Chapter 28
Charlotte
My head swims with a mixture of sharp pain from guzzling the frozen cocktail and bliss from the absorption of alcohol.
I normally refrain from any mind-altering substances, but I do enjoy a light drink from time to time. This thing is so tasty there’s no way it has an excessive amount of alcohol.
After downing a second tasty blue thing, I give in to the compelling need to move my body amongst the sea of strangers.
Rebecca waves me off but promises to keep in line of sight. I feel so good that I have zero embarrassment about dancing solo.
I love the warmth of bodies against mine as I make my way into the mass of a never-ending galaxy of motion, and I come to a stop in a small, open space.
My eyes close, and I lose myself to the rhythm, my hands roaming over my body. The touch ignites the desire centers of my core. Fuck, I miss Zach.
I can almost feel his hands caressing my body. Starting at my midsection, curving down to my ass, where he squeezes it gently as if extracting my essence through my ass into his soul.
I wish I could feel his lips against mine.
I imagine the heat of his body rocking against the back of mine. Cocooning me in warmth and desire. His hands slide over my hips and cup my pulsing mound as his lips skim the sensitive skin of my neck. It feels so fucking good.
It feels good .
It feels good.
My eyes fly open and latch onto the large arms wrapped tightly around me. I watch in horror as the big paw attached to the arm works my pussy over my dress.
Immediately, I spring away, my heart thudding heavily like it’s filling up with cement, each beat struggling for strength against the mortar.
I whip around to face my uninvited dance partner. His face is wrapped in a mystery, veiled in a neon kaleidoscope. I blink rapidly, trying to dispel the haze of swirling colors. My vision swims in a sea of Roy-G-Biv.
Holding my arm out in front of me to force the distance, I keep trying unsuccessfully to blink myself into a solid perception of my surroundings. “What the fuck?” I question.
His hands slink up my arm until they hit my shoulder. He pulls my body back into his. My head shakes rapidly back and forth. Saying the words my mouth refuses to voice. Why does it feel so fucking good?
Stop.
Stop.
Stop.
A burst of cool air flows against my bare arms. “Do you know what stop means, asshole?” a deep growl spits out from my right. I wasn’t aware the words actually were being voiced.
My still hazy dance partner sneers up at me and – the very buff, very handsome older man in a three-piece suit beside me. Handsy McGee doesn’t have a prayer against this stallion. The narrowing of his eyes and huff he lets out before standing and storming away tells me he’s aware he would get his ass handed to him.
A warm hand lands gently on my lower back, “Are you alright, honey?” he coos into my ear, looking down at me with soft, kind eyes. When he looks away from me, he tips his chin in the direction the man stormed away. Who is he motioning to?
The heat from his hand warms my whole body. I find myself leaning into it. What the hell is wrong with me? Clearly, there was more alcohol in those drinks than I thought .
Mystery man leads me to a quieter place by the bar’s edge. “Hey, thanks for that back there.”
He places a cool, unopened bottle of water in my hand. Where did that come from? “No problem, honey. Guys like that seem to have a way of ignoring the word no. I saw you mouth stop repeatedly, and he didn’t, so I knew I had to step in.”
I open the bottle and take a greedy gulp. The cotton in my mouth immediately disperses with the aqueous nectar. Draining the whole bottle, my body sways a bit. The mystery man latches on to my hips to steady me, and I hold myself up by extending my hand to his shoulder.
“You should have a seat. Did you take something tonight—?” he asks, leaving the question open for me to fill in my name. He scoots one of the leather-topped circular bar stools over for me to sit on, helping me steady on the surface.
“Charlotte. I had two blue slushy things, but no, no drugs.” I reach into my left bra-cket and pull out the golden medallion with the Roman numeral one etched in the middle. “Not in a year, actually.”
“Elliot.” He offers his warm, welcoming hand to shake. I clasp our hands together. He places his other hand on top of our joined ones and leans close to my face, searching my eyes.
“Hmm. I don’t know, Charlotte. I’ve done a lot of drugs in my day… The dilation of your eyes. The pleasure across your face at the slightest touch–” He trails his finger lightly up my wrist to my forearm, shooting blissful currents through my body. “Exactly.”
Elliot leans over the bar, catching the bartender’s attention. He whispers into his ear, and immediately, the bartender nods his head and gets on the phone.
Moments later, we are joined by another deliciously attractive older man. This one is in a more casual dark blue polo shirt with black trousers. I try to hide my shock when the polo man leans over and places the tenderest of kisses against Elliot’s lips.
Elliot looks back at me and chuckles, “Charlotte, this is my husband, Sterling,” I offer Sterling a meek smile and an embarrassed wave.
“Ster, can you call the car and get Charlotte home safely? I think it’s best if she calls it a night.”
“Wait! Rebecca!” I interject, suddenly remembering the girl I came with. I frantically look around. Not seeing her among the sea of melding faces.
After seven unsuccessful attempts at calling Rebecca’s phone, I texted her.
Me : Where are you? I need to go home. I’m not feeling well.
Crickets.
I shake my head and shrug my shoulder at Elliott. “Is it the brunette in the black bandana top and white jeans?” he asks.
I nod.
“I will keep an eye out for her. If I see her, I will send her your way and tell her what happened. I’m sure she’s fine, Charlotte.”
“You’re going to sit here all night and look for my friend… for me?” I ask, confused, why this stranger would give up his night for me.
Elliot smiles and rubs my arm in a calming manner. “Honey, this is our club. I would be here all night anyway. But I will keep an eye out, and I’ll let my staff know, too.”
Oh shit.
Before I can comment on his ownership and offer, a wave of nausea rolls over me. Clutching my stomach, my body bends in half. My vision dots behind my lids. I grip my head with my free hand, and strong arms hoist me up. Sterling carries me out of a back entrance to a waiting town car.
I barely remember uttering the directions. But when I wake up in the morning with a mouth covered in a pillowy veil of cotton and a horrendous headache, the last thing I care to see on my phone is the text that pisses me off.
Rebecca : Hey, girl! So sorry about last night. My phone died, and I hitched a ride back. You looked like you were having an uber-good time with those two silver foxes, so I didn’t want to bother you. w ink emoj i
What the fucking fuck? Who does that?
If I didn’t feel like such an utter bag of shit, I would call her and give her a piece of my mind. But if I open my mouth right now, my head might split open and purge what’s left of my brain everywhere.
I roll my eyes and toss my phone back on my nightstand before curling back into my comforter to sleep the day away.