blinking lights, there was just him stabilizing her. Everything drowned around her; the tune faded out, the dancing people turned distant and she didn't give them a moment's thought. His hands swooped lower down her back until they rested comfortably on her ass.
Breathing heavily, she let her hands trail to his chest. A strong torso pressed against her palms and her heart skittered a bit faster — a bit more urgent, her mind going someplace naughty she rarely had the time to drift off to, and she wished the place was abandoned.
He appeared calm, watching her with an intrigued look. With a small tilt of her head, she could have invited him to her, invited him in for a kiss, and she knew there was no coming back from that. She shook, stepping back and out of their bubble, the music coming booming in again, and his gaze intensified.
"I — I have to use the restroom," she spoke over the music. "Just wait for me." Give me a moment. When she was about to walk, he caught her elbow.
"You'll find me up there." He tipped his head toward an elevated lounge with a bar and sitting groups. Sophia nodded, released from his grip and hurried off toward the restrooms.
2.
DISTRACTION
"I'm out of my mind," she breathed, watching her reflection. Her cheeks held a rosy glow, giving more life to her pale complexion, a glow she didn't have earlier. A large pair of ocean blues stared back at her — unfocused and too big for her face. She blinked her eyes, her sight blurring for a moment, and dizziness made her feel the effect of her drinks.
She sighed, straightened up, and let her hair loose. Wavy blonde locks cascaded down her shoulders, and she spent a moment tidying them. Walking for one of the bathroom stalls, someone entered and she met with Agnes.
"Are you stalking me?"
"Just watching over you." Agnes shrugged, walking up to the mirror to apply lipstick. Her straight, ink black hair shone beneath the spotlights. "He likes you." She grinned at Sophia in the mirror, dabbing her lips with a finger. "And people are already gossiping about you."
Sophia stalled her hand on the door.
"Jesus." Sophia didn't want that.
"Go pee. You can't have him waiting."
Sophia didn't need to be told twice, heading inside to take care of business.
A group of women came into the restroom, filling the room with high-pitched giggling. She washed her hands and just as she was about to exit, something a woman said stopped her.
"Did you see the woman James is with?" one of them asked, disdain palpable in her voice.
"Ugh, yes," another said. "Definitely not his style. I wonder what happened to that Brazilian model he dated last month. I thought they were serious."
Sophia felt her lungs constrict. A message ticked in and she fished her phone out of her purse to see it was from Agnes: Stay there. Typical jealousy, don't think about it.
"She won't last long with him. He might just want someone to warm his bed for the night and she happened to stand next to him at the bar."
"Yes, I'm betting she's a total slut."
Sophia distanced from the door at that, frowning.
"What the fuck did you call her?" Agnes demanded.
Shit . Sophia barged outside, but she didn't stand a chance. A second later a ringing smack flooded the room. "Oh, no, Agnes!" She ran over to her. Her friend glared at the blonde woman, now half crouched on the floor.
"Call her a slut again and I'll hunt you down and stab your fucking eye out with my heel. I'd be careful, because they're covered in spikes ."
The women gasped at that, before one of them uttered, "Get the security!"
"We have to go!" Sophia nudged her toward the exit. She finally responded, hurrying outside.
"I hate that word," Agnes said, her face knit in a scowl. "I'll tell people off for using it on me, but you?" She shook her head. "Fuck no. I should've kicked her while I was at it."
"Dammit, Agnes," Sophia followed her quick pace, "you're awesome for standing up for me, and I thank you for that, but they can make life
Breathing heavily, she let her hands trail to his chest. A strong torso pressed against her palms and her heart skittered a bit faster — a bit more urgent, her mind going someplace naughty she rarely had the time to drift off to, and she wished the place was abandoned.
He appeared calm, watching her with an intrigued look. With a small tilt of her head, she could have invited him to her, invited him in for a kiss, and she knew there was no coming back from that. She shook, stepping back and out of their bubble, the music coming booming in again, and his gaze intensified.
"I — I have to use the restroom," she spoke over the music. "Just wait for me." Give me a moment. When she was about to walk, he caught her elbow.
"You'll find me up there." He tipped his head toward an elevated lounge with a bar and sitting groups. Sophia nodded, released from his grip and hurried off toward the restrooms.
2.
DISTRACTION
"I'm out of my mind," she breathed, watching her reflection. Her cheeks held a rosy glow, giving more life to her pale complexion, a glow she didn't have earlier. A large pair of ocean blues stared back at her — unfocused and too big for her face. She blinked her eyes, her sight blurring for a moment, and dizziness made her feel the effect of her drinks.
She sighed, straightened up, and let her hair loose. Wavy blonde locks cascaded down her shoulders, and she spent a moment tidying them. Walking for one of the bathroom stalls, someone entered and she met with Agnes.
"Are you stalking me?"
"Just watching over you." Agnes shrugged, walking up to the mirror to apply lipstick. Her straight, ink black hair shone beneath the spotlights. "He likes you." She grinned at Sophia in the mirror, dabbing her lips with a finger. "And people are already gossiping about you."
Sophia stalled her hand on the door.
"Jesus." Sophia didn't want that.
"Go pee. You can't have him waiting."
Sophia didn't need to be told twice, heading inside to take care of business.
A group of women came into the restroom, filling the room with high-pitched giggling. She washed her hands and just as she was about to exit, something a woman said stopped her.
"Did you see the woman James is with?" one of them asked, disdain palpable in her voice.
"Ugh, yes," another said. "Definitely not his style. I wonder what happened to that Brazilian model he dated last month. I thought they were serious."
Sophia felt her lungs constrict. A message ticked in and she fished her phone out of her purse to see it was from Agnes: Stay there. Typical jealousy, don't think about it.
"She won't last long with him. He might just want someone to warm his bed for the night and she happened to stand next to him at the bar."
"Yes, I'm betting she's a total slut."
Sophia distanced from the door at that, frowning.
"What the fuck did you call her?" Agnes demanded.
Shit . Sophia barged outside, but she didn't stand a chance. A second later a ringing smack flooded the room. "Oh, no, Agnes!" She ran over to her. Her friend glared at the blonde woman, now half crouched on the floor.
"Call her a slut again and I'll hunt you down and stab your fucking eye out with my heel. I'd be careful, because they're covered in spikes ."
The women gasped at that, before one of them uttered, "Get the security!"
"We have to go!" Sophia nudged her toward the exit. She finally responded, hurrying outside.
"I hate that word," Agnes said, her face knit in a scowl. "I'll tell people off for using it on me, but you?" She shook her head. "Fuck no. I should've kicked her while I was at it."
"Dammit, Agnes," Sophia followed her quick pace, "you're awesome for standing up for me, and I thank you for that, but they can make life
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