"Absolutely." She turned and walked toward Derek, surprising the big guy, from what I could tell. I laughed and walked past them, patting him on the back and joining the rest of the group. Clay was gone, and so was Dedra, but Daniel, Emily, and Cora were laughing about something.
"Anyone know anything about this Clint character?" I walked up and stood beside Cora, keeping my attention on Daniel and Emily.
"Nope. He's just the rich guy in town. Word on the street is that his great grandparents helped found the town. Or maybe it was great-great or maybe great-great-great," Emily responded before giggling.
"You look like your drink is getting empty." Daniel nodded to Emily's glass. "Let’s go fill you up."
"Hmmm...that sounds...fun?" She laughed again as Daniel's cheeks turned pink.
"Oh Lord," Cora mumbled beside me.
I leaned against the bar, not paying her a bit of attentio
n. My eyes moved out to the floor to find my friends enjoying themselves. Everyone had a beer in their hand, which wasn't good. Someone was supposed to be the designated driver, but from the look of things, no one remembered who it was.
"Well, damn." I took another sip of my half-drunken beer and tossed it.
"Beer go bad?" Her voice was firm and non-conversational.
"Nope. My friends seemed to have forgotten that it wasn't my night to remain sober." I shrugged and slipped my hands in my pockets before moving up toward the dance floor, letting my eyes scan the room.
"You like to dance?" she asked, moving up beside me.
"Yeah, you bet. Just don't think it means you're taking me to bed, though." I grabbed her hand before she could correct me. Her question could have been easily misconstrued as a request to dance. Good enough.
I slid my hands over her hips, enjoying the feel of her under my fingers. Her dress was thin, and I could feel the elastic that lay over her hips, connecting her panties from the small triangle that covered her to the thin string that ran down her ass. My body hardened to the point of pain, my chest tightening with the knowledge that I could find release just thinking about her.
"What are you doing?" She pressed her hands to my chest, keeping a distance between us.
I leaned down and pressed my mouth to her ear, breathing in the sweet smell of her perfume. "You asked me to dance. I know how to just be friends with someone, so I figured, why not."
"I did not." She lifted her eyebrow as I moved back.
"I can't hear you." I leaned down and turned my face from her as she leaned in, her lips brushing over my ear.
Fuck.
"I didn't ask you to dance. I asked if you liked to dance." She moved back and glanced around.
"Oh, sorry. Shit." I tugged her a little closer. "Our friends are all dancing. Don't leave me out here alone. It wouldn't be very kind of you, and you're already two strikes in."
"Two strikes? For what?" Her large brown eyes moved around my face as she kept a firm press on my chest.
"One for the car situation the other day and then the lake this morning. I could have drowned, and then what?" I moved my hands up a little, trying to keep myself from sliding them any lower. I'd already have most women in a closet on their knees, but not this girl. She wasn't going anywhere. Why did I want her too so damn bad?
She laughed, and the sound drove a stake of desire through me. I wanted to make her laugh again. Even though it was a sarcastic “suck it” laugh.
"I could care less if I strike out." She glanced around. "You just don't take no for an answer, do you?"
"I'm not sure what I asked you for that has you wanting to say no. I'm pretty sure I asked you for help today and you said no. And you asked me for a dance, and I didn't deny you. Am I missing something?"
I spun her, pulling her back against my chest and rocking against her as she started to relax a little. The music was sensual and fun. A few more beers and I might get her to grind against me.
Might.
"I'm not interested in guys like you, Brody. You're wasting your time." She pulled from me a little, and I spun her again, pulling her flush against me.
"Well, the way I see it, our friends are going to want to hang out. Where you and I have nothing going for us, that doesn't mean we can't be buds." I pulled back a little, giving her space. The light pink on her cheeks and down her neck accompanied with the fast ticking vein in the side of her neck let me know just how little I affected her.