Page 16 of Hard To Stay

Chapter Six

Brad

Lucas satbeside me with his nose buried deep in his phone while I polished off the rest of my beer. The bar was jamming with loud music and was crawling with long-legged women in short revealing skirts trolling for a date. I looked over at Sawyer who sat on the other side of me and cursed myself for allowing him to convince me that this was a good idea.

“Is your friend still planning on meeting us out tonight?” Lucas teasingly asked, intentionally drawing out the word like kids did in grade school.

I set my bottle down with a thud. “Her name is Lexi, and she said she’d be here.” My eyes bounced between my two friends who clearly seemed to be enjoying my discomfort. “Do me a favor, please. I know it’s not easy for either of you two, but try not to act like shit heads around her. I can tell what you’re thinking and it’s not like that…” I added, pointing my finger at them. “She’s just a friend.”

“Ok, whatever you say, boss.” Sawyer smirked as he started to sing the off-key lyrics to ‘Just a friend’ by Biz Markie, causing us all to laugh hysterically.

Lucas continued to stare at me with mischief in his eyes. It had me eager to take him down a peg or two. “So, if you guys are just friends then does that mean she’s fair game?”

The muscles in my neck tightened. “If you’d like to be able to use your hands to feed yourself and button your pants in the morning, I’d suggest you keep them off of her.”

“Well, all-righty then.” A low whistle vibrated from Sawyer’s mouth. “I guess that clears things up a bit.”

Lucas was goading me and I just played into his hands like an amateur. I’d been so lost in my own head over the last two weeks that I was becoming easily distracted. It was a reminder that I needed to pay better attention. There was something about Colton’s behavior that didn’t bode very well with me. Experience taught me that guys like Colton didn’t just walk away without a fight. My gut told me that there was something bigger about to happen and he was just plotting for the right moment to make his move.

I leaned back in my chair and searched my thoughts trying to figure out what had me all out of sorts. As my mind moved past Colton, it started to focus on Lexi. I was still unsure what kind of relationship we were building. I’d been with a few women since Emily and I had broken up. Hell, I even dated a woman from work for a couple of months, but none of them had sparked anything remotely close to what I was feeling for Lexi.

Alarm bells suddenly sounded off in my head. That was a problem. I’d enjoyed the physical company of other women, and the companionship had been nice, but this was different. I picked up my phone and tried to distract myself with social media, hoping to lose the thoughts that were still trapped in my head.

For the next hour, we carried on like the old friends we were, busting each other’s chops and retelling stories we’d heard a dozen times before. Lucas was about ready to spill all the details about his recent disastrous blind date when a silence seemed to fall over the bar, causing me to turn around on my stool. It seemed like every guy in the room had taken notice of Lexi walking through the entrance. It could have been my imagination of course, but I still found myself gripping my beer bottle a little too tightly, while it seemed like a least a dozen set of eyes checked her out. My gaze slowly traveled down the length of her body taking it all in. She was tall, blonde and beautiful. She had on a pair of tight blue skinny jeans with a white lacy top tied around the middle showing off her flat, tanned stomach. She wore a pair of brown suede cowgirl boots that I was suddenly envisioning wrapped around my waist. Oh God, I was in trouble.

My heart started to jump rapidly in my chest as she crossed the bar, headed in my direction. Everything began to happen in slow motion as my eyes fixed on her long, silky blonde hair bouncing across her breasts. She was a walking wet dream and had me feeling like I was sixteen years old again. My jeans were getting tighter with each step she made towards me, the building pressure inside my denim hurt like hell.

Lucas clasped my shoulder. “Please tell me that’s not her. Please tell me that hottie headed our way is your cousin.”

My eyes cut to his sending him a message. “Fuck!” He spat out. “Dude, I have no words. That’s the chick with the douchebag ex?”

Sawyer chuckled beside me. “This is going to get fucking interesting. Bartender, can we get another round?”

I could hear people talking in the background. I could even hear the music playing, but the only thing I could do was stand there and stare. There were no words that came to me. She had left me utterly speechless.

Gaining my composure, I stepped off the barstool and met her halfway. “Hey,” I said, greeting her with a grin, pulling her up against my chest without even thinking. I immediately released her, hoping she didn’t feel the stiffness in my pants. “You look great!” My eyes moved down to her legs. “Nice boots!”

She smiled nervously at me. “Thanks.” A blush worked its way up her neck, spreading across her cheeks. She was absolutely adorable.

I lifted my chin to Abby who trailed closely behind her. Her eyes didn’t light up in invitation like they usually did when she saw me. Maybe this wouldn’t be as awkward as I had thought.

I walked the girls over to where Sawyer and Lucas were standing with their elbows leaning against the bar grinning from ear to fucking ear.

I draped my arm around Lexi’s shoulder as I introduced her to my friends. “Lexi, this is Brett Sawyer, the detective you spoke with on the phone and my other ugly friend here is Max Lucas.” Lucas stood there working his tongue in his cheek like he was trying to fight back a smile, but doing a shit job of it. “Abby, you already know these two losers.”

Abby laughed, going to greet Sawyer first.

Lucas reached for Lexi’s hand, “Well, hello there.” He lifted her hand to his mouth, planting a kiss on the back. His eyes lifted to mine with a knowing smirk, and I felt my hand tighten on her shoulder. Nope, still hadn’t let go. “So nice to finally meet you. Brad has told us so much about you.”

She blushed at his antics. Fucking blushed. I dropped my arm and fisted my hands at my side and silently counted to ten. Lucas seemed to take enjoyment in my reaction. He was goading me. I really needed to find some new friends.

Sawyer broke through the tension and grabbed her hand with a friendly handshake. “Nice to finally meet you in person.”

Recognition dawned on her face. “I really appreciate what you tried to do for me.”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t able to be more help.” I felt my jaw clench when Sawyer looked at me apologetically.

“Don’t worry. It’s fine really. I knew things wouldn’t be so simple.” Her discomfort was noticeable as she looked down to the ground.

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