Page 101 of One More Time

He snorts a laugh and then shrugs. “Can I buy you a drink?”

I don’t want another drink. The one currently sitting in my stomach is making me nauseous.

“No thanks.”

He nods and then when the person next to him moves, he slips into their seat and folds his hands across the bar top. I take in his cut-off flannel shirt, exposing his muscular arms, and the tattoo of the American flag on his bicep.

Yep. Know his type real well.

“You wanna talk about it?” he asks, and I shake my head. “I’m a good listener.”

“I don’t, but thanks.”

He nods and then opens his mouth to speak again when a familiar presence moves in the crowd. It’s almost like I’m drawn to it.

My head swivels on my neck, and I see Alec by the door, his face almost luminescent in the lights. He looks so damn good, so hot with those tight-fitting jeans and that skin-tight shirt.

And the worst part is that he’s here with Killian, who is looking far too pretty for his own good.

“Oh shit,” I murmur, and the man near me turns to see what I’m staring at.

“What’s wrong?”

“He’s here,” I say and then try to hide behind the man as he cranes his neck to see. Not that he has any idea what he should be looking for, but he seems a little like a nosy fucker.

“Oh god, don’t let him see me,” I say and then nearly sink to my knees when Alec’s gaze snags on mine. His movements stop, and his mouth falls open.

I realize now that I’m leaning into this stranger and he’s nearly holding me up. He smells like sandalwood, manly, too unfamiliar. I hate it.

God, I didn’t mean to lean into him like this, but I’ve lost the ability to control my muscles. I’m just a limp noodle, flopping all around.

“Oh my god,” I say when Alec’s gaze shifts to the man I’m draped across. His jaw tightens, his shoulders suddenly rigid, and then he’s moving toward me, leaving Killian to scramble after him.

“Oh, that angry dude,” the man says. “Am I going to be punched in the face?”

I don’t know, but the way Alec’s hands are fisted, it’s possible.

Suddenly, Alec comes to a stop before the two of us, and his eyes flash, angry, hurt,sad.

“Jude,” he murmurs and then his gaze swivels to the man I’m still leaning against. Someone will need to pry me off of him. I’ve become like static cling. I can’t seem to move.

“Ah, hey man,” the man says, extending his hand. “I’m Billy.”

Alec ignores him and then turns to look at me, “Jude.”

I nod, my cheek dragging against Billy’s shoulder. It’s a strong shoulder and completely and totally the wrong one. I don’t want Billy’s shoulders. I just want Alec’s.

“Fuck this,” Alec says and then reaches out and pulls me against him. I flop onto him like a dead fish and cling, almost sobbing at how good he feels against me. How strong and sure and right, when I feel nothing of the kind.

I’m all off-kilter. I’m adrift.

“Jude,” he says when I continue to hold on to him, my fingers digging into his shoulders. “Jude.”

His face nuzzles mine, and I sigh into it, needing to feel this reassurance. That he didn’t come here to find someone else. That he’s here to be with me.

“Why are you here?” I manage to ask, and Alec pulls me farther into the crowd, leaving Billy and Killian behind.

“Killian wanted to cheer me up since you haven’t gotten back to me.”