Chapter 5 #2
I stepped off the bar stool and had to catch myself once I put weight on my swollen feet. Just a little bit longer.
Straightening, I hugged Jade. “I’ll be back to take you home, okay?”
“Yeah, okay. I’ll see you soon. Be safe out there.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t let anything happen to her,” Damien said, surprising the shit out of me.
“I’m out front.”
Damien followed me outside, silently. Should I try to talk to him? Make small talk?
As I opened the driver’s side door, Damien stopped me. “I’ll do it. You aren’t exactly wearing proper attire.”
My mouth pulled into a mischievous grin as I yanked the hem of my dress to my thigh and climbed in. “I’ll be fine.”
I didn’t miss the start of a smile that tugged on his lips as he got into the passenger seat.
The Jeep started quickly, and I navigated to the back parking lot. It was easy to spot their trailer, and hitched the hem of my dress even higher so my legs could move while I leaned forward to get a better view as I backed up.
Colton stood next to the trailer, using his hands to guide me. When he told me to stop, I glanced over at Damien. “See? I told you I’d be fine.”
He shook his head as he climbed out of the passenger seat.
I followed, fighting against my Jell-o legs as I watched Damien, Shane, and Hudson secure the trailer. It wasn’t too big and would be easy to tow.
Colton slid up next to me. “So, what was the occasion?”
I looked up at him. “What?”
He let his gaze travel down my body again before landing on my face. “The getup. Super fancy for a bar.”
“Yeah, well. I wish I had a cooler story, but I got kicked out of a charity gala.”
“How do you get kicked out of a gala? Especially one that’s asking for money.”
“Well… saying they kicked me out is a bit dramatic. They highly encouraged me to leave. I guess I was too much of a temptation to the opposite sex.”
“Now that I can see.”
“Keep it in your pants.”
Colton laughed, a loud, boisterous sound that echoed in the air. “I’m not the type to push unwanted affection onto anyone. Everyone I touch comes willingly.”
“I didn’t realize you had such an ego.”
Colton leaned in, his face only inches from mine. “But it’s the truth.”
I scoffed. “If you say so.”
“She’s ready to go.” Damien stood, watching as Colton turned and walked back inside.
Clearing my throat, I asked, “Who’s going to ride shotgun?”
“You.” Damien didn’t look at me when he said it. I was even less prepared as he stepped over the hitch and invaded my space.
It was amazing how much taller than me he was. My head barely made it past his shoulder, with my heels on.
“What?” It was all I could get to come out. He was too close, and I couldn’t help but inhale his scent. It was like leather with a hint of mint. Despite him running around on stage, he still smelled incredible.
“You’re the co-pilot. I’m driving.”
“But I—”
“You think I’m going to let you drive when you can barely stand?”
I opened my mouth to respond but quickly closed it. He had a point.
Damien raised an eyebrow, waiting for my rebuttal.
I scrunched my face into a pout. “Fine. You can drive. But you better be careful and mind the speed limits. The last thing I need is for us to get pulled over.”
“It’ll be fine.”
He turned from me and slid into the driver’s seat. I glanced back as Hudson and Shane grabbed their duffels from the ground.
Walking to the passenger side, I pulled my dress up again. After this, I swore I wouldn’t be wearing a dress or heels for a very long time.
I closed my door, shutting us off from the outside world. Words caught in my throat as I watched Damien’s gaze drift over my bare legs before settling on my face.
He cleared his throat. “Ready?”
“Wait. What about the others?”
“They have their own ride.” He threw my Jeep into drive.
“So, it’s just us then?”
“Yup.”
As realization dawned on me, my heart beat a little faster in my chest. We were going to be alone, just the two of us. “I guess this will be a quiet trip then.”
“Why do you say that?”
I let out a noise somewhere between a laugh and a snort. “You go out of your way to ignore me at every possible turn. When I come around, you leave. I don’t expect you to suddenly act like I’m worth your time.”
I expected him to answer right away, to confirm what I suspected. When he didn’t, I took a peek at him from the corner of my eye. His eyebrows were low, and his mouth turned up in a frown. It was unusual for him to show anything other than indifference toward me.
I sighed. Damien was only proving my point.
“It’s not that I don’t think you’re worth my time,” he finally said.
“Is that so? You won’t even talk to me. So, what else should I believe?”
“It’s not because of what you think.”
“And what am I thinking?”
“That I don’t like you.”
“You don’t even know me. How could you possibly know anything about me if you pretend I’m not even there?”
Damien shrugged.
I turned toward him once again and studied his profile.
There were many opportunities for me to look at him.
I got to watch him run around on stage and felt no shame for staring.
But there was something about getting to see him like this, up close.
It was intimate. His red hair was no longer held up by the product he’d placed in it earlier, and the night’s shadows kept his eyes from shining the bright blue I knew they were.
The lights from the street glinted off the metal studs that decorated his face.
I never noticed the hard line of his jaw before. I also never realized someone’s jaw could be sexy, but here I was, clenching my thighs together as I imagined his between my legs.
Stop… Thoughts like that were not helpful.
I pushed out a breath. “Fine. If you don’t dislike me, then what is it?”
Damien smirked. “I never said I’d tell you.”
“Seriously?”
“The best-kept secrets are the ones you never tell.”
I crossed my arms, looking out my window. How could I even respond to that?
“Were you serious about your boyfriend not taking your side earlier?”
I froze, my eyes widening in surprise. “You heard that?”
“Gimme his address so I can kick his ass. After, I’d take that dress off you, put him in it, and sell him off to the highest bidder.”
My jaw hung open for the second time that night as my insides grew warm and gooey. He left me speechless.
But not for the reason Damien would imagine.