“Fine.” He took a sip of his drink and leaned back. “And, no, there isn't anything interesting going on between her and Leo. She wanted me to tell you that.”
I giggled and scooted my chair back to where our legs could touch again. “Tell me more about your adventures in streaking,” I asked, batting my eyelashes at him.
“I actually think it's your turn,” he replied, grinning from ear to ear. “I want to hear all about you being naked.”
I blushed, but took a sip of my drink and started to tell him the story of how I went streaking that one time in college.
***
Several hours and some drinks later, Bastian and I stumbled out of the bar. It had become even more crowded as the night had gone on and we both had work in the morning. Even so, I was delightfully tipsy, and from the not-quite-straight way Bastian was walking, he wasn't much better. It felt wonderful.
I held onto his burly arm as we stepped out into the hot night air. It felt almost cooler out here without all the people crowding into the small space. Bastian patted his pocket for the keys and I giggled as he stumbled on a perfectly straight step.
“I can't drive,” he announced. He looked at me and how I was hanging off of him and giggling uncontrollably. “And neither can you. I'll call Elijah.”
“Where is he?” I asked, looking around. I hadn't seen him all night.
“I asked him to be discreet tonight,” Bastian informed me with a wink. I giggled, feeling naughty.
Bastian pulled out his phone and hit a button. “Elijah. We need a ride.” Someone said something on the other line and Bastian hung up. He glanced back at the bar door. “He'll be here in just a minute. I'm going to go use the bathroom for a second.”
“You can use it for more than a second,” I teased. “In fact, I'd recommend it.”
Bastian chuckled and kissed me on the forehead. He looked so relaxed and calm. This had been a great evening. He grinned and headed back inside.
I stood out on the front porch, watching the insects buzz the lights. It was quiet out here, as the party was going on inside. The sounds of the bar were muffled through the heavy door as I made my way to the far end of the porch. The night air was thick and heavy. I could get used to nights like this, I thought, taking a deep breath in. Especially with Bastian.
“All alone now, aren't you, hot-stuff?”
I spun to see Salmon-shirt walking up the side steps of the front porch. The hairs on the back of my neck started to prickle.
“My date's just in the bathroom,” I stated, looking at the door to the bar and suddenly finding it very far away. “He'll be back any minute.”
“Sure he will,” Salmon-shirt agreed. The stagger and red in his eyes said that he was definitely drunk. I swallowed hard as his three buddies came out from behind the bar and stood in the parking lot. One of them opened the door to a very expensive-looking car and pulled out a flask. As if they hadn't had enough to drink already.
“Please, I don't want any trouble,” I said, trying to figure out if I could make a run for the bar doors. I didn't want to appear to obvious, but I no longer felt safe out here alone. Everything about these men screamed spoiled, rich brats. They were all Chads, but with an unlimited supply of money. If they wanted something, they could just take it.
“It's no trouble at all, hot-stuff,” Salmon-shirt assured me. He strode toward me, putting himself quickly between me and the door to the bar faster than I had expected. I was trapped. “But you see, you embarrassed me in front of my friends.”
One of his friends yelled out something that sounded vulgar. My heart started to pound and my palms went sweaty.
He licked his lips and raised his hand, trying to brush a strand of hair out of my face. There was no way in hell I was letting him touch me, even if it was just to brush some hair away. I smacked his hand away from me as hard as I could.
“Touch me again, and I'll put you down,” I threatened. The forcefulness of my words caught me by surprise. It probably had to do with that he reminded me so much of Chad. That and the alcohol.
“Ooh,” he giggled. “I like a little bit of fight in my girls.”
He moved so quick I didn't have time to react. His hands went to my arms, pinning me to the wall and holding me there. I tried to struggle, but he was stronger than he looked. I kicked out with my legs, but I didn't have a good groin shot and he made sure to stay far enough away that my heels couldn't come directly down on his feet. Panic started to pump through me.
“You'll put me down, huh?” Salmon-shirt smirked. His friends laughed behind him, watching him and egging him on. “How about you go down?”
Suddenly, Bastian's hand was on the guys shoulder and the next thing I knew, Salmon-shirt was flying off the deck and into the parking lot. He landed with a thud in the dirt, looking up to see Bastian advancing on him.
Even from my position, Bastian looked terrifying. His big shoulders were outdone only by the massive snar
l across his face. The scar running down his cheek caught the streetlamp light and made him look vicious and feral.
Salmon-shirt stood up, puffing his chest out and putting up his fists. Bastian waited for him to throw the first punch, dodging it easily before socking him squarely in the jaw.