Chapter 2
Chapter Two
Magnolia
THREE YEARS LATER
“It’s my birthday, bitches!” I scream and throw my arms up.
Everyone cheers and holds up a shot glass.
I’m finally turning twenty-one, and I’m making the most of it.
I invited a few of my girlfriends over to pregame at my boyfriend’s house, and then we’re going to the Twisted Bull for the real celebration.
There’s a large dance floor and a mechanical bull, but I’m only interested in the alcohol and music.
“Here, babe. Made you a drink.” Travis winks, handing me a red cup.
“Ooh, what is it?” I smell it, and hints of fruit hit my nose.
“Special birthday drink to make sure you have the time of your life tonight.” He wraps an arm around my waist, pulling me into his chest and kissing my lips. “I want you to let loose and have fun.”
I smile wide at my boyfriend, then gulp half of it down. We’ve had our ups and downs over the past few years, but he’s finally maturing. We used to fight about silly, stupid shit, and now he’s more considerate of my feelings and what makes me happy.
“It’s delicious!” I shout over the music, then take another long drink. “Wanna dance with me?”
“I will in a bit. I’m playin’ bartender before we head out.”
Pulling him down for a heart-stopping kiss, I grin at how sweet he’s being. “Thank you for all of this.”
His palm cracks down on my ass, and I yelp. “Anything for my woman.”
“Noah!” I shout when I see my best friend walk in with two of her brothers. “You guys came!”
I jump into her arms, and luckily, she catches me. The alcohol is catching up to me already.
“Of course!” She laughs and hugs me.
“You brought the snooze team with you?” I arch a brow at Landen and Tripp.
She gives me a pointed look. “They’re our DDs. Be nice.”
Tripp limits his alcohol and never gets drunk unless he’s at home. Even though he’s twenty-three, he’s never been a big drinker. I suspect that has to do with his best friend in high school dying from a drinking and driving accident five years ago.
I already know Travis isn’t going to like them being here.
Before we got back together, Landen and I went out on a date last year.
I was surprised to learn he liked me that way but figured I had nothing to lose since Tripp was blind to all my signals.
When he asked if he could kiss me at the end of the night, we discovered there were no sparks between us and agreed to stay just friends.
But even so, Travis hates him simply for that reason.
“Well, perfect! Because we’re partyin’ hard tonight! C’mon, Travis is makin’ drinks!” I grab her hand, then pull her behind me toward the kitchen.
Tripp and Landen stand behind us while Travis makes Noah a cocktail.
“You two want a beer?” Travis asks them once Noah has her drink.
“Nah, we’re drivin’,” Tripp explains.
“Oh, c’mon. One won’t kill ya. Take it.” Travis holds out a bottle, but neither reaches for it.
“I said no.” Tripp’s harsh tone sends a shiver down my spine. “I don’t drink and drive, man.”
They have a stare-off before Travis shrugs and takes it for himself. “C’mon, doll. Let’s dance.”
When I turn, I find Tripp’s icy glare on me as I take Travis’s hand. His hot-and-cold attitude confuses the fuck out of me because one minute he’d give me a sign he likes me, but then a minute later, he acts like he can’t get away from me fast enough.
It’s why I gave up trying and decided to give Travis another chance. I’m a goddamn catch. I shouldn’t have to convince a man to be with me.
Travis and I dance in the middle of the makeshift dance floor and halfway through the second song, I feel a hole burning in the back of my head. Noah’s next to us, dancing with our friends from high school, so I spin in Travis’s arms to see what else is going on in the room.
Tripp’s drinking out of a water bottle and Landen whispers something to him. Tripp’s brows are furrowed, his eyes locked on Noah and me. I sip more of my fruity drink and get lost in the music while keeping my gaze on him.
Arching my back, I rub my ass against Travis’s groin, and he tightens his hold on me. “You keep doing that, and I’m fuckin’ that tonight.”
I playfully elbow him, but he squeezes my arm.
“I’m serious, Maggie. Trust me, you’ll like it.” He spins me around to face him, and I scowl.
He knows I hate being called Maggie and even more when he doesn’t respect my boundaries.
“I thought we had this discussion already.” One where I told him no freaking way.
“I’ll get ya nice and prepped, dollface. By the time I’m done edgin’ you, you’ll be beggin’ me for my thick cock in your ass.” He winks, and it makes my skin crawl.
Thick? If a number two pencil was thick, then yeah, he’s thick. But I have a low pain tolerance, and nothing sounds worse than giving him the green light to touch me there.
It’d be one thing if he were talking about rough sex or even role-playing. We’ve experimented in the past, and it was hot as hell, but this is one thing I won’t budge on. It makes me uncomfortable, and he seems to think me saying no is foreplay to him getting what he wants.
Knowing he’s been drinking and not wanting to have this conversation at the moment, I brush him off. It’s not worth fighting about when tonight’s about celebrating and having fun.
“I’m ready to go to the Twisted Bull. Noah?” I look at her, and she nods eagerly.
“We’ll ride with her brothers since you’re drunk,” I tell Travis.
“The hell we will. I’m drivin’ you.” He squeezes my arm again, but this time it’s hard enough to leave a bruise.
“You’ve been drinkin’,” I remind him, keeping my voice steady so he doesn’t blow up in front of everyone. “Tripp and Landen can drive us there and then we’ll Uber home.”
He pinches his lips together and scowls in the direction of Noah’s brothers before finally looking at me. “Fine. But I want you close to me all night.”
Normally, I’d think his possessiveness was hot, but he’s acting more like a dick than a loving, protective boyfriend.
“You will be, I promise.” I wrap my arms around his neck so he calms down.
I finish the last of my drink before we get into Tripp’s truck. We can’t all fit in the front and back seats, so the rest of my friends pile in the bed and sing loudly to the music on our way there.
Noah nudges me, grabbing my attention, then tilts her chin toward the phone in my hand. When I unlock the screen, I find a text.
Noah
Everything okay with you and Travis?
As discreetly as I can with Travis on my other side, I type out a response.
Magnolia
Yeah, he just didn’t want to ride with your brothers, but I told him he had been drinking and it was best he didn’t drive.
Noah
He keeps glaring at Tripp. I thought they were friends?
Magnolia
Me too. I’m not sure what’s going on with him tonight. But I’m determined to have fun and not let his moody ass ruin it.
Noah
You better not! You only turn twenty-one once, and then it’s all downhill!
She laughs when she watches me read her message.
“Bitch.” I chuckle.
As soon as I pocket my phone, we pull into the parking lot.
“You’re here to have fun tonight, okay?” Noah reminds me as we link arms and walk toward the entrance. “Just keep cruisin’ and shake it off. Or whatever Taylor Swift said.”
I burst out laughing at the reference. She’s a closet Swiftie.
Travis puts his hand on the small of my back as we go inside and brings his mouth close to my ear.
“I’m sorry for earlier. I just hate sharin’ you.”
The sincerity in his voice has me smiling. Travis isn’t good at processing his emotions or showing them, so I know it’s not easy for him to express when something’s bothering him.
“It’s just for a few hours, and then I’ll be all yours once we get back to your place,” I reassure him, losing my grip on Noah and wrapping my arms around his waist. “You still owe me a birthday gift anyway.”
He tilts my chin with a devious grin. “And I plan to fulfill it when I get you alone.” His other hand lands on my ass with a smack. “Gonna pop that cherry.”
I roll my eyes, not wanting to argue about it again.
“Want a drink?”
“Yes, please! Somethin’ with a big pineapple in it. Oh, and get a strawberry margarita for Noah.”
He chuckles, then brushes his lips to mine. “You got it, doll.”
“He seems in a better mood, huh?” Noah comes to my side.
“Yeah, he’ll be fine. If his mood swings don’t make me kill him first.” I laugh, but when I glance at her, she’s giving me one of her side-eye looks. “What?”
She shakes her head, staying silent, but she doesn’t have to say anything. I already know what she’s thinking.
But I’m just going to have to prove to her she’s wrong about Travis this time. We’ve had our problems, but I can tell he’s really changed and wants us to work out.
“Where’d your brothers go?” I ask to change the subject.
“They went to play pool and darts. I’m sure they’ll be back in a bit to babysit me. Oh, I love this song! Let’s go dance!”
Noah grabs my hand, drags me to the dance floor, and we let loose with our friends. Travis catches up to us and hands us our drinks. He then secures a tabletop and chugs a beer while watching me.
“Lemme try your pina colada,” Noah shouts over the music after I’ve sucked down half of it. “I haven’t tried one before.”
“Yeah, can I taste yours?”
We swap, and I moan at the sweet strawberry puree flavor. Instead of switching back, we keep drinking each other’s. Oh well, I’ll get another one later.
After dancing for five or seven songs and a pound of sweat across my forehead, we stumble our way back to Travis. Our drinks are nearly empty, but I want to do shots before getting another fruity one.
“We need to do some blow job shots! And Sex on the Beach!” I shout. “Oh, and I need a pina colada since Noah stole mine.”
Travis’s eyes lower to our glasses and his jaw clenches. “Noah drank yours?”
“Yeah, she wanted to try it, and then we forgot to switch back.” I shrug because who cares? We share our things all the time.