Chapter 4
1178 Words
Four
Liam
“You sure you want another game?” I ask Savannah. She’s plastered from the shots she’s taken.
“Yep, because my dad might’ve taught you, but he taught me too.” She loses her balance and her finger jabs me in the shoulder instead of the chest.
A small part of me likes her like this. Not the drunk and incoherent part, but the part where she’s not worried about Bailey Timber or one of her eight siblings or Grandma Dori or any of the million things that seem to be running through her brain at any given moment. She’s in the moment and just wants to beat me and yeah, I do love when I’m the center of her attention.
Darlene or Marlene or maybe it’s Carly, sidles up next to me every time Savannah gets too close. I’d like to ditch her, but I’m an asshole who’s trying to get Savannah jealous. Make her believe she’s missing out.
“Come on. Let’s go back to your place.” The girl’s fingers dig into the waistband of my jeans in the back.
“Oh, you want to go to Liam’s?” Savannah says, and I grab her arm to keep her steady before her shot ends up on the felt of the pool table.
Darlene or Marlene—hell, let’s go with Bar Chick at this point—shoots me a questioning look. “What is it with the two of you?”
Savannah waggles her eyebrows at me, turns around, and downs the shot, holding onto the table as if it’s a railing above a cliff, keeping her from falling into the crashing waves below.
“She’s my buddy’s sister.”
Savannah whips back around, another strand of blonde hair falling loose from her ponytail. “Is that all?”
The conversation between Juno, Colton, Denver, and his hookup halts, and an awkward silence paints the room.
“Isn’t it?” I ask Savannah, baiting her to answer the question herself.
“Yes.” She smiles sweetly at Bar Chick. “He’s all yours.”
Bar Chick comes closer and my body stiffens, heat brewing in my veins.
“So another game?” Sav sets her empty shot glass on the table and slides her hands down the pool stick.
Bar Chick tried to turn me on with that move two games ago. Savannah’s getting the reaction out of my d**k that Bar Chick wanted. Apparently dating another chick isn’t the way to work Savannah out of my system. Maybe Rhys’s Plan B is the way to go, but I definitely won’t be sleeping with her tonight. Not in her condition.
“I’m tired,” Denver whines, his hand venturing up the woman’s thigh.
“Yeah, we’re out,” Juno says, standing.
Colton pulls out his wallet and heads over to the bar to pay Nate for their drinks. Remind me again why those two aren’t a couple.
“What? I’m finally out and ready for some fun.” Savannah does a little twirl before hanging on to the table and clutching her stomach. “Whoa…”
“Come on, Sav, I’ll get you home.” Juno comes to her side. Her gaze lands on me and there’s accusation there.
What the hell? I was over here minding my own business before they joined us.
“This isn’t my fault,” I say.
Juno nods and inhales a deep breath.
“Liam can see me home,” Savannah says, her gaze skirting over my body.
Huh, alcohol really does make you truthful. I’ve said a helluva lot of lies while I’ve been drunk, but from the smoldering look Savannah’s shooting me, I have to believe it’s a truth serum for her.
“Sav, he has Marlene to see home,” Juno whispers but not so quietly that I can’t hear.
Savannah’s head turns to who I now know is Marlene. Thank you, Juno. “Oh.”
Marlene places her pool stick on the table and wraps both hands around my waist. She’s so tiny, not like Savannah. “Come on.”
I scour Savannah’s face for any sign not to take this invitation. But she smiles and entwines her arm through her sister’s. “I’ll spend the night at your place so Liam can have alone time with Marlene.” She spits the word ‘Marlene’ as if it has a foul taste.
I don’t even blink. We both know I want to put her over my shoulder and carry her out of here to my bed again. Instead she’s going to play like the idea of me with someone else doesn’t even register on her scale of things to be annoyed about. Anyone who knows the woman knows that she can find a way to be annoyed about anything.
“Thanks. I appreciate it.” I dislodge Marlene from me but take her hand. “Better luck next time,” I whisper in Savannah’s ear before I walk out of Lucky’s with Marlene at my side.
“Finally. Is she, like, an ex or something? Because she totally wanted you. I mean, have some respect, I saw you first.” Marlene gets me against the brick wall, her hand already over the bulge in my pants.
But that bulge isn’t because of or for her.
I put my hand over hers to stop her. I’m not going to lead this girl on, no matter what I’ll let Savannah believe. “No. She saw me first.”
Truth is, I saw her first—so many years ago.
Lucky’s Tavern’s door opens, and Savannah stumbles out between Juno and Colton. Juno barely has a handle on her sister. Colton’s doing all the heavy lifting. Savannah glances over and catches us, her eyes falling to where my hand is over Marlene’s—which is over my junk. f**k.
“I’m gonna be sick.” She bends over the tree at the edge of the sidewalk and throws up.
Colton’s eyes shut and his head falls back.
Denver comes out right after. “Party foul, Sav!” He laughs, just as drunk as his sister, but I’m not worried about Denver. He can handle himself. He smirks at me, thinking I’m about to get busy with Marlene. “Don’t mind us.”
“You okay, Sav?” Juno asks.
Lucky’s door opens, and Nate comes out with a bottle of water for her because she’s probably the entertainment for the rest of Lucky’s Tavern’s patrons right now. Pictures are probably being snapped and she’ll likely be on Buzz Wheel before the night ends.
“Denver, get Marlene an Uber.” I give Marlene a smile that I hope communicates regret and push away from the wall.
I swoop Savannah up in my arms. Her head falls over my bent elbow while her arms hang loosely at her sides.
“She can come to my place. No need to upend your night.” Juno follows me to my car.
Since we won all the games, I only had one beer tonight, so I’m fine to drive. “No, I got her. Just make sure Denver doesn’t come back to my house with those two.” I nod behind me.
Colton opens the passenger door, and I lay Savannah in the front seat. She mumbles something as I strap her seatbelt into place.
“Just don’t throw up again,” I say.
“Thanks, Nate.” Juno holds the water bottle out for me.
I take it before rounding my car and sliding in. One last glance at Savannah in my passenger seat, and I turn the key in the ignition and get her away from this situation which could damage her reputation. After all, it’s what she lives for in Lake Starlight.
- Writer
