Page 4 of Catch You

“I’m pretty sure that’s the wine.”

“Meh, tonight is my night, H. Just you wait and see. I’m gonna snag me a Brit, and I’m not letting this one out of my sight.”

“If you say so.” The neon lights of the club come into view.

After saying the right words in the bouncer’s ear, he stands aside and allows both Brooke and me to enter the club, although not before he gets his fill of her scantily clad body.

“You offering up sexual favors again?”

“Not necessary this time. Come on—stop dawdling. The bar and the Brit are calling.”

She grabs my hand, and together we make our way through the crowd and toward the roped-off stairs that lead to the VIP section.

As we move, the loud bass from the music vibrates through me, and even though being here tonight was the last thing I wanted to do after a long week, I can’t help a little excitement creeping in. It’s been a long time since I’ve let go and forgotten about the world for a few hours.

After sweet-talking the second bouncer in as many minutes, we’re climbing the stairs away from the masses of people.

We’re only three-quarters of the way up when I first see him. My nerves hit me like a sledge hammer, and my body starts to tremble. It doesn’t matter how many times I see and talk to him. It doesn’t matter that I hear stories from Reese about what a ‘normal’ guy he is. To me, he’s still the man I had pinned to my bedroom walls and said goodnight to before falling asleep.

I focus on my shoes as I climb the stairs, the gems on the front glinting from the spotlights above and providing a distraction from the man I’m walking toward.

I’ve got one more step to climb. Thinking I’m safe, I look up, but the second I meet his piercing blue eyes, my feet falter. The platform of my shoe connects with the step, and I go tumbling forward.

I reach my hand out in the hope that it connects with something to break my inevitably painful collision with the tiled floor, but thankfully, the pain never comes. Instead, my hand hits something warm and soft.

The second I see what I used to stop my fall, I gasp in horror and stumble backward into someone else. Large hands grip onto my waist to steady me as I keep my eyes locked on the floor. My cheeks flame so hot I swear they’re going to catch fire any moment.

“Jesus, Harlow, that was some entrance,” Fletch says with a laugh as I continue to die a thousand deaths.

“Are you okay?” A deep, smooth voice washes over me from behind, making me wish the ground would just swallow me up. Inod, but not before I hear the laughter of my best friend behind me.

“I’m fine. I’m fine,” I mutter, looking up—but only so I can see which way the bar is so I can wipe this disaster from my memory. “T-thank you,” I whisper to the man behind me who’s still holding me upright, probably thinking my legs don’t work correctly.

“Anytime.” I push to move away, but his voice makes me pause. It’s deep, rough, and his accent is … I don’t have time to try to figure it out. I just need to get away from Fletch’s blue eyes that turn me into a fumbling moron.

His wife is literally my boss. I need to get a grip on myself.

“Oh my God, Harlow. That was classic,” Brooke howls beside me as I wait for the bartender to notice me. “I mean, Fletch is used to women falling at his feet, but using his cock to save yourself from breaking your nose? That was fucking?—”

“Enough,” I bark. “This is all your fault.” Turning to her, I narrow my eyes in the hope it’ll shut her up.

“Me?” she asks, innocently pointing to herself.

“Yes. I should be on the sofa right now with my second tub of ice cream, watching others falling in love on some shitty reality TV show.”

“Oh yeah, that sounds like a winning way to spend your Friday night, H. I’ll call you a cab right now.”

“Really?” I ask hopefully.

“No. Harlow. No. You embarrassed yourself. So what? Fletch doesn’t care, so neither should you.” She waves and the bartender comes right over—of course he fucking does. One look at her and he’s like putty in her hand. I roll my eyes as Brooke orders us four shots of?—

“Tequila?” My lip curls in disgust.

“Yes, hopefully it’ll give your confidence a boost and loosen you up a little.”

“Here’s hoping,” I mutter, more to myself than her as I pick up the first one and knock it back before immediately going for the second. The alcohol burns my throat, but it’s only seconds before it starts warming my belly. Maybe it will have the effect Brooke intended.

“Oh, the birthday boy’s here. Let’s go and wish him a happy birthday.” I look over to where Brooke’s focus is and see both Reese and Fletch standing before Milo and a number of other team members.

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