Chapter 10 #2
Every time I thought about my time spent in Boston and not here, I regretted them. I could’ve come home years ago. Should’ve.
As the women drank, laughed, and cut loose, I kept my distance. But it became easier to watch her as time went by because she noticed less and less. Eventually, I was able to watch Skye and her friend openly. I wasn’t sure she was able to even see the bar, much less me sitting at it.
It gave me too much time to notice the smile I’d missed seeing and the laugh I’d missed hearing. My chest ached with how much I’d missed her when I was gone and how much of our lives we missed out on. I nursed the same beer as Jace came around to check on me.
And when men began to approach, I stayed on high alert as the girls sent one guy after another on their way.
I couldn’t help but be amazed and proud of how well Skye handled her liquor.
She went from being out of her mind silly with her friend to sober and polite to the men, thanking them for their offers but declining.
At least all the men had been respectful.
I didn’t think she’d be very happy about me interfering in her girls’ night, but if push came to shove, I would’ve.
As she sent the third guy off, I remembered she was raised by her dad and the guys at the shop. More than likely, she could drink anybody here under the table. Any human, anyway.
The moment she surpassed tipsy, I jumped up and swooped in when she wobbled. Skye looked up at me with her big eyes and to my delight, grinned. She wasn’t upset. “Need a hand?” I asked.
“Well, that would be nice. I need to use the restroom.” She patted my arm and whirled, barely staying upright.
I didn’t want to help her any more than she might need.
She’d come here to have some fun alone, not to have me take care of her.
I followed behind as close as I dared. “You’ve gotten even more handsome over the years,” she said over her shoulder.
“Really grew into your nose.” Since she was sort of looking behind at me, she wasn’t watching where she was going.
I fought a laugh and put my hands on her shoulders, carefully steering her toward the bathroom.
“You always told me I would.” I’d had more than one person tease me about my nose as a kid.
I’d been all angles. Elbows, knees, Adam’s apple, and nose.
Every time someone had upset me, Skye had been the one to calm me down.
“Here you go.” I pushed the door open for her and looked away, then stood outside the bathroom and waited.
Thankfully, she made it back out without needing any assistance.
When she clutched my arm, her hand was soaking wet and I smelled flowery soap.
Good. She’d managed to wash up, though she’d skipped drying off.
I chuckled and walked with her back to her table, where Kaylee was talking to some guy who looked like he belonged in a rock band, or maybe a biker gang.
Whatever it was, he had a lot of piercings and tattoos.
“Hello,” I said as my eyebrows pinched together. The pincushion glared at me.
“Anthony,” Kaylee squealed. “This is my boyfriend, Luke. He’s taking me home.”
“You’ve been drinking?” I asked the man, and stood as tall as I could as I let my alpha magic flow off of me. The man wouldn’t know what it was, but he’d feel intimidated.
“I don’t drink.” He snarled one lip at me, but I was sure he was telling the truth.
I nodded and watched Kaylee and Skye say goodbye.
“Are you taking my girl home?” Kaylee asked me.
“I’d be glad to,” I replied.
She poked me in the chest. “Take care of her.” Skye was busy saying goodnight to the server and stuffing a bunch of cash in her apron, so she didn’t notice.
“I will. You have my word.”
Kaylee nodded and winked and walked toward the sober Luke. I watched them walk out, then put my hand on Skye’s elbow. “Come on, I’ll drive you home.”
She waved to Jace on the way out, and he gave me an exaggerated wink from behind the bar.
I rolled my eyes and flipped him off over my shoulder.
“What’s your address?” I asked as I opened my car door and helped Skye sit down without bumping her head.
I felt like a cop helping a prisoner into the car.
Chuckling, I circled to the driver’s seat.
Skye rattled off the address when I got in. “Why don’t you know where I live?”
I turned over the engine and looked at her out of the sides of my eyes, mainly focusing on the road.
“Honestly?” Not that she’d remember this.
I plugged the number into my GPS. “I intentionally didn’t find out.
If I knew where you lived, I might’ve been tempted to drive by and see you all the time. ”
She grinned at me and leaned over and slumped against the window. Her eyes slowly closed, and in seconds, she was asleep.
Good grief. She was cute and funny now, but I hoped she didn’t drink like this all the time.
At our age, especially, it could lead to real problems. When we pulled into the driveway of the house, I stopped and stared at it.
We’d been riding down the road parallel to the beach on our bikes and we’d pulled over in front of this little cottage.
She’d told me then, all those years ago, that she wanted to buy this house and fix it up when we were grown.
And she had. She let out an indelicate snore at that moment, and all I could do was laugh, half in happiness at how cute she was and half with sadness. I’d promised her I’d help her fix up the house. We were going to move into it as soon as we’d graduated high school.
Something else I’d missed out on. Another sharp pain hit my chest, a pang of regret.
I got Skye out of the car and tried not to get turned on as she leaned heavily on me. We walked toward the door. “Keys?” I asked.
She shook herself more awake and dug her keyring out of her purse. I hadn’t even thought to make sure she still had that. Whoops.
“Lock up when you’re inside, okay?” I watched her fumble with the key but refrained from taking it and doing it for her.
She finally got the door open, and the smell of citrus drifted out. The house was dark, too dark even for me to see, but the smell stirred up old feelings of familiarity. It smelled like her bedroom she had at her father’s house.
No way I was going inside. If I went in, I didn’t think I’d be able to talk my dragon back out. But Skye didn’t walk in. “What is it?” I asked softly.
“I wanted you to kiss me on the roof and I don’t know how to feel about it.
” She cocked her head and looked up at me, her face bathed in moonlight.
“I think I’m supposed to still hate you a little even though I said I wouldn’t.
” Her face twisted into what she surely meant to be a mean-mug, but in her intoxicated state, it was just cute.
“I’ve hardened my heart to men but there you are, messing with my head. ”
“I promise, it isn’t my intent to mess with your head.
I just decided what I genuinely want is you in my life in whatever capacity I can have you.
” I stepped closer and touched her chin with my finger.
“You’re my person, remember?” We’d always told each other that as kids after she’d watched some TV show where they were each other’s person.
I’d always wanted her to be my person, in all ways, but I’d let my family ruin it.
She smiled, a nostalgic expression, before grabbing my collar and yanking me close. I allowed her control. Just because I was alpha didn’t mean I had to be the one running things all the time.
But then she melted against me and seemed to submit. My alpha dragon totally took over and pulled her up in my arms. Her feet left the ground, and she moaned into my mouth as my tongue darted forward and claimed her mouth. It was heated, passionate, and more than I could take.
I put a stop to it before she could feel just what her kisses were doing to me, pressed against her stomach.
“Lock up,” I said, and my voice sounded more dragon than man. It was more growl. On top of that, my tattoo burned hotter than it ever had before, and higher up my arm. It was significant enough pain to make me yank up my sleeve and glance down at it in front of Skylar, though she couldn’t see it.
It had grown and was nearly from wrist to elbow now. That had to be a good sign.
“Good night,” Skylar said, on her own feet again. She stood on tiptoes and pressed her lips to my jaw as I stood stiffly and tried to talk myself out of picking her up and carrying her to her bed.
I waited for the sounds of the locks engaging before stalking to my car.
I needed another shower.
And a damn good jerk-off.