The Outlaw

04

F O U R

Once I got to the bar, Oliver and Scarlett appeared to be bickering... again. I looked over their heads, my eyes locking with Cameron worriedly. He rolled his eyes annoyed, which had me stifling my laugh. Oliver and Scarlett were the equivalent to an old married couple and it was amusing as hell to watch.

"Why don't you go tell that to someone who cares?" Scarlett was saying, flicking her hand dismissingly, the disdain dripping in her voice. "I'm sure Jess would love to hear all about it."

"My God, woman, I thought we were over this. Jess is just a classmate." Oliver exasperated.

But my best friend was like a dog with a bone—once she got a hold of it, she couldn't let it go. "Please," Scarlett scoffed. "We all know how much you love redheads."

If Ollie were a cartoon right now, you'd be able to see the smoke coming out of his ears at this point. Even though he was scowling, his face fell a little with disappointment and his voice softened. "Yeah, on you, Scar, not anyone else,"

I knew she couldn't argue to that, so I turned away. Cameron slid my drink down the bar for me and I knocked it back within the next second.

"You're beautiful." Someone said in my ear. I turned, eyes locking with the stranger. With dusty blonde hair and hue brown eyes, he appeared vaguely familiar as someone I've seen in and around college.

I flashed him a smile, "Thanks. You're not too bad yourself."

"Can I buy you a drink?" He asked, and I pointedly looked at the one I'd sucked down. Chuckling, he said, "Or reimburse you for that one?"

I smiled wryly. "I'm good, thanks,"

Placing his forearm on the bar, he leaned into it, crossing his ankles and grinned good-naturedly. "How about a dance instead?"

I studied him, my gaze running down to his feet, admiring how his slim-build cut out in the white V-neck T-shirt he wore, and the way his jeans accentuated his lean hips. His crooked smile told me he caught it.

I shrugged casually. "Sure, why not? What's your name?"

"Craig." He held out his hand which I gladly took.

"Maddie. It's nice to meet you."

Kissing the back of my hand, he led the way into the mass of writhing bodies. I had to laugh at his gesture that contrasted with the perimeter of aggressive men we were surrounded by, amped up on testosterone.

"The pleasure's all mine, Maddie." He winked.

Craig, I'd learned, knew how to move, I had to give him that. Twirling me around, he aligned my body perfectly with his, his large hands on my hips and swayed with just the right speed. Eventually, his hands roamed restlessly but never dipped into dangerous territory, which I gave him brownie points for, considering the dress I'd worn left little to imagination.

Lowering his neck into my collarbone, Craig rasped, "I might just take you home with me tonight."

I smiled, turning around just as I heard the voice that made my toes curl, and heat rush down south with one word.

"Back off, this one's already taken."

Craig surrendered his hands, backing away as Travis gripped my elbow. "My bad, Trav. I didn't know she was your girl."

Ready to deny that assumption, Travis had other plans as he dragged me back to the bar, settling on a stool, indicating with the tip of his head to take the one next to him.