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“The whole going to a club and meeting someone to have sex with. I’ve never done this before. In fact, I’ve never had any kind of hookup before.” Her eyes are wide and she’s talking fast, telling me that she’s nervous.
“Didn’t you say you just graduated college? How is that possible? I thought this is what everyone is doing these days?”
She snorts and rolls her eyes. “Yeah, it pretty much is. But not me. I’m from Michigan. I grew up there. In high school, I started dating this guy. He was my first ever boyfriend and things with us were great. It was exactly what you’d expect a high school relationship to be. I had all my firsts with him. First kiss. First school date. First school dance. First sexual experience. After high school, we were both accepted to the same college here in Texas. I had told him I was applying and had no idea he was applying to the same schools to be with me. He wanted it to be a surprise. And back then, I was excited that we didn’t have to break up, you know?”
I nod, listening to her story and wondering why she’s telling me all of this.
“So, we went off to college together. Early on, I had this mental image of how our lives would go: we’d date through school, graduate, and get married. Then we’d get our dream jobs, our dream home, have kids, and then happily ever after. But things don’t ever work like that.” She shakes her head. “Even though, at first, I thought he was perfect for me, I realized that by staying with him I was really missing out on what life had to offer. I couldn’t make decisions for myself. I always had to factor him in. So finally, a few months ago, I decided that I wasn’t going to return home after I graduated. Anna, my friend, she has an extra room and she told me I was more than welcome to move in with her.”
“I don’t…” I shake my head, but her eyes cut to me, making the words fall from my lips.
“After graduation, I broke things off with him. We’d been together for six years. He went back home, I stayed. Now, here I am, sitting next to you and talking about leaving with you. I’m telling you this because I’ve never done this before. I’ve only ever been with one man. I’ve never had a hookup. When it comes to flirting, doing this whole dance…” She motions between us. “I really have no idea what I’m doing.”
“Is that just a really long winded way to tell me you’re nervous?”
She smiles, shrugging one shoulder.
I reach for her hand. The second our skin touches I feel a wave of tingles wash up my arm and into my chest, warming my blood and making my hair stand on end. We have a connection and she feels it too. “I understand why you told me all this and I’m not going to push you or try and persuade you. Why don’t we just…” I shrug. “Stop thinking about the end of the night. Instead, we’ll stay in the moment. Get to know one another, have some fun, and see where the evening takes us?”
5
EMERY
This man is passing all my tests. I tried blowing him off but that didn’t deter him. I tried playing hard to get and he tried harder. Finally, I admit to only ever being with one man and just getting out of a long-term relationship with that one man. That would typically scare off any sweet-talking Romeo looking for a hookup, yet it didn’t. It’s becoming obvious that he isn't the fuckboy I pegged him to be. A fuckboy wouldn’t be putting in this much effort, he would’ve moved on to someone else. Instead, he’s being kind and understanding. I guess I have no option but to see where the night takes us. Now that I’ve taken my judging hat off, maybe we’ll be able to connect.
The two of us get up and walk toward the bar where his big group of friends are gathered. The man I met earlier, holds out a shot glass full of clear and green liquid—the colors separated. “For you.”
I offer him a smile and hold up my hand. “No thanks. I don’t do shots.”
“Oh, come on.” He grabs another. “I’ll do it with you.”
I take the shot, inspecting it. “What’s in it?”
“A little of this and a little of that. They say, it’s like sex.” He smirks and wags his brows.
Linc shakes his head and chuckles under his breath while pinching the bridge of his nose.
“And why do they say that?”
“Because even when it’s bad, it’s still good.” He taps his shot glass off mine and throws it back.
I look from him, to Linc, and then to the shot. Shrugging, I toss the liquid back and to my surprise, it’s not bad. It’s sweet and light. It doesn’t burn and it has a fruity taste.
“That’s my girl,” Tom says, smirking before taking my empty shot glass and walking away.
“Sorry about that,” Linc says, leading me back down the stairs. “He doesn’t get out much.” He laughs.
“So, your whole group works together at the police station?”
He nods. “Yep. The older guys have clearly been there a while. Me and the rest of the younger guys are newer—joined in the last couple of years. Essentially, we’re training to replace them one of these days. Weird when you think of it like that.”
I can’t help but smile as we make our way back down to the lower level. “I think it’s kind of great.”
His brows pull together in confusion.
“I mean, you and these guys, you’ll be like family by the time you’re ready to retire. You will have been through basically everything together. Weddings, children being born, growing up, raises, promotions, all the bad things too…It’s nice when you think about how many people will have your back in the future.”
He smiles and nods. “Yeah, I guess it is.”
