by Stacy Borel
Only a half hour ago in Foster’s living room, I had all the confidence in the world, but right now, I would prefer to be back in cozy sweats, watching a movie and eating a piece of cake instead of feeling like I was the center of attention. I mentally reprimanded myself because that wasn’t the point. I wanted to have fun, and I loved the way I felt in this dress. Nothing was wrong with the way I looked even if some didn’t like or approve of it.
“Heyyy …” A tall, skinny guy named Reece moseyed up to us and clapped Foster on the back. He was wobbly and trying to be cool at the same time by holding a red plastic cup with what I’d assume was beer that sloshed over the rim when he walked. “Y’all finally made it.” His breath smelled like a whole bottle of liquor and a pack of cigarettes. It was putrid.
We were standing in the kitchen as people stumbled around us. Foster replied, “Yeah, sorry man, I thought the party started at ten.”
Reece gave a lazy smile. “It did, but you know the guys. We started drinking and smoking a bowl before everyone got here.” He was so drunk it took him a moment to focus where he was looking, which was currently right at me. “Holy shit … Ashton. Is this our birthday girl?”
Oh god, I didn’t want anyone to make a scene or big deal about it. I wanted to blend in and have a good time. Though the dress obviously counted out the blending in part.
“Fuck, you clean up nice.”
I rolled my eyes. “Is that supposed to be a compliment?”
I could feel Crew, standing as rigid as a soldier guarding Tomb of the Unnamed Soldier. His shoulder was slightly angled in front of mine.
“Oh, it’s a compliment alright.” His eyes tried to travel the length of me but sputtered when his body began to lean forward as he looked farther down. “I knew you had a body, but goddamn!” he yelled over the music, and other partygoers glanced at us. “Save a dance for me, would ya?”
I wanted to hold my nose against the onslaught of his rancid breath. “Thanks?” Then said under my breath, “You won’t be standing in another half hour.”
Crew seemed to look back at me for a moment, then back at Reese. Foster glared at him, then at me. What did I do? “So is everything on the counter fair game to drink?”
Reese lifted a hand and guided it outward. “Anything you want. The hard liquor is in here on the counter, and the keg is outside on the deck. The boys are doing keg stands if you want to let loose.” He tried to lean in to say something to me but stumbled forward, catching himself on a passerby. “No keg stands for you, young lady. You’d show the goods in that little number.”
Crew had clearly heard enough. “Thanks for the info. I think we’ve got it from here.”
There was an underlying tone that said not to fuck with his mood any further. He was already on edge and teetering on getting in someone’s face if they crossed the invisible boundary he’d clearly laid around me.
Reece cocked his head to the side. “Do I know you?”
“No.”
Reece had always struck me as an easy-going guy. He laughed at all of Foster’s stupid jokes, was supposedly a good student, and had always been kind to me. But right now, he was being a class-A asshole. With a confused look on his face, Reece seemed to size up Crew as if he was the enemy. When Reece realized he probably wouldn’t stand a chance in hell, he decided to walk out the back.
My cousin pointed and glared at me. “You just had to be pushy tonight with me, didn’t you? Do you see how the bastards are watching you? Jesus Christ, Ashton.”
I couldn’t contain my smile. Stepping around Crew, I placed both of my hands on Foster’s baby-faced cheeks, and said, “I did, and I do.”
He narrowed his eyes as I squished his cheeks together. “You’re only getting away with this because it’s your birthday. But come tomorrow, never again. Do you hear me? These guys are my friends, and I want to knock out every one of them right now.”
I chuckled at the ridiculousness of his face puckered out while he spoke. “You’re so cute when you’re mad, cousin. Besides, I don’t mind the attention.”
“That’s not a good thing.”
I lifted my bare shoulder. “Maybe not. But I still plan on enjoying my evening.”
I heard an exasperated sigh behind me. Crew would have to suck it up too. I wanted to have my fun.
“Whatever happened to parties at Chuck E Cheese and friends sleeping over?” Foster grumbled.
I dropped my hands and laughed. “They stopped being cool when we both turned twelve. Now slumber parties for you have whole new meaning.”
“You’ve got a point. I gladly would’ve paid for you to play all the games at the arcade, just for the record.”
“I know.” I looked around me. “But we are here, so let’s make the most of it.” I spun around to face Crew who seemed like a tightly wound knot. “How about you make me my first drink?”
His wolf eyes blinked, and I could tell he was contemplating not making me anything and hauling me out of here. I gave him my best try it and see what happens look. He barely nodded when he walked over to the counter that jutted out into half of the kitchen. While he was looking over his choices, I took my time and checked out the magnificence that was him.
From pouring a drink to how he looked at me while he brought it to me, he was so incredibly sensual. I knew I was pushing my luck with Foster, but right now, I’d say Crew was at his limit. I stopped to think about what he said to me the other day. That I was a woman who didn’t realize my own power. That men preyed on my kind. He made it sound like I should be fearful of an environment like this. Except with the way he was watching me as he handed me my drink and patiently waited for me to take my first sip, I had a feeling he was the only predator I had to worry about here.
I didn’t want to censor myself right now. Not tonight. Tonight, I wanted to let him stalk me and decide how he was going to attack. I felt my insides burning as I let the first sip of whatever he made me slide down my throat. From my mouth to my stomach, the alcohol was a gentle stroke that I desperately wished was his hand. I didn’t break eye contact with him from the moment I brought the cup to my lips till I swallowed every last drop of liquid courage. He never once blinked. And when I set the cup on the counter, the corner of his mouth twitched in appreciation.
Crew leaned forward and said so low that I didn’t know if my cousin heard him or not. “Good girl.”
I sucked in a breath of air. Why was the man’s subtle words so sexual?
Crew was looking over my shoulder, and I turned to see what had his attention. Foster was near the sliding glass doors, leaning against a wall like he was being Mr. Smooth. He was preoccupied by yet another blonde, but this one was much more attractive than the last one I’d seen him flirting with. I guess she was the flavor of the night.
I rolled my eyes and looked at Crew. He asked, “Want another?”
I nodded. This time, I watched as he poured a golden liquid out of a green bottle. Then he added Red Bull to it before he handed it to me. I looked at it skeptically. “What is this?”
“Just drink it.”
I sniffed the contents and wrinkled my nose. “Should I trust you?”
“Nope. Drink it.”
Raising a brow, I tipped my head back. It took three gulps to drink it all. I wanted to stop after I’d taken my first swallow, but I didn’t want to look like a pansy who couldn’t take a shot. This one didn’t go down as easily as the first one did. The taste was sweet but had a bite. My face soured, and he chuckled. A shiver ran down my spine while I tried to hold back a cough.
“What was that?” I gasped.
“A Jager Bomb. Not a fan?”
“No.” I cleared my throat, trying to get rid of the burning sensation. There was a bottle of water on the counter that I chugged half of as a chaser. “I liked the last one better.”
He grinned at me. “Most girls do. It was a Melon Ball.”
I eyed him skeptically. “What’s in it?”
He shrugged and put the lid b
ack on the liquor bottle. “A little of this, and a little of that.”
“You bartend in a previous life or something?”
He rested his hip on the counter and crossed his arms. It made his chest appear broader and enlarged his biceps. “My parents liked to entertain a lot. I was an observant kid when they’d mix drinks, so when I was in high school, my dad paid me to serve at a couple of their parties.”
“I see.” I liked hearing the bits and pieces he shared. “Kind of cool they trusted you at such a young age.”
“I was a responsible kid.”
“Seems to have worked out for you. Since you said most girls like your drinks.”
He took a step in my direction. “Is that jealousy on your lips, Ashton?”
I held my breath as he grew closer to me. “No,” I lied. “Can’t be jealous of something that you did before I even knew you.”
“Maybe not, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t.”
“Don’t confuse jealousy with curiosity.”
He seemed entertained. “What do you want to know?”
I wasn’t sure how to do this. I didn’t know what questions were allowed and what was out of bounds. Was this a game of personal substance or surface knowledge? The extent of my knowledge was that he played football, he missed his family, and he had a hidden talent for slinging drinks.
I pointed behind him. “I’ll take another of the first one you made. The melon … er, whatever.”
“Slow down. You might not be feeling them right now, but the alcohol will creep up on you.”
“And it’s my birthday.” Snapping my fingers and smiling flirtatiously, I said, “I’ll have another, bartender.”
He chuckled. “Okay, boss.”
Crew moved about while he continued to speak. “So how come you aren’t here with a bunch of girlfriends?”
Not that I wanted him to think I was weird or anything, but I just hadn’t asked anyone. I had friends. I had a lot of friends. I hung out with them sometimes, but since graduating, I didn’t go out of my way to make plans with anybody. I knew that this wasn’t the norm, but I wasn’t close enough with any of them to want them to come out with me. Well, except Holly. I wish she were here, but I understood why she wasn’t.
“I don’t really know. I had some pretty great friends in school and stuff, but the ones I was closest to don’t live here anymore. Most of them got scholarships to schools in different states, so they are only home for the holidays.”
He nodded in understanding. “What about you? Why didn’t you go somewhere too?”
After he slid a cup across the counter with the tips of his fingers, I picked it up and tried tossing it back like I was an old pro. Some dribbled out of the corners of my mouth, and I set the cup down, wiping it off with the back of my hand. These things were delicious. Was he even putting liquor in them?
This was an easy question. “Because my dad would have been devastated. I’m their only child, ya know.” I stopped momentarily. “Wait, you know this. Anyway, I couldn’t break his heart. That’s why I’m not living in some coastal California town getting too much sun, learning how to surf, and being the best liberal I can be.”
Crew barked out a laugh. “Daddy’s girl.”
He wasn’t asking. “Yep. Through and through. He says jump, and I say how high.”
“And you always try to make him happy?”
I walked over to him and stepped to his other side. Looking around the counter at all the options, I started picking up different bottles and reading them. “Of course. Doesn’t every girl?”
He was amused by my actions. “I suppose so.”
Pouring a bright green liquid and pineapple juice into my glass, I took a small sip and smacked my tongue on the roof of my mouth. Delicious!
I dumped some more into my cup but looked at him just before the rim of the cup was touching my lips. “Why are you and your wolfie eyes judging me?”
He blinked, then gave me a wide smile. “I don’t know what wolfie eyes are, but you know there’s not alcohol in that drink you made, right?”
I glanced down. Huh? I set it on the counter and looked at the bottles I used. I was squinting, and for some reason, the words were fuzzy. No way was I drunk yet. I’d barely had anything. Tipsy, maybe.
He leaned over in front of me, close enough that his shirt brushed my face. I inhaled deeply, and the scent of his cologne intoxicated me. I had half a mind to grab him and pull him closer, but I refrained. Before he moved back, he brought himself only inches from my face. His eyes penetrated mine, and I swallowed hard. Just the presence of him was enough to command me to do anything. Being this close, I felt like I was sucked into the cone of a tornado the way my heart beat erratically. He was sending the room spinning.
“Vodka.”
He wants to kiss? “What?”
His deep voice rumbled, “Vodka is what you’re missing.”
He put a bottle of clear liquid in my hand. Disappointed he didn’t suggest we make out, I gripped the neck of the bottle, and said, “Oh.”
Crew watched me closely. He seemed to be studying my reactions. There were people milling around, getting stuff by us, but I didn’t care enough to look at them. In fact, I’d tuned it all out since we’d gotten here and had tunnel vision for one man.
“What’s going on over here?” a familiar voice interrupted.
“Four shots deep and one non-alcoholic drink later, I’d say she’s feeling toasty.”
“Lightweight,” Foster teased.
Did he see how close Crew was to me? I tore my gaze away from his overly attractive face to see a short blonde standing next to my cousin. She was much like the others I’d seen him with—hair pulled into a high ponytail, a crop top that accentuated her perfectly paid for breasts, and a mini skirt that there was no way she could so much as bend forward an inch without flashing her womanhood.
I normally didn’t care about his preferences in girls, but this one’s brown eyes were hovering a little too long on my man candy. I couldn’t help the snicker that came from my mouth. Her eyes shot to mine, and I willed her to say something.
Try me, bitch.
The vodka was still in my hand down at my side. I was sure I looked like a lush drinking straight from the bottle. Crew stepped into my back, and his hand covered mine. I stiffened at his presence but not because it was unwelcomed. My skin was already warm from the alcohol, and his body heat made me even warmer. Pretty sure he sensed that I didn’t care for Blow-up Barbie. Under normal circumstances, ones that didn’t include drinking, I probably wouldn’t care, but my brain felt hazy, and I wasn’t functioning on coherent thoughts. I was running on my five senses. His fingertips pushed between my fingers and enveloped my hand. Did he think I was going to chunk it at her? ’Cause I wouldn’t … very hard.
Foster was rambling on about the guys outside and all the dumb stuff they were doing. I wondered why he wasn’t even the slightest bit curious about his roommate’s nearness to me, but I think he was further gone than I was. The ass. How did he expect us to get home? With a small yank of the blonde’s arm, Foster spun her around, and she stumbled into the front of him. Her girlish giggle was even faker than her tits. I didn’t know her name, and I already disliked her.
“Come on, beautiful, let’s go dance,” he said.
Not a single word came from her mouth before he dragged her off. I was going to call after him to ask who was going to drive his car when we leave, but I got distracted.
There was a tickle at my ear. “You good?”
Goose bumps broke out over my skin and a breathy, “Mmmhmm,” slipped out of my lips.
“Do you want to dance?”
Did I? I couldn’t even decipher up from down right now. I wanted him to press me against this counter and bend me over. My barely-there panties were growing damp from desire, and if he blew against my ear one more time, I was going to melt against him and beg him to touch me.
“I-I don’t really know how to.” It was a
lie. I did know how except my legs felt like putty. I didn’t want to embarrass myself with limbs under the control of alcohol.
He took the bottle from my hands and grabbed my waist. Crew was still behind me, and he led me forward to where there was a larger crowd of people. Couples were all over, bodies pressed together. The bass of the music was so loud my heart seemed to beat in sync with it. We pushed our way till we were near the center of the room before he stopped and turned me to face him.
This wasn’t real. This wasn’t really happening … was it?
He snaked his arm around my back and held me so close that I could feel nearly every hard inch of him. I put my hands up and timidly placed them on his chest. He watched me with approval, and I felt a rumble vibrate through him. A new song came on, one I didn’t recognize, but it didn’t matter. He guided my hips with his own as we found our rhythm. I was being bumped into from every direction, but I ignored it, feeling the only person I wanted to touch. I felt hyper alert despite my slower reactions.
I was insanely turned on.
When Crew put his thigh between my legs to grind against me, a sensation rolled through my lower region, and I grew desperate to have him all over me. We swayed and danced to the song, our eyes never leaving each other. I was drowning in the murky depths of his stare, and I wanted to be swallowed whole. I pushed myself forward and rubbed not so subtly on his leg again. He knew what I was doing, and his hand traveled down to my ass. I wasn’t aware of where my cousin was, or if any of the people I was acquainted with were watching nor did I care. I was in a tizzy of desire, and the alcohol seemed to be acting as the catalyst to my bravery. He gave my ass a rough squeeze and pressed down again, this time causing my eyes to flutter closed. I was soaking wet and felt a need building. There was no thoughts, just emotion. I felt sexy, and he was showing me his appreciation.
“You like this?” His fingers skirted the edge of the dress.
I sucked in my lip. “Yes.”
The tips grazed the crease of my butt cheek and teased the sensitive skin. “You want more?”