The Right Side of Tanner (Available through the end of Feb. 2025)

Chapter 39

Tanner

We won the game! We now have a shot at the championship. And on top of that, my girl got her job back, and Max got what he deserved.

Things are going fantastic. Everyone is feeding off of the joyous energy in the bar. People are drinking, laughing, and celebrating. My girl got her smile back. She looks beautiful- weightless even- as she glides across the bar chatting with people, congratulating the team. She is beaming, and she is walking right toward me.

She, Lindsey, and her friend Mel pull Chase, Liam, myself, and the other guys out to the dancefloor. The atmosphere is terrific; even Val and Jenna D. are playing nice with everyone.

Jenna is dancing with the girls in the middle of the dance floor, and the rest of us are scattered around them. That's when I notice the new guy, Ben, trying to join the girls in the middle of the crowd. I see he's drunker than he should be, and he's starting to get bold. He gets a little too close and handsy with Jenna for my liking- grabbing her hips and running his hands down her arms. Before she has a chance to react, I pull him back to one of the tables forcefully. It's a miracle I didn't knock his ass out.

No one puts their hands on her- no one but me.

Ben is trashed. "Heyyyy, man! What the hell? I waz tryna hav summ fun. You git that, right? Mizter playboyyy." He waggles a finger in my face.

He's trashed, Tanner. Let it go.

I try to keep calm. "You can't go around grabbing her like that! Hands to yourself, newbie!"

He looks at me through glassy eyes. "Whyyy? You got dibbbz er sumthin?"

I glare at him, trying not to lose my shit. I should be out on the dancefloor with my girl, not here babysitting this drunk asshole.

Ben just smiles at me, then looks back out to the center of the crowd- right at Jenna. "Mmmmm. Sheee'z a smoke show, hmmm. Wat I wudn't do to that."

Don't do it. Don't hit him. He's drunk.

I clench and unclench my fists a few times before looking out to the dancefloor. Jenna catches my eye and smiles; I smile back. When she looks away, I turn back to Ben. I grab his face and point it toward Jenna. "You see her?"

Ben nods. "You. Don't. Fucking. Touch. Her. Got it?" I continue.

He pulls his face out of my grasp. "Fuk, dude! Ya don hav to git all in ma face bout it. Fine, I'll leeve yer gurl alone."

Shit, maybe I took it too far. I look around to make sure no one else heard our exchange. Luckily, no one else is around. I really need to reel myself in.

I have the waitress bring Ben some water and situate him on one of the booths. Andre comes over to grab a drink, so I leave him with the hammered newb while I head to the crowd to find Jenna.

Everyone is ecstatic, and fans cheer and serenade us with songs of victory. The whole place is packed, and the dancefloor is full of bodies. I manage to find who I'm looking for right next to her friend Mel, who's being spun in circles by Liam. Jenna is watching them laughing and clapping along to the beat.

Everyone seems to have partnered up, so I take my opportunity to get closer to my girl. I strut up behind her and pull her at the waist; her back comes right up against my front. She startles until she looks back and sees it's me, then she relaxes and resumes dancing.

No one is paying attention to us, so I press my hips into her, letting her feel what she does to me. She gasps as she continues swaying her hips against me, making me grow even harder. I run my left hand across her hipbone, stroking the skin that's exposed, feeling her delicate flesh beneath my fingers. My breathing speeds up, as does the tempo of the music around us.