Page 13 of Four Bears Construction Bonus Scenes
“I have an icy heart,” he argues, bristling and attempting to make his face look hard before letting out another drunken laugh. “Seriously though, you don’t know what you’re talkingabout. There’s a reason I had to turn you down when you asked me for a date.”
“Why?” I ask, the word feeling raw in my throat. Do I even want to know the answer? I know he said it was to protect me, but there has to be more, right?
“Because you’re dangerous,” he answers, the smile fading from his lips as he stares at me a few beats too long. I’m not sure if it’s longing that flashes through his eyes or if I’m so drunk now I’m only seeing what I want to see. “You’re good and sweet and so damn pure of heart, I’m pretty sure you could thaw this icy heart of mine.”
“You should let me try.” The words come out sounding desperate to my own ears. The rational side of my brain doesn’t even bother offering any sort of support at this point. I’m on my own with the tequila soaked parts.
Daniel clears his throat and turns his face away, focusing on his drink again.
“I’m great at sucking dick. I get your confusion,” he jokes, licking more of the salt and then picking the lime wedge off of the rim of his glass to suck dry.
“I liked you before that,” I admit.
He scoffs and looks at me skeptically. “No you didn’t.”
“I did,” I insist. “You probably don’t remember this, but it was the second time we were all at the Farmer’s Market, and you were wearing this, I don’t know what it was.” I gesture to my wrist, words failing me, and Daniel cocks his head to one side curiously. After a few seconds, his eyes light with understanding.
“My woven pride bracelet.”
I snap my fingers. “Yes. That.”
“What about it?”
“This boy walked by the stand—he couldn’t have been more than twelve or thirteen. He was skinny and seemed really shy. I think he was sniffing some of Ren’s candles, and he keptglancing over at you. After a minute or so, you noticed it too, and without a second thought, you took off the bracelet and you offered it to him. I swear, I’ve never seen anyone smile that big, and I knew right then that you were the kind of man I’d been missing.”
My chest is heavy with the recollection. My conscious brain had actually forgotten that, but apparentlywaytoo much tequila was the key to unlocking that memory. I can feel Daniel’s gaze weighing on me, so I focus on my drink until he looks away. I can’t believe I said all of that. Hopefully we’re both too drunk to remember this in the morning.
“That’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said about me,” he says after an eternity of silence.
“I’m not saying I’m in love with you,” I assure him. “But that’s where love starts.”
“Where?” he asks, as if he hadn’t been following what I was saying. Maybe he hasn’t, or maybe I’m just rambling and none of this makes any sense.
“With admiring someone.”
“We should get married,” he declares, standing up, his stool toppling over with a clatter as he steadies himself against the bar.
“What?” I ask with a laugh.
“We’re in Vegas,” he says, as if that explains everything.
“I don’t know from experience, but I’m told you actuallycanvisit Las Vegas without getting married,” I point out.
“I know,” he assures me, patting my arm and then pulling on it to get me to stand up too. “But it’s a good idea. I could blow you every day, and you could teach me all about true love.”
His drunken logic is actually pretty sound. At least my dick thinks so.
I drain the last of my enormous margarita, using the straw to move the ice around so I’m sure I get every last drop, and thenstumble to my feet. When I reach into my pocket to pay for the drinks, my fingers brush over Cole and Ren’s rings I stuffed in there earlier for safe keeping.
I pull them out, and Daniel’s smile widens.
“It’s like fate,” he declares. “We have to get married.”
I snort a laugh, swaying on my feet.
“We can’t get married,” I argue, even though I can’t remember why we shouldn’t. There’s probably a reason though, right?
“Yes we can.” He argues, snatching one of the rings out of my hand and clumsily lowering himself to one knee. “Ollie, um…”
