by Brynne Asher
I look down at my phone. It’s Donny. He’s here, waiting for me, double parked at the front door. Just like always, he said he’d be there until I’m ready.
Reaching up, I tuck my hair behind my ear and hate that my face is probably flushed more from his touch than the heat of the crowd. When I sneak one last look, hoping for some explanation of his sudden change in demeanor, I find the same stormy, dark eyes.
Wanting nothing more than to escape, I don’t even take the time to find my friends. It’s late. I’ll send Donny back for them. Waving my cell lamely, I mutter, “My ride is here.”
I don’t want to touch him again, but have no choice since he’s standing between me and my much-needed exit. Putting my hand to his wide chest, I give the guy a decent shove and he shifts, forcing me to brush by him as I muster up all my confidence to walk with purpose.
And I do.
I walk away. It was only four fucking minutes. I know nothing about him and he hardly spoke a handful of words. Though, he did rescue Mr. Blondie from a broken nose that would have possibly meant blood all over me.
So maybe he saved me.
No. I would’ve been fine. Eli was a convenient, yet sexy, excuse to escape from an asshole and I took it. It just sucks Eli, the stranger, turned out to be an ass, too.
I push through the front doors and just like he said he would be, Donny is standing beside our black Escalade. He’s worked for my family for years and, since he’s good at his job, his eyes are on me before I even spot him. He does all kinds of things for Montgomery Industries and on the ranch for my dad. Sometimes he’s security but on nights like tonight, he’s my driver.
Right now, I’m more grateful for him than ever.
He holds the back-passenger door open for me as I hurry to him, cars trying to make their way around the double-parked SUV.
As I take his hand, climbing up into the back, he asks, “You okay, Jenny? Where’re the others?”
“I’m fine. Just too tired and too old for this. Do you mind coming back for them?”
Donny, who’s in his late forties with a full head of beautiful peppered-gray hair, smiles. “Don’t you worry. I’ll get them home safe and sound.”
I sink into the leather seat and reach for my seatbelt. My adrenaline crashing, I’m suddenly exhausted and can’t even muster a small smile for one of my favorite people. “Thanks.”
He shuts my door and, when he moves to walk around the back, my eyes dart to the sidewalk where Eli has appeared. It’s like night and day seeing him under the bright streetlight, but it doesn’t change a thing. Even though I know he can’t see me through the dark tinted windows, it feels as if he’s staring straight into my soul when he runs a hand roughly down his face before closing his eyes.
“Traffic isn’t bad. We should be at your place in less than ten minutes.” Donny slides behind the driver’s seat and I hear the turn signal as he waits to merge.
I let my manners ingrained into me by Hattie Montgomery take over but I know it sounds disingenuous since I can't take my eyes off my dance partner. “Thank you.”
As Donny pulls away, Eli throws his tattooed arm down and, even though I can’t hear it from inside the soundproof Cadillac, the last thing I see is the word fuck tumbling angrily from his lips.
The same lips that brushed my hair, my skin, and hummed into my ear on the makeshift dance floor.
Then, he’s gone.
And for someone who manages millions on a daily basis and deals with some of the shrewdest men in the industry, I find myself feeling … alone.
What the fuck?
That’s when I decide I’m never going out again.
