I slammed back my drink, then put the glass back down on the counter. I took a moment to catch my breath, before raising my hand to call for the bartender.
“Another one, please,” I said.
He frowned. “Um, do you think you’ve had too much, maybe?”
I shook my head quickly, but stopped when it made me feel a bit dizzy.
“Not at all. Another, please.”
He continued to look concerned, which I thought I was sweet, but as I waited expectantly, he just sighed and went to get my drink.
His concern wasn’t going to do me much good, after all. Also, despite playing the good girl all my life, I knew how to hold my liquor. I was a little tipsy, but I was nowhere near drunk.
A while later, I was sure I’d had a little too much to drink. Still not drunk, but fed up. I was leaning against a wall feeling both sorry for and angry at myself. I felt stupid for using my last dime on that drink.
I need to head back to my room.
Soon, I would have to go home, too, since nearly all my funds had gone down the drain. I didn’t have room to feel regret, but I was disappointed I’d have to cut my trip short.
I looked around at the rest of the club. There was music and drinks and dancing, and everyone seemed to be having fun. This was a new scene for me. It wasn’t my first time in a club; that had been earlier in the week. I still wasn’t used to it, especially with all the noise and the bumping bodies.
If circumstances were different, I never would have ended up in such a place. Not because I hated it, but the thought never really entered into my mind before.
Anyway, it wasn’t as if I had the funds to keep club hopping anyway, but I felt like I’d had my fill of it.
Time to get back to the real world.
I pushed myself off the wall, but I miscalculated.
The reason I was leaning against the wall instead of still being at the bar, was because I’d moved away to go to the bathroom. But I was feeling unsteady, and a new group had come in with a lot of people and a lot of noise. I moved to get out of their way, but now that I’d decided to leave, I had to go all the way across the room, and the crowded people dancing or standing around with their drinks.
It wasn’t my intention, I didn’t even realize I was unsteady, and being in unfamiliar tall heels wasn’t helping. I was going to fall to the floor before I caught myself because my legs felt like weak noodles.
Crap.
I squinted my eyes, too afraid to close them, with arms held out, hoping to break my fall without breaking an arm.
It didn’t happen, though. Instead of falling to the ground, I bumped into someone. He didn’t mean to save me, probably. He was passing in front of me and hadn't seemed to notice I was in the way until I collided with him.
My first impression of him was that he was tall, and his body was muscled underneath his suit.
One of my hands had fallen to his peck, and the other had grabbed onto his bicep. His arms came up to catch me as I fell into him, steadying me, though my face was already pressed against his chest.
I had a moment to be relieved I didn’t end up face-planting on the floor. I didn’t doubt a few people would have stepped on me on their way since everyone in the club seemed so preoccupied with themselves and each other.
Then, I looked up and felt my breath catch in my throat.
He’s hot, was my second impression of him. I was held against his chest, and he had one hand on my waist, the other on my shoulder, holding me close. Not that I want to move away. I found myself thinking, This must be what immediate attraction felt like.
“Whoa, there,” the man said. “Miss, are you all right?”
I just blinked at him stupidly, because his voice was deliciously deep. He was the full package, a guy with a nice body, nice voice, and a handsome face. Before, I never would have caught the interest of a man like him.
“Miss?” he said after a minute when I didn’t reply, arching an eyebrow. “Are you okay?”
Immediately, I felt my face go hot, and I knew I was blushing. I cleared my throat and went to move back, only to realize I couldn’t because he was holding me securely, and a little tightly, to his chest. He seemed to realize it as well and released me, quickly.
Only, he did it a little too quickly, and I staggered a bit, almost falling back against the wall, before he grabbed me again, his hands on my waist as he tugged me back against his chest. The pose we ended up in this time was a little more intimate. With his hands around my waist and my own on his chest, if anyone looked at us, they would think we were together.
I’d learned my lesson already, though. Between being in a hot guy’s arms and ending up on the floor, there was no competition.
“Are you here with someone, Miss?” the man asked. “You look like you’re a little drunk…”
I shook my head. “Not drunk,” I corrected. “Just a little tipsy.”
Honestly, staring at his face wasn’t even helping, it was just making me daydream. If he let go, I was sure I would fall, and that thought made my hands flex on his chest.
His other eyebrow went up, but by his expression, I could tell he wasn’t exactly put out, even though some strange woman was hanging off him.
“Why don’t we sit down?” he offered. “You seem like you’re here alone.”
It sounded like an amazing idea, so I nodded. Instead of releasing me completely, he kept one hand on my back as he turned me around and led us to the area with seats. Because nearly everyone seemed to have migrated to the dance floor, there were plenty of empty tables, and he found us one. He had a hand on me until I sat down, but he kept standing.
“Wait right here, and I’ll get you some water, okay?”
Again, I nodded obediently and watched as he walked away. I wondered if he would come back. Surely, guys that looked like he did didn’t come to a club alone, and sure as heck wouldn’t leave alone. Why would he waste time helping me?
Why is he so concerned in the first place?
“Here you go.”
I startled, looking up when a glass was set in front of me. The man was back, and he sat down in the chair close to me, watching me. Assuming he wanted me to drink the water, I lifted the glass and took a few sips, until I realized just how thirsty I was. I drank down the whole glass, then set it back on the table. When I glanced at him, he was smiling at me in approval.
“Now,” he said, leaning forward with his elbows on the table. “What is a girl like you doing alone in a place like this?”
My face was still hot, and I was starting to wonder if it wasn’t the alcohol that had my cheeks blushing. I couldn’t tell if this guy was coming on to me, or what exactly he was doing, but the attention was leaving me flustered.
I didn’t do well when I was flustered.
“Yes, I’m by myself,” I snarked. “What does that have to do with you?”
His eyebrows shot up like he was surprised, but then he was chuckling.
“Are you pouting? I just thought I’d help you out. Don’t tell me I’m irritating you instead?”
I sucked in my lips and shot a frown at him. He just continued to look amused.
“I’m going to take a guess and say you don’t come from around these parts,” he said. “But do you have a place to stay?”
I nodded. The club was part of the hotel, so getting back alone wouldn’t be a problem at all. If only my legs hadn't picked the worst time to go weak on me, I might already be there. Though, I couldn’t say I’d rather have that than sit next to an attractive man.
Nothing was going to happen with him, though. I’d had relationships before, just two of them, and one was in high school. I wasn’t a virgin, after the second guy I dated in college, but my focus had never been guys. I didn’t know how to attract them, and when I did, I didn’t know how to act around them.
I could go off to a club, let my hair loose and have some fun, but bring back a man to my room?
No matter how attractive he was, that wasn’t something I dared to do. I could barely look him in the eye, though there was a lot on him to look at, at least. My eyes, especially, kept falling to the place where there should have been a tie to complete his suit. Instead, he wasn’t wearing one, and the top two buttons had been undone, revealing his throat, a hint of collarbone and his toned chest.
“You know,” the man said, and I looked up to see him smirking at me. “You’re way too cute, and you’re even by yourself. Vegas isn’t the place to be wearing a skirt that short and being tipsy by yourself.”
I let out a sound that could have been a squeak, as my back straightened. Even though he was smirking, the look in his eyes was totally serious. I self-consciously tugged at the bottom of my skirt that had ridden up nearly to the tops of my thighs, now that I was sitting down.
I was embarrassed. Then, I was annoyed.
“I didn’t come to Vegas to look for a guy,” I told him, glaring. “And I don’t need some random man I don’t know acting like my mom to me.”
I stood up to walk away, and this time, my legs didn’t betray me. Still, I didn’t get so far, before I felt a hold on my arm. It wasn’t a hard grip. It was gentle, and if I kept walking, the hold would have slipped off. But I paused and turned back to look at him.
He was standing close, reminding me of the height and size difference between the two of us.
“My name is Jake,” he said, sliding his hand down to hold mine. “It’s nice to meet you. Sorry if I came off as annoying, but why don’t I take you somewhere to cool off?”
I stared at him with my eyes wide. His hand squeezed gently around mine, and I could tell my fingers were trembling. If I was going by common sense, if I was acting like the usual me, then I would have told him no thanks and walked away. I wasn’t doing that, though. So, I squeezed his fingers back.
“I’m Klara.”
I was irritated. It wasn’t the kind of emotion that took one to a club, but I couldn’t say I was entirely there because I wanted to be there. Even worse, my older brother, Trent was me the designated driver to teach me a lesson. I got into an argument with him as a result of it, and he was looking at me with that look. It was this irritating, exasperating look that made me wonder if my Trent was seeing an adult or a teenager? I’d be the first to admit that I wasn’t quite the smartest person in that period of my life. I did all the things good boys weren’t supposed to go, I joined the wrong crowds, had my first drink when I was sixteen and never looked back, I’d skip school and sneak out of the house often.My brother was nothing like me. He was the straight kid that always did his homework, always did what our parents wanted, he made everyone proud.I hated the way he’d treated me when he found out, looking at me like I was a kid that didn’t deserve to decide because no matter what, i
When I woke up the next morning, I regretted everything. Fuck! My head hurt like hell before I was even fully awake. The pain was likely what woke me up, and it felt even worse when I moved to roll over. “Ugh.” It wasn’t just the headache, either. The inside of my mouth tasted like shit. I’d been waking up like this the past week, and every time I got over the hangover, I forgot just how bad it was. I had never been hung-over before in my life, at least before this trip. If I drank alcohol, it was single glass champagne that was never full, at family parties, and I didn’t get to have that until I was nineteen. Now that I knew how bad hangovers were, not to mention the bitter taste of beer, I wondered why people loved the stuff so much. Since I was going back home soon, I was done with it shortly. Wait. I’m forgetting something, aren’t I? How did I get back to my room last night? I opened my eyes, only to wince and squint. There was light coming in from a set of open curtains,
I looked up when the door to the bedroom opened. Klara stepped out, fully dressed, with her purse in hand, and her hair was looking a little wet.“So, you finally decided to join me, huh?”Immediately, she frowned. I wondered if she knew, but every time she did that, her lower lip looked like it was sticking out in a pout, making me think she was cute again.“I used your shower,” she muttered. “It took a few minutes. Sorry I didn’t ask first.”I waved the apology away. “No need to say sorry for that. Say sorry for making me wait until the food went cold.”Last night, while she took my bed, I slept on the couch. It was damn uncomfortable, and I woke up early with a crick in my neck. I felt like I didn’t get enough sleep, actually, but it was better than bothering her.Still, I had to wonder when I started turning into a saint.The tray had been set on the coffee table, and I lifted the covers off the dishes. I’d ordered all the stuff that was good for hangovers. Some eggs, toast, slice
He let me go change, but he made me wait for him to finish his breakfast, then as I dumped the plates outside the room for room service, then he followed me back to my room. It was a smaller suite, but it at least had two rooms and a bathroom, and I had him wait in the front room as I changed. I didn’t have time to wash my underwear, so I just folded it and put it far away in my suitcase. I’d have to remember it later. Then, we headed out. “How are we getting there?” I asked. “Do you have a car?” I’d wasted money to get a flight, thinking I’d have to make my way back by bus, since I didn’t think the cash I had would be enough for much, and in the end didn’t last nearly as long as I’d hoped, anyway. It was just about everything I’d been saving up since I got my first job when I was sixteen, but until I finished high school, I used up more than I saved, so while it wasn’t little, it wasn’t a lot, either. When I realized there was not much point in continuing to save it, since I h
Klara was trembling. I’d only kissed her, and I thought she would shake apart in my arms.Damn.What happened to all those innocent intentions I had earlier? I was starting to wonder if I’d had any from the moment she fell into me at the club. Sure, I didn’t try coming onto her before, but that would’ve been in poor taste.She was, however, a beautiful woman that I was spending the day with, and it was obvious the attraction wasn’t just on my part.The first time, she didn’t seem to have any reaction, but that could have been because she was nervous for her first time on a helicopter. Every time after that, though, she’d kept blushing and fidgeting. More than once, I’d caught her staring at me when she thought I wasn’t looking.Honestly, I wasn’t going to try anything. It wasn’t the reason I asked her to go out with me to the Grand Canyon. I did want to see it, and it meant time away from my brother, which was a good thing. But seeing her sweet reactions, I couldn’t help touching her
Lucky for me, the drive was a long one because I could barely feel my legs. We rearranged ourselves after some time, though I somehow ended up sitting in Jake’s lap. He’d explained the instruction given to the driver, but I didn’t much care for the sights.Damn.By the time we made it to the hotel, my body was still singing. My thighs and hips ached, too, and I had to hold onto Jake as he got out of the car and led the way inside. It was all I could do not to walk funny because people would surely notice.Then, the other problem came.Crap.We hadn't used protection, and Jake came inside me, and I could feel it trickle down as I walked. This part of sex, was the part I didn’t like. It could be so messy when you weren’t prepared, and right then, I could only feel disgusted. Jake saw my tight expression. We were in the elevator already, and we were alone, so I was leaning against him and he had his arms tight around me.“Is there anything wrong?” he asked, frowning. “I didn’t hurt you
Something warm was pressed to my chest, and my arm was feeling numb. Those were the thoughts in my mind as I slowly woke up. I remembered yesterday, and when I opened my eyes, Klara’s face was a few centimeters from now. She was still asleep, and I drowsily stared at her for a long moment.Pretty.I pulled my arm from around her to tuck a few stray strands of her hair away from her face so I could stare at her properly.Unfortunately, I couldn’t just keep laying there, because I really needed to go to the bathroom. Klara was laying on my bicep, which was why my arm felt so numb. It was a bit of work, getting her off my arm without waking her, but I managed it and slid off the bed, rubbing my arm with a wince. It was pretty rare that I slept with the women I had sex with, and I wasn’t one for cuddling, either. Still, when I saw her frown and squirm until she was mostly lying in the place I’d just left, clutching the pillow to her face and curling up under the cover, I was tempted to ge
I was slow to wake up. I felt so warm and comfortable that I didn’t want to move. Even when my mind became conscious, I only sighed and hugged tightly at the soft thing in my arms. Then, I remembered last night and frowned.My eyes blinked open, to be met with the hotel’s pristine white pillow. Only, when I moved, there was a suspicious stain on it. I pulled back and rubbed at my chin, sighing when I realized I’d drooled.Well, that is embarrassing.“Jake?” I called out.I realized I couldn’t see him, and rolled around, but he wasn’t behind me on the bed.Could he be in the shower?I listened but couldn’t hear him there. So he was probably in the other room.With another sigh, I slipped out of bed. I was a little disappointed not to wake up with him beside him, but by the light coming into the room, it was likely no longer early in the morning. I headed for the bathroom, unconscious of my naked body. I felt an ache in my hips and between my thighs. When I looked down, I could see some