Free The Heart Series: Complete Boxed Set by C.M. King

cringed. I just wanted the ground to swallow me up. I closed my eyes, feeling totally mortified.
    He pulled my hand away from my face, holding both together. His thumbs slowly grazed over my knuckles, waiting for me to speak.
    “I really wanted to go, but well, all the tickets were sold out.” I stared down at the bar, avoiding his look of pity. I didn’t have his friends or connections to try other means of wrangling tickets.
    Joel squeezed my hands to make me look at him again. “Hey, you could have come with me. Why didn’t you say anything? I could have gotten you a ticket.” His eyes stared deep into mine, looking genuine enough. But he was only saying it to make me feel better. No way in hell would he want me around while he hit on all the half naked girls there.
    “Yeah right, you wouldn’t want me tagging along, cramping your style.” I pulled my hands away, but he held on tighter.
    He drew me in farther so we were barely inches apart. “As if! I would be the one holding all the guys back from hitting on you.”
    Was he seriously taking the piss?
    I looked at him in disbelief. “Joel, take a look around, it’s not like I’m fighting them off.” I laughed at the sheer thought.
    How absurd! 
    Then snorted again.
    Oh god.
    I cringed with embarrassment and leaned my forehead down onto the cold wooden bar in a pathetic attempt to avoid his gaze.
    I knew he was grinning wildly.
    Snorting once I could excuse.
    But twice?
    Yep, just kill me now.
    He slowly released my hands and tickled the back of my neck. I twitched slightly with the contact. Oh his fingers felt amazing gliding over my skin. I wondered what it would feel like tickling other parts of my body?
    I really wanted to find out.
    I knew he was waiting for me to sit back up, but I needed a moment to clear my head. Especially after that last thought.
    My cheeks were burning only imagining how good it would be. The blush slowly subsided, and I slowly lifted my head back up so my eyes met his, and he smiled. His hands grabbed mine once again, holding them tight.
    “Iz, do you not realise in the short space of time you’ve been here, two guys have been checking you out?”
    He was so wrong, what a complete wind up merchant. He was just saying it to try to make me feel better. I didn’t need his pity. He certainly didn’t have to go to the extreme of lying to make me feel good about myself. But I was still enjoying the handholding. Maybe a little too much.
    “I’m not making it up. Look over there to your right.” He nodded his head in the direction for me to look. I scowled a little at him, no longer enjoying his joke. His lips pulled up into a grin, motioning with his eyes again.
    I did my best discreet over the shoulder glance, and sure enough two guys were smiling back. I snapped my head back around so fast I almost got whiplash.
    Oh god, he was right.
    I instantly frowned. “Joel, don’t you dare leave me. I’m not interested in them,” I pleaded with him. My eyes relaying my desperation as I clung onto his hands even tighter.
    “Hey,” he soothed. “I’m not going anywhere, and if they cause any trouble I’ll pull out the gun behind the bar.” His smile almost split his face in two. Which was probably more to do with the look of horror spreading across mine.
    Did he really have a gun?
    Wow, my very own action hero.
    Well, he did have the looks and body for it, and he’d look amazing in a dirty white vest.
    I leaned forward in my stool, checking either side of me before I spoke. “Joel, you don’t really have a gun behind there, do you?” I whispered, scared in case anyone else heard.
    A quick scan of the room told me everyone was too wrapped up in their own little conversations to worry about Joel having an illegal weapon behind the bar.
    He laughed, stroking my hand as a huge grin spread across his face. “Izzy, your face is a picture. No, I don’t, but it sounded good.” He shook his head bemusedly, shooting me a cheeky wink.