Chapter 14 - Spencer
Chapter Fourteen - Spencer
Into my arms she falls as she loses consciousness, her body surrendering to gravity like she’d finally lost a long-fought battle with it.
Unsure whether I should call for help or find her friend, I scoop her up.
The feeling of how perfectly she fits against my chest doesn’t escape me—like she was designed specifically to be carried by me.
She weighs practically nothing, warm and soft in all the right places.
I ultimately decide to take her back to my table and let her sleep off the alcohol, with the hope that her friend will find us.
She doesn’t look like she’s in distress.
If anything, she looks peaceful, like the alcohol finally won the war and declared naptime in the middle of the club.
Her head rests against my shoulder, that strawberry blonde hair I love so much cascading over my arm, and I find myself welcoming the feel of her as I carry her back to my sitting area.
Secretly taking in that vanilla scent that has quickly become my new favorite smell.
She’s tiny and doesn’t strike me as someone who parties often, so it doesn’t surprise me that maybe she couldn’t hold her liquor.
“Dude, where’d you disappear to? And who’s the—wait, is that your coffee shop girl? The one you wouldn’t shut up about?” Evan is hanging on to his girl of the week but takes notice of the woman curled up in my arms as I take a seat in our booth.
Her dress is too short, much to my discomfort, like a cocktail napkin masquerading as evening wear.
I don’t want any other guys looking and getting ideas.
Covering her with my jacket that lays to my side, she curls up.
As she settles into me for comfort, nuzzling her head into my lap, my cock twitches, but it’s more than just physical.
There’s something primal and protective running through me—a need to keep her safe that overrides everything else.
“Yes, she’s the one from the café,” I tell him softly as I continue lightly brushing her hair back with my hand, soothing her.
“So, what, you skipped the whole get her name step and went straight to carry her unconscious body around? Bold strategy, bro.”
“I didn’t get a chance to ask her name.” My tone makes it clear I’m not in the mood for his jokes.
“So why exactly is café hottie passed out in your lap right now? Did you just kidnap her from the dance floor or what?”
“Jeez, no, I didn’t kidnap her. Some drunk guy wouldn’t take no for an answer. We were looking for her friend when she collapsed. She’s had too much to drink.” Why it’s necessary to explain my choices to Evan of all people I never understand.
“By the way—‘café hottie’ isn’t exactly appropriate, Evan.” Not knowing her actual name, I don’t really know what else to call her, but I won’t encourage his objectification.
“Look at you playing Prince Charming. She fits perfectly in your lap, by the way. Like you specifically designed her for you.” His stare continues to burn a hole through me, while my eyes remain solely on the girl laying in my lap.
Continuing to poke fun at my expense he lets out a chuckle. “Holy shit. I’ve seen you close million-dollar deals with less focus than you’re giving her right now. You are so screwed, man.”
“That’s enough.” Evan may be my brother, but he acts childish. I wish that he’d eventually start to really grow up and act like a man and not a man whore.
Even though I don’t want to admit it out loud, he’s right.
From the moment I had her beneath my fingertips, something ignited within me.
She was mine. Mine to protect, mine to care for, mine to love.
She brought this undeniable attraction to life within me, leaving me with the yearning never to let her go.
The universe heeded my desire to see her again and made it happen. Perhaps there is such a thing as fate, because here’s a woman who evokes in me those sensations of adoration that I have only ever heard people describe but have never experienced before. That is, until now.
My brother and our friends are talking around me—and possibly to me—but my mind is consumed with this feisty woman who lies sleeping in my lap.
I study her face—the slight upturn of her nose, the faint freckles across her cheekbones, the perfectly curved shape of her lips.
I need to know more about her. I need more of her.
“Spencer, dude . . . where’s your head at?
” They keep trying to grab my attention, but it barely registers.
A shoulder shrug is all they get at this moment, while I remain hyper-focused on the tiny movements of the beautiful girl I have within my reach.
The slight squinting she does, I’m assuming from her dreams. Or when she snuggles her arms closer to her chest, holding herself while she sleeps.
“I apologize. I was distracted. What were you saying?” Looking at Evan, I see it, the smile across his face. Knowing damn well that I have fallen deep for this girl, and I don’t even know her.
“Andie! Oh my god!” An unfamiliar blonde comes running up to the girl in my lap.
My eyebrows squish together in confusion.
There’s no one at this table by the name of Andie.
The moment was brief, but when the blonde starts aggressively tapping the girl that remains in my lap, it dawns on me that she—is Andie.
Her taps quickly change to rubbing her back to hopefully wake her up, she’s obviously worried about her.
“What the actual fuck happened? And who are you?” The glares of intense hatred stem from her.
“If you slipped something in her drink, I swear to god I will end your entire existence.” She fires questions and threats like a cop in an interrogation room.
The girl has the mouth of a sailor on her.
Café hottie or Andie, apparently—is starting to stir as she begins waking up.
“Come on, babe, let’s get your drunk ass home before you make any more questionable life choices tonight.” She tells my girl as she cautiously helps her to her feet while handing her off to the guys behind her.
Standing straighter to square up against these strangers, my overprotective side comes out. Then it dawns on me that she was looking for her friend, and maybe this is her.
“Are you Maddie, by any chance?” Taking a shot in the dark, I decide to see if this is the girl that Andie was looking for.
“Umm, yeah? It’s Madeline to you though, but yes, my friends call me Maddie. How do you know that?” Her eyes narrow like I’ve just become suspect number one in a police lineup.
“She mentioned she was looking for her friend Maddie before she passed out. I brought her here hoping you’d find her. I didn’t want to leave her alone unconscious.” She’s peering into my eyes like she’s trying to look into my soul, trying to decipher if I told the truth or not.
I watch as she cups Andie’s face. Andie looks adorable as her cheeks are squished together, making her focus. She’s a bit more awake now, but you can tell she still doesn’t feel very good.
“Andie, sweetie, focus on my face. Is this guy safe? Thumbs-up or thumbs-down? Do we trust him, or should I call security?”
Andie . . . I love the way that name sounds to me. I finally have a name to go with the face of the girl who has been stalking my thoughts today.
“Yes, we like him and trust him.”
Relief hits me when I hear those words. Absolutely adorable are the only words I have to describe Andie standing there with glazed eyes and cheeks forced into fish-faced lips while talking in her drunken slur.
It’s ridiculous how much those simple words affect me—like winning a contract I didn’t even know I was bidding on.
Moving slowly up to Andie, Madeline gets moved aside so I can take Andie’s hands and hold them within mine.
“Andie . . . I’d really like to see you again when you’re feeling better.” I release her hands to pull out a business card from my wallet, handing one to Madeline. “Here’s my card. Would you call me when you make it home safely?”
“Oh, she probably has Face ID on,” Madeline says, rummaging through Andie’s purse to grab the cell, before holding it up to Andie’s face to unlock it. “Lucky for you. She’s too drunk to unlock it right now anyway.” She takes the card, examining it briefly.
“Spencer Tate . . . fancy. I’ll make sure she calls.
” She finishes punching my number and saving my contact to Andie’s phone.
While she tucks the card safely away, I turn my attention back to Andie, taking her hands once more only to bring them up to my mouth, leaving behind a small kiss on the back of her hands before we part ways.
Smirking as she releases a sigh, melting into my kiss. She shakes her head, but I’m not satisfied. I’m lacking the reassurance I need that I will hear her voice again.
“I don’t usually . . . this isn’t something I normally do.” Trying to sound casual, professional even, but I suspect the desperation in my voice is obvious to everyone within earshot.
“I can attest to that—he never gives a girl his number!” There it is Evan needing to chime in. I shake my head and look back at Madeline.
“Well, Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Heroic, I like your style. You might be exactly the distraction my girl needs. I’ll make sure she calls, but fair warning, if you hurt her you’ll answer to me.
” With that, she takes away the woman who has me in a chokehold.
I am left hoping the universe will be on my side, and I’ll get to be with her again.
For the first time in my adult life, I find myself hoping that fate exists after all.