Dean laughs. "Should we get a drink?"
"Yeah. Okay." Her eyes light up. "You know. I'm free tonight too." She takes his hand, ready to head to the bar.
But Leighton stops her. "Did you ever get that lap dance?"
"Oh. Yeah. I guess you and Ryan left before that. Whatever happened? You seemed upset?" Kristen asked.
"I fucked her senseless," I say.
Kristen blushes. "Oh. Good. That's always good."
"What happened to your boyfriend?" I ask.
She frowns. "Well… I don't actually… I just said that so you wouldn't get jealous."
"So you got the dance?" Leighton asks.
Kristen nods. "Yeah. A little after you left. Your friends—the girl with the short hair and the hot guy. They left. And so it was just me and Dean and Penny and Frank. And this dancer came over in this amazing strappy black outfit. When she offered us a dance, I just had to say yes. It was out of this world."
"She was fucking jazzed to dance for a woman," Dean says. "Barely looked at me the whole time."
"No. She was good about giving both of us attention. It was amazing. I was transfixed. But when it ended, she walked away, and I felt sort of… dirty, I guess. Used, maybe. It was obvious how fake it was. Like a bad porno." She turns to Dean. "You think?"
He nods. "I only watch amateur stuff."
Leighton rolls her eyes. "You bring that up five times a day."
"The world has to know. Homemade or bust." They share a look. He must decide she's okay, because he turns and whispers something in Kristen's ear.
She waves a goodbye then follows him to the bar.
I slide my arm around Leighton's waist. She leans into my touch, but her gaze stays fuzzy.
I bring my lips to her ear. "Let's ditch this party. Go back to our room."
She shakes her head. "I need to show off my dress." She turns, bringing her neck to my lips.
I nip at her skin.
She tugs at my suit-jacket.
For a moment, everything makes sense. She wants me. I want her. The rest of the world doesn't matter.
Then that familiar voice floats into my ear. "I hope I'm not interrupting." Penny clears her throat.
Leighton turns to my ex-girlfriend. Her eyes narrow to something protective. "It's all the swimming. I keep seeing him in his speedo. It's making me insatiable."
"You still have that?" Penny laughs. "I didn't think his mom would talk him into the summer league swim team."
Leighton taps her heels together. She's thinking something, hurting over something, but I can't put the pieces together. She doesn't want to be here. She doesn't want to leave.
Does she want me to prove I'm over Penny?
Or does she want me to run a million miles away?
I don't have a fucking clue.
I turn back to my ex-girlfriend. "No. It's a new one."
Leighton laughs. "You intentionally bought a Speedo?"
"You saying it's not flattering?" I tease.
She shakes her head. "Absolutely not." Her gaze fixes on Penny. On the rock around her ring finger. "Where's Frank?"
"He had to see his parents to their hotel room. His mom isn't well. He's going to stay with her." Penny digs her nail into the pad of her thumb. "He's a gentleman."
Leighton nods of course. She turns to me. Studies my expression like I'm a design she can't figure out. "Excuse me. I'm going to get a drink."
"Of course." Penny points to the bar behind us. "It's an open bar."
"Of course." Leighton parrots her tone.
"Stay." My fingers curl into her side.
She shakes her head. "I'm sure you need to talk."
My body goes cold as she slips from my grasp. She spins on her heels and disappears into the crowd.
Penny stays put. "Is she okay?"
"Do you care?"
"Of course. I want the best for you."
Leighton's dress strains against her ass as she leans over the bar. She points to a bottle on a high shelf.
The bartender laughs. His gaze goes right to her tits. He turns away like he can't bear looking at anything besides her cleavage.
Not that I blame the guy.
Her tits are fucking amazing.
But my fingers are still curling into fists. Who the fuck does this guy think he is flirting with my girlfriend?
Who the fuck does Penny think she is asking if Leighton is okay?
"Really, Ryan. You're a great guy. You deserve to be happy." She rests her palm on my forearm.
I pull my arm away. Brush my hair from my eyes. "Thanks."
"I'm sorry if I'm overstepping. I'm not sure where the lines are, right now. I feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone." She looks around the room and shakes her head. "This doesn't feel like the night before my wedding."
"What's that supposed to feel like?"
"I'm not sure anymore." Her lips curl into a frown. "Frank bailed so quickly. I know his mom is sick. But I hate doing these things alone."
"If he's good to her, he'll be good to you."
"He is." She bites her lip. "I just… it's nice to see you. I swear, you're the only person here who really knows me."
"I don't really know you."
"Of course you do."
I nod to the pink flowers at the buffet table. "That isn't you."
"I know. This whole thing isn't me. But it's already done. The only way I can change any of this is if I run away tonight."
"You're nervous. It's normal."
"I hope you're right." Her eyes fix on mine. They bore into mine. She's asking for something.
I don't know what she wants.
But then I don't care.
Not when Leighton is drinking her feelings at the bar. "Congrats, Pen. Really. You'll be great tomorrow."
"Thanks."
I nod goodbye, turn, make my way to the bar. It's crowded with guys in suits. Dean and Kristen are nowhere to be seen.
But Leighton is still sitting on the stool on the left.
She brings her glass to her lips and takes a long sip.
"Hey." I slide between the stools. Place my body next to hers.
She looks up at me. "Hey." She downs what's left of her drink in one gulp, slams it on the bar, motions hit me to the bartender.
He leers at her tits as he pours.
"You want something?" She turns toward the bartender. "My boyfriend drinks bourbon."
He frowns at the word boyfriend. "I'll hook you up, buddy."
"Thanks." She spins on her stool, so she's facing me. "How's Penny?"
"Nervous." I unpeel her fingers from her glass. "How many is that?"
"Three."
"Maybe you should slow down."
"Maybe you should drop the condescending tone."
"You only get one liver."
"My liver." She picks up her glass. Takes a long sip. Makes a show of sighing with pleasure. "Perfect."
My stomach sinks. Something is wrong. But what the fuck is it? "Talk to me, Leigh."