Inked Obsession (Montgomery Ink Fort Collins #2) - Carrie Ann Ryan Page 0,4

way, we can meet with clients on the weekend that can’t meet with us during the week because of their schedules. And we’re not here when it’s disturbingly packed. We’re not young anymore.”

Eliza grinned. “Thank you for calling me old, Beckett. It makes me feel special.”

I winced. “That’s not what I meant.”

“Ouch, bro,” Lee said as he and Benjamin came over. We were a huge crowd at the end of the bar now, but Riggs kept filling everybody’s drinks, most of us having switched to water or soda at this point.

We laughed and talked about anything but work. Eventually, I went over to the jukebox to see what to play next. I didn’t feel like going home. Didn’t feel like going to sleep. I caught Lee’s gaze and knew he knew why I was still here, but I ignored the look. I ignored him. I did my best to ignore everything.

I keyed up the next song and then noticed Eliza frowning at a man I didn’t recognize out of the corner of my eye. The guy loomed over her, one palm on the wall behind her. And while she didn’t back down, didn’t look scared, she had no way to get out, either.

She met my gaze, and I saw the pleading look there.

Well, hell. I moved over and tilted my head at her, the movement catching the stranger’s attention. “Hey, babe, I thought we were dancing,” I said.

She blushed and rolled her eyes, but I didn’t think the other man noticed.

“Babe?” the guy asked.

“I’m going to take my girl out on the dance floor. You mind getting out of her space?” The guy frowned, and I took Eliza’s hand. “Ready to dance, babe?”

She smiled up at me, and my dick went hard. What the fuck? Jesus, I needed to get laid or get some sleep. I didn’t have those kinds of feelings about Eliza. Ever. Or I didn’t let myself. I was only helping her out of a sticky situation because we were friends. That was it. I wouldn’t think about her pressing against me as I touched her. What it would be like to taste her.

Nope.

Not going there.

Damn it.

“I thought you’d never ask.” I took her out to the dance floor, a slow song starting to play over the speakers.

The guy looked at us, shrugged, grabbed his beer, and went over to his friends. I didn’t recognize him. He looked to be an out-of-towner. We were in Fort Collins, so it wasn’t like I recognized everybody in the damn city, but on a weeknight in our small bar? I usually knew people.

“Thanks,” Eliza said, and I squeezed her hip. “You don’t have to save me, Beckett.”

“I don’t mind dancing with you, Eliza.” And I meant it, even if I was tired, and my back had started to ache something fierce. Or that every time I was near her these days, I wanted to lean down and sniff her. I’d developed an addiction to something I shouldn’t have, and I needed to quell that need damn quick.

She sighed. “Well, thanks for saving me—like everyone seems to be doing these days.”

The way she said it made me frown, but then a sliver of memory slammed into me. I pushed it away. “I don’t always save people,” I bit out, my voice cool.

She stared at me, questions in her gaze, but she didn’t ask them. Good, because I didn’t have answers for her. “Okay, Beckett. Okay.”

I didn’t save everybody. And I knew that.

The dance was slow, but I wasn’t paying attention. Didn’t see anything. Didn’t even see him. Didn’t catch that soft scent again. I just swayed as the others gave us odd looks as they danced around us. I ignored it all.

Because I didn’t save everybody. Not even myself.

Chapter 2

Eliza

I let Beckett lead me to the bar where the others stood, then he made his way out of the place saying a gruff goodbye. I didn’t really feel like he was with us completely. And maybe he hadn’t been for a while. Then again, perhaps I hadn’t either.

I frowned, and the others frowned with me.

“What was that?” Brenna asked, her voice sharp. I cringed inwardly and did my best to school my features. Brenna and Beckett were close—very close. At one point, I’d thought she had feelings for him that went beyond friendship, but now I wasn’t so sure. Brenna was so tightly guarded when it came to her feelings and relationships. I wasn’t even sure if they’d ever slept together,