Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Jasmine

“Hey, baby! Wanna dance?” asks the guy blocking my path. Blue eyes, shaggy blond hair, and a beet-red face. He wavers on his feet, clearly drunk. But most importantly, I’ve never seen this guy before.

I don’t know him, and he doesn’t know me. Relief sweeps through me. It’s okay. He’s just a jerk. “No thanks.”

When I try to step around him, he moves with me. He reaches out and touches my hair. “So pretty. Come on, baby, just one dance.”

Jason appears behind the guy, but before he can say a word, Liam’s wedging himself between me and the stranger. He faces the stranger and holds him back. At the same time, he’s reaching back, his hand outstretched toward me. I grab hold of his hand.

“Back off, pal,” Liam warns him.

The blond stumbles, clearly wasted. “You back off, man.”

Philip and Miguel appear behind the blond, both poised to step in if needed.

“It’s okay,” I tell Liam. “He’s drunk.”

“No, it’s not okay,” Liam says. When my inebriated admirer refuses to budge, Liam grabs his left wrist and pins the guy’s arm behind his back.

The blond grunts loudly as he tries to free himself. When Liam twists harder, the guy drops to his knees. “All right! All right! Jeez, pal, lighten the fuck up. I didn’t know she had a boyfriend.”

Liam releases his hold on the guy’s arm and steps back toward me, keeping himself between us. The big blond clambers to his feet, cradling his wrist, and heads to the bar muttering to himself.

Liam turns to me, a scowl on his face. “Are you all right?”

I nod. I glance from Liam to all his friends standing close by. I know they heard what the blond said. “I’m sorry he called you my boyfriend. I know you’re not.” I hate that he put Liam in an awkward position.

Liam’s expression softens. “It’s okay.” He reaches for my hand as a slow song starts playing over the sound system.

More couples flock to the dance floor, including Jason and Layla.

“Would you like to dance?” Liam asks as he nods to the dance floor.

Of course I would, but I don’t want to make him even more uncomfortable in front of his friends. “We don’t have to,” I say, my gaze going from Liam to Miguel and Philip. “Not if you don’t want to.”

He tugs on my hand, drawing me closer. “Come on, let’s dance. I’d be honored.”