Choosing how to love.

Don't drink it!

"You are serious?" She held her breath, a slight bit of fear in her eyes. "Dead serious." "Oh." She quit fighting him and he felt her shake. He instinctively pulled her closer, to...protect her. Protect her? What the hell?

"What do I do?" "I have no idea." He whispered and found himself running his hand down her arm to comfort her. "Wait, I don't even know you." She stepped back and glared at him.

"Right. Sorry. My name is Holton. Look, I am not interested in anything with you, I promise, but I could not let you drink that and end up...with whatever motive that guy had." She stared up at him, her eyes large and wild with fear.

"OH GOD LACY! What if Jacob drugged her?" Maddy's panic was clear. "Ok, slow down." He thought for a minute. "What's your friend's name?" "Lacy." "Ok, go to the bathroom, straight there, do not stop for anyone, and wait. I will get her." He told her and she nodded, then turned and almost ran to the bathroom.

He walked right over to the table and Lacy looked at him with concern. "Lacy, I apologize, but Maddy seems to be a little ill and would like you to go to the restroom." "Is she sick?" She grabbed her stuff off the table as quickly as she could.

"Yes. She said too many shots. Gentleman, she said to wait here, and they will be back." He nodded, and it took everything in him not to snap and beat the stupid grin off the blonds smug face.

Lacy took off to the bathroom, but he caught her by the arm, right outside the door. "Lacy, tell her I will have a cab outside waiting. Do you still have an open tab?" "Cab? What? Why? And yes." "She will explain. I will take care of your tab. Go." He nodded and she gave him a look, then agreed. She was much easier to convince.

He watched her disappear, then called a cab company and had them send two cars before finding her waitress and paying her tab and collecting up her credit card. This was not how he saw this evening going, but he knew he had to protect her.

MADDY

"What do you mean he put something in your drink? How can that guy be sure?" Lacy was clearly upset as Maddy tried to explain. "He said he saw him. When we were laughing and Scott's hand was behind my back, which it was, he dropped something in my glass. I can't be sure, but I can't be unsure either." Her insides were shaking.

"They seemed like nice guys Maddy. And they have been with us all night, why would he do something like that now?" "I have no idea." "I don't think either of them would do something like that." Lacy looked back at the door.

"Me either, but what does this Holton guy have to gain? I mean he didn't try to hit on me, and if he is telling the truth, which I think he might be, I could have..." Fear gripped Maddy as her mind played out all the things that could have happened.

"Let's just go home. Please." She pleaded to Lacy. "Sure. Of course. I think we have everything." "I have to settle our tab." Maddy exhaled. "The new guy said he would." "I need my credit card." "Ok, I will get it." Lacy offered a small smile.

"Did you give Scott your number?" "No, not yet. Did you give Jacob yours?" "Yes." She looked ill, but Maddy just took a deep breath. "Oh. What if Jacob was going to do it to you too?" Maddy shivered again.

"He won't. Besides, we can deal with it later. Your new friend said he was calling us a cab, so lets just get out of here." "Ok." Maddy gave Lacy a tight hug and tried not to cry. How could this be happening? She knew this entire night, and Scott, were too good to be true. Her luck in men just kept getting worse.

"Hey, we don't even know if it is true." Lacy patted her back and it did little to comfort her as she thought about all the things that could have happened to her tonight. He could have done things to her and then killed her.

Before she could go full blown panic attack though, she heard a husky voice gently call her name and it brought a little comfort knowing it was her savior.

HOLTON

"Maddy, it's Holton, your ride is here." He called in from the doorway of the bathroom. "Ok." He heard her sniffle, and realized she was crying, which bothered him. More than it should, but he had to get her out of here, and then deal with the two morons at the table.

When she appeared in the doorway, he wanted to reach out, to hold her, to tell her it was alright, but he would never do that. It was not his style, and he was not looking for another problem, which doing that would surely bring.

"Holton, right?" She looked up at him, those hazel eyes staring right into his soul. "Yes." He nodded. "Thank you. I am not sure how you happened to see it, but thank you." She walked into his arms to hug him, and he wrapped her up instinctively.

She felt so good there. Like she fit, and it made his back stiffen. He started to let go, but when he inhaled, she smelled like lilies and honey, and spring. Yes, spring, like new flowers and...what the hell was he thinking. Who cared what she smelled like? He let her go immediately.

"Your cab is outside. It is taken care of, just go straight home. Here is your credit card and my business card. My cell is on there if you have any problems, please, give me a call." He held out the cards and got a small smile in return.

"Thank you." She took the cards and stuffed them in her pocket, not even looking at them. "What about Scott?" She looked up at him. "I have already talked with the bartender, and unless we involved the police, there is not much we can do. It is your choice." His words were harder than he expected, but he caught her eyes, hoping she would not think he was being rude.

Again, he got a soft smile, and he liked it.

MADDY

"What if you are wrong?" She hated to ask. "What if I am not?" His face was stone solid and he could almost feel his unease, which made her heartrate quicken. He was right. She just knew it.

"Ok. I think we should just go to be safe." She turned to Lacy. "Yes. I agree." Lacy took her hand and the three of them walked towards the front door. Her heartbeat was so loud in her ears, that she did not even notice the loud bar music.

All she could think of was how badly this night could have turned out. And as they walked out the front door, she glanced over her shoulder and saw Scott, making her shiver again. But then a a hand touched the small of her back and warmth spread through her. Holton. She dropped her head and walked to the waiting cab in disgust.

An arm came over her shoulder as Holton reached for the door. "Ladies. Please be safe. If you need anything at all, please call me." His voice was deep as he looked right at her, and she felt it all the way through her body.

"Thank you, Holton. I am not sure why you helped me, but thank you." She stretched up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. "You are not such a creep after all." Her cheeks were warm with the thought and his eyes lingered on hers as she bit her lips.

"I appreciate that." He whispered. And with a final look into those dark eyes, she got in the cab, as he shut the door and patted the cab roof to get it to go.

As she watched him disappear, her heart gave a little flutter. He was still standing there, watching them go, and with a single fleeting thought, she wished she would have gotten to know him a little bit.