Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 128211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 641(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 427(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 641(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 427(@300wpm)
Before the song ended, I felt a pair of hands on me — tentative, a soft touch before the grip fastened. I smiled, assuming it was Eli, but when I looked over my shoulder, it was a man I didn’t recognize.
But damn, was he handsome.
He was tall, lean, and tan with jet black hair and a thick beard. I wondered if he was Italian. I wondered how old he was. I wondered if he was a tourist or someone who frequented this bar often. But I only wondered those things for a split second before I decided I didn’t care, and I leaned into his touch, letting him guide me as the song changed.
I thought I heard some guys holler encouragements, and I smiled, wondering if this was one of the men with the bachelor party. I ground against him, dropping my ass low as he strained to follow before I planted my hands on the floor and straightened my legs, shimmying against him as I rolled back up.
More whistles rang out, and I laughed when I heard Bernard yell, “Be gentle, Em!”
I let my eyes flutter open, enjoying the pleasant buzz flowing through me along with the music. Bernard shook his head at me, mouthing naughty girl with a wag of his finger that made me laugh again.
I flushed when I glanced at Palmer next, who crossed his arms and arched a brow with his lips curling. Eli came up behind him, clutching Palmer’s shoulder at the sight of me. His hand thumped against his chest like I’d sent an arrow through it, and he stumbled back, making a whole show of it.
I shook my head, still keeping rhythm with the guy behind me as I chuckled.
But then my eyes crashed into Finn’s.
And that laugh died in my chest.
His gaze was stone cold, his jaw set, hands curling into fists at his sides. I had no idea where Gisella had run off to, but when I realized Cameron was with the guys at the bar, I wondered if she and Leah had gone to the bathroom.
Of course, I couldn’t think straight about anything with Finn’s eyes on me like that.
Like he was pissed.
Like he wanted to murder the man touching me.
Like he wanted his hands on me, instead.
Oh, my God, Ember.
Get a fucking grip.
I blew out a breath, breaking eye contact with him as I laughed at myself, my chest still tight even as I willed my hips to stay loose. I closed my eyes, letting my head fall back against the guy behind me and trying to get lost in the music again.
But I didn’t get the chance.
Because less than ten seconds later, a hand slid into the crook of my elbow, and before I knew what was happening, I was being hauled off the dance floor and out the door of the bar.
“Hey!” I blinked, feet stumbling to keep up as I looked behind me at the confused guy who had just had his hands on me and then whipped my head back around to the person gripping me now.
My throat tightened at the sight of unruly brown hair and broad shoulders.
I let my gaze trail down his arms, the muscles in them strained before I found a familiar hand still holding me tight at the elbow.
Part of me melted at that touch.
But the louder part of me bucked like a wild mustang.
“Finn, what the hell?” I tried to rip out of his grasp, but he held tight until we poured out of the noise and into the quiet night.
My ears rang as he kept tugging me until we were down the cobblestone street and away from the patrons smoking near the bar entrance.
“What are you doing?!”
Only when we were around the corner did he release me. “Rescuing you from that gobshite,” he said. “You’re welcome.”
My mouth popped open. “Are you fucking kidding—”
“You’re locked.”
Locked — in other words, drunk as fuck.
“No shit, Sherlock. It’s crew night out, or did you forget?”
“So crew night out means you throw yourself at whatever random prick decides to grind on you?”
My mouth snapped shut at that, jaw clenching as I stepped into his space. I pressed on my toes so I could at least try to match his height, and I pointed my finger right in his face. “Don’t. Don’t you fucking dare.”
Finn’s nostrils flared, but he didn’t back down.
“You don’t get to be jealous,” I seethed. “You lost that right when you left me behind.”
“When I left—” It was his jaw hitting the ground now, and he barked out a laugh, shaking his head before he turned and gave me his back.
“I don’t need saving,” I spat, already making my way back toward the bar. “Especially from you.”
I took one step before his hand found my wrist, tugging until I pivoted.