Page 17

Chapter Six

Trey

“Can I get another beer over here,” a guy yells from several feet down the bar, thrusting his hand up in the air in an effort to be seen. I nod, grabbing a beer out of the cooler before sliding it down to him and adding it to his tab. This is me in my element. I run this shit, and even though I haven’t had a chance to grab a drink or sit down in over an hour, I love when the bar is busy like this. I thrive on the hustle and do some of my best work under the constant pressure of patrons demanding their drinks. When it’s slow, it gives me time to think, and I don’t want to think. Still, when I realize that things have finally slowed down enough for me to get a drink of water, I let out a relieved sigh.

My attention is drawn to the door opening, and even through the dense crowd between us, I spot Addy the moment she walks in like she’s got a beacon of light shining on her. A current races across my skin at just the sight of her, and I can’t stop my gaze from raking down her long legs that are covered in jeans that mold to her curves perfectly and the candy apple red heels she’s wearing.

Fuck me.

How have I never noticed just how incredibly sexy she is? Just a look from her could bring any man in this room to his knees. She hasn’t noticed me yet so I let my eyes slowly wander back up to her face, appreciating the way that the white tank top she’s wearing clings to her body. My entire body hums, and all I can think about is how good she would look on her back, underneath me. How good it would feel to have her pressed up against me, to sink inside her.

I’m so totally fucked.

It’s only been a week and a half since that kiss, and I’m falling so hard for her. I know she said that it was a mistake but she can’t even remember it so how the hell would she know? I was stone cold sober, and I’ve dreamt of that kiss every night since it happened. About two days after I sat up in my apartment ignoring her calls and playing every song that reminded me of her, I stopped giving a fuck that she was my friend and that we shouldn’t be doing this. Honestly, I haven’t ever felt this way, and I think if I could convince her to give me a shot, this would be different. We could be the real deal. But how the hell do I get her to do that?

Sometimes, she’s this fiery woman – determined to take on any obstacle in her path with a devious little grin on her face – but there are other times when she reminds me of a spooked animal. It doesn’t happen often and only when we’re alone but I’ve seen it enough times to know that there is something going on with her that she’s not telling anyone. I just hope that if I’m there for her, she’ll eventually open up to me. As much as I want to pry, I know that would never work with a girl like Addy. The harder I push her for information, the more she’s going to shut down and lock me out. I like my odds a whole lot better now that she broke up with that idiot, Kyle.

From the moment I met him, I knew he was wrong for her. That dude’s probably going to be a senator someday with a sweater set-wearing trophy wife on his arm, and that’s just not Addy. That world would crush her beautiful, wild spirit and spit out a shell of the girl we all love. Of course, I have my own selfish reasons for being happy that they’re not together anymore – starting with that kiss.

“Well, well, well,” I drawl, catching her attention as she steps closer to the bar, and she turns to me, a wide smile on her face that steals all the air from my lungs. God, she’s gorgeous. “Look what the cat dragged in.”

She slips onto a bar stool, her smile still in place, and props her elbow up on the bar, resting her chin in her hand. “See, here’s how I figure it. You owe me.”

My brows shoot up, and I can’t help grinning back at her. The playful look she’s giving me now is impossible to resist. “Is that so? What do I owe you and why?”

“Time. You owe me time because you decided to try and avoid me for a whole week.”

“I see. I suppose that’s reasonable.”

“You’re damn right it’s reasonable, babe. I’m gonna be like a leech until I get my fill.”

I laugh, thinking that it sounds like a pretty amazing plan. I just need to play this right. I refuse to believe that these feelings are one-sided. I’ve been in my fair share of one-sided relationships, and they all pale in comparison to the spark I feel growing between Addy and I. Plus, there was the way she looked at me that night. Yeah, she was drunk but all her walls were down. As she looked up at me, I saw the real Addy, and I saw that flicker of something in her hazel eyes just before she kissed me, so whether she’s admitted it to herself yet or not, I know that there is something between us.

“Sounds like a plan to me.”

She nods and turns to look out at the full dance floor. “Man, it’s busy in here tonight.”

“Yeah, it is. Moe even worked behind the bar tonight, and you know that old man never does anything around here.”

“You better make sure you know where that old man is before you go talkin’ shit about me, boy,” Moe growls, coming up behind me, and both Addy and I grin.

“I knew exactly where you were, Moe. You’re not exactly quiet.”

“Smartass,” Moe grumbles, slapping my shoulder as he passes me with a smile on his face.

“You heard from Emma since she got back from her honeymoon?” I ask, turning back to Addy. Even though I know that my baby sister is okay now and that Nix treats her like a queen, I can’t help but worry. Those two years when Ryan was a part of her life were really hard on all of us but they were especially bad for me, bringing up memories that I had intended to keep buried for a lifetime. The morning that Addy and I took her away from there, I not only saw my little sister sitting there broken and bruised, but I saw my mom every time my dad got done with her. And it didn’t matter one bit that Emma is only my sister by adoption, I’ve known her since she was a baby, and I’ve protected her just as fiercely as her brother, Tucker. Seeing her like that hit me just as hard as the rest of the family.

Although, nothing will ever rock me as hard as walking into the garage the next day to find Dad sitting on the concrete floor, crying like a baby.

“Yeah, we just grabbed brunch the other day. She’s really good, and her belly is getting so big. I can’t wait to meet those babies.”

I just nod in response, a soft smile on my face, and before either one of us can say anything else, a man approaches Addy and taps her on her shoulder. She peeks back at him, and he flashes a grin that I’m sure he thinks is charming.

“Hey, baby, you wanna dance?” he asks, leaning in too close to her, and she turns back to me, rolling her eyes dramatically. I want to smile but my gaze is trained on the loser behind her, my fists clenching. Mine. The thought rolls through my mind, and I take a deep breath, reminding myself that she’s not mine. Not yet, at least.

“I’ll tell you what, buddy. You promise to never call me baby again and I’ll dance one song with you,” she says, and the jealousy boils in my blood. Fuck, no. I don’t want her dancing with this tool, and I definitely don’t want to fucking watch.

“Deal,” he damn near shouts as he reaches for her hand. She shoots me an apologetic smile before following this douche out onto the dance floor. The DJ changes the song to Pony by Far, and I groan internally. Did it have to be this fucking song? I watch intently as they start dancing together, the guy moving closer and closer to her every second. I’m strung tight as jealousy surges through my body, and it takes everything I have not to jump over the counter and haul her into the back.