The Girl's Got Secrets (Forbidden Men #7)(122)

I returned to the microphone and sang a few more songs. Since Big T had to open the restaurant the next morning, he took off early, but that was fine. I was having too much fun to care that I’d be hoarse as hell tomorrow. And besides, a couple other people were willing to give me a break and try their hand at karaoke. The most surprising pair were a drunk Ten and Asher as they stumbled toward the stage, their arms wrapped around each other’s shoulders before Ten announced, “We want to sing ‘I Just Had Sex.’”

Then Asher pointed and laughed, “No, he wants to sing it. I’m just here for the backup Akon part...and to watch Noel kick his ass.”

I lifted my eyebrows, then I chuckled and shook my head. “Ten? You seriously sing?”

Ten scowled as if offended. “Fuck no, but I’m drunk enough to right now. Plus it’ll really piss off my brother-in-law, so...I must!”

I laughed and had to ask, “Your brother-in-law?”

“Noel. Didn’t you know he was Caroline’s brother?”

“He is? No, I had no idea.” My eyebrows arched as I scanned the crowd to see Caroline and Noel gathered around Brandt , Colton, Sarah, and Aspen. “Huh.”

So I handed the microphone over and started the song for them.

As soon as Ten belted out the first line, covering Lonely Island’s part of the duet, an outraged Noel yelled, “You motherf*cker,” as he marched forward.

Afraid Asher might get caught in some crossfire, I stepped in and held up my hand to stop him. Crazily enough, he didn’t try to get past me, but he did stay there and glare and flip Ten off, calling him a few dirty names.

Asher bent over, laughing so hard he could barely sing his lines. But he straightened up by the end, and even as slurred as his voice was, he sounded amazing.

Watching him have such a good time was taxing, though. It was selfish of me to want to be the only one to make him smile, but I couldn’t help it. I’d fallen hard for this man.

By the time the wedding reception winded down to an end, my feet were killing me and my throat was raw. But I merely stretched the kinks of out my back before beginning to put away the karaoke machine.

Only half a dozen people remained: Knox and Felicity helping clean the floor, Ten and Caroline doing the same thing, and Asher.

Stumbling my way, he waved a hand. “Hey, sexy lady. Let me help you put that up.”

I laughed and waved him away. “Oh, no you don’t. I’ve got this just fine, plastered boy. I’m surprised you’re still able to stand upright.”

“I know, right?” He spread out his arms and looked down at his wobbling legs. “It’s like some kind of miracle.”

Damn it, he was even adorable when he was drunk off his ass.

“Yo, Drummer Girl.” Tearing my gaze from Asher, I scowled toward Ten, who’d wrapped his arm and suit jacket around Caroline’s shoulders as he steered her toward the exit. “Hart’s not fit to drive shit, so you can get him home, right?”

My eyes flared wide. Hell no, I couldn’t get Asher home. He was all sweet and drunk. What if I couldn’t help myself and ended up molesting him? “Can’t you get him home?” I asked, pleading with my eyes.

But Ten only grinned. “Fuck no. I plan on giving Caroline road head as she drives my drunk ass home.”

“Eww.” Wrinkling my nose, I couldn’t argue with that, and besides, it was too late anyway. He and Caroline had just escaped through the front door, leaving me here alone...with Asher.

I gazed wildly around the place, but even Knox and Felicity had disappeared too.

Shit.

“You remember where I live, right?” Asher said, drawing his finger up my arm. “Because I remember you remembering very clearly exactly where I live.”

I glanced at him and knew I was doomed. No way could I let him drive like this. And no way could I tell him no if he tried something.

From the glaze of lust in his green eyes as he watched me, he was definitely going to try something, too.

Damn it. I was f*cked...literally.





Just as I feared, Asher was a very lovey-dovey, touchy-feely, horny kind of drunk.

“You looked really good tonight,” he told me from the passenger seat of my car. “Did I tell you earlier how good you looked?”

“Umm...” I bit my lip to keep myself together. “No, you didn’t. But thank you.”

“You’re welcome. It’s the truth, though. You were the most beautiful woman in that entire club. Don’t tell the bride, but you were even prettier than Eva. And I get to be in this car all alone with you right now. Damn, I’m a lucky bastard. Hey...” he slurred as he rolled his head against the seat so he could face me. “Guess what?”

“What?” I asked, oh so very ready to change the subject.

He sighed as he watched me. “I learned what te amo really meant,”

Shit! Okay, I didn’t want the subject turned to that, though.

I squeezed my hands around the steering wheel and said nothing. Why had I ever said that to him? I knew it wouldn’t take anything for him to ask anyone who knew Spanish to translate it for him.

“No one’s ever said that to me before,” he said, his voice going hoarse. “In any language.”

My heart tore for him, and I suddenly realized why I’d said it, because I pretty much already knew he hadn’t heard it a lot. His mother, his father, his uncle who barely raised him. None of them would’ve said it. And Pick was too new a brother to go spouting fluffy love crap quite yet. So I’d said it because he’d deserved to hear it.