AM I THAT OBVIOUS?

THINGS at the bar had started out fine. StormPAR got there first, claiming the biggest table to sit around, leaving the Wranglers to squeeze into a corner booth. Baby got a Coke, not bothered by the X on her hand. And after getting their drinks, Javi and Scott simply passed by and greeted Baby before going about their way, letting her know they were glad she came.

Okay, Scott didn't say he was glad she came, but he at least nodded to her in greeting.

It was a fun night of laughter where neither rivaling crew interacted with each other for a long while as they downed beer after beer. Baby was having a great time, for once not thinking about Tyler as she listened to Dexter tell a funny story.

Then Javi came over.

"Okay, Baby," he said, his cheeks flushed as a sign that he'd had several drinks. "You promised me a dance."

"Fine," she said, sliding out of the booth with a smile. "But on one condition."

"Yeah, what's that?"

"Scott has to dance too."

Javi threw back his head and laughed, and even some of the Wranglers did at the mere thought of Scott dancing. He just didn't look like his body moved that way.

"Well," Javi nodded, "he's four beers in, so if anyone could convince him, it'd be a pretty thing like you. Now, come on."

Boone's mouth was gaping open as Javi pulled Baby across the bar, her grinning brightly at Scott. They watched Baby as she asked Scott to dance, him immediately shaking his head no. But then she pouted and grabbed his hands, trying to drag his huge frame out of the chair he was on.

Then, much to their surprise, with a heavy sigh, Scott got up and followed Javi and Baby to the dance floor.

"I've never line danced," Scott said with a deep frown as he followed Baby, her hand still in his as she dragged him. Well, that wasn't totally true. They had to learn in gym class when they were little as just about every school in the county had to. But he wasn't looking forward to it.

"We'll show you the ropes, Scotty Boy. And we'll keep it simple. Won't break out no fancy tricks or nothing," Baby promised.

Which was a lie, Scott learned. He tried to keep up with Baby, but it wasn't just her feet that he had to follow. She moved her hips fluidly like it was second nature, and everyone's assumptions had been right — Scott just didn't move like that.

But he tried nonetheless, which Baby appreciated. However, as soon as the song was over, he was shaking his head and going right back toward the table.

"Well, he tried," Javi said as the next song began. Rather than join the line dance, they stepped to the other side of the dance floor, just moving together as they talked. "I'm proud of him."

"Me too, honestly," she chuckled. "Really thought he was gonna tell me to get lost."

"Well, like I said. A real pretty girl was asking," he said with a smirk.

Baby raised an eyebrow as he called her pretty yet again, her cheeks growing a bit warm. "I'm sure that wasn't the only reason."

"Nah, I mean it, Baby. You're real beautiful," he said, clearly drunker than he thought as he grabbed her hands while swaying. "Not like... Kate beautiful, but still."

Now, Baby studied him curiously. "Who's Kate?" she asked, tilting her head as they danced.

Javi had a dreamy look in his eyes as he sighed. "You ever just been so sure someone was the love of your life, Baby?"

And Baby couldn't stand how Tyler came to the forefront of her mind.

"No," she mumbled, shaking her head as she lied. "But sounds like you've got someone like that."

"Nah. Nah, I don't got her," he muttered sadly. Then he looked at her skeptically. "You really don't got someone like that?"

"No, I don't," Baby again lied. But it was so evident in her face that she was clearly thinking of someone.

"Let me guess," Javi said with a bit of a smirk. "It's Owens?"

He noticed right away how her cheeks flushed, giving him his answer. "Am I that obvious?" she asked sadly.

"No," he admitted with a chuckle. "But he is."

Baby shook her head instantly. "No. No, Tyler don't feel anything for me."

"Come on, girl. He's been glaring at me since this song started," he said while glancing at Tyler over Baby's head.

He was sitting stiffly in his seat, hand wrapped so tightly around his beer that his knuckles were white as he glared holes into Baby's back.

"He's just protective," she murmured. "Him and Boone. I'm like... a sister to him or whatever."

"Then that is one fucked up, Game of Thrones ass family you got there," he teased. "And yeah, Boone is protective. Tyler's just jealous."

Baby rolled her eyes, knowing she could never truly make Tyler jealous when he didn't actually want her. He'd made that clear since their kiss.

"He ain't jealous. He's just an asshole," she said, making Javi snicker.

"Care to make a wager, my good lady?" he then asked.

"I ain't the bettin' type, but sure."

"I bet I could have him over here trying to beat my ass in less than five minutes."

Baby just giggled and shook her head. "Tyler's real strong. You don't want him trying to beat your ass."

"Well, that's why you'll get in the way and calm him down before leaving the bar. Part two of the bet — he follows you out and walks you back to the motel."

Baby peered up at him playfully. "You're very sure of yourself, Javi."

"Do we have a bet? Loser has to buy breakfast tomorrow at the diner. Fair warning though. Hungover Javi eats a lot."

"You're on."

It only took a second for Baby to realize how Javi intended to get Tyler over there. With a smirk on his pleasing face, he pulled Baby impossibly close. And it was clear that Javi had grown up being taught to dance as well based on the way he moved his hips close against hers.

Baby found herself blushing, never having danced with someone like that — it definitely wasn't a salsa or a line dance.

And from the table, Tyler was fuming. For once, Boone wasn't even watching his baby sister, too busy throwing darts with Dexter, who was kicking his ass. Tyler's darkened, blue eyes were glued to the way Baby's hips moved slowly against Javi, who was pulling her even closer with every sway as he stared into her eyes.

Then, as Javi turned Baby around in his arms, Tyler's blood began to boil. Her eyes were closed as Javi pulled her back against his chest, hand wrapped fully around her waist. Then he leaned down to whisper something in her ear that had her face heating up.

Tyler's chest was heaving as anger encroached on him, seeing red with every single gyration of their hips. And he knew the feeling was jealousy — white, hot jealousy that had him wanting to cross the bar and knock Javi's teeth out for even thinking of touching Baby like that.

For touching her in a way that Tyler couldn't because he was too much of a coward to let anything happen.

"He's watching," Javi was murmuring in Baby's ear.

"But I don't see him coming over here," she said, looking up at him over her shoulder. "I hope you're prepared for me to order everything on the menu."

"Oh, I still got one more trick up my sleeve," he smirked. "Can I kiss your neck?"

If Baby wasn't blushing before at the way they were dancing, then she sure was now. But after a second, she nodded, taking in a deep breath as she craned her head a bit.

To Javi's credit, he didn't actually kiss her neck — just pressed his lips to her skin for a moment without moving them. But it sure as hell looked like he was sucking some kind of mark on her to Tyler, who was up in seconds and storming over to them just as Javi predicted.

"Get the hell off her!" Tyler snapped as he pulled Baby away from Javi suddenly. He was glaring down at Javi, who put his hands up innocently.

"Hey, man," Javi said with an uneasy laugh. Already, a few StormPAR workers were looking over at them, and Dexter and Boone forgot all about their darts. "We were just having some fun."

Tyler's nostrils flared as he pushed Javi back. "Touch her like that again, and you're dead."

If Javi as nervous, he didn't show it. "Who are you, Owens? Her boyfriend?"

"I'm her—" Tyler cut himself off, clearly so frustrated that he wasn't her anything.

"That's what I thought," Javi smirked. "So, how about you walk your ass back to the table and have a seat while Baby and I have some real fun?"

Only for Tyler to grab the front of Javi's shirt threateningly as the man threatened to have more fun with Baby. "You—"

"Tyler!" Baby snapped, grabbing ahold of his arm and pulling him back. Granted, she wasn't really strong enough to get him off. "Tyler, cut it out! What's wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with me?" he asked, whirling around to glare at her. She flinched, not used to being on the receiving end of his anger. "You're about to have sex with this asshole on the dance floor, and you're asking what's wrong with me?"

Baby's face burned as he raised his voice, everyone nearby hearing. And she hated how all eyes were on her, scrutinizing her as if she was some kind of slut or something for dancing with Javi like that.

"Screw you, Tyler," she muttered, frustrated tears in her eyes. Then she shoved his hand off and ran for the door.

And as she did so, she passed by Lily and Dani at the bar, not noticing that the latter was filming on her phone.

"Oh, this is gonna be great for the views."

☁︎

Baby only made it a few steps out of the bar before Tyler was following her outside, grabbing her arm tightly to pull her back.

"Let me go, Tyler," she huffed in annoyance. And as he loosened his grip, she tore herself free and kept walking to the motel. She could hear his boots stomping as he followed after her, even following her up the stairs to her room — his room was right next door anyhow.

Baby moved to open her door, but he pressed on it hard with his hand, closing it once more.

"What the hell is your problem?" Baby asked him, glaring up at him. "Huh? Why the hell did you do that? That was so embarrassing."

"Oh, that was embarrassing but him touching you like that in public wasn't?" he scoffed.

"Maybe I wanted him to!" she snapped.

Tyler was practically shaking with anger. "No one can touch you like that."

Baby scoffed and shook her head in annoyance. "You don't get a say in that. You're not my my brother—"

"Trust me, I fuckin' know that," he said, taking a step forward. And she took one back, her back hitting the door, only for him to grab her waist right where Javi had been touching her. "But I can't stand the thought of you with him. Of you with anyone."

She rolled her eyes heavily. "God, stop actin' like Boone—"

"I ain't got the same reasoning as Boone, and you know it," he cut her off again, staring deep into her eyes. "I just can't stand the thought of anyone but me touching you, Baby."

It felt like all the air had been sucked from her lungs all at once as she stared up at him with wide eyes. Then his hands on her hips moved upward, him rubbing them back and forth until he worked them underneath her shirt, closing his eyes as he felt her skin.

"Baby," he said quietly, leaning down and pressing his forehead to hers. "Baby, promise me."

"Promise what?" she asked weakly. God, she was so weak when it came to Tyler.

He peeled his eyes open once more, searching hers as he pulled her close, feeling his hard hips pressed against her stomach. His leg fell between her parted thighs, making her gasp. "You ain't ever gone let another man touch you like this."

Then Tyler dipped down, his lips finding her neck. Baby's lips fell apart as she shut her eyes, focused on the rough way his teeth nipped at her skin before his tongue would smooth the bites. And even still as he kissed her, he didn't let himself suck a dark bruise on her to mark her like he so desperately wanted to — to ward off Javi and any other man that might set their eyes on her.

"Tyler," Baby sighed softly, grabbing his strong shoulders.

Tyler groaned against the column of her throat as she breathed his name in such a soft, needing tone.

Then, he pulled back from her, looking down at her with darkened eyes. But then she saw the regret and conflict wash over his face as he remembered who he was and where they were.

"Let me guess," Baby managed to say weakly, eyes on his lips. "You're sorry and that can't happen again?"

And god, Tyler looked nearly in pain, and all she wanted to do was comfort him even though he didn't deserve it.

"We can't do this, Baby," he said, shaking his head.

Baby scoffed and pushed on his chest so that he'd back up. "You're the one that keeps doing it, Tyler," she muttered. "And it's mean. So just leave me alone if you don't want me."

"That ain't it," he said, shaking his head. "But you're Boone's—"

"Yeah, I know. And you're his best friend," she said, frustrated tears forming in her eyes. "And clearly, I'm not the kind of girl worth the risk of ruining that friendship over. I'm not enough for you. You've made that clear."

"It ain't that you ain't enough—"

"Goodnight, Tyler," she said firmly before turning around to enter her room.

And as she shut the door in his face, Tyler just sighed in frustration with himself. He closed his eyes and leaned back against the door, wishing more than anything that he was brave enough to follow her inside and kiss her stupid — to tell her that nothing was more important than her.

But Tyler Owens, despite how fearless he came off, was a coward. At least with it came to Baby.