I start to walk away, but he yanks me back, and I stumble into him.What the fuck? He didnotjust grabme.
His meaty hand slides up my arm, and I’m opening my mouth to bitch him out for touching me when he flies backward, flailing into people on the waydown.
I gawk at the guy, who’s sprawled on thefloor.
My skin tingles, and I glance over my shoulder. Beneath the flickering strobe lights, I seehim.
Ethan.
He steps closer, his brows furrowed as the music drops out, leaving the steady beat of thedrum.
“You okay?” Somehow, over the din of the club, I hear his rumblingvoice.
He’shere.
My chest swarms with boozy-headedbutterflies.
I blink, wondering if I’m imagining him. But nope, he’shere.
He takes a step closer and gently grazes his fingers across my arm where David gripped me. “Tori.”
The way he’s looking at me, like he’s worried and pissed and maybe misses me? Makes me want to snatch that kiss I never got the other night.Yes, kissing. I definitely wanna do that withEthan.
Except…
Except he’s probably here withSandra.
On hisdate.
“I’m fine.” Crossing my arms, I nod toward David, who is stomping away through the crowd. “I can take care of myself. You didn’t need to do that.” I work to keep my words from running all together into one incoherent strand ofsyllables.
Begrudgingly, I take in Ethan. It’s hard not to notice how mouthwatering he looks in dark jeans and a button-up. I’ve never seen him in anything other than old t-shirts.He must’ve made an effort to look good tonight.Dick.
I glance away, not wanting him to see that I’m hurt. Come Monday morning when I’m taking care of his kids, I can pretend I’m cool, but right now, I still feel the hot sting ofrejection.
Ethan gently lifts my chin so I’m forced to look into his eyes. “Did you want him touchingyou?”
Reluctantly, I shake my head, but I have to close my eyes when the room tilts one way and then theother.
He leans closer. “You sure you’reokay?”
Those magnetic blue eyes stare down at me.Why does he have to have such beautifuleyes?
My words come out too quickly for me to temper the anger in my voice. “I’m great. You can go back to your date.” I barely hold in a wince at how whiny I sound, but it’s hard to sound smart when I’mbuzzed.
Slowly, his hands lift to my shoulders, but he backs away until he can make eye contact. “You think I’m on adate?”
Reallllly?He wants to play games? I barely hold in ahiccup.
“Aren’t you? Isn’t that why you’re here?” I motion toward him. “Why you’re dressedup?”
His eyes crinkle, like he’s keeping in a smile, before his attention dips down my body, but I can’t hear what he says because the music is tooloud.
Ignoring the way I heat under his perusal, I shrug out of his hold. “By the way, it’s pretty rude to check out other girls when you’re here with…with…”God, what’s her name?“With Sandra.”That’s it!“Maybe you should findher.”
Except the thought of it enrages me, and I can’t help but bite out the next words, which I punctuate by poking his chest. “For the record, I’m not gonna fuck you like a side piece while you date other women. If that’s what you’re looking for, you’ve got the wrong girl. And are you really getting a divorce? Or are you running around behind herback?”
That giant hand wraps around the finger I’m poking him with, and he pulls meclose.
