Page 58 of Luck of the Draw

He raised his index finger and touched various places on her neck. “One, two, three, four—”

She simpered. “What are you counting?”

“All the places I plan to kiss you.”

Skye pressed her cheek against his. “Is that for now or later?”

She was even more intoxicating than all those damn shots, and the casino was suddenly the last place in the world he wanted to be. “It can be now. You wanna get the hell out of here?”

She picked her head up, shielding another yawn with the back of her hand.

“That’s six,” he said.

She swatted his shoulder as her lips pulled away from her teeth in a bright smile. “Okay, fine. So you can count. But can you walk? I’m not sure if I can or not.”

He held her waist as they both stood. “We’ll be fine. We just have to lean on each other.”

“Lean on meeee…” she suddenly sang. “When you’re not strooong…and I’ll be your friend…”

“I’ll help you caaarry on,” he chimed in, and she pealed with laughter. They approached the exit, and he pulled her to a stop, holding her flush against him. “Man, I really love your laugh. Will you let me tickle you later so I can hear it again?”

She dangled her wrists behind his neck. “Yes, you can tickle me. I’m gonna let you do whatever you want. You could probably get away with murder right now.”

“Honey, I assure you I was just following orders.” He shook his head, tossing his hair into his eyes. “I’d never do that on my own choosing, I swear.

Her face was suddenly stone-cold sober, and she knitted her eyebrows. “Brennan…I didn’t mean…”

“Awnooo… Baby, I didn’t mean anything by that.” He stroked her cheek with his thumb. “Don’t make that sad face. We’re having a good time.”

The sad expression was replaced by a sweet smile. “I’m having a great time.”

“Good,” Brennan said, holding her shoulders as they stepped outside. He guided her to the curb and pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Hopefully we don’t have to wait too long for a ride at this hour.”

She began bouncing on the balls of her feet and rubbing her hands together. “Hopefully. It got even colder, and I’m completely full of alcohol right now, which you’d think would make me warmer.”

“Poor honey.” He shoved his phone back into his front pants pocket and approached her to wrap his jacket around her shoulders again.

“I don’t want your jacket.” She shrugged it off and handed it back to him before she slipped her arms around his waist and nestled against him. “You’re nice and warm.”

Brennan quickly put his jacket back on and wrapped his arms around her, rubbing her back to help her warm up. A long strand of her hair had fallen into her face, and he twisted it around his finger as he encircled her waist with his other arm. Their faces were close, bodies even closer, and being three sheets to the wind, the filter Brennan had on those feelings had all but disintegrated.

“Skye.”

“Yeah?”

He held her tighter. “How much longer do I have with you?”

Her amused expression faded, and she pulled back slightly, dropping her gaze to the ground.

“Please tell me. I really don’t want to find out when you were planning to leave by just waking up with you missing from my bed.” He rested his cheek against her downturned head. “I want to be able to tell you goodbye properly. Surely there’s no harm in just telling me when—”

“Tomorrow.” Skye hesitated for a beat and then looked up at him through sad, yet deadly serious blue eyes. “Tomorrow I need you to drive me as far away from New Orleans as you can and drop me off.”

He furrowed his brow. “Where?”

She shook her head. “Just anywhere.”

“Why can’t I just take you to the airport?”

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