Page 40 of Forbidden Desires

I jump when I see deep brown eyes and a stern expression staring back at me from the dingy hallway. “Brody, what are you doing here?” I ask, confused as hell. Where did he even come from? Did I call him? By the look of his suit pants and whitebutton-up, he came straight from work. And he looks mighty pissed. In fact, I think I can see steam coming from his ears. The thought makes me giggle.

Chapter 19

Brody

My blood pressure feels as though it’s through the fucking roof. All night I’ve had to watch the two of them chatting and laughing together, her throwingback one drink after the other. I’ve totaled it at seven. The last straw was her on the dance floor with the fucker. When he put his hands on her, I felt like flying across the room and punching his lights out. But I know I can’t, she’s not mine, and if I did it would look bad. Really bad. So, I kept my cool, watching her instead, and when he whispered in her ear and she turned white as a ghost, I knew it was time to put an end to this shit show.

She stumbles out of the ladies’ room, and it takes her a second to realize I’m here. When she does, she jumps in shock, asking me what I’m doing here. What isshedoing I would like to know.

“Taking your drunk ass home.” I place a hand on her shoulder, trying to steady her so she doesn’t end up on the floor.

“I’m good, thanks. I’m here on a date.” She fakes a smile, trying to brush me off, but if I let her go, she will end up on her ass, so I hold tight.

“You’re not good, you’re drunk off your ass. And any guy who lets you get into this state on his watch isn’t worth dating,” I huff out. I want to give her a piece of my mind about putting herself in danger doing something so stupid. She’s new around here, and letting her friend talk her into going on a date with Mason was a terrible idea.

“I disagree. I was having fun with him. He was dancing with me. You never dance with me. You’re all business. All work and no play,” she says, leaning into me, and I catch a waft of her damn shampoo. Why does she smell so goddamn delightful? She glances up at me, her lashes slowly fluttering. She moves her hand into my hair, running her fingers through it playfully. Toofamiliar and very flirty. It sends signals to my body, making me want what I can’t have. I knew coming tonight would be dangerous.

I watch her, raising a brow in question. “What the hell have you been drinking?” I mutter, unimpressed.

“Wet Pussies. You should try ‘em, they’re sooo good.” She stumbles forward, and I catch her. I need to get her out of here, she’s a mess.

“I’ll take your word for it,” I grumble. Those things are strong, no wonder she’s so messy on seven of the fuckers.

“I’m pretty sure your favorite. What was it you said to me last week, tell me how wet you are for me? Something like that.” She chuckles to herself.

Now she’s a comedian. I look over my shoulder, making sure no one is watching us before I wrap my arm protectively around her. “Right, time to go.”

She smiles up at me all dreamy, and I wonder what on earth she’s thinking about.

“What are you smiling at?” I shake my head, already knowing this is a mistake, but I can’t just leave her here like this. She’s in a state. She’s impressionable, and she needs to go home and sleep it off.

“You.” She giggles. “My Southern hero. Where did you come from to save me?”

I sigh heavily. “I’ve been here all night watching you.”

She narrows her eyes at me. “I didn’t see you.”

“I was with Parker and Elliot, having a quiet night. You would have been too inebriated to notice.”

We walk through the bar, and she glances over at the booth where they had been sitting. “Where are the others?” she asks, annoyed her friends have gone without her.

“Parker is walking Paisley home, she’s not much better than you.”

“What about our dates?”

“Pretty sure Elliot is giving his brother and Mason a rap over the ear for the condition you girls are both in,” I growl out, wishing it was me. The two of them wouldn’t be getting off with just an earful if it was. I knew Mason was trouble. I should have put a stop to all this a lot sooner.

She falls silent. We make it out front to my truck, and I open it up, helping her in the passenger side. She stares back at me, all doe-eyed. “It’s not their fault. I’m twenty-three, I know how to drink responsibly.” She slurs her words, proving she doesn’t.

“Doesn’t look like it to me,” I say, slamming the door then going around to the other side to hop in. I slide my jacket over her legs, and she pulls it up, cuddling into it. I start the engine and drive out of the parking lot.

She sighs heavily, leaning into the passenger door sleepily. “I was just bored. I drank more than I normally would.” She turns her face to look at me. “If you took me out, I wouldn’t have had to,” she says like her current condition is my fault.

I ignore her comment and keep my eyes on the road. She can’t say things like that to me. If I could be the one taking her out, I would be. Watching her with him tonight was torture.

Her hand comes to my thigh, and I drop my gaze away from the road for just a second. She’s so damn pretty, looking up at me like I’m someone different to who I really am. “Don’t you ever just want to stop being so serious and have a little fun?” she says playfully. She’s really testing my patience tonight.

I stare out over the open road, wishing I could. But right now, I have my family legacy resting on my shoulders. The hotel doesn’t take a day off, so neither do I. “The last time I did, we ended up not talking to each other all week,” I tell her. Last Sunday, I let myself give in to my urges, and it’s been nothing but a nightmare since. If she wasn’t so drunk, she would still be annoyed with me.

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