Lord of Rain (The Dragon Demigods #5) - Charlene Hartnady Page 0,84

them home,” I say. “No alcohol for me.” I turn to the ladies. “How about we hit the road?” I look first at Candice, and then at Miss Shaw. “I think it might be enough partying for one night.”

I see both their faces fall.

“What? Home?” Candice says. “We just got here. We’re having fun.”

“Yes, Bolt!” Tri smirks. “We’re having fun.”

“We can’t go!” Miss Shaw puts her hands on her hips and looks at me like I’m the biggest jerk alive. “You can be such a party-pooper. While we’re on that, you really should smile more. You should definitely loosen up.” She grabs my biceps. “Too hard. So stiff and rigid.” She has no fucking idea how stiff and rigid I’m about to become if she keeps touching me like that.

“Yes, Bolt,” Tri laughs, “loosen up! I suggest a round of waters to rehydrate, and then we’ll have more shots.”

“More shots.” Miss Shaw claps her hands.

He signals the waiter hovering near our group and orders.

“Oh, my god!” Candice covers her mouth with her hands. “Is that Patrick Cuttings?” she says through her fingers.

“Patrick who?” I ask.

“Patrick Cuttings!” she loud-whispers. “You don’t know who Patrick is? He’s a famous actor. He’s an A-list Hollywood celeb.”

“Where? Where?” Miss Shaw looks around, her gaze finally landing on the dipshit surrounded by women. “Oh, yes! It’s him.” She looks amazed for a second, and then she frowns. “I thought he would be hotter than that.” She sighs.

“He’s pretty hot,” Candice says.

“Nope.” Miss Shaw shakes her head. “He’s a letdown. They’re all letdowns, and it’s all your fault.” She turns my way and digs her finger into my chest.

Tri puts his arm around Candice and asks her something or other.

“How is it my fault?”

“You’re too damned sexy. You’re so hot. I hate you so much, Bolt. You irritate me. Those eyes. I mean, look at them…just look.”

“I can’t look at my own eyes without a mirror, Miss Shaw.” My mouth is twitching. I’m having to work hard not to laugh.

“You know what I mean. You’ve seen them enough times. And these muscles…come on!” She says it like it’s a bad thing. She takes a step back and teeters on her low heels.

I move in and grip her hip to keep her steady. “You okay? Are you sure we can’t go home?”

“We are not going home, and I’m not done being mad at you for being,” she makes a disgusted noise, “so beautiful.”

“I’m a guy, Miss Shaw. Men aren’t beautiful.”

“You are, and you suck.” Then she narrows her eyes. “Why do you keep calling me Miss Shaw? Why?”

“It’s your name.”

“Nope.” She shakes her head in a slow, exaggerated way that tells me she’s out of it. Those shots are catching up with her big time. I need to get her out of here. I glance at Tri and Candice. They’re talking up a storm. Laughing. Joking. Fuck! “Repeat after me,” she says, drawing my attention back to her. “Ashley. Say ‘Ashley’. It’s not hard. Try it. Try it just once.”

I shake my head.

She’s half an inch away from me. No wonder jerkface couldn’t take his eyes off her tits; they’re a work of art. I force myself to do it. It’s not that hard, since her eyes are probably more beautiful. I’d say they’re her best feature. Even hazy from the alcohol, they’re beautiful. “Try it,” she says again. “Come on, Bolt. We’ll break it up. Ash- and then -ley. Ash-… Try it!” She reaches up and takes my lips in her fingers. She actually tries to manipulate my mouth into saying her name. “Ash,” she moves my lips, “-ley. Nearly. You almost have it.” She frowns, looking so fucking adorable. “You have such great lips.” She’s still holding them in her fingers. “Such…amazing lips… Another reason to add to that list of reasons why I hate you,” she says with such sincerity. “It’s a long list. A very long list indeed.”

I pull away. “I need to take you home, Miss Shaw.”

“Only if you call me Ashley.” She cocks her head.

I sigh. “Let’s just go, please.”

“I don’t want to go home! I know! You could take me to your house.” She looks so happy, I almost agree.

“Let’s just go.”

“To your house.”

“Um…we’re heading out,” I tell Tri, grabbing a water off the tray. I partially open it and hand it to Miss Shaw.

“Yum,” she says, opening it the rest of the way and gulping down the liquid. Some spills down the side of her mouth and into her