Page 45 of Hunt for the Roses
“You sure? I could’ve wound her up for you. Seems like you want to tap that more than me,” Chris says with a smug grin.
Blind rage takes over.
My fist connects with this prick’s jaw in one blow, knocking him off balance.
“Dane!” Aria shouts.
“HEY! OUT!” one of the bouncers shouts as he comes up to me and nudges me to start walking.
“We’re going,” I say as I quickly take Aria’s clutch off the bar and grab her hand. We make our way to the exit of the bar all the while being shadowed by the bouncer.
Once we’re out on the sidewalk, I hand over Aria’s clutch to her.
“Gosh, Dane, that was so stupid,” Aria gasps.
I shake the sting from my knuckles as I say, “That’s an odd way of saying thank you.”
“Thank you? Dane, you went full blown ‘Gorilla’! What the hell?” Aria counters.
I stop as I turn to her, throwing my arms out in front of me. “Well excuse me for giving a shit about the way he touched you and spoke to you. Clearly, I was the only one that did.”
Aria swallows a nervous lump as she stares at me, and I see her angry walls start to lower as her face softens. When she looks down at my knuckles, Aria squints her eyes as she reaches for my hand with both of hers. “Let me see,” she whispers.
I turn my head with a tight jaw. “I’m fine.” When I feel her soft fingers stroke the small cut and swelling on my knuckles, I feel my stomach flip at her touch, and I’m so freaked out that I automatically pull my hand from hers. “I’m fine,” I say in a sterner tone.
Aria hugs her arms across her chest nervously and looks down at the ground, then back up to me. “Thank you,” she says in a faint voice.
I give her a small smile, and decide to alleviate the tension between us. “Do you still think I’m incapable of complimenting you now that I’ve defended your honor?”
“No. As long as your compliments are better than those lines that douchebag was using on me,” Aria jokes back.
“I was in physical pain. More than my knuckles right now.”
Aria laughs. “Same. Besides the knuckles part.” Then Aria’s face gets more serious, and she scrunches her face. “I’m sorry.”
“You’re actually not permitted to say sorry in this situation,” I say.
Aria rolls her eyes at my corniness, and then she turns to start walking.
I follow suit by shoving my hands in my jean pockets, and smile as I look over at her. “Shippers?”
“So you can get in more tussles?” she jokes.
I chuckle. “No,” I say, and then I shrug as I look forward. “I just know how much you were looking forward to tonight.”
Aria turns to face me with a smile. “Lead the way.”
* * *
Aria
When we walk through the door at Shippers, it’s a quarter to ten, and luckily the bar is dead with only a few people scattered about. Random music plays in the background through the speakers, and Dane and I make our way to the bar.
As we both take a seat, I ask, “So another shot of tequila? Clearly, we’re going HAM tonight.”
“Clearly,” Dane echoes as he hails the bartender over.
Once the bartender pours our shots, we knock them back, and then order a couple beers. My arms are crossed over the bar counter as I turn to Dane. “Despite the small mishap, I hope you’re havingsomewhatof a good time. I definitely owe you one though.”
