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Maybe I was misinterpreting things, but I didn’t like the vibe she was putting off. I made my way around the bar. My view of her disappeared temporarily as I got closer, thanks to the crowd, but when I was fifteen feet away, I saw her shake her head at the guy and scoot a couple of inches farther from him.
I walked up behind Quincy, put a gentle hand on her shoulder, and said into her ear, “Let me know when you’re ready to go. I’ll drive you home.” I kept my words innocuous because I didn’t know how she’d react. As far as I knew, she hadn’t seen me yet tonight and had no idea I was here. I hadn’t been overly friendly to her all week, so she had good reason not to welcome my presence.
The way the cowboy’s eyes narrowed as he watched me squeeze her shoulder told me I hadn’t been wrong to be concerned.
“Knox,” she said, smiling up at me. “There you are.” She grabbed my hand and tugged me toward the stool next to her, opposite the cowboy.
“Here I am,” I repeated.
With narrowed eyes and all friendliness gone from the asshole’s face, he said, “You two together?” to Quincy.
“We live together,” I said.
“You didn’t tell me you had a boyfriend,” he said, assuming exactly what I’d hoped he would assume.
“Knox doesn’t like to dance,” Quincy said.
“Fucking dick tease,” he said, his words just slightly slurred.
I stood up and leaned toward him, ready to advance on him if he pushed any more. “I suggest you leave, Cowboy.”
Quincy grabbed my hand as if to hold me back. I was generally pretty coolheaded and not one to fight, but if he said one more thing about Quincy…
“Please,” she said emphatically to the guy. “It’s never pretty when my boyfriend breaks out the black belt.”
Wisely, without another word, only a scowl, the asshole got up from the table and stalked off toward the pool tables. I took a breath and looked at Quincy.
“Thank you,” she said, the sugary-sweet “boyfriend” warmth of thirty seconds ago gone, replaced by obvious relief and a tinge of disgust I was pretty sure was aimed at the cowboy.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah. I’m fine. Just annoyed. He was all charm at first, but he sure didn’t know how to take ano, thank-you.”
I took her at her word that she was okay. “I meant what I said about the ride home.”
She searched the dance floor again and smiled when she found Piper, who was dancing and singing—at the top of her lungs, it appeared—with three other females.
“They’ll be closing the place down if I know them,” Quincy said.
“You going to join them?” I made my voice matter of fact, not hinting at the disappointment I’d be hit with if she said yes.
After another glance at her friends, she met my gaze with her pretty, green-blue eyes. I’d missed looking into those eyes this week.
She picked up her phone and started typing. “That douchebag was exhausting. If you don’t mind, I’d love a ride home. Let me finish telling Piper and Jewel I’m leaving with you.”
I nodded briefly, acting nonchalant, but I felt anything but nonchalant at the thought of being alone with her.
As she smiled at me and preceded me toward the door, I put my hand on her lower back. I knew it still wouldn’t be smart to give in to this attraction, but I was desperate to touch more than just the small of her back—and I sure as hell didn’t want any fabric between us.
CHAPTER22
QUINCY
Knox on a regular day was good-looking and tough to resist.
Knox when he was being all gallant and protective of me… He was hot as hell and totally bangworthy.
Even though he’d rescued me from the idiot cowboy, however, and there was a throbbing of desire deep between my legs, I was not going to climb him like a monkey in heat. He’d have to make the first move.
