AllFreeNovel
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“Have a nice night, gentleman,” Flynn says, shuffling me into the buoyant, bouncing club before anyone can say another word. He puts his hand on the nape of my neck. “You okay?”
Better now. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
Flynn’s hand slides down my back, but just before he can withdraw entirely, I grab his hand. “Let’s do shots.”
“What?”
“I need to loosen up. And I can’t do shots alone,” I say, trying not to sound like I’m begging. “That’d be embarrassing, right?”
Flynn concedes with a nod. “Suppose you’re right.” Then he smiles. “Okay. Let’s do shots.”
Flynn ends up sending three rounds of shots to our little VIP section which tips several party guests from drunk to drunker and a couple of others from drunker to drunkest. Me, though, well, I’m feeling warm and wonderful.
“Stella, Stella, Stella.” Cash grabs onto my arm. “Gregory and I are going dancing.”
“Oh, you don’t want me to get in your way,” I say. I’ve been sitting next to Flynn since we returned, and I’d hate to leave the warmth of his hip pressed up to mine. More than that, I’d hate to leave Flynn alone with Adelaide and Theo. Half of me worries about what she’ll do and the other half worries about whathe’lldo. “Besides, we’re…” I glance at Flynn, not sure what to say to finish that sentence.
Flynn cracks a smile. The alcohol has seeped in along his brow. He’s usually so serious and stern. Now, he’s at ease. “Don’t worry about me. You go have fun.”
Without another word, Cash pulls me up off the sofa with more strength than a woman of her stature should have. “Come on! Daddy said you can come out to play! Let’s go!”
Cash, Gregory, and I wade out of the safety of the VIP area onto the dance floor. I glance back at Flynn who gives me a big thumbs up. Inside, I cringe. That’s not a gesture you make to a girl you might be attracted to.
Not that he should be attracted to me. But I’ll admit, it would be nice.
Adelaide and her friends can’t be as freewheeling since they’re so recognizable. Plus, I bet Theo’s a better dancer than her. I asked him if footballers really take ballet, and he said it was his favorite part of the job.
Theo is an interesting man; I can say that much.
Over the loudspeakers is some pop song mashed together with different thumping and squealing sounds. The DJ up front isfeelingthe music with everything in her. I’ve heard her name before but wouldn’t know the first thing about famous DJs.
The three of us start dancing in a triangle, making a spot for ourselves among the other wasted clubbers. I start to lose myself in the music, putting my hands in the air and wriggling my hips in time to the beat. Cash and Gregory sing the lyrics and I suddenly recognize the song too, singing along with them. The alcohol completely did the trick.
This feels like freedom.
From time to time, I look back at Flynn, waiting to be disappointed to see him talking to Adelaide. But every time his eyes are squarely on me.
Thank goodness too. After not too long, I feel a hand slink around my hip. Some tall bastard with a grip like Rocky Balboa pulls me up against his crotch. I look at him with disgust, but he seems very pleased with himself. “What, you don’t want to dance with me?”
“No,” I say angrily and try to pull away.
“You play hard to get, then?”
“I’m not playing at all.” I smack him on the chest. “Let me go, let me –”
“Hey man, she’s with me” I hear Flynn’s voice over the music.
The man releases his grip on me, and I trip back into Flynn’s chest. Flynn wraps his arm around my waist protectively.
“Sorry, sorry. Forgive me,” the stranger says, holding his hands up in the air. He’s not speaking to me but to Flynn. Fury bubbles inside of me.
Flynn doesn’t say anything else, moving in between me and the man. “Are you okay?”
“God, what a fucking jackass,” I say. “Of course, he won’t listen to me, but the second a man steps in –”
“Hey.”
I stop speaking and look up at Flynn in surprise. It was a very emphatic “hey”.
