I really wanted to bash my brother’s head against Adam’s.
More than anything I just wanted to leave the two of them to it. But Adam wouldn’t let me. He pressed me forward as Braden managed to clear us a table and I brushed off his hand, still playing it cool. I strode after Braden and stopped as he and Donna, followed by Adam, slid onto a couch. Standing over them I couldn’t decide which one I wanted to glare at more.
“Ellie, sit your arse down,” I heard Adam snap over the music.
I narrowed my eyes and shook my head.
Adam’s expression darkened and before I had a chance to maneuver away from him, he reached up, grabbed my arm and yanked me down beside him. At the feel of his body pressed flushed to my side, I struggled to get away from him but was halted by the sensual brush of his fingers across my bare back as his arm wound around my waist. His hand clamped down on my hip and he forced me closer, his mouth at my ear. “If you stop acting like a petulant child, I’ll stop being overbearing.”
I stopped struggling against him but held myself tense so he’d know I was still angry with him. For the next hour he kept me held against him, his grip possessive and definitely more than friendly.
Braden didn’t even notice. His eyes were burning holes in Joss and her colleague Craig who had started the night off by sharing a kiss and spent the last hour flirting and having fun.
I liked this side of Joss.
Braden apparently didn’t. No. He did. He just didn’t like that she was doing it with another guy. The mini-drama playing out before me almost kept my mind off my own, but when Braden, who’d clearly finally had enough, got up and approached the bar when Joss went on break and somehow managed to talk the other bartender into letting him into the staffroom, I was brought back to my own problem with no escape.
Darren and Donna were up at the bar getting more drinks.
Adam and I were alone on the couch.
He caressed my hip soothingly, obviously trying to get me to relax. “So,” he spoke into my ear again, reinforcing the feeling that we were in our own little bubble inside the bar.
“Are you going to tell me why you’re being a bitch to me?”
“Stop calling me that,” I snapped, turning my head so our noses were almost touching. I stared into his dark eyes and lost my breath so badly I had to look away.
“Stop acting like one.”
“I’m annoyed,” I explained. “I get to be annoyed.”
“Would you fill me in?”
I turned to him again, and this time I don’t think I managed to mask my hurt and confusion over his actions because his own expression softened with concern. “Why did you threaten Nicholas with physical violence when he came to you for advice about asking me out?”
Understanding dawned in his eyes and he sighed heavily. “He’s not good enough for you.”
“That’s not up to you to decide.”
His fingers dug into my hip as they curled in reflex to my response. “It’s up to me to protect you.”
I closed my eyes, his words hurting me. “I’m not yours to protect.”
Adam’s body grew solid next to mine and we sat in awful silence for a moment.
The silence was broken when his arm loosened its hold around my waist. I was just turning my head to look at him questioningly when I felt the touch of his fingers against my upper back. Slowly, torturously he skimmed them down my spine and I flushed feeling my nipples harden visibly against the fabric covering my chest. “You sure about that,” he murmured hoarsely in my ear.
My eyes widened as I stared into his, a flurry of confusion and questions rioting in my head, none of which I had time to voice before Donna and Darren took a seat next to us with our drinks. Adam’s arm came back around, his hand resting gently on my hip, and I sat there in stunned silence wondering what the hell he’d meant by that.
Chapter 7
Adam winced as he looked over at me. “I really did send you some pretty mixed signals.”
I snorted. “You think?”
He smiled sheepishly. “I’m sorry, Els. You pissed me off. I was trying to make a point that you were mine. It wasn’t fair.”
I shrugged. “You were torn. I forgive you. Especially since it makes a really good story.”
He laughed as I reached for the diary again, flipping through the pages to find the next entry.
“That night at Club 39 wasn’t nearly as bad as the night at Fire.”
Adam groaned. “Damn, I don’t know if I want to read this from your point of view.”
“I get quite detailed.”
He quirked an eyebrow at me. “Detailed?”
I nodded, blushing.
He saw the blush and grinned, pulling the diary out of my hand. “Baby, that’s hot.”
Sunday, September 16th
I’m done. It’s over. I don’t care what history lies between me and Adam… it’s finally over…