Roped In (Armed & Dangerous, #2)(25)

He chuckled. “Maybe.”

We stopped at the truck and he opened my door. Instead of getting in, I faced him. “Maybe you should be covering up. You’re the one all the women want around here.”

“Does that bother you?”

“Should it?” I countered.

He shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe one day you’ll let me know.” An awkward silence fell upon us. I had the perfect time to tell him how I felt, but didn’t take it. What the hell was wrong with me? It was the same problem I had with singing brand new songs; I couldn’t do it in front of an audience. I had to wait and see what the people thought once they heard it on the radio. It would’ve been so much easier if he’d just tell me how he felt.

Once I was in the truck, he shut the door and got in. When we arrived at the bar, there were people everywhere. Almost immediately, I found Tyla’s curly blonde head in the midst of a group of guys.

“There’s Tyla,” I called out. Taking my hand, Blake pulled us through the mass of people to get to her.

“What’s up, Evans,” one of the guys in the group shouted. “I see you got a new girl.” I recognized Mitch but the other three I hadn’t met.

Blake put his arm around me. “This is Anna, an old friend from back home. She’s here for a visit. Anna,” he said, pointing at the guys, “I’d like you to meet Liam, Michael, and Devon.” Liam was the tallest with brown hair and brown eyes. Mitch looked like a midget compared to him. Michael and Devon both had similar muscular builds, but Michael had whitish blond hair and a kind smile, while Devon was more of the dark and mysterious kind with his black hair and brooding eyes.

I smiled. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Want me to get you a drink?” Tyla whispered in my ear. “You look like you could use it.”

“Yes,” I pleaded. “Something with a little kick.”

“You got it.”

Blake pinched my ass when she walked off. “Need something with a little kick, huh?” He chuckled in my ear.

I wanted more than that, but I needed the alcohol to give me the courage to ask for it. I was such a chicken shit. The second Tyla handed me my drink, I guzzled it down. While the guys all talked, Tyla pulled me away and slipped me another drink; I tossed it back, my body feeling all warm and fuzzy. Blake glanced back at me and lifted his brows. I nodded to let him know I was all right.

“Sebastian should be here in a minute to ask you to dance. He said he would be here soon,” she whispered in my ear. “And just so you know, when you’re not looking, Blake’s watching you. It’s very . . . protective. Almost like a wolf watching his mate.”

I snorted. “Now that’s interesting. Watch a lot of the Discovery Channel?”

Her lips pulled back in a wolfish grin. “Something like that. But trust me, Blake’s feelings are there. I can sense them. I’ve always been a good matchmaker.”

We watched a bunch of people on the dance floor doing one of the many country line dances, but then the song changed and what came on next made me smile. It was one of my songs.

“Anna?”

I turned quickly. “Oh hey, Mitch.” Blake came up behind him, eyes blazing.

“Wanna dance?” Mitch asked, nodding toward the dance floor.

“Actually,” Blake held out his hand, “this is our song.”

Tyla elbowed me discreetly in the side, pushing me toward him.

I took Blake’s hand and smiled apologetically at Mitch. “Maybe next song?”

“Sure,” he said.

Blake twirled me around and pulled me into his arms. “There won’t be a next song. You’re wasted.”

“I am not. Two drinks are not going to get me drunk.” The room did spin a little more than usual, but it was probably because he just swung me around.

“Whatever you say, princess.” He laughed.

Smiling, I laid my head on his chest. It helped ground me. “I love it when you call me that.”

“Princess?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“It used to piss you off.”

I lifted my head. “I know, but now you say it differently. Why is that?”

His gaze moved to my lips, but then he shook his head. “It doesn’t matter.”

“It matters to me. Are you ready for me to leave?”

“No. Why would you think that?” His thumb brushed along my cheek and I shivered. I loved it when he touched me. It was a craving that would probably never be satisfied.

“Then why are you being so distant? No matter how much you say it didn’t, something changed after Robert’s call. I want to know what happened. It’s different between us.”

“That’s the thing . . . there is no us. It would never work out and you know it.”

Those words felt like a punch to the gut. “So you’re not even going to try? Would it make a difference to know I want this? That I want you. We could make it work.”

He shook his head. “Even if that’s what I wanted, we’d never see each other. You’re not the only one with something to lose. Besides, tomorrow you’re not going to remember saying any of this to me.” The tears started to build and I didn’t want him to see me cry. I tried to push past him, but he caught my arm. “Where are you going?”