Page 20 of Wrecked
The redhead sliced her hand through the air and huffed, "Haven't you learned by now that your tone doesn't work on me,Sheriff."
Chase let out a hearty laugh while Harper hid her amusement behind her glass. Oddly, that had me feeling a little more comfortable.
However, as soon as my shoulders relaxed, the sheriff's eyes traveled back to me, his glare holding a lot of distrust. I brought my wine to my lips and took a big gulp. Movement sounded next to me, and when I looked over, Eli's stare had been replaced by Brett's.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of Logan taking a seat next to Harper. It was possible that he greeted me, but I couldn't be sure because my attention was held hostage by Brett.
He didn't look too pleased to see me, but he did look insanely hot. I chided myself for noticing. I shouldn't be thinking about what lay beneath that tightly stretched white tee or wondering if he still had that tattoo on his chest. My fingers shouldn't itch to touch his skin, and my tongue shouldn't want to know the taste of him.
Yet, that's exactly what I wanted.
Heat crept up my cheeks at the direction of my thoughts. I pushed my hair behind my ear, and just before I averted my gaze, his forehead creased. Inside my pocket, my cell buzzed, sending my already racing heart on an even wilder gallop. I excused myself and moved to the back of the bar where the music wasn't as loud.
I made the mistake of answering without looking at the caller ID, "Hello?"
"Kenzie? It's me, can you hear me?"
Dean's voice carried through the line and with it came a tidal wave of guilt. "I hear you."
"What's going on? I've been calling you, I don't even know how many times, and you haven't—" there was a slight pause and then, "—is that music I hear? Kenzie, where are you?"
The sternness in his voice reminded me of my dad, and for whatever reason, it ticked me off. "I'm having a drink at a bar, Dean."
"You're where?" he sounded incredulous.
I had no desire to explain myself. "My phone's about to die, I'll call you in the morning." I didn't wait for his reply; after stabbing the little red button, I powered down my phone. My gaze dropped to the lifeless device in my palm, and I glared at it as if it was the cause of all my problems.
After I shoved the thing back into my pocket, I began walking back to the table, only to be rooted to the spot by a pair of hazel eyes that seared me to the very bottom of my soul.
I couldn't move. Hell, I could barely breathe when he looked at me like that. Brett pushed to his feet, I held my breath. As we stood like that, staring at each other, the sounds that filled the room slowly fell away. Was I a bad person for wanting him the way I did? Was it wrong to wish that, for one night only, the past didn't exist?
He took a step forward, my teeth dug into my lower lip.
He took another step, then another and another. The closer he got, the louder my heart drummed. Common sense told me I should be moving too; meet him halfway, run in the opposite direction…anything really. I just couldn't. Cinder blocks sat where my boots used to be.
He stopped in front of me, and all the air in my lungs was replaced with his manly scent. I had to stop myself from closing my eyes and inhaling his earthy smell more deeply.
His eyes traveled the length of me in a slow perusal. After the words we'd had earlier that day, I wondered if it was judgment or appreciation I saw in his eyes.
"Kenzie," The way my name rolled off his tongue when our gazes collided again had my whole body vibrating. "Can—"
"Brett! I'm ready for thatconversationnow!" In a second Lola was standing between Brett and me, both of her hands flattened against his chest. She gave me a quick glance over her shoulder before turning her attention back to him. "That is if you're not busy."
His gaze stayed pinned on me, so many emotions swirling in the depth of his eyes. I saw pain, sadness, and heat. No, that couldn't be right. How could a man that had no regard for me look at me with want in his eyes?
"Brett?" Lola's voice was filled with irritation.
I took that as my cue to leave. Stepping around the pair, I made my way back to the table. This time I didn't care about good manners, I reached for my glass and didn't stop swallowing until it was empty.
"Thirsty?" Chase asked.
I nodded, "Very."
With a chuckle, he grabbed my glass and suggested, "Let me get you a refill."
My gaze skittered to where I'd left Lola and Brett a moment ago. I caught them just in time to see him lead her away with his hand on her elbow. I grabbed Chase by the wrist, "Can you get me something stronger than wine, please?"
After a quick nod, he made his way to the bar while I was met with a few inquisitive glances from the others and a dead-on stare from Eli. Giving him a glare of my own, I hissed, "I'll be home by ten, and I promise not to drink and drive, Sheriff."
