Chapter 13
DEX DIDN’T THINK as he launched himself onto the man’s back, slipping his arm around his neck in a choke hold. He’d seen Allie’s look of terror and lost all reason, jerking back hard as the guy clawed at his arm. The biker outweighed him by a good fifty pounds, but as Dex felt him start to go limp, he tossed him away from Allie as if he weighed nothing.
Then Dex was on him, throwing his fists until someone jerked him off the guy. Dex took in the blood oozing from Baldy’s nose and lips, and his muscles relaxed.
“I’m okay, I’m fine.”
Hunter released him and faced him with a look of rage. “What the hell were you thinking? The cops are on their way here and you’re hammered. You can’t drive—”
“I’ll take him home,” Allie said softly.
Dex glanced her way as Hunter tried to argue. “You don’t have to do that.”
“We’re going to the same place. It’s not as if I’m going out of my way or anything.”
They were all standing around, talking about Dex as if he weren’t there, and it was starting to piss him off.
Hunter nodded. “Okay, thanks. Dex, give Allie your keys.”
Dex fished out his keys and handed them to Allie. Unfortunately, he didn’t have time to turn away before Hunter stepped into her, gave her a kiss on the cheek, and said, “Sorry for the way our date ended.”
“It’s all right. I had fun until about ten minutes ago.”
“So, you’re saying getting into a bar fight wasn’t on your bucket list?” Hunter asked jokingly.
“Yeah, not so much.”
Hunter took Allie’s hand, threading his fingers with hers. “Next time, we’ll just stick to the fun.”
Jealousy churned in Dex’s stomach. He’d had enough. “If we’re going, can we get a move on? I don’t really want to spend the night in a cell with these two dickheads.”
Both Allie and Hunter shot him a dirty look, but he was beyond caring. His head, his face, and his back … every part of him hurt and the room was starting to spin. The last thing he wanted to do was pass out at the Grizzly.
Finally, Allie released Hunter’s hand and stepped forward, putting her arm around Dex’s waist. “Come on.”
Dex wrapped his arm around her shoulder and leaned on her a little more than he needed to.
Hunter roughly helped the bikers to their feet. He was already pissed about not being able to take Allie home, and now he was stuck here, cleaning up Dex’s mess.
Come on, the last thing Dex needs is an assault charge on his record. Allie taking him home was the best option.
Still, Dex hadn’t deserved the help tonight. He’d been an asshole this morning and in the hour before the fight broke out. For a moment or two, Hunter had gotten the feeling he was jealous of Hunter being out with Allie.
Trying to push his suspicions aside, Hunter stared into one of the burly biker’s dark eyes.
“I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that your records aren’t so clean that you can afford another run-in with the cops, so I’m giving you a chance. You can leave town now, no hard feelings, but if you stick around—”
“We’re gone,” one of the bikers said, shooting his buddies a warning glance. The guy who’d started it with Dex didn’t look happy about it, but wasn’t going to be stupid.
Once the bikers were out of the bar, Hunter handed Penny Dex’s wallet. “This is Dex’s. Whatever cash you find, give it to the owner. Dex will come in and work it out for the rest.”
“And what about the other damages? Those men caused some, and so did you. Is Dex supposed to get stuck with the whole thing?” Penny asked.
Why is Penny being so hostile?
For some reason, Hunter was furious enough at Dex to almost say yes, but he didn’t. “No, I’ll settle my part of the damages, too.”
“Fine.” Penny set the bat down on the bar and grabbed the broom. When she tossed it at him, he caught it in midair. “Then you can start now by helping me clean up this mess.”
Allie parked Dex’s truck in front of his place, ready to tell him to get out. He hadn’t said a word to her the entire drive, which had left her alone with her thoughts and a roller-coaster of emotion.
I was just in a bar fight. A man came at me and Dex stopped him.
Allie opened her door and glanced over at Dex. A bruise was already discoloring his cheek, and the cuts and scrapes across his knuckles were probably going to be sore tomorrow. He looked so peaceful and beautiful despite his injuries. His lips, which had escaped unscathed … she was tempted to lean over and wake him up with a kiss.
Of gratitude, of course. For protecting her.
She needed to stop thinking like that. It was insane. The man was drunk as a skunk and beat up. She needed him to get moving, because there was no way she was going to carry him inside.
“Dex, wake up.”
He snorted.
After she got out and went around to the passenger side, she pulled his door open and leaned in. Giving his shoulder a gentle shake, she hissed, “Dex, come on, you’re gonna have to walk.”
Grabbing his arm and putting it around her shoulder, she grunted as she tried to lift him out of the car.
“What are you trying to do, rip my arm off?” Dex mumbled.
“Yes, that is exactly what I’m trying to do, you idiot. I need your help. I can’t carry you inside, so you’re gonna have to stand up and walk.”
“Whoa, why so snippy?” Dex stood up and leaned so hard against her she nearly stumbled.
“Will you at least try to walk straight? You’re a lot bigger than me, and if you don’t stop swaying, we’re both going down.”
They paused at the door, and while Allie searched through his key ring for the house key, she felt his breath rustle the top of her hair. “Is that an invitation?”
As his meaning sunk in, her head flew up and both of them cried out when her temple connected with his chin.
“Ow. No, that was not an invitation, you pervert.”
“Why am I a pervert? You say something like that, what am I supposed to think?”
Finally, she found a key that worked. “I was trying to find this so I could get you inside instead of leaving you on your porch.”
The man actually pouted at her. “You’re cranky.”
Allie counted to five, trying to find her patience. As she unlocked the door, both of Dex’s arms wrapped around her shoulders from behind and he leaned against her, his face buried in her hair. Her skin tingled at his proximity, and she told herself she didn’t like it—loathed it, actually—but she couldn’t deny that the feel of Dex’s hard, lean body pressed against her back made her heart skip with excitement.
“You smell so good. Why do you have to smell so good?”
God, he was practically moaning against the back of her neck, and her hands began to tremble.
“I guess I could try not bathing,” she said, trying to lighten the mood.
“Hmm, but you’d still be you.”
What the hell did that mean?
Bluebell bellowed. Allie shuffled across the living room, Dex still hanging on to her.
“Where’s your bedroom?”
“End of the hallway.” His speech was really beginning to slur and Allie, afraid he was going to pass out on her, picked up the pace. Opening his bedroom door, she angled him toward the bed and loosened his arms.
“Here you go, big guy.”
Dex flopped across the bed, the back of his head hitting the pillow with a groan. Allie lifted first one foot and then the other, untying his boots and dropping them to the floor. Then she placed his feet on the bed and moved up, trying to get him to lie straight.
While she leaned over him, his hand shot up, cupping the back of her neck. Before she could make a sound, he’d brought her down and his soft, full lips met hers, moving coaxingly. Her mouth parted instinctively. The kiss was over too fast for her to fully process it, but as he flopped back on the bed, he mumbled something.
“What is it, Dex?” God, why did her voice have to sound so husky?
Louder, this time, she heard him. “You taste better.”
Better? Better than what?
But before she could ask him, he let out a deep snore.