3. Cade
“What’re you having?” the bartender asks as he walks past us, drinks in hand, working both ends of the bar like a boss.
“Just a water for me,” I say, looking at Rex who’s staring back at me like I’m insane. Doesn’t surprise me; they’ve been living it up tonight. The ladies are currently on the other side of the bar shooting tequila like there will be zero repercussions tomorrow. I was all for a night out getting drunk with the group, until I heard she would be here.
Gwen is the reason I don’t drink much when I’m out with everyone, but it’s purely a personal choice. Anytime I’m around that woman, I crave her, even if I’m constantly fighting it. Give me a little alcohol and all common sense flies out the window while the desire to claim her increases exponentially. Every second I’m here tonight just brings me that much closer to fucking around and finding out just how sweet she’d taste—consequences be damned.
“Yeah, fuck that idea. I’ll take an Old Fashioned and a margarita on the rocks with extra salt, please,” Rex says to the bartender before turning back to me. “That girl loves a good margarita, but damn, she gets feisty if they don’t give her that extra salt, so I always double-check. For some weird as fuck reason, it’s her favorite part of the drink—well, that and the tequila.”
“Sawyer likes what she likes, can’t fault her for that.” I shrug, watching the bartender make our drinks while flirting with the two blondes who’ve been trying to sneak up to the bar to get a drink, skipping the line growing behind Rex and me.
Spoiler alert: they got two shots of vodka and two long islands before we got our drinks.
Grabbing our drinks, we head back to the group as I do my usual scan of the room to make sure everyone is accounted for. It’s hard keeping track of our whole group when the bar is busy, but I always feel like I need to know where everyone is, that I need to make sure everyone is okay. Tonight, it’s a little easier since some people have already left.
We’re all out for Ellie’s birthday, something Trevor had setup to surprise her. They didn’t stay too long, though, to the surprise of no one. After some grinding on the dance floor, the two of them high-tailed it out of here like two high schoolers in love.
Finishing my scan, my gaze stops on a set of bright green eyes and a head full of dark chocolate brown hair belonging to the beauty across the room from me. I home in on her like she’s my target, my priority.
You just care that she’s safe.Nothing more.
My jaw clenches as I watch the girls out on the dance floor. Gwen and Natalie—who is Ellie’s best friend—are out there dancing around, obviously becoming fast friends. Their slight buzz from earlier this evening is slowly evolving into full-on tipsy as they grind on each other to some 90’s RB song by Usher, like a drunk couple in love. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t hot as fuck, but I think just about anything Gwen does is hot as fuck. I’d kill to switch places with Natalie, even for just one night. One hour, even… although I’m not sure that’d be long enough to do what I’ve been dreaming about.
Rex and Max are both standing around, watching Sawyer and Cassie out on the dance floor, having a good time, just being silly and ridiculous. This is why my eyes keep bouncing back to Gwen, who is rolling her body, practically fucking in the air, and dammit, I feel myself hardening in my pants.
Fuck.
I know I’m not supposed to think about Gwen like this. I promised myself when I first met her I would never cross that line. One thing life has taught me is if you make a promise—especially a pinky promise—you should always keep it. Even if the pinky promise is only with yourself.
But she’s making it so fucking hard. She’s having the time of her life—smiling and dancing around—while I’m standing here staring at her like some creep trying to hide his erection. She’s having the best night, and I’m jealous. Jealous of how carefree she is, how happy she looks, and jealous of everyone who gets to be close to her. Even Natalie is on my shit list right now.
Most of all, I”m jealous she’s having this much fun, without me.
But I can’t go out there. She sees right through my armor, my facade. I’ve spent years building up these walls, and it feels like she’s slowly breaking them down. Breaking me down, and dammit, I want to let her, and that scares the fuck out of me. It feels like she sees the real me, but if she saw the scars I’ve buried deep down inside—if she saw the darkest part of my life—she would never look at me the same. She would see the truth, run for the hills, and never talk to me again.
Which is why I’m keeping my distance, standing here with the guys just watching, and ignoring her presence even if it does calm me. Being around her is the only time I’ve been able to take a deep breath in the last ten years. Except for when I”m out on the ice, that’s always been my space.
Gwen is unique—her personality is a mixture of hot and cold, a bit of sugar, and a lot of spice. She’s like a grown-ass Sour Patch Kid. Starting off a little sour, but once you get to know her, she’s one of the sweetest, most genuine people you’ll ever meet. Then the second you get comfortable with her, she sucker punches you with her fucking sass.
“So, what are we looking at?” Rex asks as he steps up next to me, his eyes following my gaze until they land right on our girls, specifically on Gwen.
Who is definitely not my girl. I don’t have a claim on any of them… but I do care about all of them.
“Wanna share your thoughts with the class, Cade?” Rex says as he looks back at me, a knowing smirk on his face while he sips his Old Fashioned. I’m sure he can read straight through me like he”s always been able to. Thankfully, over the years he’s been rather accommodating to how little I like to share. “Or would you like me to draw my own conclusions based on the very obvious evidence?”
Except for now.
“Fuck you, old man,” I growl, earning me both a slap to the side of my head and a laugh from Rex.
“I would’ve guessed right, and we both know it,” Rex says with a little smirk before walking into the crowd toward them.
What was that? What does he mean by that? And then to just walk away while some bullshit response is still bouncing around in my head. He’s already driving me crazy, and it’s only been two point seven seconds since he said it.
Irritated, I take off toward Rex, using my six-foot-four height to my advantage, and push through the crowd. Thankfully, I make it over to him before he reaches the girls because I’m able to grab his arm and force him to a stop.
When he turns around, he’s smirking again, his eyes a little sparkly like he was hoping I”d chase him. What the fuck kind of fairy dust are they sprinkling in these drinks tonight? That shit better not be in my water.
“So, are we ready to share our thoughts?”
“Fuck off, grumpy, old man,” I mutter again as he just shrugs and laughs, walking away for the second time.
Fucker.
As I follow him, I find myself searching for Gwen again, immediately spotting her like always. But this time, I really look at her, really see her.
Her smile is bright—she’s out there giggling while dancing around with the girls, obviously having fun. But the smile doesn’t meet her eyes, and it feels like a punch to the gut. She should be happy, like really, truly happy. She deserves it. Yet the only thing I can see in her eyes is sadness and I hate it.
“What’d you bring us?” Miles asks with a smirk, as we make it back to our table.
“I brought myself a water. Your drink is still up at the bar, waiting to be ordered,” I deadpan, and Miles and Harris both act offended. “Not my fault you were too busy flirting.”
“Miles is always flirting,” Rex jokes, which makes Miles smile even wider. He’s a huge flirt and he knows it.
“We were not flirting,” Harris says, looking up from his phone finally. “We were merely celebrating that we all love music and dancing to that music. Besides, maybe you should’ve been out there with us. A good lay would probably help take that stick out of your ass.”
“Fuck off,” I grumble.
“We came back over here a while ago, just been watching the bachelor party that just showed up. A couple of them were eyeing the girls, but I’m trying just to let the ladies enjoy their night,” Max says with a shrug, before pouring another beer from the pitcher.
“I’m all for letting them live their life, but if those guys get any closer, then I’m going to have to get up,” Rex says, watching Sawyer on the dance floor.
The girls aren’t shy—hell they have no reason to be—they’re just out there having a good time, ignoring everyone else around them. But damn is it a good show. That is, until some of the guys get closer and immediately try to put their hands on the girls and start dancing with them without so much as a hello.
The girls are not having it, though, and it’s actually pretty impressive. If I were on the receiving end of any of their wrath, I’m not sure I’d be as bold as these guys seem to be right now. Is it bold or are they just stupid? Either way, it is rather unfortunate for them. Rex and Max are up first, making their way to the dance floor to grab their girls, who both giggle the second they’re swooped off to dance. Harris and Miles head off to go dance with Natalie, who seems more than happy to have the other guys away from her.
Which just leaves Gwen and I. I’ll be damned if I’m letting that slimeball continue trying to get his hands on her, obviously not giving a fuck that she firmly said no, which only makes my blood boil.
No is a complete sentence in itself. Nothing needs to be said before or after.
Not a single fucking word.
I immediately step behind her, my hands gripping her slim waist, as I pull her back into me—not thinking about the consequences, only that I need her close to me, and only me.
“Excuse me, we were talking,” he says, the slur in his speech evident.
“Actually, she was talking and you weren’t fucking listening. So, if you wouldn’t mind, we’re going to go dance, and you’re going to turn around and leave us the fuck alone,” I snap, feeling Gwen stiffen, but then immediately relax into my hold. Her ass presses against my groin, and I want to bend her over right here, in the middle of the dance floor.
I half expect her to turn around and slap me, saying something about me controlling her, but instead, she just glances over her shoulder at me. Both nerves and excitement flare in her eyes, which just makes me feel more possessive. It’s like she’s daring me to do something, pushing me to make a move. Usually, I give this woman everything she asks for… except for that kiss, but that was for the best.
That’s why I can’t make a move, and she knows I won’t—so, she’s fucking testing me. Pushing my limits, seeing just how far she can take this little game, and dammit, I”m not sure I”m strong enough to fight her. I’ve had just about enough of this push and pull tonight that I just might cave and give her exactly what she’s tempting me with.
“What are you doing, Cade?” she asks, a small smile turning up the corner of her mouth as she gazes back to the group of guys. “I was just making some new friends. Those fine… gentlemen were just trying to dance with me.”
Anger surges through me. An anger I can’t explain. I just… I hate it. I hate them. I hate that they thought they could touch her. I hate that she might have let them… even if it was just dancing. I hate the way they”re still looking at her like she’s something they can take. They can take her from my cold dead hands. Even then, I’d find a way to come back for her, making sure to haunt them for the rest of their lives. They can’t have her.
“I’m aware,” I growl, my hands gripping her sides now, holding her in place. She doesn’t flinch, doesn’t move away from me. Leaning forward, I stop when my lips are nearly touching her ear and whisper quietly, “But if I recall correctly, I thought I heard you tell those little boys no. I don’t hear you telling me no right now… do you want me to stop? Or do you want to stop talking and start dancing with me?”
She pauses, her head tilting in confusion as she stares at me like she’s trying to figure out a puzzle, but the joke’s on her. It’s a giant clusterfuck of a puzzle, filled with every shade of gray possible, a million different shapes, and at least fifty missing pieces that I”m not sure even came in the box. “Well… Mr. Grumps, I wasn’t expecting this. But… if you’re scaring off my prospects, I need more than just one dance.”
It takes everything in me not to pick her up, throw her over my shoulder, and drag her out of this bar to teach her a lesson. She’s pushing all of my buttons tonight, only some of them good. If she starts talking to me about fucking someone else, I might actually lose it.
“The whole night,” I murmur into her ear as her ass grinds into my now very obvious erection, and based on the twinkle in her eyes, she definitely notices it.
“So… until we leave, or until morning?” she asks, and dammit, I can’t tell her no. I could, but not a single part of me wants to in this moment. Right now, I”ll give her anything she wants. A car? A shopping spree? The damn moon? It’s hers, as long as the only one touching her tonight is me.
“The whole night, Tink. Now, can we be done talking?” I growl, nipping her ear in an attempt to distract her.
“What exactly is in it for me?” she asks, her eyes alight with mischief—like she knows exactly what I’m promising—as she bites her lip, the hope evident on her face.
Me. That’s what she wants.
My eyes darken, and I feel my cock thicken even further, almost to the point of discomfort, at the promise in her voice. The promise of a night we’d never forget, and I have to hold myself back from pulling her into a dark corner and giving her a taste of what the rest of tonight could be.
But I don’t. Instead, I freeze… nerves slowly sneaking back in.
“It’s okay, Cade. I’m sure Michael over there wouldn’t mind switching places with you,” she says, taking a step forward and turning to face me. My hands still hold onto her, unwilling to let go completely, as my fingers slip ever so slightly into her waistband. She has me right where she wants me, and she knows it—she knows damn well I’m not going to willingly hand her over to another man, especially one like him.
“Is that what you want?” I growl, taking a step toward her. Her eyes widen like she didn’t expect this.
Well, newsflash: neither did I.
“You think that little boy back there could give you what you need? That he’d be able to keep up with you and give you what you crave? Show you a good time that doesn’t end in lies about orgasms that never actually happened? He’s probably never even made a girl come, at least not one that wasn’t an actress.”
“What does that have to do with you?” she asks quietly.
“Me? Tink, I could make you come without even touching you.”
Her breath hitches, and her pupils dilate. I realize in this moment I’m well and truly fucked. But there’s no turning back—I’m giving this woman anything and everything she wants tonight.
Even me.
With her eyebrows hitched she stares up at me. “I thought?—”
“You heard me. It’s a yes or no question.”
“You haven’t asked me a question,” she counters, and fuck, I wish I could bend her over my knee right here, right now, and redden her ass in front of everyone.
“Can we just start by taking those stupid shots you’ve been hounding me about all night?” I force out, trying to keep images of spanking her toward the back of my mind, at least for the moment.
“I thought you said you weren’t drinking tonight,” she says, her head tilted as she watches me, her dark hair falling in front of her face. She’s so fucking pretty I can barely think, let alone manage all of these questions.
“I wasn’t.”
“So, what changed?”
It’s my turn to just stare at her, slowly lowering my gaze down her body, taking in every curve, before making my way back up to meet her eyes.
What the hell does she want me to say? That I’ll drink with her if it keeps those guys away from her? That I’ll keep up this little game we have going on tonight just to see her smile again? Plus, if it keeps their eyes off her and her eyes on me, I’ll take the risk tonight could be. Because she broke me, broke my walls down. Is that what she wants me to admit? That I’d give damn near anything, including myself, because I can’t stand the thought of another man with her even for a dance?
Or does she want me to admit the only reason I don’t drink around her is that it’ll make me struggle to remember the reasons I can’t be with her, nearly to the point of saying fuck it every time.
“A lot has changed.”
She glares at me, obviously annoyed I’m not giving her more, but at this point, she’s getting enough.
“Fine. But you’re buying all of it. And going shot for shot with me. Hopefully it’ll put your grumpy ass in a better mood, or I”ll have to start thinking of more creative ways to make you happier.” She winks while grabbing my hand and pulling me toward the bar.
The feel of her hand in mine sends a shock straight through my body, and I”m wondering just what these creative ways might be. I can think of about thirteen different ways she can do that, starting with her on her knees, choking on my cock.
What the fuck have I done, and why am I not stopping it?