Picking up his shot, he let it slide down his throat, the scorching effect of the whiskey landing in his belly. He wrapped his fingers around the cold bottle of Coors and watched the crowd. A few women tried to get his attention, but he wasn’t interested. His mind was on Hailey, something that had become a habit for him. The way they’d kissed a few nights back blew him away. If Ryan hadn’t called, Goldie knew they would’ve ended up screwing.
“You having a good time?” a cute woman asked as she wedged her way between him and another guy leaning against the bar.
“Sure.” He turned away. He wasn’t interested in conversation, and he wasn’t on the make for any women—which was against the norm. Normally, he’d have already picked one out and been at her table charming the hell out of her.
“I’ve seen you before. You’re a tattoo artist at that shop down the street, right?” He nodded. “My name’s Nikki.” She held out her hand. He glanced at it and turned away. She giggled nervously. “I bet you meet all sorts of people, huh?” Again, another nod. “I’ve been thinking about getting a tattoo but I’m afraid it’ll hurt. But so many people I know have them so it can’t hurt that bad. Does it?”
She was getting on his nerves. “Ask the people you know.”
“I have, and some say yes and some say no. So what is it?”
“I guess it’s yes and no. I didn’t come here to talk, okay?” He gave her a hard look.
“So you’re telling me to stop talking to you?”
“You got it.”
“That’s rude.”
“No, you talking to me when you know I don’t want to is fuckin’ rude.”
She ordered her drink and walked away without a backward glance, which suited him just fine. He only came in to have a few drinks before he headed back to the clubhouse. He knew the club would be crazy and he didn’t want to deal with it that night, which surprised him. Never one to forgo a clubhouse party before, he just hadn’t been feeling it for a while.Since I kissed Hailey that night at Cuervos.
He didn’t want to go there, so he ordered another shot and a beer. If he ended up getting drunk, he’d crash at Get Inked. It seemed the only way he could get her out of his mind was to get smashed and pass out.
As he drank his beer, he saw Nikki sitting at a table filled with men and women. She was laughing about something, then leaned over and said something to a woman next to her. The woman turned to her and he stiffened.Hailey.She sparkled in a low-cut, lightly beaded, green top, and the way her face lit up when she smiled made him chuckle.Each time I see her she’s more beautiful than the last.Suddenly, all he could see in the bar was her; everything else was a meaningless backdrop. Then the sparks of excitement and desire snapped to anger as he saw the man’s arm, the one seated next to her, curved around her shoulders.Fuck that!
Pushing away from the bar, he shoved a few people as he made a beeline for her table. When he approached it, he saw her usual cohorts, Rory and Claudia. Nikki smiled smugly at him, smoothing down her silver sequined top, her eyes shining with anticipation. He went directly to Hailey, who had her head down.
“Let’s dance,” he said, ignoring the guy’s annoyed face.
Hailey glanced at the goon beside her, then back at Goldie. “No, thank you.”
Grasping her hand, he tugged her up. “I wasn’t asking, I was telling.” Placing his hand on her waist, he whisked her onto the dance floor.
The goon rushed up to them. “You can’t be dancing with Hailey. She’s my date.”
Goldie glared at him. “If you know what’s up, you’ll back the fuck off. Way off.”
The guy ran his eyes over Goldie as if he were sizing him up, and then with shoulders slumped, he mumbled, “I’ll let you have this one dance,” and shuffled back to the table.
Tossing her head back, Hailey’s eyes flashed. “What the hell do you think you’re doing? He’s my date. You’re not.”
“Ryan told me to keep an eye on you.”
“What the hell does that have to do with this? Ryan’s concerned about Nolan, not all men.”
“I know he wouldn’t want you going out with a wimp-ass like him.”
Red blotches mottled her skin as she pierced him with her eyes. “You’re impossible!”
“And you’re fuckin’ cute when you’re mad.” His lips curled in amusement.
“You think this is funny? You’ve just ruined my date and you’re smiling?”
“I didn’t like the fucker.”
“Guess what? I don’t care if you like him or not. I’m the one out with him not you.”
