31. Chapter Thirty-One
Six of us are squished into the rideshare car, heading to the club. Sabrina and Nora, who are roommates, are sitting all the way in the back with Ava, Mark’s date. Tomas and I are in the middle row, while Mark is in the front with the driver.
Everyone is loud and excited, and even the driver is in on it, blasting music for us. The girls are singing loudly in the back, since we had a few shots before we left. They made me chill out, but I’m not quite ready to start belting out lyrics to Top 40 songs yet. Maybe after a few more drinks, I will.
Once we’re at the club, we wait outside for about ten minutes before we’re let in. The line wasn’t too long, and it’s still early, being only about eight.
The club is big and exactly as I’d expect a club to look. Flashing lights, loud music, hot, and smelling like sweat.
We go to the bar first. The girls each received a ticket for a free drink upon entry. The bar is busy, so while we wait, I pull out my phone to go through my emails quickly. I find one from a place I applied to and open it to see they want me to go on an interview.
“Fuck yes!”
“What’s up?” Tomas asks, placing his hand on my lower back as he stands beside me. I show him my phone.
“Hell yes!” He gives me a little shake. “We need to really celebrate now!”
“What’s up?” Mark asks.
I share the news with Mark, and he hugs me.
“Shots to celebrate!”
When it’s our turn, we all order a drink and get a round of shots. Mark pays for everything. Tomas tells the girls the exciting news, and they all take turns hugging and congratulating me. We cheers, do our shots, and suck down our drinks since they only let us get one at a time. We all get another to take with us to the dance floor.
I don’t get into the club scene right away, even though Tomas really tries to help me along.
“I need more drinks!” I finally say after feeling weird as hell with his hands on my hips.
Mark has been grinding on his girl since we got here and there is no shame in her game. She’s rubbing her ass all over his dick so good I think it would make mine hard, and I don’t like girls. Sabrina and Nora have each found a guy they’re dancing with. Both of which are pretty hot, honestly.
Tomas grabs my hand and leads me off the dance floor.
“So let’s go drink more.” He smirks.
At the bar, he gets us another shot and another drink. We stand around the outside of the dance floor that is a few steps lower in the center of the club and watch while we enjoy our drinks.
“How you feeling?” he asks, getting close to my ear. His breath fans across my skin, giving me goosebumps.
“Much better,” I say, taking the last sip. “One more, and we should go dance.”
He grins and disappears to the bar to get another drink. He returns a moment later and hands it to me. I probably shouldn’t drink these so fast, but the atmosphere here is making me want to dance. I want to go out there and dance with Tomas, but I can’t shake the anxiety. Pretty sure I’ll be just fine once all these drinks hit.
And I’m right.
Fifteen minutes later, I’m grinding all over Tomas like I’m a stripper and he’s the pole. He’s loving it, if the smile on his face is any indication. Plus, he’s laughing. It isn’t purely sexual, we’re definitely having fun, but how can grinding all over someone like this not be sexual in some way? I don’t want to have sex with the guy, but feeling how excited he is over this, as in how hard his dick is when I rub my ass against him, it feels good.
I can make guys hard.
I’m not a complete failure. Maybe dating won’t be so awful.
The song changes, turning into something a tad slower. I focus on Tomas’s warm, firm body behind me, the thumping of the base, the darkness mixed with flashing lights, his hands on my hips and around my waist.
It all feels so good.
But I can’t stop wishing the body I was grinding all over was a different one.
A bigger one. More muscular one. Older one.
Definitely a forbidden one.
I can’t stop thinking about Cole, and it sucks.
Isn’t there some saying about the person you think about when you’re drunk being your true love or something?
I mean, obviously that’s the alcohol talking. I’m not in love with Cole.
But I sure love the way he makes me feel.
Safe. Seen. Important. Like I matter.
I want to share my good news with him. He’d tell me how proud he was of me. How I’m going to do great at the interview. And even though I wouldn’t believe it, he’d make me believe it. He would make it all okay.
How the hell am I going to go to that interview without something from Cole? A wave of panic washes over me as I think about sitting in a tiny office while a stuffy old man asks me questions I don’t know the answers to.
I turn to face Tomas. “I have to pee!”
He nods, takes my hand, and pulls me out of the crowd toward the bathroom. The line is long, and my phone is burning a hole in my pocket. I do have to pee, but I also have ulterior motives.
Once inside, I go to a stall to do my business. When I’m done, I pull out my phone.
Me: I got an interview.
I stare at my phone, counting down the seconds, blinking rapidly because my phone keeps getting blurry.
Definitely drunk.
Definitely should not be texting Cole.
What time is it?
I move the phone closer to my face to see the time since it’s so small. It’s only ten. He’s still awake.
I breathe a sigh of relief when he answers back.
Cole: That’s great, Bryson.
Hey, alcohol. Thanks for the balls.
Me: That’s not what you’re supposed to say.
Cole: I’m not sure what that means.
Me: You’re supposed to tell me you’re proud of me. Call me a good boy. Something more than just THAT’S GREAT.
My heart pounds as I stare at the message. When the little bubbles pop up, I grin.
Cole: Are you drinking?
Me: That doesn’t matter.
Cole: Answer the question.
Me: Yes.
Cole: I am proud of you, Bryson. You’ve been working hard and I’m sure your interview will go well. But good boys don’t give good news when they’re out with other guys.
Fucking hell. My head falls back on my shoulders, and I can’t help the grin that spreads across my face. Is Cole jealous? I shouldn’t be so happy about that.
Me: Then maybe you should give me lessons on how to be a better good boy for you, Cole.
“Bryson? You still in here?” Tomas calls out.
“Yeah, almost done!”
I stare at my phone, hoping Cole will hurry and answer me because I can’t hide out here all night. Knowing he’s jealous has me torn over what to do. Part of me wants to go home right now and suck his dick. I feel like he’d let me. Another part wants to stay here, keep dancing with Tomas, and throw it in Cole’s face later to make him even more jealous. You know, since he was banging mystery big tits on Tuesday. Gag. But also, the only thing that’s made me more excited than Cole being proud of me is him not wanting anyone else to touch me.
I don’t get a text back within the minute, so I pocket my phone and head out to wash my hands.
“You good?” Tomas asks with a raised brow.
I grin at him. “Sure am.”
“You want another drink?” he asks as we head back into the club.
“Sounds like a great idea.”