For Hating Me You Sure Are Possessive

24: Bribery

Dylan grinned over at me as he poured yet another glass for someone, whipping the bottle from my hand just before I had been about to pour it myself. As I narrowed my eyes he only grinned brighter, accepting the thanks of the person who’d asked for the whiskey. “All right show offs,” I huffed as Preston laughed at me, spinning a bottle in the air before poring the guy a shot, “what’s your secret?”

“Should we tell her?” Preston asked as he leaned against the counter beside me, peering through his dirty blonde hair.

Dylan shook his head, putting on a serious face. “No, it’s too delicate of a matter.”

The moment I pursed my lips he couldn’t contain his grin. “You’re right,” Preston agreed, carrying on the teasing, “she’s too young.”

“Just how young is she?” he asked in response, grinning over his glass as he drank some more.

Seeing as I knew it had to come up sooner or later I decided I’d be the one to answer, nudging Preston as he started to reply for me in order to get him to stop. “I’m seventeen.”

“Still a young little sprite,” Preston agreed, slinging his arm over at me causing me to look up at him with a grimace. “And inexperienced in our party cultures.”

“I’ll let you slide on the second part since that’s true,” I huffed, “but the first you only think because you’re ancient.”

Ever since Preston had told me he had a two year old daughter I’d been teasing him about his age. I’d only done it since he had so much to tease me about already and it was the only thing I could seem to find to poke at him about at the time. To my grand satisfaction it annoyed him every time I did so. So when he replied with, “I’m not that old!” I couldn’t help but laugh.

I smiled up at him, pushing my red hair back in the loose pony tail that he’d just pulled it out of. “Right, which is why you have spent years mastering how to pour drinks?”

“I’m only twenty six.” he stated, ignoring my question.

“Almost thirty, right,” I teased again.

His brown eyes narrowed on me as he tried to give me a strict look but instead a smile started to tease at his lips. “Kara, you’re breaking my heart.”

I rolled my eyes and wriggled out from under his arm. “I have that affect on people.”

“You’re really seventeen?”

My eyes turned over to Dylan who I had momentarily forgotten was still sitting on his stool staring at me. I couldn’t help but give a little awkward swallow as I nodded. It was obvious that I was younger than them. I knew that he couldn’t have thought I was their age. I could pull of twenty with my hair up like it was but even that was pushing it in my opinion. “Yeah, I am.” I answered.

He raised his glass to his lips, taking a big drink as he stared down at the liquid. I could already tell that he was thinking something over. Finally his dark blue eyes met mine and he sat down the glass. “Come dance with me.”