Blake
She trails off when I turn to the handsy motherfucker standing in front of her.
He looks at me and frowns. “What do you want?” he mutters
“Can I see that?” I nod at the shot of tequila and lime wedge he’s holding.
Before he can answer, I grab them both out of his hands and set them on the bartop. I grab some cash out of my pocket and hand it to him.
“Thanks for the shot,” I say as I push him to the side. I’m standing in front of Briar now. She’s staring at me, her mouth open in shock.
I don’t blame her. I’m not like this. I’m easy-going and friendly, always joking around. I’m her teddy bear best friend.
Not now.
I’m pissed. I’m possessive. I’m seconds away from punching this guy in the face if he tries to touch her again.
I’ve never acted like this around her before. For the past eight years, I’ve had a crush on Briar, but I managed to hide it. I managed to hide the jealousy I felt every time I saw her with another guy.
I can’t anymore though.
From the second we became more than friends…from the second I had her in my bed, something inside of me changed.
I know how sweet her skin tastes. I know that hazy look in her eyes when she’s aroused. I know how she sounds when she comes. I know how wet her pussy gets when she’s turned on.
And I don’t want any other man to know those things about her.
There’s no way in hell I’m going to stand back and let this guy lick tequila off her body. There’s no way I’m going to let him think that he has a chance to take her home with him.
“Dude, what the hell?” He’s glaring at me now. “We were kind of in the middle of something.”
“You’re not doing a body shot on her.”
He scoffs. “What, is she your girlfriend?”
“Get lost,” I say, refusing to answer him.
Because no, she’s not my girlfriend, which makes the way I’m acting completely out of line. But I don’t care.
He looks me up and down, like he’s sizing me up. I glower at him, waiting to see if he wants to turn this into a fight. Fine if he does. I’m almost a head taller than him, and I weigh at least twenty pounds more.
Once he registers our size difference, he steps back. He mutters a curse and walks off.
I turn back to Briar. She smacks my shoulder.
“Blake, what the hell was that?” Her expression is a mix of confusion and pissed off.
I look at her. This is the first time I’ve seen her since I walked out on her. For a long moment, I just stare at her. I missed looking at her. I breathe in and get a lungful of her perfume. The smell of sugar and flowers, mixed with the sweet scent of her skin. Fuck, I missed that.
Her green eyes are fiery. She looks like she wants to slap me. My chest aches. This is all my fault.
She sits up taller. Since she’s sitting on the bartop, we’re the same height, face to face.
“You blow me off for the past three days after walking out on me, then you interrupt my conversation with another guy? And then you scare him off like you’re some attack dog? What is your problem?”
“I’m sorry,” I say. It doesn’t feel like enough. I want to drop to my knees and beg for her forgiveness. I want to carry her back to my bed and show her just how sorry I am with my hands and my mouth.
“You’re acting like a caveman,” she says sharply, like she’s scolding me. “Do you realize how messed up that is? You shoved another guy away in the middle of my conversation with him.”
“It seemed like he was more interested in slurping liquor off your body than having a conversation with you.”
What the fuck are you doing, arguing with her like this? You should be apologizing.
But I can’t stop myself. Just the thought of another man doing a body shot with Briar makes me crazy.
She purses her lips. She’s pissed.
“So? What if I wanted him to do a body shot on me?”
That crazed, jealous feeling washes over me. “No fucking way.”
Fire ignites in her eyes. She looks past my shoulder.
“Maybe I should ask that guy behind you if he wants to do a body shot with me.” Her tone is taunting, verging on bratty.
My cock twitches. What the fuck? Do I actually like this? Am I getting…turned on by arguing with her?
“No fucking way,” I say again.
“You’re not the boss of me, Blake. You can’t just pop back up into my life after disappearing and order me around.”
“I know that, and I’m sorry, but there’s no way I’m going to stand here and watch some other guy lick your body.”
That fiery look in her eyes turns hotter. Wait…is she into this?
Confusion clouds the arousal I feel. We’re arguing. She’s mad. I’m upset. But we’re both turned on too…
What the hell is going on?
She leans closer to me. “I’m doing a body shot with a guy in this bar whether you like it or not.”
“I’m warning you, Briar. Don’t.” My tone is hard and pissed; my cock is getting harder by the second.
“Watch me.” She starts to scan the bar.
I grip her hip. “Fine. You wanna do a body shot? Lie back on the bar. Now.”
Her eyes widen the slightest bit. For a second, I’m scared I pushed this too far, but then the corner of her mouth twitches. I recognize that look instantly. She’s trying not to smile.
She’s into this.
Raw want races through me. She lies back on the bar top.
“Pull up your shirt,” I growl.
She slides up her top, revealing the smooth plane of her stomach. I pour the shot into her belly button.
Then I grab the lime and hold it above her face. “Open your mouth.”
She swallows hard before parting her pretty, plush lips. I place the lime wedge in her mouth. And then I look at her. I run my gaze all over her body. Tequila glistens in the dip of her belly button. Her chest heaves with each breath she takes.
She’s sprawled out, her body soft and smooth. For me.
A rough breath falls from my lips as I lean my face down to her stomach. I hold her gaze as I stick my tongue out. Slowly, I lick the tequila that’s dripped below her belly button. I groan softly at how sweet her skin is. So fucking good.
I dip my tongue into her belly button, watching as her mouth parts open. Her lips tremble. It’s too loud in here for me to hear, but in my head, I can hear her whimper. That soft, sweet, desperate sound.
I take my time. I go slow. I make sure I get every last drop before I lean up. I lick my lips and hum, holding her gaze the entire time.
I hover my mouth over hers before I lean down and suck on the lime wedge pinned between her lips. I run my tongue over the ridges of the fruit, gliding over her silky lips.
Soft vibrations hit my mouth. She’s moaning. I can’t hear her because of the shitty country music blasting in this place, but I can feel it. I can feel the need coursing through her body, surfacing at her lips.
I suck harder on the lime wedge, savoring the sour taste. I watch as her eyebrows crash together and her expression turns pleading.
I know I should stop. She’s my best friend. We’ve never crossed the line like this before. But I can’t help it. I want more.
Just then, I hear clapping. When I lean up and glance around, that’s when I notice we have an audience. Everyone at the bar is looking at us, whistling and applauding. The female bartender fans herself as she smiles.
I glance back at the guys. Anna and Poppy are at the table with them. They’re looking over at us with amused looks on their faces. Nick flashes a thumbs-up.
My face heats as I help Briar sit up.
“Everyone’s staring at us,” she says. Her full cheeks are flushed red.
I rub the back of my neck, a little embarrassed. I wasn’t trying to put on a show for the whole bar…but I don’t regret what I did.
That cheap tequila was the best I’ve ever tasted because I licked it off her skin.
Everyone around us goes back to whatever they were doing. Briar and I look at each other for a long moment. The air between us is thick and heavy. That body shot did something to us. I’m not sure what yet.
“We need to talk,” Briar says.
I nod.
“Not here. It’s too loud.”
I help her off the counter, and together we walk out of the bar.