I reach back and grab shot number three, giving her a big smile. “Agreed.” The shot goes down a little easier this time, and I already feel the warmth in my belly as it begins to spread.
Vanessa and I take shot after shot, and I eventually melt into a state of nothing but relaxation, which I'm welcoming with open arms. A little break will be good before we spread our wings.
Music pumps through the speakers, spreading through my muscles and causing my foot to start tapping. I'm bobbing my head, laughing and just enjoying this time. Grabbing Vanessa's wrist, I start to pull her.
“Come on, let's go dance.”
She digs her feet in a little and groans. “I'm not drunk enough for that yet, Mist.” She pulls back against me, leaning toward the bar.
“This was your idea, you brought this on yourself.” I pull harder, and she stumbles forward with a smile on her face. “It's time to shake that ass.”
She giggles and reluctantly moves with me to the center of the dance floor. “Fine, but only for a song or two.” Holding up her finger, she gives me a stern look.
“Fair enough,” I yell across the space between us as I start to move to the beat.
I take her hand and spin her around. We laugh and sway our hips, grinding against each other as we dance. Other people's bodies are bumping against us, and we're squished on the dancefloor. Neither of us care, though, we're just embracing the beat.
The air is hot, sweat is beading on the back of my neck and slipping down between my shoulder blades. My arms are up over my head, and I'm circling Vanessa, when a large man slips between us.
He sets his hands on Vanessa's hips and holds her as she grinds back into him. Her eyes peer back, and I can tell instantly, she's into this guy.
Her smile changes, and she licks her lips as she runs her fingers through her hair and throws her body upright. She slips back down, using her fingers to softly trace his outer thighs.
I keep dancing. She can have her fun over there, while I enjoy myself right here. The energy in the room is crazy. I feel the bass as it pumps through my chest, vibrating my ribs. Looking over, I see Vanessa and mystery man sucking face.
His hands are all over her body, her arms are around his neck. Tongues are licking and mouths are locking tight.
Stepping back, I make my way to the bar and ask for a water. My phone vibrates, so I pull it out and check the message.
It's Vanessa. 'Heading out with, Greg, you good?'
Tapping the keys, I message her back. 'It's cool, I'll grab a taxi.'
Looking out into the crowd, I catch Vanessa on the other side of the room. She mouths to me, asking me if I'm sure, and I nod, letting her know it's totally fine. Tonight is about having fun, letting loose, being free. Because tomorrow is the start of something new, and it's going to be a lot of work.
She bounces her brows from across the room, giving me one last chance to call her back. But I let her go, securely nodding, and making sure she knows I mean it. I'll be fine, I'm not going to hold her back.
Tapping the keys on my phone, I send her one last text. 'Be careful. Text me later to let me know you made it home.'
'If I end up going home.' She messages back, with a winking emoji face and an exploding head.
Shaking my head, I watch her as she heads for the door with mystery man, flashing me a big smile before disappearing through the exit.
Pulling my water in closer, I wave down the bartender. He finishes wiping down a few glasses then comes my way.
“What can I get for you?”
“Surprise me,” I say, sipping my water. “Make me your drink of choice, but make sure it's strong.”
Fuck it, the night's still young, and I'm not driving.
“You got it.” He gives me a smile and starts reaching for bottles of liquor.
Stirring the ice in my glass, I watch it spin in the water. It twirls and it twirls, bouncing off the sides. My belly is still warm from the shots, and now it's time for me to sit and sip.
The bartender slides the drink in front of me, and I pull a ten dollar bill from my pocket.
“Let me get this for you.” The man's voice is deep, heavy, and the words sit on my chest like a weighted blanket.
I don't look up right away, instead I clear my throat to make sure my voice has clarity. “Thank you, but I can take care of my tab.”
“Consider it a gift, then.” The man slips into the bar stool next to me, pushing my hand with the money down, and nodding for the bartender to take his instead.
Crooking my jaw, I drop the bill on the bar anyway. “Keep it as a tip then,” I say to the bartender, “because I intend on paying one way or another for myself.”
My eyes take in the man beside me. He's dressed nice, a little too nice for a bar like this. His gray suit has a light shine to it, causing it to shimmer under the strobe lights. The jacket is open, exposing a bright white button-up, but no tie.
Holy shit this guy is hot.
My eyes keep moving, across his solid torso and broad chest, up his thick neck, and over his chiseled jaw. There's a hint of a five o'clock shadow over his deep olive skin. He licks his lips and smiles coyly as my eyes move over his mouth.
But it's his eyes.
Fuck those green eyes. They wet my panties instantly and could drop me to my knees if he looks at me the right way. Crisp, bold, speckled with amber flecks and gold confetti, my heart instantly pauses in my chest for a full beat, and I hold my breath.
That breath, that breath lasts a little too long, and even he notices. The man chuckles, stroking his jaw with his thumb. “Breathe,” he says, bringing his glass to his lips as he takes the last sip of liquor inside.
Inhaling a deep breath, I feel the hot air as it fills my lungs. Snapping my eyes away, I stare into my glass. The man watches me, and I feel his eyes as they shift over my body.
The heat is what I feel most. He isn't just looking at me, he's deciding what he wants from me. His eyes leave stains on my skin. Like a burn you feel days later, I know exactly where his eyes have been.
My ass. My legs. My chest and face. His eyes are everywhere, and yet, I want more. I want him to keep going, to keep exploring, to stare at me with such need I can't help but feel paralyzed.
Swallowing hard, I try to firm my spine and keep it together. Because this guy doing things to me I can't control. My stomach fills with a million butterflies, and my heart starts to beat faster. My hands are clammy, and I feel my breathing coming short and shallow.
He's really fucking hot. Intimidating. Powerful.
The man begins to laugh, his head falling back hard as he runs a hand through his hair, his teeth brightly on display behind his smile.
I can't stop myself; I watch his muscles tighten under his shirt. Each one firms and ripples as his chest lifts with laughter, taunting me as if this is some sick game to see who will crack first.
I'm cracking. . . and I can't do anything to make it stop.
“You got a name?” he asks, letting his gaze slip to the other side of the room as if he's not watching me anymore. But he's watching, I can feel it.
“You got someplace else to be?” I ask, peering at him from the corner of my eyes as I sip the drink he paid for.
“Depends,” he says.
“Depends on what?”
“If you're going to be there or not.”