Page 35 of On The Rocks

She hustled to my side and tucked herself against my chest.

Man, she smelled good.

“Thanks,” she said.

“Shit. Did I say that out loud?”

“Sure did.”

I banged into the side of the Jeep and winced. That was going to leave a mark. “I got it,”I said, as I grasped the open door.

She backed up and put her hands on her hips. “If you fall, I’m leaving you on the ground.”

“I got it.”

“So, you keep saying,” she said sharply.

I stuffed my left boot into the Jeep and used the Oh, shit handle to haul myself up. “See!”

She rolled her eyes then tucked her hand into the pocket of her jacket and came out with a lollipop. “Good boy.”

I took the sucker with a smile. “Aces.”

She shut the door and backed up to talk to Dean. I couldn’t understand what they said, but finally, Dean was waving at me, and she jumped in the other side of the vehicle. “Put your seatbelt on, idiot.”

“M’kay.” I stuck the raspberry Dum-Dum in my mouth and managed to get the belt across myself without help. By the time I heard the click, I collapsed back against the headrest.

Then it was lights out.

Chapter 9

Lennon

Stay For A Little While

How the hell did I end up babysitting this huge-ass man tonight?

Not that it was the first time I’d ended up with a drunk idiot in my car, but it was the first time since I’d been at the orchard. A few spicy and tipsy moments, sure. I’d gone out with the girls plenty of times, resulting in a chorus of buzzy off-key singing.

I was happy to be the designated driver. Mostly, because I didn’t trust anyone else behind the wheel other than me. Nursing one drink was my MO on the few times we went out after hours.

The thought of going to a bar after working a long shift at the taproom wasn’t generally the first on any of our lists. But the occasional birthday, and with this orchard—bachelorette, for God’s sake—was worth a little buzzy shenanigans.

My current passenger was a few steps beyond buzzed.

It wasn’t the first time Hayes had put the hammer down with his moonshine, but I didn’t usually have to clean up the mess. Justin and Beckett had been felled by him, more than once to my knowledge. Even Kain, who could drink most people under the table, hadn’t been immune to the moonshine.

Now I could count his brother among the robust list.

Good thing I knew where the Starling was since Griffin had passed out before giving me directions.

I spared him a glance as I maneuvered the pitted back roads in the dark. His head was tipped back and his mouth slightly open with the lollipop stick resting in the corner of his lush mouth.

He’d cleaned up before coming back to the taproom. His beard now accentuated his sharp jaw, and his long neck had been scraped clean. The curl that had fallen forward with all the drunk jostling between me and Dean softened his features.

My wheel hit a dip, and I swore, dragging my attention back to the dark road.

My passenger slept on without a blip on his radar.

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