Rule (Marked Men #1)(36)

“That’s not going to work for long.” I liked the way she fit next to me, like she was custom made to be right there.

“I know.” The waitress dropped off drinks and Ayden grimaced as the first band started. I laughed and poured her another shot.

“Just power through the first two, I promise Jet’s band is really good.’

She made a face. “I like stuff with a little more twang and a lot more banjo.”

We all laughed a little. “Just help Nash finish the tequila, that’ll get you through and if it gets too bad I bet Jet has ear plugs we can go snag for ya.” She said something I didn’t catch but made Nash laugh hysterically so I turned back to Shaw. I gave an internal shiver when I noticed she was having some kind of girly stare down with the other blond from earlier. I curled my hand all the way around her waist and yanked until she was pressed full body against me.

“Hey, don’t.”

“It’s not like she has to be so obvious about it.”

“Shaw look around. There are at least ten guys sitting no less than five feet away I can actually see undressing you with their eyes, it’s cool. I’m hanging with you, not her and you’re here because of me not them, that’s what matters, right?”

She made a face at me which made me want to suck on her bottom lip. I reached up and tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear. It felt like satin and immediately slipped back out. “I’ve never waited around for a week to spend time with a girl I’m into before, frankly it blows, and I want to spend time with you.”

“I really am sorry we ran late. I had to do some work to get Ayden to agree to come. This really isn’t her scene, mine either for that matter, but I’m glad we’re here.”

She ran her index finger over the tattoo of the phoenix that was sticking out of the sleeve of my t-shirt on my bicep. “I want to spend time with you too, Rule. I’m sorry my life is so hectic.”

“Don’t worry about it.” I slid my hand under the heavy fall of her hair and leaned down to whisper in her ear, “So are you going to come home with me tonight or what?” If she said no there was a good chance I was going to have to take a cold shower before I could get my jeans off. Her green eyes were brilliant as they gazed back up at me, never had a girl, especially a girl I had known for so long been able to keep me guessing as to what she was thinking. Shaw was a hard one to read, her eyes just seemed to be reflecting back what I was feeling instead.

“We took a cab so as long as I make sure Ayden is cool that can definitely be an option.” Her voice had dropped to an even huskier octave and I thought it was possible I had never heard anything sexier. I grunted in approval like the Neanderthal I was and let my hand fall from her waist to the curve of her ass.

The four of us chatted and had a couple more rounds while we all suffered through the first and second band. The second one would have been alright if the lead singer had focused more on trying to sing than looking a part but for the most part they just hollered and jumped around for an hour and Ayden was ready to jump on stage and wrestle the microphone from the poor girl. I was surprised how fun it was to just hangout. Ayden was funny and sarcastic, she and Nash bounced barbs back and forth like they had been friends for years and by the time enmity was setting up the Patron was gone and the two of them were loaded. Shaw was quieter, she was watching everyone and everything around her, she asked questions and responded when engaged in conversation but for the most part she just kept an eye on what was going on rather than fully participating in it. At one point I almost started a brawl because I had gone to the bathroom and Nash had slipped out to smoke, we were only gone for a minute and by the time I got back to the table some sweaty metal head was trying to press up on Shaw.

I wasn’t the type that got jealous, I mean I lived my entire life not being as good as my twin so I couldn’t understand the murderous rage that was suddenly flowing through me, the sudden need to claim something, do announce to the world that she was mine. Luckily Nash got to the table first and sent the guy on his way in no uncertain terms because chances were I would have pulverized him and ended up spending the night in jail. Still when I got back to the table I had yanked Shaw up to the tips of her fancy ass blue shoes and planted a kiss on her pretty, pink mouth hard enough that my lip ring stung. I thought maybe she would pull back, maybe give me crap for acting like an idiot bit she just griped my shirt in her tiny hands and let me do what I had to do. When I finally set her back down her eyes looked glassy and she was flushed. She slicked her tongue over her bottom lip and settled back into my side.

“Gotta tell you Rule, I’m a fan of kissing with all that metal in your face. I never thought that was something I would be into, but you sure make it work.”

Oh man was that the hottest thing I had ever heard, ever. I hooked an arm around her shoulder. “And you know maybe next time you could just pee in a circle around me so that they know you’ve already been there.”

I chuckled at her dry remark but didn’t bother to deny what the overt action had been about. We continued to chat and have a great time but by the time the house lights went down and Jet was ready to hit the stage I had had enough of friend time and wanted alone time with just her, unfortunately Jet knew how to put on a good show and even though Ayden claimed that the racket the band was making could in no way be called music it only took two songs to have her dragging Shaw up to the front of the stage with her. The band was loud, aggressive and blazed from song to song, but Jet was a good looking guy and knew how to work a crowd so it didn’t surprise me when the girls had run off that there had been a drunkenly, interested gleam in Ayden’s eyes. Unfortunately it also left me alone to deal with my plastered best friend.