Page 216 of Daddy's Pride
I sighed, shoving my phone back in my pocket, then spinning my empty glass in my hands. I didn’t really think the guys would mind if I left since they were all otherwise occupied, but springing for an Uber all on my own instead of splitting it four ways felt irresponsible.
Before I could weigh the pros and cons, someone spun me around on the barstool.
“Owen! My man!” Tyler, one of my roommates, shouted in my face. “You’re still sittin’ over here?”
“Um, yes?” I said as he threw an arm around me, leaning against me so heavily that he almost knocked me right off the stool.
I shoved him off, and he grinned at me, swaying a little. “You’re never gonna get laid if you don’t get out there. If you don’t wanna dance, at least come mingle!”
I shook my head a little frantically. “No, thank you.”
He snort-laughed like I’d just said the funniest thing, then grabbed my arm, yanking me off the stool. “Come on, brother! I’ll find you someone hot.”
“Oh, um, I don’t think I’m actually ready to sleep with anyone new yet,” I said, pulling away from him in a bit of a panic.
He stumbled, then caught himself by grabbing my face in both his hands, squishing my cheeks together the way my late grandmother used to.
“Ty-wer?” I asked.
He stared at me drunk-solemnly. “You gotta get over her, man.”
“Who, Hannah?”
“Yes, Hannah!” he shouted, thankfully releasing my face so he could flail his hands around dramatically. “You gotta get back out there, O! That’s why you’re here tonight! She dumped your ass! Block her number and move on!”
I blinked. “I don’t think I really need to block her, though? I mean, we haven’t really been in touch since we broke up.”
He gave me a disappointed look, shaking his head. Then he grabbed my ass.
“Tyler!” I snapped, swatting at him before I realized he was just stealing my phone.
He waved it in my face. “Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt, my man. I saw you.”
“You saw me what?”
Tyler flung an arm out—thankfully not the one holding my phone—and pointed toward the other side of the bar. “I was right over there, getting my flirt on with this badass domin… domo… domino… you know, chick dressed in leather who looked like she’d get off on spanking me, and I saw you. Hannah messaged you.” He shook my phone at me. “I saw this light up. Then you read her message and got all constipated-looking.”
“Oh, that wasn’t—” I started, about to explain that it hadn’t been Hannah.
Tyler cut me off before I could.
“Block that bitch, O,” he said, grabbing my cheeks again. “Seriously, she doesn’t deserve you.”
“Um, thanks?”
Even though he was wrong about me needing to block Hannah, it still made me feel kind of warm and fuzzy inside that he cared… unless that warm, fuzzy feeling was from the drinks?
Drinking the second one so fast definitely had me swaying on my feet.
“No prob,” Tyler said, clapping me on the shoulder with a grin. “I’ve got your back.” Then he waved my phone in front of my face again. “Unlock it for me.”
I pushed his hand away before he took out my eye. “What? Why?”
Tyler leaned in, his alcohol-scented breath wafting over me. “Unlock your phone,” he enunciated carefully. “And I’ll do you a solid. Told you, O. I’ve got your back.”
“Um, okay?” I was still confused, but maybe it would just be easier to go along with it.
I steadied his hand, then let the phone scan my face.