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. I had worried 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?" Caleb 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 with a look 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."
&
nbsp; 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.