Chapter Fourteen #2
“Whaddya want to drink?” Warren asks once we find a spot at the bar.
“I’ll have…” I chew my lower lip, contemplating. “A Mai Tai.”
“Okay.”
“And tequila shots,” I quickly add when the bartender approaches.
I’ve also decided I need to get wasted tonight.
He does a double take, narrowing his eyes in question. “Alright…”
Then he leans over the bar to give her our order.
I’ll probably regret it tomorrow, but I can’t focus or have fun with my mind going a million miles an hour. I need something to help me let loose so I’m not a Debby Downer.
“I like this on you…” Warren thumbs the fabric of my purple dress covered in a cherries print. Then he flicks my cowboy hat. “This too.”
“Just know I had to go to three stores to find somethin’ cute.”
“ Three ? Oh, the hardship.”
I playfully punch his stomach and immediately regret it because it reminds me about his washboard abs.
“The boots too,” I say, giving his heel a little kick. They’re light purple, with a cute floral design.
“You don’t look so bad yourself, cowboy.” I smile up at his cowboy hat that admittedly does things to my ovaries.
He’s in dark wash Wranglers, with a western belt buckle and an eggplant purple button-up. The top two buttons are open and his sleeves are rolled up, which also makes my stomach flutter.
It’s not often he wears the cowboy getup, but when he does, I swear my clit piercing vibrates and my breathing halters.
“What was that you said to me about your outfit that day in the barn? Casual chic? So I guess this is cowgirl chic ?” he taunts, laughing.
“Very funny.” I kick him again, harder this time. “But if you must know, it’s flirty cowgirl .”
“Is that so?” He grabs the two tequila shots from the bar, then hands me one. “Show me whatcha got, city girl.”
We clink our glasses before shooting them down, and I choke as it burns down.
“Oh fuck.” I cough, setting the glass on the bar. “I can’t remember the last time I had that.”
“Same.”
He hands me the Mai Tai and takes his beer, then grabs my hand. “Let’s find a table.”
“Are your brothers here?” I ask once we find somewhere to sit. He told me on the way here Colton was coming out with Bodie.
He checks the time on his phone. “Doubtful. They’re probably still gettin’ ready.”
I sip my drink, letting the fruity combination hit my taste buds and moaning around the straw.
Warren’s gaze catches mine over the rim of his beer bottle as he takes a swig.
Neither of us has brought up our kiss from last night, and I’m not sure if he’s purposely not wanting to talk about it or if he thinks I won’t want to. But I feel like I should say something.
“You wanna go out there?” he asks before I can speak up, pointing toward the middle of the bar.
“You wanna line dance?” I ask, surprised he’d offer.
“Sure or we can wait for a slow song if you prefer.”
Warren was a good dancer even if he acted shy about it, so hell yeah I want to .
I gulp down the rest of my drink and pop the cherry into my mouth. “Let’s go.”
He cackles. “One second.”
Tipping his head back, he empties the rest of his beer. Then he grabs my hand and pulls me onto the dance floor just as Alan Jackson’s “Chattahoochee” starts playing.
I burst out laughing. “Oh my God, I haven’t heard this song in ages!”
But the memories of us dancing surface as soon as I hear the lyrics. We begin by tapping our heels two times to the right and then two more times to the left before we stomp both feet forward and slap our boots behind our knees.
I’m a little rusty, so I go in the wrong direction during the serpentines but straighten myself out once we scuff our heels and do a quarter turn to the left.
By the third time, I have it down and manage to add in the clapping without messing up.
“There ya go!” Warren chuckles, not missing a beat.
“Are you sure you haven’t practiced this?”
He smirks. “I may have taken a crash course after work.”
“Thanks for the heads-up!”
“Bodie was teachin’ Ricky, so I stayed to watch for a few minutes.”
I wish I’d thought to look it up beforehand, but I was a bit preoccupied with talking to Hayes and trying to find the right outfit.
“Don’t worry. You’re doing great, darlin’.” His genuine smile makes my heart melt, but it’s the darling he let slip that has everything below my waist throbbing.
Halfway through the song, the dance floor is packed and we’re closer than before. Everyone hoots and claps when the song ends, half of them leaving when “Tennessee Whiskey” starts playing—an obviously beloved song here.
Warren’s hands find my hips when I face him and the look he gives me can only be described as hunger .
“Dance with me?”
Unable to form words, I nod and let him pull me to his chest. Other couples find their way to the floor, but I can only focus on him and how good it feels to have my arms around him.
My boots give me a few extra inches of height, so when he leans down, his mouth easily brushes my ear.
“I’m strugglin’ to keep my hands off you, baby. You look so beautiful in this dress.”
Is he trying to fucking kill me?
His fingers tighten on my waist, and I step closer until his boots cage mine.
Our bodies sway together in smooth harmony, but when I bury my face in his neck and inhale his earthy cologne, his hands clasp above my ass.
A small gasp releases from my throat and when my breasts press against him, I’m positive he can feel my heart pounding.
Just as Chris Stapleton sings about strawberry wine for the final time, Warren’s deep voice is in my ear again.
“Do you wanna get another drink?”
I lift my head so he can hear me over the music, but he moves his face toward me at the same time, bringing our lips an inch apart. His gaze drops to my mouth and I swallow hard, begging him with my eyes to put me out of my misery.
“Sure.”
But neither of us moves.
When my tongue swipes along my lower lip, his gaze tracks the movement, then flicks to my eyes as if to ask for permission. I confirm by tilting my head closer.
“Hey, love birds!”
I nearly jump out of my skin at the voice before I realize it’s Colton. He’s definitely grown up since I’ve seen him last. A full face of facial hair and a too-tight shirt reveals how muscular he is.
“Colt,” Warren mutters between gritted teeth.
“We came early for y’all. Let’s get some drinks! Bodie and Ricky are at the bar already.”
I release my hold on Warren, stepping back to give Colton room to wrap his arms around us. “First round’s on me!”
Warren glances over, an apologetic expression on his face, and I smile at how annoyed he looks. He’s a good brother, though, and tolerates Colton’s eagerness to hang out with us.
He orders a round of shots for everyone, and I get another Mai Tai. While we drink at the bar, Bodie introduces me to Ricky and then I chat with Warren’s brothers and catch up with them.
I don’t know how many drinks deep I am, but the jumbled thoughts in my head are gone, so I’m relieved. We spend the next couple hours dancing and my ability to line dance drunk is proven wrong at me having two left feet.
“Maze, we should get you home,” Warren says in my ear from behind.
Colton and Bodie have been taking turns getting me drinks, and each time Warren glares at them and tells them no more.
But I can’t remember the last time I let myself have this much fun and let loose, so I’m taking advantage.
“Nooo…” I whine, spinning around to face him, but I trip over his boot and fall into him. He catches me, holding me up against his chest.
“You can’t drive home like this. You’re gonna have to sleep it off at my house,” he tells me.
“Ooh, like a sleepover?” I waggle my brows, but I’m disoriented, so my eyes twitch instead.
Warren stopped drinking a few hours ago, so he’s not having as much fun as the rest of us are. Which is a shame. Warren could use a night to let loose.
“Sure,” he deadpans. “Let’s say good night to my brothers and get outta here.”
He leads me off the dance floor to the game area where they went to play a game of drunken pool.
“We’re headin’ out. Y’all gonna sober up before you go?”
Ricky lifts his hand. “I stopped drinkin’ an hour ago and will get ’em home.”
“Thanks, I appreciate it.” Then he points his finger at Colton and Bodie. “Don’t stay up too late.”
They both give him a mock salute and taunt him.
I snicker at them calling him dad .
“Bye, boys!” I go to wrap my arms around them, but Warren yanks me back and lifts me over his shoulder. “Hey! I was gonna hug ’em good night.”
“Say it without touchin’ ’em.”
Colton and Bodie danced with me earlier when Warren told them to keep an eye on me so he could use the bathroom. When he returned, I was sandwiched between them, and that’s when he yanked them away and told them to go play pool.
“Is that jealousy I hear?” I tease, hanging onto my hat as he carries me toward the exit.
He smacks my ass in response.
“You’re ridiculous. They’re like my little brothers.”
Considering how young they were when we first met, I’d never see them as anything else than family.
“Mhm.”
“Are you mad?” I ask once he puts me in the passenger side and stick out my lower lip.
“Fuck,” he mutters, scrubbing a palm down his face. “No, I’m not mad. But you’re gonna be hungover as shit tomorrow, so it’s better to get you close to a bathroom before you throw up.”
“You didn’t seem to be havin’ fun tonight.”
“Why do you say that?”
“You have that frowny grinch look on your face.”
“What’s that mean?”
“You look irritated.”
He tips my chin, forcing our eyes to meet. “Not at you, sweetheart.”
“Your brothers?”
“A little, yes. But it’s fine.”
“Is that why you wouldn’t kiss me?”
“No.”
He makes sure my belt is buckled before shutting the door and rounding the front of the truck to get into his side.
“Then why?” I ask. “I was waitin’ all night for one.”
“You’ve been drinkin’, Maze. A lot.”
“So?”
“I didn’t wanna take advantage.”
“Even if I wanted it?”
“Especially that.”
“Well…” I huff, leaning back in my seat. “You’re no fun.”
“Because I won’t kiss you when you’re wasted and could wake up regrettin’ it?”
I sigh, pressing my cheek against the cool window, unable to keep my eyes open. “I regret a lot of things, Warren. But never that.”
“Alright, I’ll allow it if you can say the alphabet. Then I’ll know you’re cognitive enough to know what you’re askin’ me.”
I snort. That’s easy. “A…B…”
“Backward,” he clarifies.
“Warren!” My eyes pop open and I scowl. “I can’t do that sober.”
He lifts a shoulder, starts up his truck, but doesn’t put it into gear.
“Rude.”
He chuckles lowly. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I plan to make up for it tomorrow when we go to the movies, assuming you’re not sick or hungover.”
“Really?”
“Yep.”
“What exactly are you gonna do to me?”
“Maze…”
“C’mon, tell me! I’ll probably forget by tomorrow anyway since I’m too drunk to consent.”
His tongue peeks out, shaking his head at my sass. “You really wanna know?”
“Yes, please.”
He undoes his buckle and reaches across the center console until we’re face-to-face.
Then his finger brushes softly over my collarbone.
“I’d start here…” Then his finger slides up the side of my neck.
“Then kiss right underneath your ear and tell you how crazy you make me. I’d suck on your lobe and give it a little bite before moving to the other side, kissing up your neck until I reached your lips.
I’d sink my tongue inside and inhale every breath and gasp. ”
“Holy. Shit.”
I’m already gasping .
“Eventually…” He slides his finger down my chest and dips below my dress, between my breasts. “I’d make my way down here, lick and suck your pretty nipples, then kiss every inch of your perfect breasts.”
“Warren…” I can’t breathe. “ Please .”
He plucks my lower lip from between my teeth. “Not tonight, darlin’. Not until you’re sober and can gimme your consent.”
My hazy eyes are blissed out, needing more, his hands and mouth all over me.
“I’m not above beggin’.”
His breath feathers over my cheek as he chuckles lightly. “Fuckin’ Colton.”
“Huh?”
“Nothin’…I’m just gonna have to admit he was right.”
“About what?”
“That you’d be beggin’ for more.”
Not exactly sure what he’s talking about, but I don’t care enough to ask. “So what’re you waitin’ for, cowboy? Give in.”
Instead of giving in like I desperately need, he leans in and presses a tender kiss to my forehead. “Not tonight, baby.”
“I hate you.” I hiccup, sinking deeper into the seat and letting my eyes close.
“Mhm.” The truck vibrates underneath me as he drives us out of the parking lot.
“No, I really, really do. Loathe you, actually. How dare you tease me after years of waitin’ for you?
Do you know how many times I played with my vibrator to memories of us?
You were always so good at givin’ me what I want and need.
And now you’re danglin’ it in front of me and tellin’ me I can’t have it?
So yeah, I hate you so much.” I’m a rambling mess, not even sure what I’m saying, but he doesn’t give me shit for it or respond. Just an amused chuckle.
I give up trying to talk him into kissing me, but it’s not until he lifts me out of the seat that I realize we’re at his house. I must’ve fallen asleep because that felt like thirty seconds.
“Don’t be mad.” I tighten my arms around his neck, inhaling his scent.
“I’m not. Gonna tuck you into my bed so you can sleep it off.”
“Not about that,” I murmur, barely awake.
“Then what about?”
“Hayes Williams,” I blurt.
His body stiffens against me. “What ’bout him?”
I whine when he lays me down and lose his warmth. “He’s your favorite author.”
“What?” The word comes out harsh, probably louder than he expected since his next words are softer. “What’re you talkin’ about?”
“Hayden Wills,” I murmur. “That’s his pen name.”
I shift to my side, getting comfortable against his pillow. “Mm, this smells like you.”
“Maze?” His voice comes closer, but I can’t open my eyes.
“Hm?”
He curses under his breath. “We’ll talk tomorrow.”
“You’re not mad?”
“Well…I’m not happy. But we’ll deal with it later.”
“Are you gonna lie with me?”
“I’ll be on the couch. Gonna put a bucket next to the bed in case you need it.” His voice is distant, and I reach out for him.
“No, stay. Please? What if I need you?”
“I’ll be in the livin’ room. ”
“You can’t sleep on that tiny couch. You’re a big, big, big man.”
He huffs a laugh. “Fine, I’ll take the floor.”
I try to argue that the floor is too hard, but I can’t make my lips move as sleep threatens to take over.
I’m not sure how much time passes before the bed dips next to me and Warren’s hand brushes the hair out of my face.
“If you can hear me, I’m gonna sleep next to you because that floor is hard as fuck…”
Told ya. Well, in my head I did.
“So don’t freak out if you wake up and you find me up here.”
I’m too sleepy to speak, so I arch my back and rub my ass against him in response.
He groans. “Go to sleep, Maze.”
Then he kisses my temple, and I do just that.