When he lets her go, he looks down at me. “And who do we have here? Did you two finally find a new friend?”
Gently pulling me up from my chair, he pulls me against his chest. “I’m Talon.”
Feeling a little awkward at being held by a complete stranger, yet oddly attracted to him, I look up at his face and say, “Nice to meet you. I’m Bailey.”
“Slice, I’d say it’s nice to see you again, but that would be a lie,” I hear Anna tell Talon’s friend.
Slice laughs deeply in return. “Don’t be like that, Anna.”
“Let her go, Talon,” Anna chastises, grabbing my arm and pulling me away from him. “She’s off-limits.”
“Ah, come on,” Talon grumbles. “You just made her forbidden. Do you know what that does to a man like me?”
I look at Anna. “I thought you said no bikers were going to be here tonight beside our guard?” I look toward the door. “Speaking of . . .”
Where is that guy?
“I meant no Wind Dragons,” Anna replies, nodding her head at Talon. “These guys just seem to pop up everywhere.”
My brow furrowing, I ask Talon, “You’re not a Wind Dragon?”
Talon scoffs, sitting down next to me and laying his arm on the back of my chair. “Definitely not, gorgeous.”
The men aren’t wearing any cuts, a word I’d only learned tonight, but they sure do look like bikers to me. If he isn’t a Wind Dragon, I guess he’s with a different club, or something like that.
“What the hell did you do to him?” Anna asks, glancing around the bar.
“He’s currently being distracted,” Talon replies, flashing me a wink.
“Talon, I swear to God—”
“He’s fine,” Talon interrupts. “I just wanted to see you. It’s been a while.”
Anna’s expression softens. She sits down, Slice next to her. “Yes, it has. How have you been?”
“Good,” he says, then looks at me. “Even better now.”
Anna does not look happy, her eyes narrowing and her mouth tightening. At her suddenly sober expression, I can’t help thinking that she needs another drink or two. “She’s Rake’s ex.”
Talon’s eyes widen at that, and all of a sudden, I’m feeling a little sober too. Why did she have to bring up his name?
“Well, if she has such bad taste in men, I’m sure I’m right up her alley,” he says, lips twitching.
Slice chuckles at that, sending an amused look in my direction. “Ain’t that the truth.”
I hold up my hand. “In my defense, it was years ago. I like to think I’ve grown since then.”
“All is fair in sex and pussy,” Slice adds, then sends a flirty look in Lana’s direction.
“Tracker will murder you,” Anna grumbles, crossing her arms over her chest. “No, he’s going to murder me, and so is my brother and my man when they find out how tonight turned out.”
I gape. “You said Rake wouldn’t find out!”
She cringes, then tries to play if off by waving her hand in the air. “It will be fine. I can handle my brother.”
I open my mouth and then close it. It is what it is. “If shit is going to start over this, we might as well go out with a bang.”
When Talon murmurs his approval, I narrow my gaze on him. “Not that kind of a bang. Drinks and dancing maybe. Either of you two up for some karaoke?”
Slice looks like I’ve offended him with just the thought, but Talon throws his head back and laughs. “I like you, Bailey. I’ll tell you what. One kiss and then I’ll sing any duet you want.”
Unconsciously, my eyes lower to his delicious-looking, full lips.
He’s handsome, yes, but I feel nothing.
Why do I feel nothing?
Am I broken?
When was the last time I had a proper kiss? A consuming, melting, mouthwatering, panty-wetting kiss? The sad thing is, the last person to kiss me like that was Adam.
Fuck it.
“Deal,” I blurt out.
Four pairs of eyes, suddenly all on me.
“What?” I say, shrugging my shoulders. “He’s cute.”
“So are you,” Talon rasps, his tone making me look at him. He licks his bottom lip, his eyes smoldering. “Come here.”
“How about you come here?” I say in a sultry voice I didn’t know I possessed.
Talon grins, eyes heated, and comes closer.
“Bailey!” I hear Anna growl over Slice’s laughter and Lana’s soft “Uhh, Bailey?”
I ignore them all.
If I want a kiss, then I’m going to get one. I’ll let future me worry about any possible consequences. When Talon grabs my face in his large warm hands and slants his lips on mine, I block everything else out.
Everything except his lips.
His spicy scent.
His tongue.
Yeah, it’s a good kiss.
Great, even.
But it’s not an Adam kiss.
Not for the first time, I think that maybe the man has broken me. Ruined me for any other. Determined not to let the bastard win, I deepen the kiss with Talon and let my hands wander over his muscled back. He makes a deep growling sound, which brings me back to reality, reminding me that people are indeed watching us make out right now.
Then I hear a familiar voice, and I just know I’m now in deep shit.
And I’ve brought everyone down with me.