Chapter 7 #2
She smiles, letting go of me finally and going to him. “We will stay close and stay together, promise.”
I roll my eyes and continue to walk toward the entrance, leaving them behind.
But not before I hear footsteps approaching from behind me.
Footsteps that I have seemingly memorized who they belong to.
“Didn’t Fletcher just say something about not walking off on your own?
” Nathan asks, his voice smooth but with an edge to it.
I can feel his eyes on me as he catches up when I finally cross the street. I don’t slow my pace.
“I can handle myself.”
He sighs, matching my pace. “Of that I have no doubt.”
I ignore his response as we approach the door and are asked for our IDs.
The bouncer eyes me for a second longer than necessary, like he’s sizing me up before allowing us through and I really don’t want to look too deep at the underlying reason.
The music swells around us, pulsing with energy as we step deeper into the club, trying to find a booth to retreat to when we need a break.
As soon as we do, we set our purses down and Dylan drags me to the bar before tugging me to the dance floor shortly thereafter.
It takes a few minutes amongst all of the bodies to feel comfortable with moving on my own.
It almost feels like too much and I think that maybe they’ve taken too much from me to be able to come back after all.
No. I won’t allow that. I look at Dylan, where she’s already lost in the rhythm, her body swaying effortlessly as she laughs along with the music.
She spins and pulls me into it and I let go.
No thoughts, just us in this moment. I match her movements, my awkwardness fading as the beat draws me in.
I can feel someone approach me from behind and while it should bother me more than it is, I choose to embrace the feeling of body heat behind me.
As I dance with the stranger I feel eyes on me from across the room.
Nathan’s standing there, leaning against the edge of our booth with his arms crossed.
His gaze is intense, his lips pressed into a thin line, almost in a way that makes him look jealous.
I turn away quickly, refocusing on Dylan who’s pulling me toward the center of the dance floor.
“Forget about them,” she yells over the music. “Tonight’s about you!”
But try as I might I can’t shake the feeling that Nathan’s eyes are still on me, sharp and dangerous.
I bite my lip and try to push the thought out of my head, but it’s harder than I want to admit.
“I need something to drink, do you want anything?” She shakes her head no and I leave the dance floor to head for the bar, knowing it’s likely to piss the men off, but come on, it isn’t like they haven’t had their eyes on us and our surroundings all night.
I squeeze between two people at the bar and ask for water.
While I wait, I feel someone squeeze in next to me.
I glance to my right and find a stranger standing a little too close.
His smile is confident, bordering on cocky, and there’s a glint in his eyes.
He’s handsome, I’ll give him that. But I’m not looking for handsome, let alone anyone, not for a while yet.
I need to find myself again before I can even explore other options.
Lucas was all I had ever known… “Not here to dance, huh?” he says, his voice smooth as honey.
He leans down until his mouth is hovering over my ear.
“I don’t blame you. Sometimes, it’s the people who stand on the sidelines who are the most interesting.
” If only he knew…My eyes drift subtly back to our booth but I’m unable to see through the bodies.
I force a polite smile, but something about the way he’s looking at me makes me feel a little uneasy. “Just getting some water,” I reply, keeping my voice neutral.
“Ah, the responsible type. I like that. But you know, water is overrated when you could be enjoying something a little more exciting.” He gestures toward the bar’s selection, his eyes never leaving mine. “I can get you something…something with a little more kick?”
I can feel my guard going up, but I try not to let it show. “I’m good for now, thanks.”
But he doesn’t seem to appreciate the hint. “It’s just a drink,” he presses. “I promise, I don’t bite…unless you want me to.” Gross.
I shift away from him, giving him a polite but firm smile. “I’m not interested.”
“Come on, don’t be shy. I’m sure we can have a little fun. No harm in that, right?” He
raises an eyebrow, his tone playful but insistent.
I feel my heart rate pick up and I take a step back from the bar, forgetting about my water.
Something tells me that this is the kind of guy who doesn’t take no for an answer.
That’s when I hear a familiar voice from behind me.
“Hey, is everything okay here?” Nathan steps up, standing just slightly to my side, placing himself between me and the stranger.
His tone is calm but assertive, and the way he stands there with his shoulder slightly angled toward me sends a rush of relief through me, but I don’t let it show.
The stranger looks him up and down before offering a half-smile. “Oh, no problem, man. Just having a chat.”
Nathan doesn’t budge, though. “It didn’t look like she was enjoying this ‘chat’ you were having.”
“And who exactly are you?” the stranger asks, clearly not assessing the threat in front of him accurately.
“The next person she’s talking to.” Nathan looks pointedly at me. “The person she’s with. And I think it’s time for you to move along.”
The stranger gives a long, slow look at Nathan, his smile faltering slightly. “Oh, really?” He looks back at me with an almost smug expression. “You don’t have to put up with him, you know.”
I open my mouth to say something because he must have a death wish, but Nathan cuts in, his voice smooth but final, and the rasp in it is nothing like the stranger’s.
It leaves goosebumps coating my skin, like a soft chilled breeze has just swept through the room.
“Yeah, she does. Now, if you don’t mind… ”
The guy takes one last look at me, clearly deciding that continuing this conversation is not worth the effort or the risk to his health.
He mutters something under his breath before turning and walking away, weaving through the crowd.
As he disappears, I feel my shoulders relax.
Nathan turns to face me fully now, his eyes soft but with an edge of that thing I can’t decipher. Can’t or won’t? “Are you alright?”
I take a breath, my pulse still racing from the encounter. “Yeah…thanks. You didn’t have to do that, though.”
He looks at me, his face serious now. “You looked like you needed help. I didn’t want to leave you to handle that alone. He looks like the type to roofie girls.” Clearly, we agree on something.
“But pretending to be my boyfriend?” I can feel the frustration bubbling up now. It’s not that I’m not grateful, it’s just… “I didn’t need a hero.”
He raises his hands. “Alright, I get it. I didn’t mean to overstep. I just thought—”
“I can take care of myself,” I interrupt, the words coming out faster and harsher than I meant.
He just stares at me for a moment. “I wasn’t pretending, and I know you can. I thought it would make him back off faster. I didn’t mean to piss you off.”
“I just don’t want to be treated like I can’t handle a situation like that on my own. You or Fletcher aren’t always going to be around to prevent that from happening.”
He seems to process my words, his expression shifting again. “I didn’t mean to make it seem that way, nor was my intention to upset you. I didn’t like the way he was leering at you and I let my emotions get the better of me. I wasn’t trying to make things worse.”
I shake my head, trying to cool my temper. “You didn’t make things worse, but next time…maybe just approach it differently.”
“Okay. Lesson learned,” he says, turning to walk away.
I let out a breath, the tension still lingering but starting to dissipate. “And, Nathan?” He stops and turns to look back at me, waiting. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap. I’m just…not used to that kind of thing. Thank you.”