Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

MELODY

We made our way into the next bar, and we quickly ordered our drinks. A Sidecar Bourbon for me and Alyssa, and a Maple Bourbon Smash for Elena. We sat at a booth, and I looked at the time. It was already 11:00 pm. “One hour til the new year, ladies.”

We clinked our glasses and took a sip.

Elena tucked a hair behind her ear and looked at me sheepishly. “Don’t look now, but hot biker guy just walked in.” Alyssa bumps my shoulder. “Wait! Is that who I think it is?”

I spun my head to look.

“I said don’t look.”

“That just makes me look.”

I was watching Aiden Mills as he took a seat at the bar with another guy. A waitress marched over to us with a round of bourbon shots on a tray she carried. “From the gentleman over there.”

He raised his glass to us, and we all did the shot.

“Looks like Melody has an admirer,” Elena said. “That guy looks like Aiden Mills from Royal Whiskey.”

“It is,” Alyssa confirmed.

I swallowed a hard lump and suddenly felt self-conscious.

“We met yesterday,” I told Elena the story of how we met.

“Well, go say hi,” she ushered.

“No.”

Alyssa glared at me.

“God. Fine.”

Removing myself from the booth we were sitting at, I straightened my dress and walked toward him.

“What are you doing here?”

He looked at me from head to toe and back down to my cleavage.

“Eyes up here, buddy.”

“Last I checked, this was a free country, and I can go anywhere I please.”

I huffed. “You are so infuriating.”

“The feeling is mutual, sugar.”

“Sugar? The name is Melody.”

“Well, why don’t you start by saying hi and not asking why we are here. It’s New Year’s Eve, we wanted to come out and enjoy the night. You got any plans tonight?” He offered a wicked smirk.

“I do have plans. It’s called celebrating the holiday with my friends. Have you learned how to drive a car yet?”

“Funny.” He looked back up, seeing my tiara that I forgot I was wearing. He ordered another round of drinks from the bartender and handed me one. “Happy birthday.”

My heart did somersaults in my chest. The guy had one hell of a deep voice on him that matched his stature.

“Thanks.” I turned on my heel and headed back to the booth where Elena and Alyssa were staring in my direction. They quickly turned away when they saw me walking toward them.

“What did he say?” Alyssa asked as I slid into the booth next to her.

“Nothing important. I asked why he was here, and he said it was a free country. He’s infuriating.”

“Well, he hasn’t stopped watching you since you came back,” Elena said wiggling her eyebrows.

“Someone might be getting laid tonight after all,” Alyssa teased.

I blinked a few times. “I’m not sleeping with him. He can have any woman he wants. And I’m sure he has had his share of them too. I would never jump into bed with him even if I did have a chance.” For the record, I knew full well that he was not interested in me.

“Come on, let’s dance.” Elena pulled me out of the booth, with Alyssa following suit.

I did my best to keep my eyes from roaming over to Aiden, and I tried not to think about him watching me because that made me freak out on the inside.

We danced to the rhythm of the music as I got lost in the song that was playing, and with the booze finally hitting me, I was feeling good.

I didn’t see it coming, but I was shocked by the hands that took hold of my face and the kiss that was planted on my lips.

It was Aiden…fucking…Mills.

Kissing me.

When he pulled away, he smiled and said, “Let’s get out of here.” He quickly took my hand and faced my friends. “Ladies, if you will excuse us.”

They giggled when he lifted me over his shoulder. I hoped and prayed my ass wasn’t showing.

“I’m gonna teach this bad girl a lesson is not hitting the kill switch.”

I heard Alyssa say, “My job here is done.”

“Hey!” I yelled to her as he carried me out.

“Put me down right now!” I said as the cool night air hit me. He sat me down on my feet and pushed my hair back with his fingertips. I knew I should protest more, insist on going back in with my friends and finishing our night.

But what the hell. Might as well see where this night takes us.

“Safety first.” He handed me a helmet. I put it on and latched it under my chin.

“You do this with all the ladies?” I asked.

“For some reason, just you, Melody.”

Why did I like the sound of my name on his lips?

“Where are we going?” I asked.

“You’ll see,” he called over his shoulder.

It was a short ride as he pulled into a fancy residential house that had large windows all around it.

He balanced the bike, and I hopped off, pulling my helmet off.

“Where are we?”

“This is where we are staying.”

“We?” I question.

“The band.”

“Oh. Well, I am not sleeping with you, so you probably just wasted your time bringing me here.”

“Just come on,” he said with his cocky grin.

He took my hand in his and began to lead us to the house. I swallowed a hard lump and tried to calm my fast-beating heart. I wasn’t sure who I kidding, him or me.