Brayden was pressed right up against her back. The place was packed, and he’d followed her to the bar for drinks. James was missing somewhere, already far passed loaded. Brayden grinned drunkenly at the feeling of Lillian’s ass pressed up against his front. He wasn’t not loaded himself, but he, unlike James, hadn’t taken his eyes off her all night. How could he? One, the thought of leaving her alone in this bar was, ridiculous to say the least. Two, she was freaking radiant, what else was he going to look at? Her face was flushed with liquor, she was smiling freely and often. Being surrounded by her friends really brought out this fantastically radiant side of her.

Brayden hadn’t been sure how all her friends weren’t actively in love with her at first, but as he watched them all through the night, he realized something. Watching all their eyes on her, he realized every one of them looked at her with something akin to love: one of them looked at her like he had loved her once and she had loved him, and he would be forever grateful for the experience. Another looked like he'd had a shot with her once, but it just didn’t work out, and he was happy to be here as her friend, like that was enough. The others all looked like they’d loved her in secret at one time or another, a constant whorl of adoration surrounding her. They, at least, always looked out for her. Brayden could’ve been jealous, but something about the way they all respected her, just made him glad.

His hands held her shoulders loosely so he wouldn’t lose her. He felt her shifting back and forth, paying attention to absolutely nothing but the sound of the music. He rolled his eyes and gripped her a little tighter. She tipped her head back with a grin for him. The way they drunkenly swayed had him drifting closer to her. He blinked at her slowly, absorbing the way the lights danced prettily across her face. Someone bumped into him, and he tightened his grip on Lillian again to keep her upright. As he tipped forward, his lips butted up against hers roughly. Before he could pull away, he felt her lips move against his quickly and desperately. Brayden stiffened and ripped his mouth off hers.

“I – Lily, please.” He begged her to understand.

Her eyes flashed in a cold kind of hurt at him, the alcohol in her system blurring the look in her eyes.

“I want you so bad,” pressing his growing member into her backside, “but I promised I wouldn’t kiss you without your permission again. Don’t be angry.” He slurred into her ear.

He felt her push back into him with her ass as she drunkenly met his eyes.

“You make it so hard for me to be mad, or even hurt.” Lillian smirked, shifting her hips against his again.

He groaned and pressed his brow against hers.

“You’re killing me.” Brayden muttered.

He stirred her front facing again as they finally made it to the front of the bar. He didn’t miss the wicked smile that graced her face as she leaned over the bar. She used his hips as leverage to get as close as she could to the bartender and shout their drink order over the din of music and voices. Brayden handed the cash over her shoulder before she could pull out her own. She shot him an incredulous look and thanked the bartender loudly before turning back around to face him properly.

Lillian made to open her mouth and scold him, or something, he was sure. Brayden plastered a hand over her mouth, grinned, and spun her around, moving her back towards the pack of friends he could see over the crowd. He could feel the mumbled grief she was giving him in her shoulders and Brayden laughed.