Page 9 of Dirty Game

“You wanna beer?” He nods to the bar.

In return, I lift the water I’m nursing and ignore his quizzical look. “I’m good.” My leg betrays me in an endless jitter.

A blonde walks in the bar wearing a dark T-shirt and for a second I think it’s her. Nope.

“You alright?” Peyton asks. “You look a little distracted.”

“Nope. I’m good. All good.” The place is packed—standing room only—and I can hardly think straight. That’s when a brunette bumps into me where I’m sitting at the end of the booth.

“Oh, sorry.” She gives me a coy look. “You’re Pax Vaughn, right?”

“Right. Yup. Nice to meet you. Bye—” I shoot out of my seat at the sight of Sully and start parting the sea of people to meet her.

When I reach her at the bar, I’m out of breath. Why? Fuck if I know.

For a second, I stand behind her catching my breath, taking note of her oversized black hoodie and baggy jeans. Fuck, she’s so gorgeous. How does this shy, quirky chick already got my number? I’m a goner and I don’t even know how far deep I’m in it.

“Hey,” I whisper, leaning in from behind.

Her head turns in surprise. “Oh, hey.” I’d like to think I saw a note of desire in her eyes, but I could be fooling myself because she’s about to go back to ordering her drink. I can’t let her do that yet.

“Where have you been?”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve been waiting for you.” Shit. Ya. That makes me sound like a sap. Fuck it.

“Oh, I was just in my car.” She tugs on her hoodie strings and tucks them inside and my hand reaches for her hip. I can’t help stepping forward a little so that my chest presses against her back.

“What were you doing?”

“I just…um…got inspired.” She bites her bottom lip. “I had to write a quick chapter.”

A chapter. I know what kind of chapters she writes. My dick swells at the thought. So I tip my head down until my mouth is at her ear. “Was it about me?”

Her pupils dilate when she nods slowly, and my chest expands. When she licks her bottom lip, I have an excruciating urge to kiss her. I don’t know what it is about this girl, but she makes me feel primitive. Like she’s mine to protect. Mine to have.

“I’m kinda thirsty,” she says, breaking into my haze of arousal.

“Me too, baby.”

“I’m gonna order my drink now.”

Fuck. I rake a hand through my hair, pulling at the top, waiting for her drink to come. Once she’s got it, I lead her back to the booth where we’re all sitting. With my spot still vacant, I sit down and pull her onto my lap, my hands resting on her hips. No big deal.

Except I get a few looks from the guys that I ignore. Sully, though timid, doesn’t make it a thing. Why should she? There’s nowhere else for her to sit, and it only makes sense that she’d sit with her friends.

On our left, Sully strikes up a conversation with Peyton. “Did Wren and Hayes already go home?”

“Ya, they called it an early night. Hollis has to get back to Lit Creek for training tomorrow morning. Oh, by the way, did you get what you wanted to written down?”

“Yup. Most of it.” Sully shifts backward on my lap, and now my dick is in full salute. When she lets out a small yelp, I know she feels it.

“You okay?” Peyton asks.

“Ya. All good.” She echoes what I said earlier and Peyton gives us both a funny look before turning back to Wendell. Lacy and Zane are making out in the back corner, and Willow is whispering in Brody’s ear.

She twists on my lap, to which I let out a small groan. “Pax!” she hisses.