I’m no longer his safe place, and he’s going to seek one elsewhere. I’ve just driven him into someone else’s arms, and they won’t even know they’re holding my entire world.
I barely make it to the bathroom before I’m on my knees, throwing up whatever has remained in my stomach from the day.
Chapter 8
Liam
My head is spinning as I open the doors to a nightclub at the base of the mountain. I’d hoped the icy walk down here would help clear my head, but it didn’t do much. It was, however, much farther than I anticipated.
I can’t get the look on Damon’s face as I told him I was leaving out of my mind. I hate that I hurt him, but what about me?
How could he not have told me that he talked to his brother? And not only talked to him, but made up with him? Fuckingforgavehim!
The flashing strobe lights, loud music, and wall of bodies remind me of the European après-ski parties, and I wind my way to the bar, trying to get lost in the atmosphere.
The people-watching is fantastic and works to clear my head for about twenty minutes, but after three shots, the noise is too loud, the space too cramped, and the air smells too rancid with stale sweat.
I’m about to call it a night when a gorgeous woman with dark hair and dark eyes plants her elbows next to me on the bar.
“Are you here alone?” she asks over the music.
My fourth shot is delivered while she’s standing next to me, so I hold eye contact as I throw the shot back before nodding my head.
Her fire-engine-red lips curl into a smile as she takes my hand, pulling me to the dance floor.
I don’t even know her name, but she wastes no time pressing her body close to mine, rolling her hips into me. I keep up with her easily because I love to dance, and she lets me take the lead as soon as she realizes I know my way around a dance floor.
The intimacy of a dance is second nature to me. It’s basically sex with clothes on, and I never have problems in that department. But tonight, it feels off. Like I’m just going through the motions. I don’t feel the release and the rhythm like I normally do when I go out.
After three songs, my buzz really starts kicking in—which obviously means I need another shot to keep the party going.
Grabbing her hand, I pull her off the floor toward the bar.
“You want a lemon drop?” I ask, choosing my favorite sweet treat.
Her smile is bright. “Can I have two?”
“Great idea!” I tell her with a smile of my own before placing an order for four lemon drop shots.
She stands between my legs with her back to the bar while we wait.
Reaching up to cup the back of my neck, she pulls me down to meet her lips. The gesture immediately reminds me of earlier, when Damon made the same move to touch our foreheads together.
Fuck, I do not want to be thinking about him right now.
But once I do, I can’t fucking stop.
Is he okay? Is he looking for me? What could he possibly have to say that will make this better? What if it doesn’t getbetter? What if I demanded too much from him when I forced him to choose between his twin brother and me?
I feel the stranger’s tongue in my mouth and try to really lean into it, kissing her back with fervor, but I’m reminded of that stupid watermelon kissing critique, and pull back.
It’s only on my mind because we were just talking about it.
“Everything okay?” the very attractive woman asks.
“What’s your name?” I look at her with question marks in my eyes.
“Allison.”
