Well, I would have to clean up that mess later. But first…dancing!
Forty-five minutes later, I walked into Pug’s in a strapless romper I’d grabbed from the Target clearance rack. It was my favorite article of clothing I owned, and I hadn’t had a chance to wear it yet. It was a little chilly out to be running around with half my body exposed, but I looked hot, damn it.
It should also be noted, that we didn’t have a Target in Clark City. The closest one was in Kearny, an hour away. I’d picked it up in August when Max and I had gone back to school shopping.
It was a trek to go spend money somewhere, but Max had outgrown everything he owned over the summer. And Kearney had a Target and a Wal-Mart.
Pug’s was packed for some reason tonight. I had to squeeze through bodies almost as soon as I walked in the door. I stood on my tiptoes to find Coco, but the place was packed.
I pushed through to the bar and found a place off to the side. I pulled out my phone and texted her.Where are you?
“What can I get you?” the bartender shouted over the roar of the crowd.
Trying to hide my inability to order drinks—I didn’t actually have that much experience hanging out in a bar or with drinking in general and whenever I went out with Ajax, he’d ordered for me—I scanned the bottles of liquor behind him.
I leaned forward, recognizing him. He was a few years younger than me, but I couldn’t remember his name. “What do you recommend?”
His half smile was cocky. “What do you like?”
I waved my hand around the bar without touching the sticky, glossy wood. “I’m not much of a drinker. I don’t know what I like.”
He stepped closer, the other side of his mouth ticking up to join the first. “Then you’ve come to the right place. I can help with that.”
Warm arms wrapped around my middle and pulled me back against a solid chest. A scruffy face brushed against mine and I inhaled Ajax’s woodsy, whiskey scent. “She wants a shot of Fireball.”
The guy looked at Ajax and frowned. “Are you sure that’s whatshewants?”
Ajax chuckled, tightening his grip on me. “Don’t worry about it, I know exactly what she likes.”
Were we still talking about my drink?
I wanted to shake off Ajax, but I didn’t. He turned me around and kissed me enthusiastically. I could tell he’d been drinking for a while because his kiss was sloppy, and he tasted like booze.
This time I did step back, leaving his lips to follow insistently after mine.
“H-hey,” I said, letting him know I was done. “What are you doing here?”
“What am I doing here?” He took my hand and spun me around, taking in my entire outfit. “What are you doing here,mamacita? And looking like fire. Did you do this for me?”
I cleared my throat and dodged the question. His eyes were unfocused, and his button-up shirt and designer jeans had a disheveled look about them. “I’m meeting Coco,” I shouted over the blaring country music. “We came to dance.”
The bartender handed him the small glass of golden liquor and he held it up for me. “Dance?Sí. But first, this.” When I hesitated, he dipped his head, so I could hear him better over the music. His lips touched my ear and he shouted, “Liquid courage, Rubita. It tastes like Red Hots.”
Taking the drink from him so he would give me space, I knocked the shot back and braced myself for the burn. To my surprise, Ajax had told the truth, it really did taste like Red Hots. I licked my lips and tried to pretend I didn’t like it as much as I did.
He took the glass from me and set it back on the bar top, then grabbed my hands and led me to the dance floor. I felt my phone vibrate on my hip, where it rested in my small crossbody bag—also from Target—but Ajax had pulled me against his body and started to move, not waiting for my permission.
His body was familiar. Any time I’d gone dancing before had been with him. So, this should have felt familiar. It should have felt nice.
But it wasn’t. It felt… wrong for some reason. And only partly because I could tell how drunk he already was. It was only nine and he was a big enough guy that it took a bit to get him like this.
How long had he been drinking?
Regardless, I turned around and pressed my back to his chest. I needed to survey the room and try to find Coco. Ajax loved the new position, his hands landing on my hips and tugging me closer to his body. I let him move against me, not wanting to fight or make a scene.
I couldn’t tell if I was being smart or a coward. Regardless, he was beyond out of it. I didn’t know if my protests would make a difference. Which scared me.
Finally, Coco’s waving hand caught my attention. She was on the other side of the bar, next to the jukebox and popcorn machine—one of the reasons I loved Pug’s so much. Emilia was with her and some of Emilia’s fan club.
