Page 8 of Rescuing Royce

Licking his lips, Tyson scanned the crowd behind Royce’s back.

“No backup, Tyson?” Royce asked.

Tyson visibly shook. “Yah…uh, I mean no. The guy who got in me in already left with a girl. I’m by myself. Look, I was just teasing, ya know. Don’t worry, man. I’m good.”

Royce let a good thirty seconds pass before he dropped his arm. He caught the distinction between Tyson saying, ‘I’m good’ and ‘I’ll be good.’

Shit. It was going to be a long night.

“Hi,Amber. So glad you could make it.” Reese joined her at the bar.

Amber set her drink down and hugged the woman who’d she’d become closer to over the last year. She cherished their friendship but secretly wished Reese’s brother had an overbite and was a straight up jerk. It would make her decision to be at the party tonight, dressed up for one reason only—to catch Royce’s eye among other body parts.

She took a small sip of her favorite drink, “Hi, yourself and thanks. Caris made sure I knew I was invited. Actually, I think she has ulterior motives. She’s been bugging me to go out since I dumped the last guy I dated.”

Amber had a habit of talking too much when she was nervous. She looked around to see if Royce was still looking at her. Disappointment hit her when she couldn’t find him.

“Aw, Caris means well. And I get it. Happy friends always want everyone else to experience the happiness they have. And it seems you’re it now that all of us have a special guy. Don’t worry; I’ll do my best to wave off any men who don’t live up to our standards, K?” Reese scanned the crowd, then lifted her hand and waved.

“Hey, speaking of men, my man is signaling me. If you see someone you want an intro to you, find me. I know everyone.”

Amber watched Reese rush over to her boyfriend, Connor, wrap her arms around his neck. Their kiss was hot and long, and he grabbed her ass for everyone to see. Amber wanted that. She wanted hot and hard and everything she never got from her last ex or anyone she’d dated.

And for that, she wanted Royce Kincaid. Hot cop and decorated member of the local SWAT, he was the only one she wanted to give her the hot and hard part. He had a reputation for his prowess in bed. He also had the reputation of one night and done, or so it was rumored. But she didn’t want the rumor—she wanted the man.

She wanted a man who could handle her need for edgier sex, the kind where her partner wouldn’t stop until she exploded-half-a-dozen-times-sex. Yup, she wanted what the rumors about Royce proclaimed.

Except she had one tiny little problem. Amber had never shared that need with any of her previous boyfriends. Men always treated her like she was a good girl, like she might breakat the slightest amount of pressure. It was her own fault. She hadn’t spoken up before and asked for what she wanted, what she craved in bed or out. But that was going to end.

Tonight.

She hoped.

With Royce. The man she should stay away from, but who she wanted to bring alive her deepest desires. And she was still working on the courage part. She signaled the bartender for another drink. He nodded and took down a clean glass and began to mix her favorite, a pina colada, when she felt someone take the seat Reese had vacated.

She knew it wasn’t going to be who she wanted and mentally prepped a polite turndown.

“Come here often?”

The words were followed by a vapor cloud of Jameson and a sweaty hand in her face.

“Tyson Brown. Ty to my friends. Wanna be my friend?”

Amber cringed at the awful line and the accompanying leer. Ugh, why did she always attract the creeps?

“Um, I’m waiting for someone. But uh, it was nice to meet you.” She turned to face toward the crush of people celebrating on the dance floor.

“Someone, huh? Yeah, right. Look, I’ve been watching. You’ve turned down like what, three other guys. You got a problem or something?”

Ty’s voice had risen, and it was laced with barely controlled anger. She spotted Reese and Connor dancing, but the noise level was too loud to try and catch their attention; her voice would be swallowed up by the crowd.

“Look, I’m serious. Why else would I turn down those other guys if I wasn’t waiting for someone?” She offered the best smile could muster.

“Nice story. You tell that to the other losers too?” Tyson rubbed his face.

He let out a weird laugh. “Sorry. Man, I just really wanted to meet you. You’re the hottest girl in here, and you know it’s kinda strange you’re sitting here all alone, unless… well, you know.”

“No, I don’t.” Afraid to give him an opening to hear his reasoning, she nodded to no one in particular.Please take the hint. Please take it,please.

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