Doc (Ruthless Kings MC #7) - K.L. Savage Page 0,75

He’s probably tipsy.

“Thanks,” I reply, knowing it’s a lie.

We walk over to the keg, and I cross my arms over my chest as cold air from the vent above cloaks me like winter. While Brody is filling my cup, I smile at a girl in my English class, but she ignores me with a sneer of her fake lips. The song changes, and couples make their way to the open space of the living room to dance.

“Here you go,” Brody yells over the loud music.

I tilt my head down and wrap my hand around the red solo cup. The foam hisses as the beer settles. Brody’s blue eyes watch me with interest as I take my first sip. I swallow, and a grin I don’t know how to explain takes over the kindness on his face. Brody’s arm wraps around my neck, and the cheap scent of his cologne has me lifting the beer to my mouth again.

If beer smells better than my best friend, then we have a problem.

“How do you feel?” Brody asks, his smooth jaw flexing with impatience as he watches me.

“Fine, why?”

“I knew you didn’t want to come tonight. I’m just making sure you’re having a good time,” he shouts.

“Yeah, wanted to see you. I want to leave early. You know this isn’t my thing.”

“I know; thanks for coming anyway,” he states as his hand drops to my hip, squeezing it. “You know, Joanna, I have something I want to tell you.”

I dodge out of his hand by spinning away and giving him my attention. I don’t want it to seem like I’m shying away from his touch, but something is different with him tonight, and it’s making me uncomfortable.

“What?” I take a bigger gulp of my beer, hoping it gives me the courage I need to deal with this conversation. As he starts to speak, his voice turns deeper, and his face starts to slant. “Wait,” I slur. I lift my hand to my head to stop the spinning.

“Joanna, you okay?” Brody’s tone becomes a deep baritone, like someone speaking slow motion in the movies.

“I fee—I feel—fu—” I can’t form the words that my brain is thinking. The cup drops from my hand, and the beer spills out, splashing all over my new flats. “Brody?” His name is tied amongst my tongue. My legs give out from under me, and Brody catches me in his arms.

“Oh, man. You said you were a lightweight, but I didn’t think you were this much of a lightweight,” he says.

“I … I don’t…” My head lulls to the side and rests against his shoulder. “Feel… so good.” I swallow, my mouth as dry as a cotton ball. As we pass people, their bodies sway and morph together. I can’t see their faces. I can’t move anything. I try to lift my head, move my arms, but I feel weak and paralyzed.

“You’ll be okay. I won’t let anything happen to you; you know that, Joanna,” he says calmy. He walks down the hallway and passes one of his friends. “Too much to drink. She partied hard.”

“Hell yeah!” The guy high fives Brody as if it’s an accomplishment for me to be this drunk. I think something was wrong with my drink. This isn’t normal.

“You can sleep it off in my room,” Brody says as he opens his bedroom door.

“Take… me home,” I manage to say just as he lays me on the bed. The mattress gives, and the blanket is cool against my heated skin. Oh, that’s nice. The room isn’t spinning as bad either. Maybe I will stay here for the night.

“No.” Brody strokes my cheek, and I squeeze my eyes and shake my head to clear the fog in my brain. “God, you’re beautiful. Do you know how much I love you, Joanna? Do you know how long I’ve been waiting to tell you?” His hands slide down my neck and slip under the collar of my cardigan as he tugs it off my arms.

I try to fight him, but the only thing my wiggling around does is take the cardigan off. “Brody, stop,” I tell him, hoping he can understand me through my slurred voice. “We talk tomorrow.”

He lifts me up limply, hands in the middle of my back as he kisses along my neck. “No, I need to tell you now, Joanna. School is almost over. I know you feel this between us. I can take care of you. I have a damn good job. I