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Maybe I couldn’t go claim her, but I could sit here and watch. I could make sure that douchecanoe kept his hands firmly to himself.
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Hailee let out a heavy sigh. “I’m going to find Cameron.”
“You do that,” I grunted. “I need another beer.” Catching Jerry’s eye, I tipped my empty bottle toward him. He gave me a terse nod, disappointment glittering in his eyes. He could judge all he wanted. Jerry didn’t know what it was like to shoulder the expectation of an entire town... your classmates... teammates. He didn’t know what it was like to want something so bad you had to give up everything else.
No one did.
“Are you going to handle that?” Asher asked me sometime later, “Or am I?”
Inhaling a deep breath, I watched Felicity sway on her feet as she attempted to make Hailee and Mya dance with her. It had been the same for the last hour; Felicity trying to coerce the girls into dancing, them telling her no.
“Shit, she’s going to—”
Mya caught her fall.
“Someone should have taken her home an hour ago,” I said.
“Hailee tried. Mya too. She’s on a mission, man.”
Hailee caught my eye across the bar, her expression full of challenge. Are you going to step up?
I rubbed my temples, exhaling a shaky breath, holding her steely gaze. It was a bad idea—the fucking worst. But I couldn’t take another second of Felicity flashing her bedroom eyes at some random guy or dodging advances from some dickwad who didn’t deserve to touch her.
“Here.” I thrust my bottle of water at Asher. I’d stopped drinking a while ago, right around the time Felicity began to try—and fail—to turn Bell’s into a club.
“Good man.” He clapped me on the shoulder. “Just go easy on her, she’s wasted.”
“Yeah, yeah. See you tomorrow.” Our eyes connected and I saw his concern. Asher might have had a crush on the new girl, but he cared about Felicity, and I couldn’t decide if I was relieved she had him in her corner, or insanely jealous.
Maybe both.
Hailee and Mya noticed me first. “Oh it’s you,” Felicity slurred, her body falling limp against me. “I’m not sure I like you anymore.” Her hands pressed against my chest, my body vibrating with heat.
Jesus, even her touch was magic.
“House key?” I asked Hailee over her shoulder.
“Pocket I assume.”
“If her parents wake up and discover me in their house, you’d better have a damn good cover story ready.” I kept my voice low.
“We can take her,” Mya said over my shoulder. But I ignored her, slipping my arm around Felicity’s waist and tucking her into my side.
“I’ll see you back at the house.” I gave her a tight nod. Hailee returned it, amusement dancing in her eyes. But it was nothing compared to the curious stares aimed at us as I herded Felicity out of the bar. I was just relieved that Jenna and the gym team were nowhere to be seen because that was one shitshow I didn’t need right now.
“Jason?” Felicity murmured.
“Yeah?”
“Whatever you’re doing, stop. I hate you.” She sucked in a shaky breath. “And I hate myself for ever thinking you could change.”
“Yeah, yeah, Giles. You hate me, I get it. Now get your drunk ass in the car.”
Fifteen minutes, and one emergency stop later, thanks to Felicity thinking she was going to puke all over my car, we were at her house. I dug the key out of her pocket, Felicity cradled in my arms, and unlocked the Giles’ front door. She let out a soft moan when her head bumped the wall as I slipped inside.
“Ssh.” My fingers traced her cheek. The last thing I needed was Mr. Giles to find me carrying his daughter upstairs but yet again, all rational thought had flown out of the window.
Thankfully I remembered the layout of her house so I didn’t have to worry about walking in on her parents sleeping.
