I’m on the far end of tipsy, flirting with full-on drunk. I know this. I also know that I’m not a great drunk. I either cry or throw up—sometimes both. And I fall down—a lot. So I shouldn’t drink this next shot that my best friend from high school, Kate, just ordered. Of course when she hands it to me, I clink the tiny glass with hers and down it. Last one, I promise myself.
“Don’t look now but there are two cute guys looking at us from across the dance floor,” Kate says with a grin as she flips her short brown bob.
“How cute?”
“Seven out of ten.”
“That’ll do.” I smile and slowly turn around. I called Kate and asked if she wanted to go out because I needed something to distract me from the sting of Luc’s rejection last night. I know I’m never going to be the girl who goes home with a random stranger, but right now a little attention from one sounds like just what I need. Luc may not find me attractive but hopefully someone else does.
My eyes land on two guys by a high-top table kitty-corner to us. One is tall, a little lanky with short, neat, light brown hair. The other is shorter, thicker with shaggier, darker hair. The darker-haired one catches my eye and his mouth lifts in a small, slightly crooked smile that’s kind of cute. I smile back.
“Having fun, Rosie?”
I know the voice whispering in my ear. At the same time that it ignites exasperation in my brain, it sparks desire in my soul. I spin and my dark eyes lock with his chocolate ones.
“Hey, Luc,” Kate says happily.
“Hey, Kate.” Luc gives her one of his typical smoldering smiles. His tanned olive skin looks perfect against the white linen dress shirt he’s wearing. It’s rumpled, like he pulled it out of the laundry hamper, and he’s got the sleeves haphazardly rolled up and three buttons at the top, and two at the bottom undone. He’s paired it with his faded vintage 501s and a pair of black low-top Converse. His long hair is kind of flipped to the side, askew, like he just carelessly ran a hand through it. The whole look could be classified as a male version of a hot mess, but somehow on Luc, it’s startlingly sexy. And that fact makes me angrier.
I turn to Kate, ignoring him completely. “I’m going to get us another round.”
I storm away but he is the bane of my existence right now, so of course he follows. I stop and spin around to face him again. “What do you want, Luc? You’re cock-blocking me.”
He breaks into a huge grin and laughs. He looks beautiful. I fucking hate him.
“Cock-blocking?” Luc repeats, still laughing. “You don’t have a cock to block, Rose.”
“I came here to have fun,” I counter hotly. “I can’t do that with you around.”
His smile slips and he looks almost hurt by that. “I thought we always had fun together.”
“We do, Luc, but that’s not the kind of fun I’m looking for tonight,” I reply and my eyes start scanning the bar. “The kind of fun I want I can’t have with you… or with you around.”
“Exactly what kind of fun do you want, Rose?”
“The kind that involves a guy hitting on me and no guy in here is even going to try if you’re hovering around me.”
“Rose!”
“Seriously, Luc, go away.”
I step past him and start walking back to where I left Kate. If he follows me this time I will kick him in the nuts, I swear. Before I can reach Kate again, a hand wraps around my wrist. I turn, ready to do exactly what I promised myself seconds earlier, but it’s not Luc. It’s Dave Cooper.
“Coop!” I just about cheer. I wrap my arms around his neck and hug him as tight as I can. He’s shocked but hugs me back, his thick arms wrapping around my waist.
“Had a little to drink, Rosie?”
“Please don’t say you’re going to lecture me.” I notice Luc is standing exactly where I left him, staring at me. I loosen my arms around Cooper’s neck but I don’t let go. “And if you say you’re worried about me or you want to take care of me, I will slug you. I mean it.”
He laughs. “I’m not worried about you. You’re a big girl. You can handle yourself.”
“I can.”
We stare at each other for a very long moment. My arms are still twisted around his neck and he’s still got one hand resting on the small of my back. Before I can figure out what to say next, Luc is standing beside us, like a giant cloud eclipsing the sun. He turns to Cooper.
“Hey, buddy!” he says in a way too chipper voice with an insincere smile I’ve only ever seen him give to a particularly aggressive opponent on the ice. It’s cold and completely unfriendly, and it has an I’m-going-to-fuck-you-up vibe to it.
Cooper seems completely unfazed by it, which surprises me. Coop extends his hand. “Dave Cooper. I’m the contractor renovating Jordan Garrison’s place. Don’t think we’ve officially met.”
“Luc Richard.” He turns his eyes—which are a rich coffee color today, lighter than normal—on me and he shakes Coop’s hand. When he lets go, he grabs my wrist. “Devin is here. Come say hi.”
And then he’s dragging me away.