Page 33 of Ravaged By Lust

“Oh, I’m already liking where this is going. Tell me more. Don’t stop.”

“He was a boy I got with when I was in high school.”

“Cute,” Gary replies. “Continue.”

“There was a slight problem, though. He was one of the best friends of my brother.”

Gary leans back with a satisfied grin. “Juicy, Chloe. You bad girl. I’m loving this.”

“We kept it all hidden from my brother, though…”

“Very juicy.”

“But then he did something that shattered me and my confidence for a long time. Something that’s taken years to heal. There have been a few flings since him, but nothing compares to your first love, don’t they? Especially when you were teenagers when it happened. All those hormones and new emotions…”

“My first love was a Puerto Rican guy I met while traveling through Brazil,” Gary says. “He taught me things that I didn’t know existed, so I completely understand.”

“It wasn’t exactly like that.”

“No?”

Gary summons over the server again and orders another round of drinks.

“You’re really going to get me drunk super fast,” I tell him. “I’m such a lightweight.”

“That’s exactly the point,” Gary replies with a smirk. “This is going to be fun.”

More cocktails come and I’m downing them like a Viking. Gary recounts all these stories of sexual encounters he’s had. It seems like he’s slept with half of the West Coast and tried every position under the sun.

The bar is loud and packed to the rafters. It’s a popular spot and I can see why Gary brings all his dates here. The vibe is cool, and the music is thumping.

But it’s only a matter of time before the music fades.

And the karaoke starts.

I didn’t notice the stage on the other side of the bar when we entered, but now I very much do. There’s a screen, microphone stand, jukebox, and everything. All you need to embarrass yourself in front of a room full of strangers.

“Holy shit, karaoke.”

I gulp and avert my eyes from the whole setup in the corner.

Gary, on the other hand, is thrilled about it. He claps and squeals. “You should definitely put your name in for a turn, Chloe.”

“No freaking way.”

“Come on, with your talent you’ll blow everyone’s socks off. Guaran-fucking-teed.”

“Nope. Karaoke isn’t for me, Gary.”

“Oh yes, it is. You’ve got the most amazing voice,” Gary replies. “If I were you, I’d be singing all day long. If I had your voice, people would have to tape my mouth to shut me up. You must try karaoke.”

“No, Gary.”

“Okay, I’m going to order a round of shots. Then we’ll see.”

Before I can protest, he’s already got the server over.

“What kind of shots?” I ask Gary warily, but he’s already speaking to the server he’s been flirting with all night.