AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Gee, thanks.” She laughs.
“Did you just inadvertently say I’m not nice?” I ask.
“No, Mel, you’re nice. But I know you have a bad girl in there waiting just below the surface. Dara’s just sweet to the core.”
I look over at Dara and see her smiling around her straw.
Hmm, so she disagrees, maybe? Interesting. I mean, no one is sweet to the core.
“Is there anyone at school you’re interested in?” I ask her.
She shakes her head. “No, there’s no one.”
“What about in town?” I try, and she looks down immediately. Hmm, even more interesting. I’ll take that as a yes. “Who is it? Maybe these hooligans can focus their matchmaking powers on you instead of me.”
“Oh, uh, no, I’m fine,” she stammers, her eyes darting around the table.
“Dara? Is there something you’ve been hiding from me all this time I’ve known you?” Courtney asks.
“No, no, of course not.” With wide eyes, she tries to look around for something to use as a distraction, and they land on mine – pleading with me.
“Alright guys, leave her alone. She’ll tell us when she’s ready. Not everyone likes to spill their guts to a group of loud and obnoxious women.”
“She’s a part of our group, Mel,” Ash says. “She has to get used to it now that she can come out and drink with us.”
Looking across the table at Dara, I smile wide, raising my glass to her. “Here’s to many more nights. I hope you don’t go running scared.”
Smiling, she raises her glass. “Looking forward to it.”
The night continues on, and luckily no one else brings up Alex to me. My head is swimming in thoughts of him and I don’t want anyone intruding on them.
I’ve been sipping my same big glass of whiskey that he poured me for the past hour or so, and all my mind can think of is Alex taking me home again on his bike–my body completely molded to his–feeling everything as one.
Maybe if I get drunk again, he’ll let me stay with him, and then he can take me home in the morning.
Oh, sweet Jesus, why am I thinking this?
I’ve never been so desperate for a man. Kissing him has me thinking about what it would feel like to have his hands on my bare skin and his mouth dragging across my body – his lips marking me, ruining me, opening me up to things I didn’t even know I could feel.
“Mel, will you need a ride home tonight? Or will you find alternative transportation?” Ally snickers, and then hiccups. Oh, wow, she’s drunk.
“I don’t know,” I answer honestly, my eyes darting over to Alex.
“I’ll decide for you then,” Ash says. “We’re going to leave you here again, and that way you have no choice but to ask Alex for a ride. Or have sex with him all night. Either way works.”
Everyone laughs around the table, but I just smile into my glass. “Yeah, I think I can find my own way home.”
“AHHH, YES MELY!” Ally yells, punching her fist in the air.
“Oh my god, Al,” I groan. “You’re super drunk.”
“I know.” She laughs. “I’m going to call Jakey to come and get me. God, that man. Mmm, I’m so obsessed with my husband. HUSBAND! Can you believe we’re married? I can’t wait to see him. I’m calling him,” she declares after her long-winded rambling.
“Please do. Because I don’t know how much longer I can stand you like this,” Ash jokes, throwing a napkin at her.
“Oh, like you don’t want Ryan right now.”
“Fine, I do.”
