Page 43 of Liberating Water

The whole buildingwas lit up, making it seem like it glowed in golden light. Cars of people were being dropped off at the front of the building, so I had a few moments to take it all in. Typically with my family back in Wisconsin, we would be hanging out in the living room, watching movies and eating snack foods until the countdown. Some years my parents would just stay up to watch the ball drop in New York and go to bed an hour early while the three of us kids stayed up for the real deal. Every once in a while, Kyle would have a girl he was dating and they would be at a friend’s house, but this kind of thing was something I never dreamed of experiencing. Who knew that going to college would show me how much of the world I had been missing out on, trapped away in my own little corner of my small Midwest town?

As I exited the limo, Parker took my hand and tucked it into his elbow, pulling golden tickets out of his jacket pocket.

“Why do I get the feeling these tickets cost far more than I think they should?” I muttered as he smirked down at me.

“Nope, none of that, Trouble. You are well worth any price to spoil.”

I frowned up at him. “You don’t have to spend money on me for me to feel spoiled.”

“Yet another reason why we love to do it. You are so very easy to please. It actually makes it fun to splurge when it’s not demanded,” Parker said with a shrug.

“Don’t ever let me become one of those girls, please.” I grimaced, horrified at the idea.

“I don’t think it’s possible for that to ever happen,” he said as he handed over our tickets. The man at the door scanned them and gestured us through.

The hall was decked out in gold, feathers, and pearls, and in the center of the main room was the largest champagne tower I had ever seen. Buffet tables were lined on both sides with finger foods and other small delights for you to munch on, along with a full-service bar on the back wall. I could hear jazz music coming through the doors on the right and took a wild guess that’s where the dancing was. Parker led me further into the room, and I couldn’t help but gawk at all the women dressed to the nines and the men in their dapper suits. Now I was very glad that Cami and Maggs made me spend so long getting ready—this was not a place you could show up looking half-assed.

“Where to first?” Parker asked, turning to me. “We can eat, drink, or dance our faces off. I hear the band is the bee’s knees.”

I raised a brow at him with a smile tugging at my lips. “Did you look up phrases to use at this party?”

“Maybe… still, it doesn’t change the question,” Parker dismissed, holding out a hand to me. “Shall we? I’m not trying to brag or anything, but I have a certain talent for doing the jitterbug.”

“Oh, is that what the boys are calling it these days?” Cami chirped, her face the picture of innocence.

I burst out laughing at the confused expression on Parker’s face. “Can we please move on from this conversation? I don’t think either one of you will win this particular battle.”

“That is a smart woman you have on your arm tonight, Parker-poo. Don’t fuck it up, okay?” Cami grinned as she took Maggs’ hand and lead the way into the ballroom.

* * *

After getting draggedinto a dance-off with Parker and Cami, I needed a break. Seeing I needed to be rescued, Brayden stole me away, and we explored what hours d’oeuvres there were and found a cocktail table to eat at.

“Are you having a good time?” Brayden asked, catching my hand and turning it over so he could trace a finger along my palm.

I nodded my head. “Yes, this has been a blast. Parker always seems to make things fun, even when I fail at it completely.”

“Yes, he does have that habit…” he murmured, looking down at the table.

I grasped his hand, and he looked up at me. “I’ve missed you,” I admitted. “I know we see each other every day and we spend time together, but it hasn’t been just the two of us.”

“Yeah, now that the others are stepping up their game, it’s made catching you alone a little more challenging, but we’ll figure it out. I need to be more intentional about asking you to do something with me, because it’s going to be even harder once classes start up again,” Brayden said, brushing his free hand along my cheek. “The only thing that helps is knowing that I’m connected to you and can reach to see how you’re doing, even if I’m not there.”

“That has taken some getting used to, learning whose feelings I’m feeling when, but now it’s like comforting white noise in the background until I need it.” I smiled. “I can’t even imagine what it will be like when all five of you are rattling around in my head.”

“Well, since I still have you to myself, would you care to dance?” Brayden asked. His eyes sparkled with mirth and love as I let myself be led back to the ballroom.

This time the music changed, and it was more jazzy. This is when I’d been worried that they would be expecting us all to know how to jitterbug or foxtrot, but thankfully that wasn’t the case. I spotted some people giving lessons on one part of the dance floor, but it wasn’t what the majority of partygoers were doing. Brayden swept me into the flow of bodies and took over from there, which I was forever grateful for. Soon I was able to get out of my own head—I’m sure the two glasses of champagne helped—and the next thing I knew, I was twirling into Hudson’s arms. He pulled me close, and we swayed along to the music, a smooth jazz song.

Bending down so his lips brushed my ear, he spoke loud enough so I could hear him. “I didn’t get to tell you earlier, but you look ravishing, Sunshine.”

“You don’t look so bad yourself there, sir. Makes me want to have you leave it on the next time we are alone,” I told him, nipping his earlobe, causing him to tighten his grip on my hip to drop lower to my ass.

“Whatever would please you, my Sunshine, I would be happy to do for you,” Hudson purred, nuzzling into my neck.

Now that we had both turned each other on, which was very clear though our connection, we just clung to each other as we moved along the dance floor. All too soon, I was handed off to Jay for a much more formal waltz.

“Relax and let me lead,” Jay instructed as I stumbled against his direction.

It was easier said than done, and I kept trying to figure out the steps so I would stop stumbling. Jay swung me wide then pulled me close so my back was to him, giving him the perfect moment to whisper in my ear. “Beautiful, you need to be a good girl and trust me to take the lead. I will not let anything happen to you, but you have to let go.”

That right there, with the slight growl to his voice, made me melt as he pulled me away from him, back into the dance. This time, I closed my eyes and let him control my body, trusting he would keep me from crashing into anyone or doing anything else that might harm me. When I opened my eyes, there was a soft smile on Jay’s lips that transformed his already handsome face into something that would make any woman drop her panties in a moment. The hand that was on my shoulder slid around the back of my neck, and he applied pressure so I knew he was there but nothing that would alarm me. It was as if he flipped a switch, and when he pulled us into a dark corner, I was more than willing to meet his kiss as he pulled me up to him.

It wouldn’t take much for someone to stumble upon us, but Jay’s body mostly blocked me from sight. He started nipping down my neck, and I let it fall to the side so he had better access to it. A thumb swept over my nipple, causing me to gasp and clutch his biceps to keep my legs from giving out. This was the first time I could see the appeal of what it was that Jay loved about the possibility of being seen, the danger of getting caught. My whole body shivered, breaths coming out in shallow pants. I thought I might even come on the spot the more he teased me.

“Does my good girl need to come?” Jay asked, his lips whispering against my jaw.

I had to swallow before I could speak, my mouth having gone dry. “Yes…”

Jay placed his leg between mine and shifted my dress so my center was resting on it. “I can’t do all the work, Beautiful. You’re gonna need to help if you want to finish.”

Shocked, I looked up at him, unsure of what he was talking about. Seeing my confusion, he took my hips and pulled them forward so I was rubbing along his thigh. I let out a cry of surprise, which he silenced with a kiss before he slid me back and forth until I got the rhythm and continued it on my own. He shifted his hand to my chest, letting his thumbs circle my hardened nipples, and when he felt me speeding up, on the edge of release, he pinched them both roughly. I collapsed against him, biting his shoulder to keep from crying out. Hugging me close, he ran a soothing hand up and down my back, whispering sweet words to me as I came down from my high. I never thought orgasms could get more intense, but that one was unlike anything else, and he didn’t even have his dick in me.

Once I’d caught my breath, he righted my dress and led me back to the others, who all smirked and gave Jay a knowing look.