Page 9 of Learning to Love

People are starting to dance now so I sway with the music and let the alcohol do what it does or what I've heard that it does. This is my first drink. It tastes sweet, but it's also slightly sour. I like it. I don't taste the alcohol at all, which in theory, is probably an awful thing.

"Hi." Startled, I turn to the right, and a guy is standing up against the wall, watching me sway.

"Hi." I blush. I've stopped swaying to the beat. He's cute. Preppy cute, but still cute.

"You wanna dance?"

"I'm more of an observer."

He throws his head back and laughs. I smile back. He's got a great laugh. He winks at me. "Come on, I'll show you."

He grabs my hand before I can object so I stand there and look awkward. He laughs, but I'm not offended. He's not making fun of me. "Just sway like you were a minute ago."

I do exactly that, and he does the same. "See, we're dancing."

I laugh. "Yes, we are, and we're not that bad either."

He's being respectful and fun. He's not all up on me, and he is somewhat keeping his distance. I can appreciate that. "What's your name?"

"Benji. Yours?"

"Danielle, but all my friends call me Dani." He smiles big, but the smile doesn't quite reach his eyes. That odd, but maybe he's just shy.

"Dani, it is then!" I smile at him, but I feel kind of awkward now. It's almost as if he's hiding something. Or maybe I've just listened to too many true-crime podcasts.

Suddenly, I feel an arm around my waist, drawing me close to their side. I know without looking it's him, my favorite. The Sex King. "Who's this, Georgia?"

I swallow hard. Jakes so intense, and he appears to not like my new friend. If looks could kill, he'd be dead. "Benji, this is my friend, Jake. Jake, this is my friend, Benji."

Jake raises an eyebrow challenging him. Benji huffs but does nothing else. Jake gently moves me away from him. "I was dancing, Jake."

"And your pretty good at it, too, but you're my friend. Remember? And I don't like sharing."

I gulp. My knees are weak, and my palms are sweaty. "You can never have too many friends, Jake."

"You're my first friend, that's a straight girl. I don't plan on sharing you with any other guys anytime soon."

“I'm not a full-on feminist or anything, but you don't get a say on who I hang around with or who I talk to."

He shrugs. "We'll see about that."

Yes, we will. I'll show you. I don't say it out loud, but my mind is defiantly set. Jake will probably lose interest in a little while anyway, so it won't even matter. We walk through the party until I see Sasha, Dallas, and Jaxon at the open bar getting more drinks. Dallas is flirting with her, and she's not having any of it. "There's our people."

He waves at them and pulls Jaxon to the side so he can whisper something in his ear. I laugh as Sasha once again outwits Dallas with another quick retort. I separate myself from Jake needing a breath of fresh air. He's so masculine and strong. He is unknowingly suffocating me and making me feel things, things he won't ever feel towards me. I need to keep my distance. I'm not all about being caught up in an unrequited love affair.

After his chat, he grabs me again. We don't stop this time until we make it out the door. He opens the garage and holds the passenger side door open for me. I fold my arms over my chest. "Where are we going? I'm not leaving Sasha."

"I promise she's okay. Jaxon and Dallas will not leave her side. Let's just get something to eat, and then we'll come right back. If you're going to drink, you need to eat. I don't want you getting lightheaded or drunk since this is your first party, and I need to leave for a little while anyway or I'll punch the shit out of that preppy asshat Benji. I gotta clear my head."

I nod slowly and get in the front seat without saying another word. After we've driven a few minutes, I can't help but ask him the question that's been on repeat in my mind since I got in the car. "Why do you want to punch my new friend Benji?"

"That's between us."

I roll my eyes thinking you have got to be kidding me. "Does Benji play football?"

He shrugs. He does that a lot, and it's getting on my nerves. "He's on the team, if that's what you mean, but he doesn't get a chance to play much."

"Okay, Petty Crocker."