"Of course I do. How could I forget?" I glanced down at her mouth and moved in for the kiss as she spun away from me.
"Not interested, playboy. Find someone else."
I didn't realize how much I wanted her until she moved to the center of the floor, dancing with her friends and leaving me to watch. My breathing was off kilter, and for the first time in my long life, I yearned for something that I couldn't have: her.
After forcing myself off the dance floor, I rejoined my friends and let out a long sigh.
"The girl of my dreams is on that dance floor." I ran my fingers through my hair and found her, not quite sure I had it in me not to go back after her and throw her over my shoulder like the caveman I was starting to feel like.
"Go get her, man!" One of the guys yelled and lifted his beer. "You're Finn Fucking Warner. You get any girl you want."
I looked over at him and laughed as they all hit there bottles together.
Any girl but the one I suddenly want. Karma's a bitch.
"What are you waiting for, dude? Go get her." Brian patted my back. "The blond who was pressed to the front of you, right?"
"Yeah," I responded a little more breathlessly than I wanted.
"She's all yours dude. Finest chick in this bar. Go show us how it's done." He pushed at my shoulder and I nodded, walking back toward her with determination.
Enough with the games. I didn't have much time with her as it was.
Chapter 9
Chloe
"Oh my goodness. Who the hell was that?" Cindy moved up beside me, sliding her arms around my neck and forcing me to lock gazes with her.
"No clue. He was cute though, huh?" I played it off and tried like hell not to follow after Finn. He was bad news and though I couldn't stop thinking about him, nothing was going to become of us. It was silly to lead him on anyway. He would just move on to someone else. Guys like him always did.
"Cute? He's the sexiest thing I've seen in a long time." Cindy shuffled us toward the edge of the floor. "You don't know him?"
"Nope." I shrugged and turned to find him watching me with an intensity that left me wanting to throw caution to the wind and give myself to him for a night, but it wasn't my style. It was a good thing I wasn't drinking. Nothing good could come of it.
"He seems to want to know you." She laughed and turned her attention back to me. "I'm going after him if you're not interested."
I shrugged and pulled out of her hold as the music changed. "Do what you want, girlfriend. I'm dating someone back at UCLA. A fling would be fun if I were single, but I'm not."
It wasn’t actually truthful. Seth and I were on a break. Broken up truly, but it was my quickest excuse.
"Not the cheating kind, hm?" She wagged her eyebrows as if cheating was the sexy thing to do nowadays.
"Um, no." I laughed and took her hand, helping her back toward the bar.
She moved out in front of me as I took a seat, her attention in the direction of Finn and his friends. "I want him. Can I take him back to your place?"
I'd just taken a drink of a glass of ice water the bartender handed me. I spit it all over the back of her little black dress thanks to her question.
She turned toward me, her eyes wide.
"Oh fuck, Cindy. I'm so sorry." I reached for a napkin and moved behind her cleaning it up as she laughed loudly. The sound of her having fun with it ushered in much needed relief. Fear left me thinking she was going to be furious.
"It's all good." She swatted at me. "It was hot as hell in here anyway. That actually felt good."
"No bringing anyone home to my Dad's. Sorry. He would have a heart attack. I was picturing the look on his face when I spit my drink. It's too funny to even think about."
"No worries. We'll just get a room." She bent in like she was going to whisper something to me, but instead slipped her hand in the top of her dress and tugged her breasts up.
I turned from her and gave the cute bartender a look that screamed 'save me.’
Cindy leaned in beside me and smiled right next to my face. "Wish me luck. He's exactly my type."
"Good luck." I reached for the peanuts, but the bartender jerked the dish away.
"Don't eat those. Who knows who has been touching them." He smiled and pulled the jar from under the counter, reaching for my hand and pouring some out for me.
"Thanks." I picked at them, ignoring the horrible feeling that rose inside of me over the idea of Finn going home with anyone, especially my closest childhood friend. Why did it matter? I was being ridiculous.
"What's got you down?" The bartender leaned forward, pressing his forearms to the bar and giving me a kind smile.
"It's stupid."
"Guy problems?"
"Not really. I don't have a guy to have problems with." I shrugged and looked over my shoulder as Finn, Cindy and the whole group with him were walking toward us. The twins were still on the dance floor and I turned back to the bar as horror rushed through me. "Kill me."
He laughed and shook his head. "You could have any guy in this bar, pretty girl. The problem isn't not having a man, it’s which one to choose."
"Chloe Burke. You have to meet these guys." Cindy's voice was loud and slurred.
I stifled a flinch at her using my last name and turned, smiling at Finn and then around the circle at his friends. "Nice to meet you guys."
"Pleasure's all mine." Finn reached for my hand, and pressing a look against me that told me I was already his, whether I wanted to admit it or not.
Cindy tugged him back and shook her head. "This sexy boy is the only one off limits, Chloe. He's mine."
Finn tilted his head to the side as if challenging me to step up. If there was anything bubbling between us, now was the time to do something about it.
A loud balding guy from behind Finn leaned in and hiccupped. "I'm off limits too. Getting married tomorrow."
I laughed, unable to help myself. "That's great. Stay off limits. No one likes a cheater."
"She's right boys." A handsome guy in a suit extended his hand as he hit Finn with his hip, forcing him to move over. "I'm Brian. Seeing that my buddy Finn here is being stolen by your friend, would you care to dance?"
"Brian. Really?" Finn playfully pushed at him before being dragged back to the dance floor by Cindy.
"Yeah. Sure." I shrugged and glanced over my shoulder in time to see the bartender laugh at me. "Thanks a lot. If you would have just pulled the trigger..."
"Never." He winked and turned to help other patrons.
I walked to the floor with Brian, feeling a little off about dancing with one of Finn's friends.
You're being ridiculous. You don't know the guy and even if you did, he is just trying to get into your panties. Leave it be.
I moved into Brian's arms as a slow song started, the rhythm perfect for a first dance with someone you just met.
"You from around here, Chloe?" He smiled down at me and I turned my attention back to him, not really wanting to see Cindy put her moves on the only guy that had caused my blood to boil in the worst sort of way.
"I'm from Los Angeles. Just here for a few weeks." I smiled, enjoying the kindness I found in Brian's eyes.