My head falls backward as I let out a dramatic whine. “You guys! You’re really both done for the night?”
They both look back and forth with sheepish grins. “Sorry. Maybe we really are lightweights,” Candice apologizes.
I wave them off with a sigh. “It’s fine. I should probably be heading home too.”
Even with my friends pushing me toward Fletch, they’ve still been my very own human airbags. They’re practically the only thing keeping me safe from full-on disaster by making some questionable, yet very tempting, decisions. It’s just not worth the risk—especially not when he’s looking as good as he is right now. Hell, with one more lemon drop in my system I’d possibly consider starting a new religion in his honor.
“Actually, instead of the Uber, I’d prefer to drive you all home myself,” Fletcher says, flagging down the bartender to close out our tab.
“You don’t have to do that,” I quickly assure him.
Doesn’t he understand that I’m now trying to get rid of him?
“I know, but I haven’t had anything to drink tonight, and with me having gotten all the drinks, it just feels like it’s my responsibility to get you all home safe, especially when I’m not so sure I trust any of your abilities to stand up straight for more than a minute or two.”
“Fletch,” I say, doing my best to look stern, but given the way he’s looking at me, it doesn’t appear to be all that effective.
“Hate to break it to you,” he says, once again leaning in close, his dark eyes locking onto mine. “But this isn’t up for debate. I said I would take care of you and your friends tonight and that’s exactly what I’m going to do. The only way I can be sure you all get home safely is if I’m the one driving. So buckle up, sweetheart—you’re stuck with me.”
“Damn,” Candice breathes, fanning herself. “That was kind of hot.”
“Hell yeah it was,” Logan agrees. "Sorry, Holls, but if you don’t want him, I’ll take him.”
I know she’s kidding, but that doesn’t stop the green-eyed monster from appearing as I shoot her a look.
“Nope, sorry ladies. He’s mine,” I declare without consulting my brain first.
“I am, huh?” Fletcher asks, sounding more than amused.
“Not like that you silly goose.” I wave him off as I hop off my stool with all the grace of a newborn deer. Apparently gravity and I are no longer friends, but luckily Fletcher’s hand is there, steadying me before I can nosedive straight into the floor. “But,if I were to ever be interested, which clearly I’m not—”
“Clearly,” he agrees in mock seriousness, his lip twitching.
“But,” I begin again, pointing a less-than-coordinated finger into his chest. “Just like you called dibs on me, I called dibs on you.”
Logan snorts. “When?” she asks, also attempting to hop off her own stool.
“Right now.”
Not that it’s up for debate. My friends know where I stand with Fletcher, and while Logan, and even Candice, can’t help themselves when they not-so-helpfully chime in, they’d never actually do anything to hurt me or get in the way.
“For the record I’m more than okay with that,” Fletch says, moving to also help Candice and Logan so we can all safely head out.
“Don’t let it get to your head. Your ego is already big enough. We don’t need to deal with... you, know, another big thing,” I drunkenly ramble.
“Well, that’s not true,” Logan chimes in, grinning like the devil she is. “I can think of oneother thing about Fletcher that Hollis probably wouldn’t mind being big.”
My eyes go wide, as my cheeks turn into such a bright shade of red that I practically resemble a flaming hot Cheeto.
“Logan!” I scold.
She giggles, giving me a light and playful shove as we both go stumbling.
Thankfully, Fletcher is there to steady us.
“You know, cowboy,” I say, glancing toward Fletcher whose arm is safely supporting me. “I’m officially ready to leave now, so if you could get us home as quickly as you can, that’d be greeeeeat,” I say, sounding a bit too much like Tony the Tiger in the process.
“Cowboy?” he asks, somehow latching onto that out of everything I just said.
