Chapter 3: Time for the wolves to come out

Oliver towered over me as he slid his hand across the back of the booth with a glare that made me want to cower, even though it was clearly intended for Rusty.

"No," I said before Ollie could utter a syllable.

His eyes widened, but I couldn't hold his gaze long. Ollie was the one person I had never had a problem speaking my mind with, but this was a different kind of telling him off. One I wasn't used to. I wasn't bitter that he'd left me to chat with his friends, even though coming to the bar in the first place couldn't have been found anywhere near the top of my list of enjoyable pastimes. He wanted to include me, and since I'd inserted myself into his life fifteen years prior, I appreciated that he still treated me like his little sister. But I'd never been the one to blow him off - especially for a stranger in a bar. "You're the one who dragged me here, and now I'm enjoying the night on my terms. Go back to socializing with your sports-bar friends."

If he did want me getting out more, he'd have to tone down the overprotective shtick. But if I have to be honest, I had encouraged that, too.

His jaw twitched as he looked Rusty over, then he took a slow step backward. "Fine. You know where to find me if you need me."

He gave Rusty another long, hard look before heading back to his group of friends.

Across the table, Rusty stared at me with an amused expression, dragging the back of his hand across his lips. Ollie's intimidation tactics hadn't seemed to faze him... but with as much as he'd had to drink, it was possible nothing would. "With that attitude, I'm surprised he got you here in the first place."

I huffed and sank into my seat. "He doesn't always give in so easily."

Cade appeared once again, placing a tall glass of water in front of me. "I thought you could use something you might drink."

I frowned for a minute, but then had to laugh since my new mojito was melting just as fast as the last one. "Thank you."

Then, he placed another beer and whiskey in front of Rusty and slapped his shoulder. "I need to catch up on reports, but Tanya will take care of you if you need anything else. I'd apologize for not having time to chat, but you clearly found better company for the evening."

Rusty and I passed the rest of the evening with casual small talk, while he fiddled with his empty beer stein. Every now and then, he stared off or down at the empty glass as if he were in a different place, but as soon as his attention returned to me, that strange hardness faded into a smile.

As the game was replaced with three men sitting behind a large round table and discussing recaps, the crowd began to dissipate and Rusty glanced at his watch, frowning. "I should go. I have some things to take care of in the morning."

He sat his glass aside, then leaned forward. "Careful if you stay over here alone, it's time for the wolves to come out."

"Present company excluded?" I couldn't deny that I would miss him. But surely, Oliver would be ready to go, and I could call it a night.

"Of course, sweetheart." He winked as he slid out of the booth. Then, he stopped and leaned over my side of the table. His eyes were now half-hooded, and he was probably a step or two beyond buzzed. "Unless you want to share a cab and really give your roommate an aneurysm."

"What if I'm not going in the same direction?" Am I seriously entertaining this idea? As the sober one, I should have been at an advantage, but I couldn't seem to find it.

"I'm going to the inn, downtown."

I shook my head, even though it was exactly the direction I was headed. "I'm not going that way."

Rusty leaned closer and I could smell the alcohol on his breath mixing with a faint woodsy cologne. "Then, I'll pay the difference."

I didn't know if it was him or the late hour, but I felt light-headed for an instant as if the alcohol on his breath somehow affected me more than what I'd drunk. Stay strong, Lena. "You're just betting that I'll give in and come up to your hotel room with you."

"It's your serve, little loner, you can do as you like." Half of his mouth curved up in a perfectly resolve-bending smirk as he brushed a piece of hair away from my face, his fingertips pausing against my jaw. "Even if I assured you I'm not betting on any more than a cab ride, I doubt you'd believe me."

He stepped back leaving me room to glance around the room. Cade had returned to the bar where he stood at the register with a server. He did a double take in our direction and seemed to chuckle before his gaze drifted across the crowd. I glanced in the same direction and spotted Oliver, deep in conversation. I also noticed the redhead who hadn't stopped watching or working the room. Right in front of me, Rusty held out his hand, waiting for my decision. He'd been nothing short of a gentleman all evening. Attractive, well-mannered, and all-around pleasant company. Who wouldn't be tempted?

You're twenty-five and have barely taken a risk in your entire life, either it's stupid to start now or insane to live under a rock for the rest of your life. It's just a cab ride, which means it'll be chaperoned.

In a way.

Then again there were reasons I rarely took risks, and if I didn't act fast, my mind would start reminding me of all those reasons. I dragged my teeth over my bottom lip and started to shake my head, but something, whatever power he had over me, won out.

That damn smile returned to Rusty's lips as I placed my palm against his. I slid out of the booth, and he tucked me under his arm. Near the entrance, Oliver caught my eye and nearly jumped from his seat as we passed. I raised my eyebrows and shook my head, silently calling him off even though my mind vacillated between "this can't be a good idea" and "it's just a cab ride."

Once Rusty and I reached the quiet, cool air outside, the world almost seemed unreal. My ears still buzzed as I realized just how noisy it had been inside compared to the dull roar now muffled by the bricks. Rusty pulled out his phone and dialed a number while my phone danced in my pocket.

I wasn't the least bit shocked to see the text from Oliver.

Ollie: What the hell are you doing?

Me: Relax and don't act like you've never picked up someone in a bar.

Ollie: You've been drinking.

Again, he just threw the ammunition at me to call him a hypocrite.

Me: I barely finished the equivalent of one alcoholic drink.

Then, I added one more for good measure.

I'm having fun, like you wanted, so deal with it.

"Everything okay?" Rusty nodded to my phone.

"Yeah, just Ollie being his usual overprotective, big brother-ish self." I shrugged and tucked my phone into my pocket, hoping he wouldn't ask too much more about it. My relationship with Ollie was probably the simplest relationship I'd ever had. We just were. But it was also the most complicated to explain. It had never been the least romantic, like most people assumed, but somehow the universe had thrown us together when we needed someone to lean on.

Rusty took my hand and tugged me toward the corner of the building, out of the way of anyone else leaving the bar. As we passed the front window, I spotted Ollie standing at the bar talking to Cade. He probably intended to pay his tab and chase us down.

"Are you having second thoughts?" Rusty asked.

"And third. And fourth," I mumbled, glancing up briefly as he put his arm around my shoulders again.