Page 2 of My Sweet Cherry
“I haveplentyof game! I’m theepitomeof game.” He lifted his other arm, flexing both and pretending to kiss his biceps.
I raised my brows. “What the hell are you talking about?” I asked, letting my curiosity get the better of me, much against my better judgment. Did I really want to get involved in their less-than-sober pissing match?
Anthony pointed at Benny with his thumb, laughing loudly. “This fool thinks he can mack on any woman he wants.”
“Yeah, right.” I had been living with Benny long enough to know that wasn’t true.
“Not you too! Ican.”He dropped his pose and scanned the bar intently, determined to prove his point. “I can bag any bird in this joint.”
When I looked at Anthony, he smirked, joining Benny with his own search for the perfect challenge. His eyes landed on the girl who had obviously just taken her first tequila shot but pretended it wasn’t. She looked like the type of girl that was more likely caught in a library than at the bar. Judging by her obvious discomfort, she was only here tonight because her friends dragged her along.
Anthony’s brow twitched before an almost sinister smile crossed his lips. “Okay fine. How about her?” The girl looked up from her friends with a look on her face that begged to go home. There was no way she was going to agree to anything.
“Psh. Done deal.” Benny fixed the collar on his t-shirt before he started to walk away. “This will be easy.”
I shook my head. “Yeah, good luck.”
Benny walked away, rocking a little with each step. Before he reached the girls, he ran his hand through his hair. “That’s not gonna happen. She looks like she’s never been to a bar, let alone been picked up at one,” Anthony said, laughing and taking a long drink of his beer.
“She won’t go with him.” Why was I so confident?
Anthony’s face lit up when Benny tapped the girl on the shoulder. “We’re about to find out. Let the show begin.”
Chapter 3
Beth
There was a tap on my shoulder, one that made both my friends’ eyes widen, and I spun around to see who they were looking at. “Hey there,” he said. The guy was tall, blonde, and wearing jeans that were way too nice to go with the tie-dye t-shirt he had on. His crooked smirk carried confidence that he’d probably had for most of his life. Why was he talking to me?
“Um, hi.” I chewed on my bottom lip while he casually looked me over from my head to my toes and nodded with approval I hadn’t been seeking. I looked down at my old overalls and the flannel shirt tied around my waist, wishing I’d put on something different.
“You know, you’re the best vibe in this whole place. I just had to come over and meet you.” He leaned against the counter, resting his left elbow on it and reaching his right hand out toward me. “I’m Benny.”
I stared at his hand for a second before taking it and blushed when he closed his fingers around the back of mine. “It’s nice to meet you, Benny. I’m Beth.”
“Beth,” he repeated. My name sounded different on his lips—more daring than usual for the minister’s daughter. “That’s a beautiful name. What are you drinking, Beth?”
“Oh, nothing,” I said, looking at my empty hands and feeling a little bit silly when he chuckled.
Benny waved the bartender over. “Would you like something?” He looked at the bartender. “I’ll take another cold one and whatever the lady wants.”
“I’m okay, thank you.” The bartender nodded and walked away. Benny furrowed his brow.
“You’re not drinking?”
I shook my head. “I’m not really thirsty.”
“You’re at a bar.” He gave me another scrunched look, like he couldn’t comprehend why someone would put up with the loud music and sweaty crowd if they weren’t here to drink.
I nodded, shrugging one shoulder. “I don’t really drink.”
“What about dancing?” He looked past me at the seating-area-turned-dance floor, tilting his head in a silent suggestion. “Do you dance?”
It only took a brief glance over my shoulder to see my friends’ excited faces before I agreed to dance with him.You need to lighten up.He put his arm around me, leading me out into the crowd of drunk, dancing students. I rocked my hips back and forth, following his lead with as little awkwardness as I could manage.
“You’re a good dancer,” he lied. “So are you here with friends, or am I lucky tonight?"
“I’m here with my friends.” I pointed over my shoulder blindly, knowing that Isabella and Amy were still standing close enough to hear our conversation. I could feel their stares. There was no way they would’ve walked away from this.
