Page 38 of The Bright Side of Christmas
“I came here with Hallie,” she says, voice low and conciliatory. “I’m not making her leave just because my asshole neighbor thinks I have a bedtime.”
“Even better. I’ll drive you home,” I say.
“I don’t need you to drive me home. I’ll wait until my friend is ready to go.”
Her irritation is rising once again, and I fight the grin pulling at my lips. God, I really like this push and pull between us.
“No, you won’t. You’re going home. Now.” I step away, motioning for her to follow me again, but she crosses her arms on her chest, glaring at me.
“What are you going to do, drag me? I’m not going to just go with you, Adam.”
I let the smile win.
“If that’s what it takes.”
“You wouldn’t.” I lift an eyebrow in challenge. “Why—” she starts, but her question turns into a yelp as I bend my knees and put my shoulder into her belly, tossing her over my shoulder as I stand. “Adam!”
I ignore her shriek as I move back the way we came to the bar with her over my shoulder.
“Put me down!” she shouts, slapping my back. I just laugh, feeling freer than I have in months—years, maybe—as I move toward the table she was at to grab her things on our way out. As we approach the loud, populated area, I shift my free hand to the hem of her dress to hold it down and keep it from drifting up.
“Are you feeling me up?” she asks, voice aghast.
“I’m covering your ass, Wren.”
“That’s essentially the same thing!”
“Do you want the entire bar to see your ass?”
Silence fills the air before her sass kicks in.
“I don’t want you touching my behind!”
So goddamn sweet, she doesn’t even want to say the wordass.
“Trust me, if I were feeling up your ass, Wren, you would know.” She goes silent for a moment as we move toward her friends.
“I’m taking Wren home,” I tell Hallie as we approach the table she was sharing with another brunette. Both of them are staring at me with wide eyes, the brunette looking nervous while Hallie looks thoroughly entertained.
“No, he’s not! He’s kidnapping me! Someone help me!”
“You’re making a scene, Birdie,” I say over my shoulder.
“No,you’remaking a scene! By kidnapping me!”
I ignore her, shifting my attention to Hallie.
“Is this him? The hot neighbor?” the brunette asks Hallie, and she nods. “Nice.” There’s a pleased smile on her lips that Hallie returns, all three of us ignoring an arguing Wren. “I’m Nat, Wren and Hallie’s friend.”
“Adam,” I say, then turn to Hallie. “I’m taking her home because she’s exhausted and needs to go to bed early.”
”You’re treating me like a child!” Wren says from behind me.
“You know who else fights a reasonable bedtime? Children.” I say, looking at her over my shoulder. Her face is angry and red, and I have to fight not to laugh.
“Oh, I think I like him a lot for you, Wren,” Hallie says, and despite myself, I let out a chuckle that I try to hide with a cough. Wren hits my back again. “Make sure she actually goes to bed.”
“Plan on it,” I say, thinking of the key to her back door. I fought the urge to use it the last few nights while she stayed up late, but I won’t be fighting that urge anymore.
