Page 12 of Should've Been Us
“I don’t need your help.” She jerked her arm away when he tried to reach for her but she was drunk, really drunk, and she wobbled enough that he ended up having to catch her. She swallowed hard when his arms went around her. Strong and warm and male. She shook her head to clear that stupid thought. “I said I don’t need yourhelp.”
“Clearly.” He only smirked and steadied her on her feet, “Come on. We’re calling it anight.”
“Don’t tell me what to do.” She harrumphed but her feet followed him when he tugged on her hand, pulling her towards the edge of the patio and around the side of the building to the pathways that led to thebungalows.
“Why? Afraid you might like it?” He shot over his shoulder and shesnorted.
“Afraid I’ll actually give in to the urge to punch your prettyface.”
“Aw, you think I’m pretty? Thanks, Lu. Back atya.”
She rolled her eyes even though she knew he couldn’t see. God he was annoying. He was the worst. Why was she going anywhere withhim?
She pulled her hand away from him and he frowned, “Lu…”
“I can find my own room thank you very much.” She kept walking, bypassinghim.
She could feel him behind her though and it sent a shiver down her spine. It was the mixture of the alcohol and the night air. That was all. It wasn’t knowing those ocean blue eyes were behind her, watching her walk away fromhim.
He caught up to her easily, falling into step beside her, and caught her arm when she swayed on her heels, “Easythere.”
She growled but let him hold her up as she paused to pull off one heel and then the other. Connor didn’t say a word. He simply held her steady and when she was back on her feet and released her hold on him he took her shoes from her and carried them as he started down the pathway again, expecting her to fall in step beside him, which she kind of had todo.
She pursed her lips, feeling the need to remind him and herself, “I think you’re anass.”
“I’m aware. You tell me multiple times a day.” He shot a glance at her out of the corner of hiseye.
“Didn’t want to miss myquota.”
His lips curled slightly, “You ever stop to consider you’re not exactly a peach to deal withyourself?”
“I’m a fuckingdelight.”
That made him laugh and she found herself grinning back at him. She was definitely drunk because drunk was the only way she would ever admit even to herself that she enjoyed sparring with Connor like this. It was fun and distracting. It stopped her from thinking about all of the other shit going on around her, stopped her from thinking about Derek and Aubrey and their impending nuptials, stopped her from thinking about that gross bet that the other groomsmen had beenmaking.
She frowned when she thought about the conversation she’d overheard again. The one about the bridesmaids. The one where the guys had been making bets about the women in the wedding party. The one where nobody had mentioned her atall.
“What’s wrong?” Connor’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts and she realized she’d stoppedwalking.
“Nothing.” She started to walk away but he grabbed her and stopped her in hertracks.
“Bullshit.” He closed the distance between them in one long stride and tipped her chin up with a finger, his eyes studying her intently, “You change moods faster than the weather back home in Texas. You were laughing one second and now you look sad again. Tell me what’swrong.”
There was the sound of laughter that drifted to them from somewhere in the distance and she jolted back to reality. Connor was in her personal space. Touching her. Demanding answers to things he had no right to ask. So she knocked his hand away and walked away from him as quickly as she couldmanage.
“Go tohell.”
“Trust me, doll. I’m already there.” He followed behind her as she stormed off and when she bypassed a turn he grabbed her by the wrist again, halting her, “Your room is thisway.”
“I knew that.” She lied, pulling away from him, again, and heading down the small path she hadn’t even noticed. “And stop calling medoll.”
“Why?”
“Because I hateit.”
“You don’t mind when Derek calls you doll.” His voice dripped disdain and she felt that flair of heat and anger that always came when he mentioned her relationship withDerek.
“Yeah? Well you’re not Derek areyou?”
