Page 7 of Forbidden Impulses

But after drink number three, Ethan started frowning at me, and after drink number five, Cole upfront took it away from me. Not even my pout would work.

However, at that point, I had five drinks in my system, was feeling sparkly, and needed to just forget all the bad things in my life. So I snuck away, found another bar in thehugeclub and grabbed a few shots before sneaking back to Suzie with two for her.

Never one to turn down a good time, she drank them down with me and we continued to have our fun on the dance floor.

“Then Suzie didn't want any more shots and we had one of our rare arguments, and Ethan tried to get me to go home, and I didn't wanna, so I snuck away and hid in some kind of broom closet type thing and now I'm here talking to you," I say to the young girl passed out on the sidewalk next to me. "You know," I add thoughtfully. "You should probably not be sleeping out here like this. It isn't safe."

Passed-out girl doesn't respond. Unsurprisingly.

"I should phone Suzie, but I'm mad at her. And I don't have Ethan's number, so I can't get him to come fetch me." I keep talking to the poor creature next to me as if she'slistening and responsive, but at this point, I'm not far from joining her because I most certainly snuck a few more shots after getting away from my babysitters and didn't have the luxury of dancing the booze out of my system after.

I ponder my different options, knowing full well I only really have one. But I'm just drunk, stubborn and stupid enough to not want to phone my friend to ask her for help. With unsteady movements, I push up from the sidewalk and quickly push my dress back down again, so strangers won't be able to see my lady bits.

I'll just take a walk to the main street and grab a cab. I have enough emergency money stashed away for a hotel room. By tomorrow morning Suzie will be ready to apologize and we can go back to normal.

Or if I'm being honest, I'll feel brave enough to fess up to being an asshole and beg my best friend to forgive my sorry ass.

Ugh, I'm a mess!

I rub my hand over my face as I stumble to the bouncer at the door. My hand lands on his arm, using him to steady myself. "You look after my friend there now, you hear?" I order him, focusing on keeping my words from slurring too badly before I push away from him and very carefully try to make my way to the main road. Mr. Bouncer doesn't respond to my decree, but I figure the girl was passed out and in one piece before I came out, so she'll be good.

But before I can make it very far, a deep, growly, sexy,familiarvoice stops me in my tracks.

"Annabelle, if you take another step, I'll have you over my lap before you can say 'Sorry, Sir'."

Holy shit. Holy. Fucking. Shit.

I teeter on my heels before finding my balance and turning around to face the direction the voice came from.

And there he is. I repeat.Holy shit.

Lorcan. In all his angry glory.

He pushes back his dark hair from his face, and the fierce frown makes me shake in my sexy shoes.

I might also be creaming myself a bit at the delicious front-arm porn, and to-die-for tight black t-shirt stretched over his wide, built chest.

"Seriously. Dads should not be this sexy," I mumble before I can stop myself.

He flinches slightly at my words, and I take the hit to my ego, even though I already know there was no chance there, regardless of menever, ever, evergoing there with my best friend's married dad.

But he started it with the threat of spankings. And the sexy voice. Not to mention the forearms, pecs, and t-shirt that should be illegal.

He clears his throat before turning to the bouncer. "Does that girl on the sidewalk have anyone here with her?"

"Her friend is just inside getting her cell phone. I'm watching her for now."

Lorcan nods before stalking to me, and I have to swallow down the sudden fear and lust flooding my system.

"You," he growls again, sending shivers through me. "I don't know what the fuck you were thinking, but Suzie is hysterical, Ethan is pissed because he can't find you, and Cole is in trouble for beating up an asshole that tried to feel up a girl inside that fucked-up club."

"Oh."

"Oh?" He shakes his head at me as he grabs my armand drags me along to the parking lot where Ethan parked. Lorcan pulls out his phone and dials. "Found her. She was outside." He's quiet as he listens to someone—I'm assuming Ethan—on the other side before he responds to them. "That's fine. I'll get her home. You just tell Suzie her friend is safe and then take her to your place. You can bring Suzie home in the morning after you all get some sleep."

He cuts the call before tugging me along to his large black SUV.

I'm about to moan about all the manhandling and growliness when he opens the passenger door and lifts me from my feet as if I weigh nothing before plopping me down on the seat and buckling me in.