West of Forever (Heartstone Ranch #1)(28)

I look over his shoulder and my eyes find Tristan’s. His gaze is intense, and I swear, even from this distance I can see his anger boiling.

We turn, causing me to lose the connection, and then a few seconds later I hear his voice.

“Can I cut in?”

CJ steps back, looking at Tristan, and chuckles. “Sorry, bro. You’ll have to wait.”

Tristan stares at me. “Lark?”

I nod. “Yes, that would be fine. Thank you, CJ.”

Tristan doesn’t wait another moment. He pushes between CJ and me, taking control, and then I have both hands on his chest.

There is a short stare-down between Tristan and CJ, but ultimately CJ takes the hint and leaves.

I exhale, feeling safe in the arms of a man I shouldn’t.

“Are you okay?” he asks.

“Yes.”

“You looked uncomfortable.” Tristan’s deep voice instantly sets me at ease. And that’s ridiculous.

“I’m fine,” I say quickly.

The song ends, and he walks me back over to the table where my two best friends and Jimmy are standing, staring at us with varying expressions of confusion and surprise.

“You girls should head out,” Tristan says when we get there.

Suzanne blinks, and then Mary Lou shakes her head. “We should, but we just bought another round.”

I plop down in my chair, my legs feeling like they can no longer hold my weight. Between the handsy guy and then having a fifteen-second slow dance with Tristan—I’m overloaded.

And I can feel the way his strong arms protected me. The anger in his voice at the idea of my discomfort.

Jimmy coughs a laugh. “As much as I hate to say it, I think Tristan is right. You guys are a bit tanked, and the guys here are all a bunch of assholes. Why don’t we all head out?”

“Oh, Officer Langston, we’ll only go if you promise to put us under arrest.” Suzanne lifts her wrists in front of her with more excitement than she’s shown all night.

“For what?”

She shrugs. “Public endoscopy.”

I laugh. “You mean infrequency!”

Mary Lou shakes her head. “No, no, she means illegally.”

“Isn’t that what we’re doing?” I ask, my head resting on my fist. “Being illegal.”

“Not yet,” Jimmy says with a brow raised. “How are you three getting home?”

I look to Mary Lou and Suzanne. “Aww crap.”

The two of them laugh. “We didn’t pick straws.”

Maybe we did. I think we did. I’m pretty sure I was supposed to be the sober one. “Oops, I drank.”

Mary Lou burps and then covers her mouth. “That wasn’t me.”

“It so was,” Suzanne says with a giggle and then drops her head to the table. “Ouch. That table is hard.”

Jimmy lets out a deep sigh. “I’ll drive you all home.”

“Will you cuff us first?” Suzanne again.

“What’s with you and the cuffs?”

Just then, the deep, sexy voice that haunts me says, “I’ll drive Lark. She’s on my way. Mary Lou and Suzanne are on the other side of town, where you’re heading anyway.”

Oh. No. God, this can’t be. I can’t do another car ride with Tristan—especially not drunk.









Chapter 9





Lark




Mary Lou’s eyes widen. “You’re Tristan and that’s Lark.” Then she cups her hands around her mouth but forgets to actually lower her voice. “She’s a Gatlin.”

I look up, and Tristan rolls his eyes. “I’m aware. I promise not to hurt your friend. I just saved her from that asshole who was trying to get in her pants.”

Let me die.

Just…dead. Seriously, he did not just say that.

“Better not, buddy, or I’ll kick your ass,” Mary Lou, my champion best friend, warns.

“I don’t doubt that…”

I don’t either. She’ll totally do it. She’s scary.

Jimmy looks to me. “Are you okay with that?”

“If I must,” I say and then rest my head on my arm. “I can ignore him if he doesn’t talk.”

Tristan snorts a laugh. “I promise not to say a word.”

“Good.”

Words are something I need to keep inside my head. Words will definitely get me in trouble if they’re allowed out.

Jimmy and Tristan help the three of us to our feet, and somehow we make it out the door. The three of us hug, promising to call each other tomorrow and vowing to drink water and take medicine before we pass out.

I’m drunk, but not that bad. At least I feel much more sober than I did ten minutes ago. Tristan walks me around to the passenger side of his truck and opens the door. The side rails seem awfully high. I put my foot up, but it slides off, and I giggle. “Oops.”

I try again, but my feet are not my friend.

“For fuck’s sake,” he mutters, and then his hands are around my waist and he’s manhandling me into the cab.

“Hey! I can do it!”

Maybe.

“Obviously not.”

Tristan climbs up, then pulls my seat belt across my lap and clicks it. Then the door closes, and he’s walking around the front.