Page 45 of Beg Me

“I know. I’m hoping they go that route. I get why you’d want to get married in a church, but a barn on the property where they’re building their home together would just be special.”

“Agreed.”

I finish my martini and then hold up my glass. “I’m going to grab another one.”

“Okay. I’ll wait for you to get back, then I’ll go pee. I don’t want us to lose our table.”

“Want me to get you another drink?”

She winces. “No. This is my second one, and I want to pace myself. Thanks, though.”

I nod her way as I climb out of the booth.

The bar has gotten busier since I arrived. A few people are on the dance floor, dancing to the music playing overhead, and the line to order drinks has doubled. I make small talk with Lora, a woman who moved here about a year ago and works at the bank. She had her eyes on Hartley until my sister came back to town.

Finally, it’s my turn. I hold up my glass and Patsy gives me a thumbs-up from the other end of the bar. The other two bartenders keep busy passing out beers and shots for what appears to be a bachelor party beside me.

“Thanks,” I say, taking the fresh martini from Patsy. As I turn to go back to my seat, a hand cups my elbow from behind. I look over my shoulder, expecting it to be Nettie changing her mind about getting a third beverage. But that’s not who I find.

A shiver snakes along my spine as the hair on the back of my neck stands on edge.

“Why are you touching me?” I nearly spit, yanking my arm out of Jasper’s clutches.

“I want to talk to you.”

“I don’t give a shit.”

“Well, I do.”

His forward movement instinctively makes me step back until my back is flat against the clammy brick wall. My drink sloshes around the glass, hitting the floor.

Jasper’s eyes are glassy, and from experience, I know that he’s at least five beers deep. His breath reeks of alcohol as he leans in. I recoil, pulling away to put as much distance between us as I can.

“You need to move,” I say, glaring at him. “Now.”

“Not until I talk to you first.” His eyes have a hard time focusing. “Why do you have to be such a bitch, huh?”

My jaw pulses. “It just comes out when someone cheats on me.”

“Oh, not that again.”

“Jasper, I mean it. Fuck off.”

“You’ve made everyone hate me,” he says, narrowing his eyes. “Hartley won’t let me near the ranch. Gray won’t talk to me. I’ve lost almost all my friends because you went around cryin’ to them about me. That’s not fair, Mark.”

I roll my eyes. “I’ve never said a word about you to Hartley or Gray, although I’m sure they know what happened. However they’ve chosen to react to that is their business. Now,” I say, sidestepping him, “never speak to me again.”

He grabs my elbow again. This time, his fingers bite into my skin. “You’re still hung up on me, aren’t you?”

When I look over my shoulder at him, he’s grinning. He’s grinning like someone who’s far too pleased with himself. Like someone who just got away with something.

I should walk away. Instead, I pivot toward him again because fuck that.

“No, Jasper, I’m not still hung up on you,” I say as if I’m speaking to a toddler. “To be hung up on you, there would have to be some quality about you that I like. That I miss. That I need in my life.” I return his smug grin. “And, sadly for you, you do not possess any single one of those qualities.”

His gaze lifts just over my head, hardening as the seconds pass by.

“Now remove your fucking hand from my arm,” I say, lifting a brow.