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“Shhhh…” I hiss at her, hoping he didn’t hear. But then she lets go of my arm, and my heel catches in one of the cracks between the floorboards in the most unfortunate way.
My body goes falling backward, stuck in place by my shoe, and I almost lose the glass in my hand. But firm arms catch me from behind, saving me from crashing to the ground.
“Careful there, Ginge.” Kai’s mouth is close to my ear, and my back is pressed into his chest as he holds me steady.
I shiver at the feel of his warm breath on my skin and quickly scramble to right myself again. My drink has spilled some onto my hand, but I’m otherwise unscathed, thanks to him.
I pull my foot from my stuck shoe as Kai releases me. Though profoundly embarrassed, I instantly miss his touch.
As I step down onto the floor with my bare foot, I notice how much taller than me he really is. Without my heels, I’m dwarfed by him. He must be six-foot at least.
He bends down and pulls the heel of my shoe from the crack and hands it back to me.
“Thanks…” I blush, slipping it back onto my foot, straightening my dress, and wishing I were dead.
FOUR
Kai
As light as a feather.
That’s how Sophie feels to me when I catch her in my arms. She’s so small, probably a hundred pounds soaking wet, and when her tiny frame falls into me, my mind races. I can’t help but think about how easy it would be to pick her up and hold her to me, or below me, or against a wall…
As she puts on her shoe and straightens up to look at me, I can tell she’s embarrassed. Her cheeks have already burned an adorable, bright pink multiple times tonight. But she is endearing to me. She’s so lovely, and also so terrible at flirting that somehow she’s even more alluring than the rest of the women here. I caught on to her inexperience right away when we spoke at the bar. It warmed my heart in a way I wasn’t prepared for. She’s naive; sweeter than the rest.
But at the same time, there’s a sort of fire about her, like maybe she isn’t as simple as she seems; maybe she has more confidence than she reveals.
One thing I know for certain.
I want to take her home with me tonight.
Yet, even in that truth, there is something different this time. Usually, I take women home with me for the sole purpose of sex. To satisfy a simple need. My mind goes into overdrive in the moment, completely at the mercy of my dick, which only wants one thing. But once that one thing is satisfied, I usually feel like a dick, myself; empty and bored, with an unfamiliar woman next to me who I’ll never call back, because even from the start, I was never really that interested in her. By the time the thrill of it all wears off, I just want to be alone.
But they never leave quickly enough. They always crawl into me for a cuddle, and they fall asleep while my arm does the same, filling with prickles and tingles. I’ll eventually pull my limb out from beneath her, trying with every effort not to wake her for fear that she might pull me in again. Then I’ll spend an hour or two on my phone in the dark, wondering whether she’ll expect me to call her and praying she won’t. And eventually, in the company of a beautiful stranger, I’ll finally let my eyes drift shut.
It’s a nasty cycle. But it delivers a welcome distraction from the alternative. The alternative isn’t an option anymore. I gulp back the painful memory before it can surface.
I study Sophie for a moment, trying to understand why things feel different with her. Even though it’s barely midnight, and the evening has just begun, I already know I want to whisper in her ear and ask her to leave with me. Not just because I want her in bed with me…well, mostly because I want her in bed with me…but also because, frighteningly, I actually want to spend more time with her than just the few hours at this club. If things go well tonight, maybe she’ll stay with me till morning. Maybe I actually want that.
But only until morning. Nothing more. Never more.
Not after what happened with Heather.
Sophie shakes off her wrist; damp from where her drink spilled. She’s flustered and disoriented, looking at Leah in a mild panic.
I can’t quite tell if she’s the kind of girl who’ll accept my offer. Maybe she’ll scoff and laugh and leave me alone feeling guilty for suggesting such a thing. But what do I have to lose? I’ll never see her again anyway.
“Soph, you ok?” Leah asks unnecessarily loudly from beside her, handing her a napkin.
Sophie nods and glances at me. “Thanks.” Her voice is soft and sweet, and I love the way she has to look up through her long lashes to see me.
“Maybe no more mojitos for you?” I grin.
She blushes again. The pink suits her. She probably hates it, but I certainly do not.
“I’ve barely had two,” she pleads, holding up her half-empty glass.
I’m amused by her lightweight status. But I note in the back of my mind that I shouldn’t let her have any more. I definitely don’t want to take advantage of her tonight. That’s not my game.
