Page 61 of Wildest Dreams

I laugh and look down at Tristan, who is still holding onto my waist, a crease of focused concentration on his brow, as if he’s worried that when he steps back I’ll fall.

Warmth swells in my chest as I realise that, in this moment, these boys – myfriends– are totally head over heels for me.They would do anything for me, and they support every silly thing that I do.

The song playing through the loud speaker-system changes into a country song that Fallon’s obsessed with, and I giggle to myself, closing my eyes and allowing my body to move.

I tip my head backwards, arching my spine, and strengthen my wrists as I grip the pole, lifting my hips higher and kicking my legs into a smooth vertical point. Then I kick my right leg so that it can go from a ninety-degree lift to a full one-eighty split, and I hold the standing split position for a moment, revelling in this use of my flexibility after a full month of no cheer.

I hear a couple of low curses and peek an eye open so that I can see the guys, their jaw-on-the-floor expressions making me flash them my best star cheerleader smile.

When I glance over my shoulder to check on Tristan, he has both of his hands shoved into his hair, his eyes unblinking as he stares hungrily at my ass.

I giggle uncontrollably at his expression, recapturing his attention, and he gives me a breathless, kind of bashful smile, motivating me to show these adorable hot hockey guys exactly what I’m capable of.

“Jesus, Aisling,” Austin rasps as I do a pole-holding flip. I lift up my leg so that I can nudge his strong jaw with the sharp point of my stiletto.

A rough sound leaves his throat and he instinctively reaches for my ankle, kissing it again.

The feeling of his stubble on my smooth skin is so unexpectedly sexy that I burst into another round of whiskey giggles, dropping down from the pole and squealing as the guys wrap me up in a team hug.

But as I pull back from the huddle something catches my eyes near the entrance of the booth.

Already knowing what I’m going to see I peek over to my left, my breathing turning raspy as Tanner’s eyes meet mine.

His large forearms – even more tan in the low dive bar lighting – are folded heavily over his chest and, despite the murder glare that he flicks over to Tristan when he gives me another squeeze on the shoulder, his expression is quietly awestruck, his breathing unsteady.

Trouble, he mouths to me, a hint of a smirk tugging at his mouth.

Big shot, I mouth back, and this time he full on grins – handsome creases cutting into his cheeks as he keeps his gaze locked with mine. In the next second he pushes off the wall, eyes focused as he makes his way over to me.

Heart pounding with excitement I wiggle out of the group, my eyes closing dreamily with relief when I feel Tanner’s forearm wrap around my belly.

In less than three seconds I’m hauled out of the booth, and into the main area of the crowded country bar.

“How much did you see?” I ask him breathlessly, not questioning it when I realise that we’re in the middle of the dance floor, the swollen ridges of Tanner’s chest pressed possessively into my back.

“Wasn’t watching,” he murmurs, two digits from each hand tucked tightly through the belt loops on either side of my jeans.

I blink, dazed and confused. “You weren’t watching? Then what were you–”

“Guarding the booth,” he rumbles. “Had to make sure no-one else would get to see.”

Maybe it’s the golden hum of whiskey gently warming my veins, but the idea that Tanner felt like it was his duty to guard me during my tipsy pole adventure is so romantic it makes my heart pound wildly.

I breathe out a shaky exhale and whisper, just loud enough for him to hear as his stubbled jaw brushes over the warm curve of my cheek, “I kind of thought that you would’ve gotten all grumpy and stopped me.”

I feel his smirk press into my skin.

“When the hell have I ever been grumpy?” he murmurs, the teasing lilt in his drawl making butterflies flutter in my belly. Then he adds quietly, “You were… having a good time. Yeah, I wasn’t loving the sight of my teammateslooking like they wanted to be all over you, but I… I liked seeing you laughing.” He swallows hard. “I’d never try and stop something that was making you happy.”

Without thinking, Tanner’s forehead drops down to my throat, a groan rumbling through his chest as he presses his body harder against mine.

My eyes almost flutter closed but then I spot Connell and his teammates, and my chest instantly tightens, remembering the hen party from earlier.

I push away from Tanner’s embrace and spin around to look into his eyes.

“We can’t do this,” I say breathlessly, swiping a hand through the air between us.

I try to put another few steps between us but Tanner grips both of his palms around my hips, yanking me into him with a hunger that I can’t resist.

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