AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The crowd claps and when I pull my hand free from the stranger I just let finger me, he tightens his arms around my waist.
The party is in full swing now that all of the football players are here. Girls are dancing, and their skirts flare out as they twirl. Guys don’t let it go unnoticed—they’re interested. One guy, number fifty-six, gets between them as they grind against each other. They’re free and enjoying every uninhibited minute.
“Why so sad?” he asks. “Want another round?”
Before I can answer, which would have beennosince we’re no longer lost in the moment, and I have a child, Logan, Harper, and another couple walk towards us, both holding hands. “Umm… I need to find my friends,” I say, embarrassed we don’t even know each other’s names, yet he’s holding me like I belong to him, and he belongs to me.
This time, he lets me go, and he picks up the contents of my purse from the hammock. He takes a look at my school I.D. “Brooke, I’m Reed.” A mischievous grin tugging at his lips.
Harper bounces over to Reed. “You haven’t scared her off yet. Proud of you.”
Reed rolls his eyes but then she hugs him and whispers something in his ear.
“This is Brooke.” He puts his hand on the small of my back. “Brooke, these are my roommates. You met Logan and Harper earlier. This is Hagan and his fiancée Adalee. She’s not officially a roommate, but she may as well be.”
Logan says to me, “Surprised you’re still here. Girls run screaming in the opposite direction around this guy.”
Oh, I screamed.
“Pleasure meeting you,” Adalee says, wrapping her arms around me quickly, then releasing me just as fast.
Why is every word someone speaks making me think of having sex with Reed?
“Thanks, it’s nice to meet you. Congratulations.” I look at Logan, then turn to Reed. “I need to find my friends. They may want to leave.”
“I’ll walk with you,” Reed volunteers.
“It’s okay. I’ve got mace in my purse.”
His eyes flicker in the firelight at my suggestion. “That was my next guess. See you around.” Reed’s mouth draws into a smug grin.
Walking away from Reed leaves me empty. Just minutes ago, I was seeing stars. Not the ones in the sky, but stars, nonetheless. Bright piercing prisms of light shooting in all directions. He made me float in space. That was extraordinary.
Lettie is with the basketball players and when I approach, Dane’s lips are tightly folded over his teeth and his body tense. One of Dane’s friends is touching Lettie’s back and playing with her hair as she laughs. She’s drunk.
I walk into the circle. “Hey Lettie, are you ready?”
“Ready for something,” Dane mumbles under his breath. I glance between them, but Lettie doesn’t notice Dane’s upset.
“How much has she had to drink?” I ask. “She’s the designated driver.”
“Enough to cloud her judgement.”
“Great, how am I going to get home?” I ask aloud but to no one in particular. I got myself into this mess. “I’ll call an Uber.”
The other two girls who came with us, Jules and Tessa, are with the same guys as when we came, so they won’t want to leave. And I really want to leave. I want to go home and dream about Reed and how good his fingers felt exploring my center. Try to reenact the scene on my own.
Dane takes two strides to Lettie. “Your friend wants to go home. Where are your keys?”
“No, don’t go, Brooke. Stay and party. You need to let loose.” Lettie wobbles, and Dane’s friend catches her.
“I’ve had an amazing time, but I have to work in the morning. Dane will take me home and come back to get you three.”
I’ve only been around Dane a few times, but it’s obvious he cares about her, and he’s upset.
Out of nowhere, Reed comes from behind me, “Hey, I can give you a ride.”
I bet you can.
