Page 57 of Drawn To You (Paloma's Edge 1)

I flung my arms around Beth and Bri’s shoulders. Millie signaled us to the biggest booth at the center of the bar, where Joel, Rylan, Maude, Amberlynn, and her boyfriend, Jared, were. It was packed in here but not so much that we didn’t have space as we headed toward them.

Joel stood up and made space for Bri, placing her beside him. She rolled her eyes but Joel wasn’t discouraged; he brought her closer to him. Beth eyed Joel and he blew her a raspberry. Millie and Jared made room for us in the both.

“Hey, Millie,” Beth said, and peered at her boyfriend.

“Beth.” Millie grinned. “This is Jared.”

“Nice to meet you,” they said at the same time, and laughed.

I nodded my head to Jared, who had his button-down shirt loose and undone at the wrists. He watched Millie like she was the only female at this joint, and I really respected that about him. Some chicks in here had overtly flirted with him, but he hadn’t paid them any mind. People who met him may have at first come to the conclusion that because he was formally dressed and had a top-of-the-line haircut that he was uptight and preppy. I hadn’t seen him in pair of jeans, or sneakers, or even boots the various times he’d come in here. Perhaps he just felt comfortable with the way he dressed. Either way, he was a cool dude.

***

Bethany

At the heady sound of Tainted Virtue’s “One Night Salvation,” I pushed myself out of my seat and took Brianna with me towards the middle of the bar, where Amberlynn had gotten Rylan to dance to another song after he washed down half of his black Russian. Chase’s hands had remained on my waist as I got out of the booth and I enjoyed feeling his desire for me from his touch and in his eyes. I didn’t care that there were tons of people here.

“Move your body like you did at the concert,” I told Brianna, who moved sinuously and tastefully.

Throughout the song, Brianna swayed her hips, and I contrasted her movement by rotating my upper body. Chase’s penetrating gaze seared through me. Brianna and I turned our backs to each other and lowered ourselves to the ground, coming back up slowly.

“Chase isn’t the only one enjoying this,” Brianna said with a smirk, and I looked at Joel, who was giving us a thumbs-up. I shook my head at him. Some other guys stopped what they were doing and watched us, to see if we’d go further. And we didn’t.

I gulped down the moisture in my throat. “We know Chase was the only recipient I was aiming for.” I smirked at her.

“Well, Chase probably thought we were just gonna get him dinner and drinks,” Brianna remarked.

When we started for the table, I bumped into a tall and broad chest, the natural and mint aftershave scent invigorating me more. My breathing accelerated as Chase’s mouth slanted over mine. My lips clung to his, savoring how soft he felt and the tangy taste of lime on his tongue. Coming up for air, I realized that he’d led me to a darker corner of La Floridita.

His lips curved and he combed damp strands of my hair back. “I was dying at the table. I wanted to tear every fucker’s eyes away from you. But they can’t do this.” Stroking my nipples, he hauled me closer to him with his other hand. The force made my bust shake before it collided with his hard chest.

I shook my head. “Only you can.”

For over an hour we hadn’t said anything. Boy, being close in height to him was pretty advantageous tonight. Chase pressed his pelvis against mine. I didn’t know which song was on and I didn’t process any of the noises and the limited space that I usually had when I was at La Floridita. Lifting my head to peer at Chase, the green flecks in his eyes reflected various emotions. The one emotion that I identified was bliss, and not even the carnal sort of bliss I’d anticipated.

We’d danced to one more song when all of my movements made me hungry. Everyone else was dancing and talking. Millie had a relaxed expression on her face and happily complied when Jared guided her on the dance floor. I liked seeing her come out of shell more when she danced with him.

Chase’s body turned rigid and I angled my head over my shoulder to see Cassidy and Mona coming in as if they owned the place with two guys who had been at Pierce’s party. Right away, I was really annoyed, mainly because Cassidy pinned Chase with a scorching look and he eyed me like it didn’t matter. I’d never understood the statement “fight for your man.” In fact, I disliked it very much; so many of my female counterparts had acted rashly over guys who thought of them as dispensable, but I had a whole new understanding for that mindset now. If I weren’t basically glued to Chase, Cassidy would’ve found some way to be next to him. I wanted to toss her out of here. This was a place where most people came to have a good time, maybe feel good enough with how they looked, and where they were at in life. Not where Cassidy viewed us as road kill. With her puckered chin, Cassidy was acting like she’d never been to an old-school bar before.

“Don’t sweat her,” Joel said. Brianna walked beside me and Joel did the same with Chase. They led us to the table.

***

Chase

The way Beth had stepped in front of me and placed her hands on my chest generated an increased need in me for her. Two weeks ago, there was a slim chance that she would’ve owned up to how much she wanted me, but she had been fearless. I liked that she didn’t want Cassidy near me. I was hers and she acted accordingly. There was nothing for Beth to worry about, though. Yet Cassidy had such a distorted way of thinking, so she probably assumed that Beth was jealous of her.

“Now they go out together, on double dates,” Millie said after a server handed us our drinks.

“Hmmm,” Bri said, “but they still don’t like each other.”

Joel cocked his head to the side. “They’re one of a kind. It makes sense that they’d have a double date,” he said flatly.

My phone chirped and I took it from my side pocket.

Pierce: You got the gist for the assignment. U gonna take on the job?

Me: Yeah. Company has a great reputation. Will look gud on

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