My eyes slowly scan Jace, taking in how rigid his body looks. His back is a little too straight, his shoulders pushed back, and his arms crossed over his chest. He’s as sober as sober can beand doesn’t have a drink. Why come to the bar if you’re not going to indulge?
Then again, he did just walk in and came straight over to the four of us.
“My bad, man. You want a drink?” George asks Jace as he throws his arm around the tops of my shoulders. “Let me get you a beer or something.”
Jace runs his tongue across his top teeth, his eyes flicking to George’s arm on my shoulders and back up to his face. “Thanks anyway.” His eyes slice to mine and there’s something lingering in his gaze. Almost like a nonverbal question, but my vision is hazy and my brain’s muddled. “I’ll get it.”
Shrugging my shoulders, I slip off my barstool and out from under George’s arm. Jace walks over to the other side of George and I follow after him, my feet leading me in his direction like a lost puppy. He leans forward, resting his elbows against the counter as he stares head, looking for the bartender.
George slides closer to my brothers and dives into their conversation.
Jace looks at me from the corner of his eye, but he doesn’t say anything. The bartender comes over and grabs him a beer, popping off the cap before he hands it to Jace.
Jace wraps his long fingers around the neck of the bottle and slowly lifts the rim to his lips. His head tilts back, elongating his neck, Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallows down the cold liquid.
“Can you give us a ride home?”
He turns to look at me, pulling the inside of his cheek between his teeth as he sets his beer down on the bar. “You and George?” His tone slides across my skin like a cube of ice. “Whose house am I taking you to?”
My eyebrows tug together as my mind takes a few seconds to process what he’s insinuating. And then I realize how my question could have been misinterpreted. When it clicks, myeyes widen and I shake my head at him, my head swimming as my surroundings do a quick shift. “No,” I say, my slur dragging out the last syllable. “Oh, god, no. I would never.”
Jace lifts an eyebrow. “No?”
“No way. He’s not my type.”
Jace’s lips part, his eyes slowly searching mine. “What is your type?”
“Certainly not him,” I say, a laugh escaping me. “I don’t know,” I admit with a shrug. “Not really a fan of athletes. They all seem to be nothing but trouble.”
He tilts his head to the side, amusement shimmering in his eyes now. His fingers circle around the neck of his beer once more and he slowly lifts it, taking a long sip. “Trouble, huh?”
“Mhm,” I murmur, swallowing another mouthful of water before my body half sags from exhaustion and I lean against the edge of the bar. “They’re always married to whatever sport they play and have some serious god complex issues.”
Jace chuckles softly. “I don’t have a god complex, Will.”
“Yes, you do!” I bump my shoulder against his, my body swaying too hard to the right as I bounce off the side of him. Jace’s arm darts out, his hand wrapping around my waist as he catches me before I go down. “Sorry,” I laugh, shaking my head, feeling the alcohol still coursing through my veins.
Jace’s hand lingers on my side, leaving an imprint on my skin with the heat of his palm. “I think it’s probably time for you to go sleep this off, huh.”
Laughter bubbles in my throat, but it comes out as a hiccup instead. “I think you’re right.”
Jace reaches into his back pocket, pulls out his wallet, and leaves a twenty on the bar. “Come on,” he says, pulling me closer as he wraps his arm around my back, keeping me upright. He leads me over to my brothers. “Are you guys ready to go?”
My body jerks as I hiccup again.
“Oh no,” Finn says, his eyes widening as he stares at me. “When the hell did you get so drunk?”
My shoulders lift. “After you guys insisted on shots.”
“Did you both forget that she doesn’t handle shots well?”
Noah laughs, shaking his head, but I don’t make out the words as I lean against Jace for support. His fingers tighten around my waist and I let my eyelids fall shut as I tip my head to the side to rest it against his chest.
Inhaling deeply, I breathe him in as his warmth wraps around me like a twisted vine. The bar sounds fade away and I drift into the darkness. Time gets away from me and I’m not sure whether it’s been five minutes or thirty, but Jace’s fingers trail along the side of my face. “Hey, sleepyhead. Let's go.”
“Mmm, okay,” I mumble, lifting my head away from him. My legs wobble as I take a few uncoordinated steps. “Shit,” I laugh, bumping into Jace’s side as he guides me through the bar, following after my brothers.
I don’t know how he managed to wrangle them, but it looks like he’s giving the three of us a ride home.
