Storm Warning - By Kadi Dillon Page 0,4

winked at her. “You enjoy all you want, Hun.”

She smiled at him, then turned back to Gabe. “I don’t know him, but he’s so sweet.”

Since her words were slurred, Gabe scooted the beer away from her. “You may need to be cut off. I think you’ve probably had enough.”

“No, no. I really haven’t.” She tapped the bar again. “I can hold my liquor.”

The bartender smiled and set another shot down in front of her. Gabe snatched it up and knocked it back.

Her brows drew together and her mouth came to a beautiful pout. “That was a really shitty thing to do,” she accused and signaled for another.

“Let’s dance,” Gabe suggested, rising from the stool.

“I don’t like you.” She frowned again. “Know. I meant to say I don’t know you.”

He had to smile. Both were true, he knew. If she didn’t like him now, he couldn’t wait to see her reaction when she realized who he was.

“Dance with me anyway.”

“No. I—” She trailed off and stared over his shoulder toward the dance floor, her chocolate eyes going wide with distress.

Gabe’s gaze flicked over to where she was looking. Vance, he thought and ground his teeth together. He despised the man just from what little Adam had said about him. “All the more reason to dance with me. Throw it back in his face.”

She shot an angry look to him. “How would you know?”

“It’s written all over your face.”

She lifted her chin and turned back to the bar.

“He may lie to me and cheat, but that doesn’t mean I do.”

He could see her fighting for control in the way her shoulders bunched and tensed. His palms itched in need to soothe, so he tucked them in his pockets. She was drunk enough to not give a damn if she made a fool of herself, yet she kept it together. He had to admire her for that.

“Tory.” He waited until her gaze came back to his. “Dancing isn’t cheating. One dance,” he added when she only looked at him with those big, vulnerable eyes. He could see her arguing with herself and suppressed another smile. He held out his hand and waited.

“I guess you’re right.” She straightened and placed her palm in his.

He felt the tremor run through her when he slowly, deliberately closed his fingers around hers. He led her onto the dance floor, pulled her into his arms.

To his amazement, she fit perfectly. Trying to ignore the jolt his own system suffered as her small body pressed comfortably to his, Gabe laid his hands on her waist. A saxophone wailed from the band on stage, but Gabe paid little attention to the music.

The top of her head barely grazed his chin. He bent his head, needing to feel the silky texture of her hair. Past the alcohol, he smelled a spicy feminine scent that suited her perfectly. He wondered if it would smell the same on his sheets as it did on her skin.

“What’s your name?” she asked while he rocked her in his arms.

He pulled his head back, looked into her flushed face, and smiled. He could tell her now, he thought, but he wasn’t quite ready to let her go. “Do you really want to know?”

He smiled that charming, devious smile he’d been flashing her the entire time. Her already jumbled system took another delicious jolt.

“No, I guess I don’t.”

She knew she was staring, but she couldn’t tear her gaze away. The man was gorgeous. She let her gaze drop to his mouth. It was full and firm and she had no trouble picturing what those lips could do to hers. As if he heard her thoughts, he smiled.

All the alcohol in the bar couldn’t be responsible for what she was feeling now. She was floating. She closed her eyes and let the sensation take her. Tonight, she told herself, is for me.

Couples danced around them, but Tory paid them no mind. Low lights and disco balls lit up the dance floor, but she only saw the handsome man who held her comfortably in his arms.

She’d been so lonely before he’d whisked her away. And to make matters worse, Vance had flat out lied to her, telling her he was sick when he was sitting just across the room, surrounded by fancy women with big breasts. She would never be what he wanted, really. She was just little Tory from Oklahoma—and she wanted the charade to end.

When the song ended, she slid herself out of his arms feeling stronger