Chapter 6
Sydney
Another shot turned into several more and I honestly lost track of them. At some point, I learned that Zach was the most hilarious person on the face of this Earth, or at least it seemed that way, because I couldn’t stop laughing. Then again, I’m pretty sure I would’ve laughed at a massive car pileup on the interstate.
When someone kicked on the jukebox and “County Roads” started playing, I had no idea what the lyrics were, but I sang along anyway. And when Zachie Boy caught my hand and started to pull me toward a little dance floor near the hall leading to the restrooms, I didn’t protest.
Though the bartender did. “You might want to sit this one out, honey.”
“I’m fine.” A big old smile was plastered on my face.
Zach tugged on my hand. “You heard her. She’s fine.”
The bartender’s gaze moved from me to him. “She’s not a local, Zach.”
“He knows that,” I pointed out.
“Keep that in mind, Zach.” The words sounded like a warning to me, but that didn’t make sense, and Zach was pulling me over to the square patch of floor anyway.
We started dancing, and our legs brushed. When I turned around, his hands landed on my hips. I didn’t mind. I don’t think I cared about anything. Music thrummed through my veins. Or maybe it was the tequila. Either way, it didn’t matter. Within minutes, sweat dotted my brow and I lifted my hair off my neck. The movement tugged my shirt up, exposing a slice of skin.
Fingers whispered along my stomach, startling me. “You’re so incredibly hot,” Zach said, his palm flattening against my belly, fingers climbing further up my stomach. “Seriously.”
My brows rose at that statement. Then again, besides Sasha, there weren’t a lot of prime pickings, and I did feel hot as I swayed my hips to the beat of the music.
Zach lowered his head, rubbing his chin along the side of my face. The slight stubble made me shiver. “We should get—”
My butt vibrated, distracting me. “Hold on a sec,” I said, stepping away as I pulled my cell from my back pocket. It was a text from Andrea. I glanced up. “I’ll be right back. It’s my friend.”
Zach’s smile slipped a little, but he nodded. “I’ll be waiting.”
Slipping back into the hallway, it was a little cooler and quieter. Her message read: Bored. U?
At a bar. Dancing with ski instructor. I sent that with a big, goofy smile.
Rly? Where is Kyler?
That knocked the smile off my face. With some chick named Sasha.
We exchanged a couple of texts while I used the girl’s room, and I was happy that I only stumbled a little bit. By the time I was back in the hallway, Andrea wanted to know what else I was planning to do with Zach.
IDK. Dance more?
Show him your Tiya.
“Show him your Tiya?” I said out loud. I couldn’t be that drunk. Shaking my head, I sent her a quick text back saying, Tiya?
A second later: Tits! Damn U autocorrect!
“Oh. Tits. That makes sense,” I mumbled, sliding my phone into my back pocket. Andrea gave such great advice.
“You’re standing by yourself talking about tits?” Kyler asked from behind me.
I gave a little shriek and spun around. “God…”
A sexy half-grin appeared. “I need to keep a better eye on you, if that’s what you talk about when you’re alone.”
Could I just crawl under a bar stool and die? “It’s Andrea.”
He cocked his head to the side. “You’re talking about Andrea’s tits?”
“No. My tits.”
Interest flared in his eyes, darkening the hue. “Well, this keeps getting better.”
I clamped my mouth shut, wanting to physically hurt myself. “No—never mind. I have to go.”
“Go where?” He caught my arm as I brushed past him, bringing me to an unexpected stop. In the cramped hallway, our thighs brushed. He lowered his head, eyes narrowing. A slow grin split his lips. “You’re drunk.”
“I am only a little tipsy.” I tried to pull my arm free, but he held on. “I have to get back to Zach. We were dancing. And he said I was incredibly hot, so I would like to dance with him more.”
“Come again?” he said, eyes widening.
“He said I was hot.” I stared up at him. “What? Does that sound so hard to believe?”