Page 7 of Mark Us Little Bear
I salute her as she sashays her way back inside the underground nightclub. I quickly stub it out and throw it into a disposal container they installed next to the entrance.
Following her inside, I recognize Ronnie’s ex, Gemma, climbing on every man who enters. “Why don’t you buy me a drink?” Trying to be cute, she puts her hand on my chest and blinks at me innocently. I think she understands what she lost and that eats her up inside.
I remove her hand, “No thanks, love, my eyes are glued to the man bartending.” I point out, my heart already surges wild in my chest. “The dark blonde at the left.”
“Oh. That’s my ex.” Her gaze falls.
No shit.
The atmosphere changes rapidly when curses fly through the air. People round the bar area while the loud music keeps playing. And the hair on the back of my neck bristles.
A fight breaks out between two guys but it’s Ronnie standing in the middle of it, attempting to calm everyone down that urges me to move forward.
“Well, I’m sure someone else would love to buy you a drink,” I brush her off as I depart from her and rush toward him, swerving between endless bodies. When I reach Ronnie, one of the guys is aiming his fist in his direction, I block him in time, cock my hand backward and punch him right in the face. “Get the fuck away from him.”
Advancing toward me, he waves his hand with the AP Royal Oak watch and shouts, “Son of a bitch!”
I ram my shoulder against him when he tries to tackle me. I grab his throat and plant my leg between his, smacking him against the floor in one breath, and press the sole of my boot to his throat. “Stay down.” My tone is clipped, waiting a moment for the bouncers to take him out.
Warm hands softly wrap around me from behind, removing me from the situation and a wave of goosebumps rolls over my body as I watch the bouncers escort the guys outside the club.
“You like getting in trouble, don’t you?” Ronnie whispers in my ear. His velvety voice with a tad of rasp sends tingles down my spine.
“When I get to save you, always.” I smile from ear to ear.
“You’re trouble.” He spins me until I face him. “Are you okay?” He nods to the clenched fist at my side.
“Yeah, it was nothing, you should see the other guy.” I wave it off and Ronnie chuckles, shaking his head. “I went with my left hand not my dominant one.”
“If that’s how you punch with your left, I can only imagine what you can do with your right.” He winks, lacing his fingers in mine and ushering me to the couch in the VIP section.
Dropping down next to each other, my breath falls against his cheek, “You don’t have to imagine,” I plant a kiss and lean backward.
He hasn’t let go of my hand yet and I like how we feel pressed against each other, a sense of calmness washes over me. The emotions he stirs within me keep piling up and I can’t subdue the butterflies in my stomach.
The club is back to normal like nothing happened. “Your ex is something,” I state, gazing at the busy crowd and back at Ronnie’s perfectly traced profile.
“Something unwelcomed.” His hand squeezes mine softly.
I chuckle, teasing him, “You need a hug, another kiss?”
When he turns his head to me the flicker in his blue eyes makes his face glow. The bright blue flakes around his pupils clash with the darker blue streaks.
I’ve been hitting on him for months, insinuating in every way I can that I’m interested. He makes me feel like even though he is in front of me, I can’t have him which only ignites a wilder flame within me.
But I’ll take anything he wants to give me.
“You know I read your fantasies, your innermost desires. I can make them come true.” I subtly flick the small silver hoop piercing his ear.
“What if I’m not ready?” He sits quietly. Eyes roaming over the crowd. Soul longing for a real connection. He wants a relationship but getting hurt again and so soon is not something he desires.
I stare at him until he turns his head to me.
“I’ll be here whenever you are,” I grin back at him because I’m not going anywhere. We built a strong friendship in the last four months and he is worth the wait. “Are you okay?” I ask in all seriousness this time.
“I need some water and a restraining order would be nice.”
“Yeah, it would be but let’s cross the first one off your list for now.”
