Page 16 of Bitter Beats

“Yeah, right,” I mutter as he approaches the woman who catches his eye.

I watch as Flip chats her up, casually touches her waist, and gets her to lean into him. I snort and return to my perusal, letting the music wash over me.

Even though I pretend to love the party scene, mainly because I hate the silent emptiness of being on my own, it doesn’t mean I want to do this dance all the time.

The lounge and the drinks. The music and the vibe. The women all vying for attention, hoping to be chosen for the evening. Hell, sometimes, I don’t even want to go through the hassle of taking a woman back to my place for sex.

Christ.

I drain my beer. If Levi could hear me now, he’d call me a pussy. So would Derek and my brother if they weren’t so damn wrapped up in their own romantic lives.

I twist the top off another beer bottle. Take a long pull. Scan the area.

My eyes return to the brunette, and right now, I’ll take her. Because she looks nothing like the annoying, soft, peaches-and-cream-complexioned, auburn bombshell taking up space in my head.

My lip curls at the thought of Mckenna and her empty threat. No way in hell she’s got plans tonight unless they include studying at the library.

I flip my chin at the brunette, and a member of security opens the roped-off section for her to slip through.

“Hi.” Her voice is husky. She tugs at the hem of her short-ass dress, and I snicker.

I love when the women play coy after expending so much effort to snag my attention.

“What’re you drinking?” I ask.

“Vodka cran.”

I mix her a drink. Pass it to her. Try not to roll my eyes when her fingertips brush mine as she takes the glass. She holds her glass in my direction. “What are we drinking to?”

“Tonight.”

Her smile slips a little, but she recovers quickly. “Tonight.”

I down a shot of vodka, just to keep up the pretense.

Fuck, I’m supposed to be having fun. This is supposed to be a good time, yet I can’t stop thinking about Mckenna.

How fucking lost she looked last night.

The way she rocked the hell out of black lace. Who knew she was hidingthatbody underneath her nun clothes?

Her wild eyes and red cheeks, offset by the thread of pain in her tone.

It hit me full-on, and even now, the aftershocks of last night are affecting me.

I take another shot, and accept the brunette as she perches on my lap like a helpless baby bird.

That’s another thing. Mckenna Byrne is anything but helpless. I still don’t know what transpired yesterday to make her snap.

“I’m Kelly.” Kelly rubs her bony ass against my thigh.

“Mav.”

She laughs, a puff of breathless air. She’s so quiet and petite; she could evaporate into thin air. “I know who you are.” And then, her mouth is on mine. She tastes too sweet, like cranberry juice.

Still, I catch a handful of her hair and try to lose myself in the kiss. In the moment. In anything that will push Mckenna from my thoughts.

Kelly’s tongue invades my mouth as her perfume assaults my nostrils. It’s strong and floral, unlike Mckenna’s fresh, clean, citrus scent. She turns in my lap, straddling me in a way that obliterates any intention of playing coy.

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