Page 24 of Huckleberry Hill (Saddles & Spurs #1)
Chapter Twenty-Three
The Bar
“The blonde,” I said, lifting a pint of cider to my lips.
“Yeah?” Wade asked, arching a brow. He rubbed his jaw and discreetly angled his head in the direction I’d rolled my eyes.
“This is why you needed me to help you get laid,” I quipped. “You’re completely unaware. She’s been eye-fucking you since the moment we sat down at the bar.”
He glanced at the woman and flashed a grin.
“Go,” I urged.
“I’m not going to ditch you.”
“The whole point of going out with you was to get you some action. You can’t get action if you stay by my side all night. We drove separately for a reason. You’re a free agent.”
“You’re a good friend.” He finished off his drink and set the empty pint down. “You sure?”
“I’m sure.”
“Okay.” He grinned. “Wish me luck.”
“You don’t need luck. But maybe put a little more swagger into your walk. Girls like swagger.”
“You should teach a class. Okay, here I go.” He saluted me and then headed in the direction of the blonde.
I watched him approach her, smiling when she nodded and stood up from the booth where she sat with a group of friends and went to the pool table with him.
Wade had called in the morning, asking if I wanted to venture out for a little jaunt in the next town over from Huckleberry Hill. I’d agreed. Mostly to get my mind off Declan and the fact that we hadn’t spoken since the previous night when I walked out of his cabin.
I hadn’t been able to turn my brain off—especially after the late-night conversation I’d had with my friends and sister. When Salem had asked me if I was falling for Declan, I’d hung up and turned my phone off.
Mature? No.
Self-protective? Yes.
I was staring into my pint of cider when Wade came back to the bar, the blonde a few steps behind him.
“Hey,” he said. “I’m buying a round. You want another drink?”
I shook my head. “I’m good.”
Wade reached back and grabbed the blonde’s hand and pulled her up. “This is Chelsea. Chelsea, this is my friend from high school, Hadley.”
“Nice to meet you,” Chelsea said with a genuine smile. “Do you want to play pool with us?”
“Oh, that’s okay,” I said, returning her smile. “You guys have fun. I’m probably going to leave after this drink.”
“Stay,” he said, though his tone lacked any force behind it.
I held in a smile. “We’ll see.”
Wade turned his attention to the bartender and Chelsea blocked the view of the doorway. I dug into the pocket of my hoodie and extracted my cell. No missed calls or texts.
Sighing, I shoved my phone back into my pocket and slouched down. I wanted to make sure Wade and Chelsea were Velcroed before I left, but I was ready to get into a pair of sweats, chow down on chocolate, and watch a movie.
“If you change your mind, come find us,” Wade said, handing a glass to Chelsea.
The door to the bar opened, momentarily pulling my attention. My eyes widened when I recognized the broad shoulders in a flannel shirt and leather motorcycle jacket.
“Hadley?” Wade asked.
My mouth dropped open in surprise as Declan swaggered toward the bar and came to stand between me and Chelsea.
“What are you doing here?” I demanded.
Declan didn’t reply. He placed his arm across my shoulder and pulled me to him before looking at Wade and then Chelsea.
“Hey, Declan,” Wade greeted, a knowing smile blooming across his lips. “This is Chelsea.”
“Uh, hi.” Chelsea frowned in confusion, shooting a look at Wade for explanation.
“Come on,” he said to her. “If you beat me, I’ll take you out to dinner.”
She laughed. “What happens if you beat me?”
“I’ll still take you out to dinner.”
The two of them wandered toward the pool table, leaving me alone with Declan. I threw his arm off and glared at him.
“What are you doing here?” I demanded again.
“What am I doing here,” he repeated, raking a hand through his mussed hair. “Million-dollar question.” He pointed to my cider. “Yours?”
I nodded.
He took it and drank the rest of it in a few swallows before setting the glass down with a forceful clank.
“Let’s go,” he growled.
“I’m not going anywhere with you. I came with Wade. I’m having a friends’ night out.”
“Wade is trying to sink his ball into a corner pocket,” Declan said, moving his body so his leather jacket brushed against my hoodie. “And you’re coming home with me so we can fuck the anger out between us. Got it?”
His words shivered down my spine and my belly fluttered.
I put a hand to his chest and pushed him back. He took a step away to give me space and I was able to get off the stool. “How did you know I was here?”
“Muddy told me.”
I closed my eyes and groaned.
“Hadley, you’re trying my patience.”
“I’m trying your patience? Rude.”
“You’ve got two choices. Either you walk out of here and get on the back of my bike, or I carry you out of here and you get on the back of my bike.”
“I thought you didn’t do jealousy.”
“I don’t. This isn’t jealousy. This is—fuck I don’t know what it is.”
“Possessive brute,” I stated, crossing my arms over my chest. “You’re being a possessive, stalkery brute, and I don’t like it.”
“We can talk about that back at my cabin. Option two it is.” He bent down and scooped me up and flung me over his shoulder, caveman style.
I squawked and pounded on his back. My cheeks flamed with heat when I realized everyone in the bar was staring at us.
“Have fun, Hadley!” Wade yelled.
I stuck my tongue out at him and then I buried my face against Declan’s back in embarrassment.
When we got out to the sidewalk, I said, “You can put me down now.”
He ignored what I said and continued to walk toward his bike.
“Declan, I drove,” I stated. “I can’t just leave my truck here.”
“We’ll come back for it tomorrow. I need you on the back of my bike, Hadley.” He finally set me down and then gripped the collar of my hoodie. “I need to feel your arms wrap around me.”
I looked up at him. “What’s going on, Declan? Where’s this coming from?”
“You’ll think I’m insane.”
“There’s a good chance I already think you’re insane.”
His mouth flickered like he tried not to smile.
“I wanted to talk to you—about everything that happened last night. And I wanted to do it in person, so I went to the main house and your grandmother told me you went out with Wade. That’s all I heard.
Went out with Wade . She told me where you were.
Before I knew it, I was getting on my motorcycle and I . . .”
“You thought I was lying,” I said quietly. “When I told you I wasn’t dating Wade, you didn’t believe me. And why would my grandmother tell you where I was and not clarify that I’d gone out with Wade to be his wingman?”
“I don’t know.” His brow furrowed. “I just know I got . . .”
“Jealous?” I supplied.
He sighed. “Jealous.”
“Has your frontal lobe returned from vacation?” I teased.
“Starting to.” He kept his hold on my hoodie. “I know you can drive home. And you probably should.”
“I’ll ride your motorcycle with you on one condition,” I said.
“Name it.”
“You tell me the truth.”
He frowned. “Truth about what?”
“About why you really came here tonight. You know I was telling the truth about Wade, so why are you here?”
“You’re right.” His hands released the hoodie, but only so they could cradle my cheeks. “I just wanted a reason to see you. Especially after how we left things last night.”
We stared into each other’s eyes, but even in the dark night with the illumination of the streetlamps, I saw the intensity in his gaze.
I squeezed his wrists, and he let go.
“Home?” he asked.
I nodded. “Home.”