So, when a pair of masculine hands snake their way around me, and a body comes against my back, moving in sync with mine, it takes a couple of seconds for me to register. Jake! He’s here!
A smile stretches my lips as I lean harder into his body so that my ass is right on his crotch, wrapping my hands around his wrist. Again, it takes way too long for me to realize that the man behind me is too short and not muscular enough to be Jake. Confused, I look down and see that the hands holding me so intimately aren’t covered in tattoos, and the golden wristwatch is way too tacky for Jake.
I pry the arms away from me and turn around, wishing I could set more distance between us. But the club is packed, and there’s nowhere else to go but by Hana’s side, a mere foot away from the stranger. He says something that gets lost in the loud music, his hands trying to bring me back toward him.
“I’m not interested,” I shout, writhing out of his hold.
Hana’s eyes are closed, so she doesn’t see what’s going on and can’t come to my aid. The man is stronger than me, so he manages to pull me against him. The intense smell of his cologne assaults my nostrils, and I wonder how I could have believed, even for a second, that he was Jake.
“Come on, Bella,” he shouts in my ear. “I know you want this.”
“No, I really don’t!”
I’m still trying to pry myself away from him when the wet touch of his tongue begins exploring my ear. “I’ll fuck you so good, Bella,” he says before licking me again. The sensation is invasive and awkward, nowhere near as sensual as the man expects.
All I want is to get out of this, so I do the only thing my brain has the capacity to come up with. “I said no!” I shout just as I send a blind knee kick between his legs.
That makes him let go of me instantly with a grunt, his hands reaching for his crotch rather than me. I swiftly grab Hana, who whips her eyes open, before tugging her behind me and making my way to the VIP section. The man posted there recognizes us and moves to the side so we can climb the steps. We soon arrive at our booth, where the music isn’t as intense, and we have a view over the pit.
“Are you okay?” Hana asks as we sit down.
“Yeah, just a creep. We’re good now.”
“It’s the dress,” Cindy, a woman we went to Harvard with, says in a matter-of-fact tone. “A redhead with a red dress is like a giant billboard for them.”
I look down with a frown. Hana picked it for me earlier when we got ready at my place, and who am I to say no to the birthday girl? The Dolce and Gabbana mini dress isn’t the boldest I’ve seen out there tonight, but it’s a lot, with a lingerie-like bustier and a form-fitting skirt. With this heat, wearing so little fabric was a good call, though.
“I’m thirsty,” I say, ready to go to the bar.
But one of Hana’s friends, whom I didn’t know before tonight, hands me a tiny glass. I down it in one go. The unexpected taste of tequila makes me grimace. “I meant water!”
On the table, all we have are partially emptied champagne flutes and more shot glasses. Since I really need fluids that don’t contain alcohol, I stand on clumsy legs and slalom my way to the bar.
I finish the water the person behind the counter gives me and then ask for a refill.
“Are you alright, babe?” Hana asks, appearing by my side.
“Yes, my head’s just spinning really hard.”
“Do you want to head home? I know you had a long week.”
She’s not wrong. I’ve been working my ass off since Mr. Sinclair gave us the assignment. I have the feeling that Ralf, that asshole, will cut himself and his team some slack, knowing I’ll take the heat if the report isn’t completed on time. So, because I refuse to let him win, I’m working even harder than anticipated. I’m not happy with this, but it’s only for two weeks—nothing I can’t handle.
The most annoying part is that I’m not getting my fill of Jake. Yesterday, I only allowed myself three hours at his place before returning home. And while it’s a good start, it’s not enough. I regretted not waking up in his embrace this morning, feeling robbed.
“I don’t want to go home,” I tell Hana.
“You’re sure?”
I nod. “I wanna go see Jake.”
The worry on her face switches to a massive smile, her eyes luminous. “Really?”
“Yeah. I miss him.”
“You do?”
“All the time.”
