AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Giving his order to the bartender, his attention was forced to the crowd behind him when a yell from what sounded to be a gaggle of women erupted. He wanted nothing more than to leave the already crowded bar, and now it was being inundated with more noise.
“Can I get another?” Dyllan asked the bartender as he brought him his scotch. The bartender nodded, quickly making him another as Dyllan downed the drink in his hand like a shot. Slamming the glass down on the counter, he let the smoky burn from the scotch warm his throat and chest. The burn was good. It reminded him that he wasn’t the heartless bastard he worried he was turning into.
Tapping his credit card on the machine to pay the bartender, he grabbed his new drink and turned to face the crowd. The girls had found them, each of them dressed in outfits that would never be seen around Logan Creek. Short, tight dresses. High heels so tall Dyllan couldn’t understand how they didn’t just topple over. His gaze landed on a clingy blue dress, cut short enough that he didn’t know how the owner’s ass wasn’t on display.
His body tensed, heat flushing through him as his eyes traveled up her slender curves to the curled blonde hair. His temper was already short thanks to Travis; the way she was dressed only added fuel to the fire. Without thinking, he downed his drink and stormed over to the owner, pressing his body flush against her back, holding her still with his hand on her hip. He didn’t care that this was a possessive move, that he acted as if he owned her. His base instincts were to claim her in front of all the men eyeing her like prey, no matter how much she grated on his nerves.
“What do you think you’re wearing, babydoll?” His teeth ground together with every word he breathed in her ear. “Do you know what you’re doing? Putting your body on display like that for half the strip to see?”
“I really don’t see how it’s any of your business.” Skylar didn’t turn around, but Dyllan didn’t miss how her body relaxed into him at his touch. Just like the way he didn’t miss her signature coconut scent as it drifted around him.
“You made it my business the second you stepped in here with that dress on,” he growled in her ear.
“Listen, you,” she snapped; turning around, she placed her hands on her hips. With her sky-high heels, she almost came up to his chin.
He wanted to laugh at just how angry this pint-sized fox was but felt too consumed with anger at how she just flaunted herself in the middle of the bar.
“You can’t just come up to me and act like you have any say whatsoever in what I wear. You aren’t my boyfriend. You aren’t even my friend. So, knock it off and stop trying to kill my good time,” she demanded, poking him in his chest.
“The only thing I’m trying to kill is how all these men are looking at you right now. Do you know what they’re all thinking about when they look at you, huh? They see a good time. They see someone they want to take back to their hotel room and own. Is that what you want?” He towered over her as he spoke. His temperature rose the longer they exchanged words, anger and lust coursing in his veins.
Skylar’s breath hitched, but she didn’t back down. “Maybe it is.” She raised an eyebrow. Throwing a silent challenge down to him.
“You’re playing a dangerous game here, babydoll,” he spat out her name, closing the distance between them a little more.
“Well, it’s my game to play, Grumpy Bear,” she spat back, raising just a little higher in her heels.
Movement just behind Skylar caught his attention. Travis mouthed ‘see’ while Brody just shook his head at him as he took a sip of beer.
Clearing his throat, he stepped back, creating some distance between them. “You’re right; it’s your game. Just don’t expect anyone to be your Prince Charming when you get into trouble.”
“I don’t think anyone would expect you to be their Prince or charming, so don’t worry about that.” She stood up straighter, not backing down.
“Just remember what I told you, city girl. Don’t push a country boy with games you won’t win.”
She held his gaze before turning quickly, throwing her long hair over her shoulder. Strands flew into his face, caressing it with more of the tropical aroma. Before he knew what was happening, he was left feeling incredibly furious and turned on. Maybe he needed to be like the guys in this bar. Find a girl and get Skylar out of his head, even if it’s just for one night.
Not wanting to face more of his friend’s opinions, Dyllan headed to the bar, deciding that another drink was the best way to make it through the next couple of hours. After grabbing another drink, he returned to his spot against the wall, scanning the room. He spent the next hour there, alone against the wall, hoping that some woman would catch his attention. Anyone looking for a good time that would take his mind off the blonde bombshell sending him death glares from the dance floor. He cursed himself as he found there was no one that evoked any emotion in him like Skylar. Everyone else paled in comparison to her.
Snap out of it, Thompson. You don’t need trouble like her.
Brody pushed through the crowd, shaking his head as people knocked into him. Dyllan watched as Brody threw up his hands and jumped back, narrowly missing having a drink spilled on him.
“This is exactly why I avoid big cities as much as humanly possible,” Brody grumbled as he reached his friend.
“And yet, we’re here for your bachelor party,” Dyllan countered.
“Don’t act like I really had a say in this. Plus, it’s what Kade wanted.”
Dyllan didn’t agree, but he understood. He knew both Brody and Travis would do anything in their power to make their women happy.
“Look, let’s just forget what happened earlier, okay? As messed up as your thought process is, I don’t want it to ruin the weekend. The girls have been so excited about this for weeks.” Brody gave him a stern look while taking a sip of beer.
Dyllan grunted in response, watching Skylar as she danced with a very tipsy Kade and Lila.
“We need to get Kade and Lila up to their rooms,” Brody continued. “But they won’t leave Skylar, who’s insisting she’s not ready to leave yet.”
“Of course she isn’t,” Dyllan ground out.
