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With my best fake smile
, I answered. “I’m in law school.”
“Nice.” He sat on one of the stools under the kitchen island, his broad torso took up almost the entire length of one side. “So can you tell me if I have a case against my neighbor? She’s always—”
I stopped him before he got any further. “I can’t really advise you on anything while I’m still a student.”
He shrugged, obviously unaffected by my quick rejection. “I tried.”
For some reason, walking into this house, I was expecting a rager. Max and his friends were all adult and this was a lovely home.
The kitchen had an oversized glass sliding door that led to a large deck, spanning the width of the house. On the right was a grill and a table and chair set. The left had a teak conversation set—a love seat and two chairs with plush blue pillows. Below the deck was a pool, which didn’t look to be open yet. Off to the side was a fire pit already blazing, which explained the smell of burning wood when we first arrived. Even farther below the pool and pit was a small dock that led to the lake.
Down at the dock I met Bobbi and Drake—the only married couple at the party and high school friends of Ben and Max. Able, a friend they’d met only a few years ago, was the only one to have brought a date, a beautiful blonde who smiled sweetly and clung to him like glue. I was quickly advised by Ryan that she wouldn’t last.
When most of the group had gathered in the TV room, Bobbi caught everyone’s attention. “Look what I brought.” She held a green bottle between her thumb and forefinger and let it dangle in front of Ben’s face.
“What is that?” I leaned over and whispered in Max’s ear. He sat in one of the bulky chairs in the corner and I sat on the arm, leaning against him.
“It’s Absinthe.”
Like everything else that was fun in the world, I’d only heard about Absinthe. I’d never tried it. Maybe tonight I should finally put aside the tales and experience something firsthand.
“I want to try it.”
He looked over and raised his eyebrows in shock. “Are you sure? I thought you had studying to do tomorrow.”
I let my tongue run along my bottom lip and Max quickly tugged at my chin, moving my head until we were face-to-face. He rubbed his thumb along the spot that was now wet. “I’ll make sure you don’t do anything too crazy.”
He was always taking care of me. Making me feel safe. I had no doubt he’d watch over me if things got hairy. My only question was, just what kind of hairy? “What does it do?”
“It heightens your senses,” Bobbi explained from the front of the room. She was obviously listening to our conversation. “Everything will look brighter, sound prettier, taste more delicious.” Her eyes lit up when she explained the effects. She was a good saleswoman. Although I didn’t need much coaxing. Who the hell wouldn’t want to experience that?
Although I had let Max into my panties, he was still a stranger. He kept a wall between us. I didn’t blame him, I had one of my own. But there were times, like right now, when I wanted them both to crumble and let us step over the rubble and walk off into the distance, no obligations, no expectations, just experiencing pleasure.
Which was exactly what I was going to do right now. I was going to indulge. I trusted Max. I knew he’d never let anything bad happen to me.
Bobbi motioned for everyone to gather around the coffee table. She’d come prepared with all the fancy Absinthe accessories and prepared two shots at a time.
When it was my turn, I held up my shot glass and clinked it with my partner, Ryan. Without hesitation, we tilted our heads back and I let the green liquid slide down my throat.
I didn’t do drugs and I barely drank. It was no surprise that I felt the effects course through my virgin blood immediately. The night had suddenly become an adventure.
Everything became a blur of color and light. Sounds were muffled, but never more clear. People were funnier. Words were more meaningful. Colors were brighter and meshed together in a weird haze like a kaleidoscope. One moment I was standing on the edge of the pool minding my own business, the next I was roasting a hot dog in the fire, talking ’80s movies with Ryan. Food was more satisfying and delicious than it ever had been, but I was pretty sure I’d burned the roof of my mouth because I didn’t wait long enough to let the chicken cool from the barbecue. And I barely registered Ben pulling me aside and murmuring something about being the only girl Max had brought around since high school.
I was gathering my thoughts in the kitchen with a glass of water when I noticed Max sitting quietly in the corner of the TV room. He wore a wicked smirk when he noticed me approach, but he was blurry. A blur of sexy hotness that I wanted to jump. I didn’t care about the crowd. I didn’t care about anything. I guess that’s what the Absinthe did. Lowered my guard and my inhibitions, because if he bent me over the coffee table, I’d let him enter me right here, in front of his friends, and I’d do whatever else he wanted in the process.
I jumped onto Max’s lap and kissed his cheeks, his nose, then his lips. His strong arms wrapped around me and he pressed his mouth harder against mine.
“Get a room,” someone yelled from the couch and I felt something soft bounce off my legs.
When I looked down; someone had thrown a pillow.
Bobbi walked over and offered her hand. I looked up at the pretty woman who had raven-colored hair and black eyeliner that lined each entire eye. She looked sweet, but there was something accusatory in her stare. Something I wasn’t sure I wanted to engage, but I wasn’t going to hide from her. I took her hand, kissed Max one more time, then walked away with her.
She led me to the bathroom on the first floor and locked the door behind us.
“Having a good time?” She unbuttoned her jeans and pulled them down, along with her black thong.
