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Avalyne
7p.m. rolls around, and I have been dreading the entire idea of leaving my bed full of fluffy white sherpa blankets.
“I’m coming in, bitch!” Lilac says as she opens my bedroom door and hops onto the bottom of my bed.
“Do your entrances always have to be so obnoxious?” I ask, already knowing her answer.
She rolls her eyes. “Listen, Ava. I know you are having a book hangover because your most recent love interest got shot–”
I cut her off, “It was at the end of the book, Li! I literally have to wait a month to see if he lives!” She completely ignores me as she starts raiding my closet. Lilac is dressed in a shirt that has eyes on her boobs and a hot pink skirt, which to most people seems ridiculous, but her eclectic style gets recognized all over her blogs, and she is loved for it.
“Here you go, lovely. Wear this one. We’re finding something that we could possibly hurt ourselves riding tonight,” she says with a wink.
“Let’s see what you got for me.” I hold up the beautiful blue dress I got for my twenty-first birthday.Not bad. Still reluctant to get out of bed, I slide to the edge. “I guess we’re doing this.”
I throw a little makeup on, slide the dress on, and toss my hair into a cute half-top knot on my head.
“I like the effort you put in tonight, Ava,” Lilac says, oozing sarcasm. “But, luckily, I’m blessed with a naturally beautiful best friend.” She throws her arm around me and plants a big kiss on my cheek.
We exit the Lyft at the club, shocked by the long line of people waiting to get in. Fortunately, the bouncer knows my family name and lets us slide to the front. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t like that entitled shit. But, when it’s threatening rain, I’ll use it. We make our way through the dance floor to the back bar.
“Sounds like they are playing decent music tonight!” Lilac shouts over the music.
“Let me guess, a whiskey on the rocks for you, blondie, and a beer for lavender locks,” the bartender assumes correctly. We nod in agreement, then exchange a gratifying look with each other.
“Oh my freaking God!” Lilac squeals in my ear as the bartender turns to pour us drinks.
“What happened?” I ask, staring at my friend, who sinks her lips into her lower lip while devouring the bartender with her eyes.
“Are you blind? She’s walking sex!”
She’s so dramatic.
“Here you go, ladies.” The bartender places our drinks on the wooden countertop before sending a flirty wink at my friend. “By the way, I finish my shift in half an hour,” she winks and heads to serve someone else.
“Someone’s getting laid tonight,” I smile at Lilac, who can’t take her eyes off the bartender as I reach for my drink.
“Oh, shut up!” She crosses her arms and gives me a death stare before we both burst out laughing, and I take a deep sip of my whiskey. Lilac nudges my arm, causing me to nearly choke on my drink, and leans in closer, shouting, “The fox from campus is headed this way! Act natural.” Because her screaming isn’t a dead giveaway.
“May I?” A deep voice rumbles from behind me.
I turn on my chair, facing him, and our eyes lock. His muddy brown eyes are bright under the fluorescent lights of the bar. His nose narrow, leading down to his firm lips that look like they could give you the ride of a lifetime.
He clears his throat and asks again, “May I sit here?”
“Sure, if you think you can handle a girl that can handle her whiskey,” I reply boldly, and he smirks.
“Is it a challenge?” His smirk broadens as he leans in, letting his enticing geranium and Sichuan pepper scent fill my lungs as I inhale, and his warm breath sweeps across my neck.
“Maybe,” I try to give him a sultry smile, arching my back.Could a man be more alluring?
“You have to know, Firefly, that I’m always up for a good challenge.”Firefly?I feel my cheeks flushing a deep shade of red as his piercing gaze lingers on my skin. “You look sweet when you blush,” and I instantly regret not using my foundation tonight.
“I’m not blushing…,” I blurt out before his amused eyes stop me in my tracks. “It’s just... the alcohol.”Bad liar.
“Sure it is,” he says. “Damien.”
“What?” I’m too focused on his sculpted body peeking through his thin black t-shirt.
