Page 44

I licked my lips.

As Colton watched my tongue travel along the seam of my mouth, his body stiffened. I felt all of my nerve endings tingle as he stepped closer. His body brushed mine. Warm. Strong. Pleasant smelling. Safe, even if he had just unleashed a bit of a temper that I hadn’t realized existed within the levelheaded police officer.

I’d made my promises, plenty of them about not getting tangled up with anyone in Dreadwood Falls. And I’d made goddamn oaths to myself about not going near Colton, let alone sleeping with him.

But I didn’t keep promises. I often broke oaths. And I was ready to ride Colton like I won him at the fucking fair.

When he leaned forward, I did too, whiskey making me horny and stupid.

“Keys,” he whispered, lips almost brushing mine.

I blinked, swaying as I backpedaled so I could frown at him. “What?” The word came out much louder than intended.

“Keys.” He held his hand out, palm up. “No way you’re driving right now. You’re drunk.”

I crossed my arms over my chest, to hide my pebbled nipples and to convey my ire. Most of it I felt toward myself. Had I really been about to kiss Colton Hughes?

What was I? Sixteen and buzzed off wine coolers?

“I can drive drunk better than most idiots can do on three cups of coffee,” I scoffed.

“You almost tripped twice while walking out of the bar.” Colton scrubbed a hand down his face. He was clearly not amused, nor attracted to me at that moment.

“Good thing I’m planning on driving and not walking,” I clapped back. “And if you’ll remember, I managed to take down that asshole without tripping.”

“I’m a fucking deputy chief, Hadley,” Colton sighed. “I legally can’t allow you to drive while inebriated.”

“Oh, so you follow the letter of the law,” I chuckled.

“Yeah, I do,” he answered matter-of-factly. “Especially when it prevents you from possibly wrapping yourself around a lamppost, or worse, killing someone else with your poor choices.”

My body flinched at the bitterness in his tone and the truth to it. I had driven drunk plenty. And I was good at it. I’d never cared much about killing myself, but killing someone innocent? Yeah, that was something even I couldn’t justify.

“Keys.” Colton extended his palm again.

“I’ll walk, then.” No way was I driving with Colton anywhere near me.

“It’s almost midnight, and it’s a two-mile walk.” He massaged his temples.

“I skipped my cardio today,” I told him. “And I’m not scared of the dark.”

Colton sighed. “Give me your fucking keys and let me drive you home.”

“You were drinking too, oh, noble one.” I almost fell over while rubbing my knee, now aching from being smashed into the wall. Twice.

“I switched to water three hours ago,” he countered.

“Why in the fresh fuck were you at a bar, drinking water?” I gaped at him. “That’s like going to a strip club for lunch. Though they can have some good chicken wings.”

The door to the bar opened and closed, Chip’s loud friends jeering and laughing as he limped over to them.

Colton pressed the heels of his palms into his eyes. “I stayed because you seem to have a habit of getting in trouble. You were hustling two patched members of a motorcycle club who don’t take kindly to being beaten by a woman. Yet here I am, surprised that it was the idiot who tried to assault you.”

I rolled my eyes. “So you were under the mistaken impression that you needed to protect me. And those motorcycle men would take even less kindly getting their ass kicked by a woman. Which I would’ve done. Kicked their asses.” I punctuated this on a slight hiccup, weakening my case.

“Just give me the fucking keys, Hadley. You’re not driving, you’re not walking.”

“How will you get home if you drive me?” I jabbed at his chest, hurting my finger more than him. “Because no matter how drunk I am, I’m not letting you come home with me. Though I may look it, I’m not an easy lay.”