he kissed her one more time and even dared a quick swat on her voluptuous behind. He could barely wait to get his hands on all her lush curves. “Sounds like I have a few points to make tonight. I promise I’ll do my best.”

With both hands, she rubbed that sweet ass. “Paybacks are hell.”

Enjoying her, Drew grinned. She had such a great sense of humor; that had been evident from the first moment he’d met her. “Is it naked payback? Because, honey, I could get into some naked payback.”

She gasped and looked around for a rock, presumably to throw at him. Pretending to believe the threat, Drew hustled into the car. It occurred to him that he’d laughed more with Gillian in the few days that he’d known her than he did with most people in a month.

That realization threw him, but with Dickey giving drunken complaints nonstop, Drew didn’t want to dwell on his reaction to Gillian.

It took damn near a half hour before they finally pulled into Dickey’s motel. The damp night air felt charged with electricity and smelled of rain. Hoping to get out of there before the storm erupted, Drew dumped him in his room to sleep it off.

Unfortunately, Dickey didn’t want to stay put. Even as Drew turned to leave, he started hunting for his keys.

“Forget it,” Drew told him. “You’re going to sleep it off, and the keys are going with me.”

“But it’s my fucking car!”

His patience had ended some time ago. “Two choices, Dickey. I can sit outside and wait for you totryto leave, then call the cops and let them arrest your sorry ass. Or I can take the keys. Decide quick, because I’ve had more than enough of you already.”

Behind him, Gillian murmured in disapproval,“Drew.”

Drew did not want her to be a part of this. “Wait outside,” he told her without looking her way.

She hesitated.

“Now, Gillian. I mean it.”

When he felt her retreat, he really wanted to clout Dickey.

Dickey stumbled toward him. As a six-foot-four heavyweight who was all muscle, he could intimidate most people.

At the moment, Drew only saw him as a drunk.

Pointing at Drew, Dickey said, “Just because I fight for you—”

“Used to fight for me, dumb-ass.” Stepping up to him, Drew met his temper. “You think I’m going to let this shit slide?Think again. You need to go home until you’ve grown up a little.”

Mouth falling open, Dickey stared at him. “You’re dumping me?”

“For now, you bet your ass I am. Show me you can get it together, and we’ll talk again then.” Drew held up the keys. “But these are going with me, and if you have any fucking sense at all, if youeverwant to fight in this sport again, you’ll keep to this room until you’re dead sober.”

Drew pocketed the keys and turned to leave. When Dickey was ready, he’d have a long, heated lecture ready for him. Maybe,maybeif Dickey seemed like he’d learned a lesson, Drew would give him another chance.

But tonight, right this minute, his first priority was to get Gillian alone.

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