Page 33 of High Water

I can’t afford for us to lose this easy conversation we’ve managed to find again, but having it makes me feel close to him again. I’m reminded of all the reasons this man holds my imagination captive. So much so that I still dream about him. My heart’s pounding in my chest, and it quickens its pace the longer the silence drags on.

THIRTEEN

Bishop

Fuck.

I’ve been wanting that invitation since I got here, and the look on her face right now reminds me of exactly how much I miss her. But I have to tell her the truth first. If I take advantage of her good mood tonight, she’ll never forgive me. But saying no comes with its own risks.

“Tiring out on me already? I thought you had a few more songs in you.”

“No, I mean…” she starts, and then she must see the hesitation on my face because she immediately takes a step back from me. “Oh. I, um… Okay. Well, thank you for the dance. I think I’m good and warmed up again. I’ll have to take a turn with someone else, or we’ll get the gossips going on a new theory.”

“Jones, I’m not⁠—”

She holds up her hand and shakes her head, dismissively, before there’s a curt “Thank you!”

Then she’s off like a shot, weaving her way through the dance floor so fast I’ve already lost her. But it doesn’t take me long to see where she went, or at least where she’s headed. I should be happy it’s not Carson, but the booth she’s headed for might be worse. I manage to snatch her wrist just as she moves to step up into the booth.

“What are you doing?”

“Talking to Ledger.” She nods over her shoulder, and I see him beam with amusement that the Crown Princess of House Stockton has chosen him.

“Dance another song with me.” I tilt my head back toward the dance floor.

“No. I’m all danced out. I want to save my energy.”

“Then let’s get you some water.”

“I’m good, Bishop. Truly. Thank you, but I’m covered. Ledger can keep me company and be a bodyguard. Can’t you?” She turns to flash him a bright grin, but he looks to me.

There’s a silent exchange between us. One that tells him if he so much as pretends to go along with her plan, I will bring a world of hurt to his door. He’s pissed, but he flashes her a reluctantly sad smile in return.

“Afraid I can’t tonight, darlin’.”

“Because you don’t want to or because a certain mercenary is applying pressure to a pain point?” Aspen raises a brow in his direction.

“On duty tonight, and you deserve someone’s full attention.”

Aspen relents and whirls on me instead.

“You can’t warn off every guy in this bar.” She tries to storm past me, shoulder-checking me as she walks, but I snatch her around the waist and haul her up one-handed. I don’t exactly have a plan yet, but I’m hoping if I get her alone, we can talk this through.

“Try me.” I turn my back to the door to our left and lean back into it to open it. There’s a dark hallway with a light at the far end. It goes behind the bar to some back rooms and a bank of elevators that access the top floors. I’m getting her up to her room before she does something we’ll both regret.

“Put me down.”

“No.”

“I’ll scream.”

“You can try.”

“This is utterly ridiculous. I’m a grown woman. You can’t just snatch me out of a bar and put me to bed like a child.”

“Watch me.” I’m a man of few words right now. I’m trying hard to concentrate, but the way she’s wiggling to free herself from my arms, her skin brushing over mine, and her breathing heavy, coupled with her earlier invitation, has me on the edge of doing something I know I shouldn’t.

I slam the button to her floor. I’ve been watching her all night since she got to the hotel. Her check-in. Her dinner. Her walk from the hotel room to this bar, the three drinks she had while she waited, and the four men who made a move in her direction before I had them summarily removed. Levi planted an idea in my head, and I can’t stop myself from imagining the possibility. One I only have a shot at if I can clear these first few hurdles. Hurdles that are being lit on fire now that I’ve pissed her off.