Page 76 of Scoring Grey

I shake my head with a smile. “You’re being ridiculous.”

“Shocking. Did you expect anything less?” Dash comments from the back seat before opening my door and hopping out.

He opens my door for me, and Cal says, “That’s my job.”

“Yeah, well, I’m only ensuring you do it.”

Cal scowls and exits, and Dash shrugs as I raise a brow. “What? I’m only trying to get you two out of the truck so you don’t spend the next half hour making out instead of coming inside.”

Cal opens the door wider and offers me his hand. “Come on. We can make out inside.”

I can’t help but laugh as the three of us head inside. The bar is a sea of red and black. We turn some heads as we make our way through the bodies, following Dash toward the back of the bar. With so many people wearing Kings jerseys, you wouldn’t know that one of the actual players is standing beside you unless you were actively looking for them. It doesn’t hurt that almost everyone is half-inebriated already. Finally, we get a little breathing room as Dash leads us to a roped-off VIP area to the right of the stage.

“Balfour!” Moon hollers as we approach. “We didn’t think you’d actually make it.” There’s a pretty brunette sitting between him and Roe. I don’t recall either of them mentioning a girlfriend the last time we all hung out, but that doesn’t mean that’s not exactly who she is.

“I don’t know what you mean. You guys act like I never come out.”

“You don’t come out with her,” Roe yells over the noise.

“That’s because he doesn’t want someone to steal his girl.” Dash squeezes his shoulder. “I’m going to grab a drink from the bar. Do you guys want anything?”

“Get me an IPA,” Cal orders as Moon and Roe hold up their almost empty glasses of beer.

“I’ll come with you. I don’t know what I want.”

Cal squeezes my hand and furrows his brow.

“I’ll be right back. It’s better I go anyway.” There’s not a lot of security here. Most people are staying behind the thick red velvet ropes, but with the number of people in attendance tonight, it would be easy for them to quickly become an afterthought. I’ve been out of the spotlight long enough my face isn’t as easily recognized. When my words aren’t enough for him to release me, I stand on my tippytoes and gently kiss his lips. “If you want me to take your name, you should probably first trust me to wear it.”

He clutches my chin. “I do trust you. It’s the world I don’t trust and with good reason. I like pretty things with smart mouths, and a wise man knows her worth and protects it, not because she’s weak, but because she’s important.”

I kiss his mouth once more. “I love you…” I brush his cheek with my thumb. “But I’m just going to the bar. Relax with the guys and let your woman get you a beer.”

He bites his pouty bottom lip and kisses my forehead. “Hurry up, woman.”

I shake my head and follow after Dash. As we squeeze into the corner of the bar and wait for the bartender to take our order, I notice a pretty redhead across the bar checking out Dash, and I nudge his arm. “ONS… five o’clock.”

He looks at me, bewildered. “What the hell did you just say?”

“There’s a redhead checking you out.” I nod in her direction.

He does a quick check. “What does ONS stand for?”

“One-night stand… duh.”

“Who said I’m interested in a one-night stand?”

“You’re not? Aren’t all guys interested in a one-night stand?”

He looks down the bar. “Maybe not me. Besides, I have someone.”

My eyes practically bug out of my head. “You do?”

“Look, it’s not what you think. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

Just then, the bartender arrives. “What will it be?”

“Can I have four IPAs? Whatever is on tap will do and…” He turns to me.

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