and the bridesmaid that Andie had been talking to handed off her drink as she followed Colin outside. Andie turned then, taking a delicate sip of her wine as her eyes scanned the dance floor, and as much as he hated to admit it, he was briefly overcome with the hope that she was looking for him.
She took a few steps over to her table, placing her friend’s drink on it before she sat down, trailing the tip of her finger along the rim of her own wine glass as she watched the people moving on the dance floor. She crossed her legs then, and the slit in her dress parted to reveal the length of one leg, from toe to mid-thigh.
Chase closed his eyes before turning toward the bartender. “Can I get a shot of Johnnie Walker?”
“You got it, pal,” he said with a wary look, bending to reach below the bar, and Chase turned his eyes back to the other side of the room as he finished his drink. That fucking dress. He could barely stand it before he realized it had a slit as long as her leg up the side. He didn’t know anything about dresses, or fashion at all for that matter, but this dress was deep green and looked like it was made of some type of silk. Every goddamn curve of her body looked softer and fuller in this thing. And when she had turned to leave the ceremony earlier that night, he nearly choked on his gum when he saw that her entire back was exposed.
She looked up then, making eye contact with him, and he froze. A small smile curved her lips as she held up her hand to say hello, and he smiled back at her just as the bartender said, “Here you go.”
Chase turned, placing his empty glass on the bar and reaching for the shot, stopping before he took it. He didn’t know if it was the three consecutive Seven and Sevens, or the smile she just gave him, but at that moment, he made a decision.
“Actually, can I get a Lemon Drop too?”
The bartender quirked his brow at him. “You gonna be okay, buddy?”
Chase smiled. “I won’t puke on your bar, if that’s what you’re asking.”
The bartender shook his head with a tiny laugh, reaching below for the bottle. He poured the shot, giving Chase the sugar-coated lemon chaser.
“Hang in there,” he said, and Chase could tell by the look in his eyes that he wasn’t referencing Chase holding his liquor.
He grabbed the two shots and crossed the dance floor, careful not to spill any as he maneuvered his way through the dancing bodies. Just as he emerged from the crowd, she lifted her eyes, smiling at him again.
“Hi,” she said as he approached her table, the awkwardness between them seemingly gone, and he hoped it wasn’t just his hazy alcohol-induced perception.
“Hi,” he said, pulling up a seat next to her. “Having fun?”
She nodded. “I think I’ve met more people in the past few hours than I have in the past few years. But big weddings are always fun. I’m surprised to see you milling around, though. I figured you’d be glued to your camera.”
“Nah, I’m off tonight. Here, I brought you something.”
She glanced down, catching sight of the shot glass he placed in front of her, and she shook her head. “I don’t think so,” she said, looking back up at him and scrunching her nose adorably. “I’m not really a liquor kind of girl.”
Being this close to her again, Chase felt suddenly bold. “Well two days ago, you weren’t the kind of girl who let anyone else drive her car.” Andie smirked as he continued. “And yesterday, you weren’t the kind of girl to pull off the road and jump fully clothed into a lake.”
“I didn’t really have a choice about that one,” she said through laughter, and Chase grinned.
“Breaking out of your shell,” he said as he slid the shot closer to her. He raised his eyes to hers, his voice playful. “I say we make it the theme for the weekend.”
Andie glanced down at the shot, nibbling on the corner of her lip. He could tell she was thinking about it, so he added, “It’s a pretty tame shot. Girly, even.”
She laughed, taking a deep breath before she picked up the small glass, holding it up to him. “To breaking out of your shell.”
Chase smiled, holding his shot up and clinking it to