Slider by Stacy Borel Read Free Book Online Page B

GDFR was playing entirely too loud and sweaty bodies were bumping into mine. I didn’t mind though. I was in my own little world. The heat and the alcohol burning in my veins made for a concoction that had me swaying my hips. I felt amazing. And damn it if Macie didn’t do good when she made me change into this dress. I was feeling sexy and confident.
    “Keep it up, Annabelle, and I’ll be taking you out of here and somewhere more private where not every male eye is on you,” a deep voice near my ear hissed.
    Twisting around to see who it was, I was slightly unbalanced. A strong hand gripped my upper arm and prevented me from falling over. Turner was gazing down at me with heat in his eyes. Those baby blues looked straight down at my exposed chest. Honestly, I’d lost track of where Turner was in the crowd and was only concerned with feeling good in the moment. Seeing him this close, and feeling him touching me startled me.
    “Excuse me?” I tried to sound stern but it just came out breathy.
    He clenched his jaw and his eyes roamed my barely covered body. “You heard me. You’ve only had two drinks since you’ve been here. Did you drink before you came?”
    I jerked my head back and tried to regain my footing so I wasn’t leaning into his hand. “No. And how do you know I’ve had two drinks? You only sent me one.”
    “I saw when you came in.”
    “Really?” I said with mild irritation.
    “Yes.”
    Hmmm, what does one say to that? I was slightly overjoyed that he noticed when I came in. With all the attention he’d been getting it’s a wonder he even saw past the swarm of . . . what did Macie call them? Oh yes, flies.
    I pulled my arm out of his hand and stood as tall as I could. “Well, thank you for your concern, but I’m fine. Just enjoying the music.”
    He narrowed his eyes at me. “I can see that.”
    “Is that a problem?”
    “It is when you’re dre . . .” Turner wasn’t able to finish his sentence before a blonde with long wild curls stepped in front of me as if I wasn’t standing there.
    “Hey there, handsome. What’s a guy like you doing all alone?”
    He looked at her as if she was a nuisance he would shoo away. “Actually, I wasn’t alone.”
    She smiled up him with wonder in her eyes. Turner was apparently the answer to her loneliness for the night. Did she even hear what he just said? By the way she was inching closer, I’d say no. It didn’t take long before another blonde approached but didn’t say anything. I didn’t understand how these women couldn’t read his expressions. His face was puckered, like he’d just bit into a sour lemon.
    Lifting her glass, the presumptuous one said, “I’m running a little low. Mind buying both of us a drink?”
    My mouth dropped open. Turner gave her a slight head shake. “Nah, I’m good thanks.”
    Well, at least he was being polite.
    “Awe, c’mon. Maybe it’ll loosen you up enough to dance.”
    “I don’t dance.”
    The one who’d remained quiet up until this point piped in, “Everybody dances with enough liquid courage.” Her smile looked like it came straight from a temptress in hell.
    He wasn’t backing down. “Not happening.”
    Poking my head around the mess of curls from the first woman, their temporary distraction gave me enough time to absorb the sheer beauty of Turner. Standing this close, he had the most perfect shadowing of facial hair I’d ever seen. It was a darker color which complimented the sandy blonde hair he’d styled. Closing my eyes for a brief moment, I swear I could smell him. It was something I’d never smelled before. Definitely some sort of aftershave, which was weird because he clearly hadn’t shaved, but not a cologne my nose was recognizing.
    Interesting.
    “Run along girls, he’s not interested,” I stated in an overly bold manner, getting them to realize I was there.
    One with wild curls turned and sneered at me. “Excuse me?”
    “You heard me.” I was never one to cause a scene,