Quinn
“Vodka, please.” I showed the bartender my ID, knowing he would ask because I had always looked younger than I was. I’d figured Cody wouldn’t leave me alone in the bar for long, so I needed to get going on my plan. To do that without turning into a sobbing mess, I was going to need a lot of alcohol.
I downed five shots in a matter of three minutes, and then I handed the bartender Cody’s keys and pulled my hair up into a ponytail and waited for the buzz to come on. I’d put on the black pencil skirt Cody liked so much before I’d left the apartment, and after checking on the renovators that would be going 24/7 for the next two days, I’d bee-lined it to the nearest bar.
It was only six, so there weren’t many people. All of the ones I’d seen were shifters, which was problematic because shifters didn’t do casual sex. As far as I knew they didn’t even do casual flirting. That was going to make things a little more difficult, but the tipsier I got, the more confident I was that I’d figure something out.
The music was turned down low and the place clearly wasn’t a singing-and-dancing sort of bar, but that didn’t faze drunk-me at all. I stepped out into the largest open space and began swaying to the music, ignoring the stares I got from the other early bar-goers.
It wasn’t long before someone joined me on my makeshift dance floor. The man was blonde and skinny, the complete opposite of Cody, which was perfect. He grabbed my hips, clearly willing to be whatever I wanted him to be. I couldn’t see a cotie on him, but I’d be shocked if he was human in Mount Edge.
Taking his t-shirt in my fists, I grabbed his face and pulled it to mine for a long kiss. Before I’d met Cody, I would’ve called it intense. After kissing my wolf, the man may as well have been a stone statue for all the feelings I had for him.
Luckily the alcohol dulled my disappointment, and I went back to dancing. Two other guys joined us when someone turned up the music, and I shamelessly grinded my body up against theirs. We sang along to the music, and the alcohol really started to take hold on me.
One man’s hands was on my butt and another’s were making their way toward my chest when the door to the bar slammed open.
The music didn’t stop and neither did I, but everyone else in the bar turned to see who had stormed inside.
I didn’t have to turn.
Cody tore across the room to where I was. He would’ve attacked the men touching me if Logan hadn’t been there, holding him back.
“Hello, James.” I smiled seductively and used the first name that I had realized he hated.
He stared at me for a long few seconds before turning up the heat in his glare and looking the men with me square in the eyes.
“I suggest you get your hands off of my soulmate before I remove them myself.” He snarled.
The man with his hands on my backside didn’t budge, though the others were quick to step away.
“She doesn’t have a cotie, there’s no way she’s your soulmate.” The groper protested.
“Look again, Kurt.” Cody’s voice was hard and his body was even harder.
The man looked to the right side of my neck and his eyes widened in horror as he put together that I’d covered my cotie with a tattoo.
He took a clumsy step backward, which made me giggle.
Cody stepped toward the man, ready to break his arm or rip his head off or something, and I threw myself toward Logan. Logan caught me by my wrists and held my body away from his.
“We had really great chemistry.” I drawled at him, looking up at him with the best bedroom eyes I could muster. I was drunk enough that I’m sure I managed to do it fairly well despite the fact that I had zero desire to be with Logan that way again. “Dance with me.”
Cody grabbed me around the waist and pulled me away from Logan. His strong body against mine only made me more light-headed than I already felt.
“The only person you’re dancing with is me.” Cody’s voice was harsh and growly in my ear, and I loved every bit of it.
“I only dance with people who drink with me. Are you drinking with me?” I looked up at him with the same gaze I’d given Logan, the sexy one. One thing I hadn’t counted on happening was the alcohol making me more into my mountain man. Why hadn’t I thought about that?
“No, I’m not drinking with you.”
His gaze met mine, and I was suddenly feeling breathless.
“Then you don’t get to dance with me.” I stepped out of his arms, and he let me.
When I looked around the room, I noticed that everyone was staring at us.
“The next round is on me.” I announced.
The bartender looked to Cody and Logan, and I guess he probably knew the two of them. It pissed me off that he looked to them for permission for me.
“What do you have up your—“
“Drinks on her.” Cody interrupted me, grabbing me around the waist again.
I pushed his hands off me and sauntered over to the bar, where I pulled a slick black card out of the wallet I’d left on the counter.
“Do you see this?” I waved it in the air and watched his eyes widen when he saw the engraving on it. “I’m the boss here, not my growly construction worker or ex-boyfriend.”
He nodded once.
“Then I’d better get pouring.”
If I hadn’t been so drunk, I would’ve noticed the apologetic grimace he shot to said construction worker and ex.