Page 16 of What If I See You

She’s sporting a long sleeved, cream-colored mini dress adorned with gold and white sparkly swirls, with gold strappy heels that wrap around her ankles a couple of times. Her hair is styled in long golden waves and falls around her shoulders. Her makeup is minimal but enough to bring out the tiny flecks of gold in her otherwise brown eyes. She turns, posing for a picture that Oliver takes of them, and I notice her dress is backless.

There’s no way she’s wearing a bra with that dress.

Fuuuck me.

That’s hot.

Also, my hand is now itching to touch her skin.

For fuck’s sake, where is this coming from? It’s not like I’ve been thinking about Layken Hobbs all afternoon. I really haven’t been, but now? Hell. Now I’ll be lucky to pull my eyes away from her at all.

“Well, it’s settled,” I say, wrapping my arm around Layken and moving her away from the group. “We’ll see you guys tomorrow.”

She startles but giggles as she steps with me. “What? Where are we going?”

“To get you more clothes.” I rub my chin between my thumb and forefinger. “What do you think? Maybe some sweatpants and a turtleneck?”

“Griffin!” She laughs.

“Don’t Griffin me, woman. If I take you out like this, looking all hot and sexy, I’ll spend my entire night bouncing guys away from you left and right.”

Not to mention hiding a boner all night when I picture you with those strappy sandals resting on my shoulders.

She laughs and playfully swats at my arm. “No way, Jose. Let ’em bounce or let ’em in, cause this girl is going out!”

Let them in?

Fuck no, I’m not letting anyone in.

“That’s right she is,” Corrigan says, looping her arm around Layken’s other arm. “We are blitzed and ready for a fun night.”

Seriously. How the fuck am I going to control myself tonight when she looks like a goddamn supermodel?

Guess I’m playing bodyguard tonight because I’ll be damned if anyone is getting anywhere close to Layken Hobbs.

Shots.

The moment we get inside the darkened club thumping with R&B music Scarlett orders and hands out a shot to each one of us. Each glass is rimmed with salt and accessorized with a lime so I can only assume it’s tequila. She raises her shot glass and shouts over the music, “To love and friendship!”

“To love and friendship!” we repeat and tip our glasses, the liquid slipping down our throats. She slaps her shot glass down on the table in front of us and then grabs for the ladies in the group.

“Come on girls. Let’s dance!”

Scarlett, Ella, Corrigan, and Layken all take off for the dance floor, Layken tossing her purse my way before waving and trotting off with her friends. The rest of us shake our heads watching on from the roped off booths waiting for us. They dance through several songs as we order more drinks, clinking our glasses together and downing them one after the other. We joke about hockey and life, and we watch the ladies having fun, always keeping an eye on them to ensure their safety.

From the moment we pulled into town until now, we’ve all consumed a lot of alcohol. Even as we watch from our seats, the ladies take another shot before resuming their dancing. But as the music slows to a sultry mix, Ella, Corrigan, and Scarlett make puppy dog eyes at their men.

A chuckle rumbles through my chest. “You guys are fucked. Better get out there and dance with your women.”

Oliver stands and climbs over the rope in front of us. “Maybe I can get her into a dark corner and cop a feel.”

“There ya go, Champ.” I lift my glass in a toast and swallow back my drink.

And then my eyes fall on Layken. Standing alone and awkwardly swaying to the music.

She has nobody to dance with.

Barrett leans over next to me, his brows furrowed. “You’re not really going to let her stand out there all by herself, are you?”

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