Ava.
She was wearing a dress that was conservative up top, but barely covered her ass and accentuated her long, toned legs. She didn’t dance every day like she had when we were kids, but she danced often enough and taught classes that allowed her to keep her dancer’s physique. I’d never admit it to Drew, but I’d had dreams about her legs.
The corners of my lips lifted as she shimmied. She was too dressed up for the location, but she didn’t seem to care, her hips rolling seductively to the song. But the longer I watched her, the more I realized her movements weren’t as smooth as what’d I’d seen from her in the past. They were off-beat. My amusement lasted a nanosecond before I realized she was plastered and dangerously vulnerable.
My whole body tightened, and the isolation and lonelinessI’d felt moments ago was instantly replaced by a hypervigilance that locked every muscle in my body. My gaze moved from her to the men around her, the same men eyeing her like she was a juicy steak.
I don’t fucking think so.
It only took three strides to get to her, my hand closing around the arm of the guy who was leaning in too close. I gave him a low, hard stare that meantback off.
He raised his hands. “Sorry, didn’t realize she was taken.”
I didn’t correct him that she wasn’t mine.
“We’re leaving,” I told her, my voice low and authoritative.
“Liam?” She slurred my name as she smiled up at me, and despite the outrage that she was trashed out of her mind and clearly by herself, my breath caught.
Fuck, she was gorgeous.
I’d always thought so even though I knew Drew would murder me if I’d ever admitted that to him.
But fuck. I’d have to be blind not to see it.
“I need another?—”
“No, the fuck you don’t,” I cut her off, pulling her toward the exit, my singular focus on getting her out of there before I got into a fight with one of the guys looking at her too closely. I paid both our tabs without a word, grabbing her arm firmly but carefully. The air that hit us outside was cold, a slap of reality that did nothing to sober her up.
I had to support her full weight as she stumbled down the sidewalk, her small body heavy against my side. We had two more blocks to walk, and I was worried she was going to twist her damn ankle in those insane heels.
“Hang on,” I told her as I scooped her up, one armbehind her back and one under her knees. She squealed as she wrapped her arms tightly around my neck.
“Li! You need to put me down. Too heavy.”
“You’re not even close to too heavy.”
Did she not know how much I benched at the gym? Carrying her was nothing.
I wasn’t even winded by the time we got to her dorm room. Her head rested against my shoulder, her warm breath against my neck making my body react to her in ways I’d always fought against.
“Almost there, Sunshine. Where are your keys?”
She opened her purse and handed me her room key. I carried her through the room and placed her gently on her bed, her arms falling limply beside her head. Her light brown hair covered her face, so I brushed the strands away until I could see her clearly. Her breathing was steady and even, but I was nervous about leaving her alone. I didn’t know where her roommate was or when she’d be back.
Instead of leaving right away like I should’ve, I sat down next to her. She let out a little moan and then turned her head, her eyes opening slowly until she was staring right at me.
“Why do men suck?” she mumbled.
“I don’t know.”
“Do you know what that dickhead said to me?” Her words were slurred, but clear enough.
“Who?” If someone at the bar had said something nasty to her, I was going straight back there to kick some ass.
“Chris.”
I rolled my eyes. “Oh. That dickhead. He’s not even worth another thought.”
