Giving In: The Sandy Cove Series (Book 1) by M.R. Joseph Page B

don’t see his hand any longer, as it disappears under her dress and out of my sight, my body betrays me and it makes me fly to her.
    I push my way through the sweaty crowd, towering over the bodies, not caring who I’m shoving until I stand in front of them. Elton Joel looks up at me with his face buried in her neck, sensing me watching them, and his face grins, as he pushes his hand further up her dress.
    I don’t have time to react because Harlow does. She pushes his hand from underneath her dress. Not really looking anywhere but at his arm.
    “Hey, not here, ok,” she says, and it’s not a good enough answer for him. He has guts. I’ll give him that. With me still standing in front of them, Harlow’s eyes shut again, he tries it again, and now I know this cocksucker doesn’t have the sense he was born with.
    My reaction has to be swift. I’m not hesitating. My hand grabs onto his wrist, the only visible part of his hand so to speak, and I yank it down.
    “I’m pretty sure she said not here, so I suggest you get your fucking hands off of her.”
    Harlow looks up, hair sticking to her sweat-soaked forehead, the sheen of it covering her chest, shoulders, and neck. Her eyes sparkling in a beautiful blue haze, but it turns into fury.
    “Cruz, I can take care of myself. Get lost.”
    “Yea, you heard her, leave us alone. She’s in good hands.”
    Oh, I bet she is.
    Elton Joel should keep his fucking trap shut.
    “See that’s where I think you’re wrong, Elton. I know guys like you ‘cause I am one. I know what you want from her, and you ain’t getting it.” I grab Harlow’s arm and pull her to me. She resists, and she yanks her arm back.
    “How do you know what he wants, and maybe, just maybe, I want the same thing tonight. You do it all the time, so go away, Dickcop.”
    Her speech is slurred, her attitude unlike herself, and I’m pretty sure the alcohol is giving her the liquid courage to defy me. She grabs Elton’s face and smacks her lips onto his, forcing her tongue between his lips, parting them, and he doesn’t resist; it only brings her closer to him. Watching their tongues mingle forcefully, his hands snaking down to her ass, grabbing a hold of it enrages me even more, but she made her decision. Fuck it.
    “Fine, Turnip, it’s your life.”
    I turn away from them and run into Willow and Thea dancing.
    “Hey, Cruz. Max’s band is great. This is so much fun. Where’s Harlow?” Thea asks.
    I thumb in Harlow’s direction, and she’s still making out with Elton Joel.
    “She’s all yours, girls. I tried to get her away from that guy, but she’s being stubborn as usual.”
    They look at each other, then back to me, and laugh, wiping the sweat from their heads.
    “Cruz, maybe she doesn’t want you to get him away from her, maybe she wants him to get under her?” Thea laughs at what Willow says, and it’s so obvious they’re drunk, falling into each other and laughing like maniacs.
    “Whatever, I’m out of here. Have fun.”
    I walk away from them and go back to the booth where Porter is. I finish what’s left of my beer.
    “I’m leaving,” I announce to Porter.
    “What do you mean, man? The night is just getting started.”
    “Well, my friend, mine is over. I’m going back to the house. Let Max know where I went when he’s done. Later.”
    I walk away from him squeezing my body through the crowd. I feel someone grab my arm and tug. It must be Harlow coming to her senses, and she’s done with Elton, but when I look in the direction of the pull, it’s the exotic looking chick from the bar, and I already forget her name.
    “Hey there handsome. Going somewhere?” She smiles at me and licks her lips. I feel her nails graze my skin. I don’t really look at her. I’m too preoccupied with finding a parting in the crowd to make my escape.
    “Home,” I simply say. My tone is flat.
    “Aw, well what a shame. I was hoping I could see where the rest of that ink is.” She winks at