“That should do it!” I declared as I slid off the stool. “How much?”
She shook her head and held up her hand. “It’s on the house.”
“Thank you!” I said, thinking I might have said that a little too loudly. I made my way to the back corner of the bar. As I walked through the crowd of people, I realized it had been a very long time since I’d had any sort of alcohol. And maybe downing four shots, plus a beer, wasn’t such a great idea. My slight buzz was growing ever so quickly.
When I finally made it to the table, I couldn’t help but slow my steps. God, why did he have to be so insanely good-looking? And such a manwhore! There was a blonde standing there, attempting to flirt with him. I had to smile, though, when he didn’t seem the least bit interested. Then, as if he knew I was there, his gaze moved from her to me, and I instantly saw his eyes widen as they swept over my body.
“Okay, don’t act like you’ve got a buzz,” I mumbled to myself as I walked up and stood next to the blonde. Holy hell, was she even old enough to be in this place?
“Merit, you decided to join us!” Brock said, a wide smile on his face. I could feel the blonde staring at me. The only thing I could see, though, was Dirk, and the way he was looking at me. Even in the darkened bar, I could tell those normally bright green eyes were dark with something that I swore was desire.
Impossible. The girl next to me had on a tight little black dress and high-heeled shoes. I looked like a peasant next to her wearing a simple blue dress that fell to my knees, and my favorite pair of cowboy boots. I will say that the dress did show off my curves just a tad. But the blonde next to me barely had her boobs held in place by her dress.
Then, Dirk turned to the blonde. “If you’ll excuse us, my date just got here.”
My mouth dropped open, and I went to say something, but Dirk stood, pulled me to him and kissed me on the lips. “I’m glad you made it, Bugs.”
I swayed slightly from the kiss and the childhood nickname he had given me. Dirk grabbed me by my waist, making my knees slightly weak. Damn jerk of a man. It was the alcohol that was making me unbalanced and unable to speak, that’s all. Nothing else.
Dirk moved his mouth to my ear and whispered, “I see my kiss still makes you sway.”
Frowning, I pushed him away. “Slow your roll, cowboy. It’s the four shots and beer I drank when I walked in, not you.”
Dirk drew his brows in. “Why did you drink four shots?”
I sighed. “Because I needed something to calm me down, so I didn’t kill you.”
“Not to be a killjoy here, but I don’t get a night out very often, so I would really appreciate it if you didn’t kill him until after our bro date,” Brock said.
With a roll of my eyes, I slid into the booth.
“Something to drink?” a waitress asked with a smile.
“Yes,” I said at the same time Dirk answered, “No.”
I jerked my head to the left to glare at Dirk. “Excuse me?” I asked.
He leaned in and said, “Don’t you think you might have had enough to drink, Merit?”
I was positive my jaw nearly hit the table. “You’re not the boss of me, Dirk Littlewood.” With a smile on my face, I turned back to the waitress. “I’ll have a Bud Light, please. And a shot, of anything. Betty Jane will know.”
The waitress nodded, then looked at Brock and Dirk and asked if they wanted anything else. They both shook their heads.
I turned to Brock. “I’m sorry to interrupt your…bro date.” I frowned and shook my head at that. “But I only need about ten minutes, and then I will let you both get back to your night out.”
The corners of Brock’s mouth twitched. “I had forgotten what a spitfire you can be, Merit.”
My smile grew bigger. “You haven’t seen anything yet, Brock. I’d tell you that you might want to leave us alone for what I’m about to say, but Dirk deserves an audience for the verbal lashing I’m about to give him.”
When I looked back at Dirk, my smile dropped instantly. “How dare you. You have some nerve, mister,” I said.
He looked confused. “You’re gonna have to be more specific, Merit. What did I do now?”
“Hey, Dirk. Glad to see you’re back in town. Do you want to, um…get together later?”
The sound of a woman’s voice caused me to turn and look up. Another blonde stood at the table dressed in practically nothing. She oozed sex. My gaze skimmed the woman and I nearly laughed when I saw the packet of a condom peeking out from her front pocket. I lifted my head to see her smiling at Dirk.