Second Chance Summer (Chance #1)(45)
Author: Emma Hart

“Wait, we?” I raise an eyebrow.

His arm goes around my waist, and he pulls me into him. “Me and Adam,” he mumbles, his lips against my ear.

“Of course.” I roll my eyes and pull away slightly, but he holds me tighter. “What are you doin’?” I ask, amused.

“Some guy on the next table has his eye on you. I’m just makin’ it clear you’re mine.”

The lilt in his voice has me seriously amused now.

I touch a hand to his cheek and look into his eyes. “You’re real cute when you’re jealous.”

“I’m not jealous.”

“Course not.” I bite the corner of my lip to hide my smile. “Then why are you givin’ him the death look?”

Reese’s eyes shoot back to mine, and he opens his mouth, then closes it again. He grunts something unintelligible before leaning in and kissing me softly. My fingers slide around his head to his neck and curl round as I kiss him back.

“Yep, you’re jealous.” I giggle.

“Shut up.” He smirks.

“No. You can’t just turn up here and barge in on our girl’s night!” Luce exclaims, putting full glasses on the table.

“Doesn’t look like Kia minds.” Adam yells, winking at me. I drop my hand from Reese’s neck and look at them.

“Arguing already?”

“Goddamn, I told Leo this was a girl’s night!” she huffs and sits down. “I told him!”

“Chill, Luce.” Adam sits next to her, his eyes fixed on her legs. “We’re not gonna get in your way or anythin’.”

“I don’t care. What if I didn’t plan on leavin’ with Kia? Hmm? Now I have a freakin’ chaperone.”

Adam slams his hand on the table and leans into her, saying something into her ear. I narrow my eyes as Luce opens and closes her mouth like a fish.

And then she slaps him.

“Oh, shit.” Reese laughs.

“Pig!” Luce exclaims. “Adam, you are a f**kin’ pig!”

“What?” He grins, and Luce glares at me.

“I need to go to the bathroom.”

I sigh and follow her down the stairs and through the crowds. We walk into the surprisingly empty, bright white public bathroom, and she folds her arms across her chest.

“What did he say?”

“He said…” She grits her teeth together. “…That I could still go home without you. As long as I was goin’ home with him.”

I stare at her for a moment before bursting into laughter. She looks at me, horrified, but the whole thing is so funny I can’t help it.

“What?” she demands. “What is so funny?”

I hold up a finger as I catch my breath again. “The fact he’s just offered you exactly what you’ve wanted for like, two years, and you turned around and slapped him.”

She shakes her head vehemently. “No, I don’t want just sex with Adam – or anyone here for that matter. I want a relationship, Kia. I don’t want to warm his bed just because he’s finally got tired of bangin’ Stacy every damn weekend.”

So that’s why I haven’t seen Stacy anywhere around lately.

“I would have to be really, really, drunk to have a one-night stand with Adam.”

“So.” I lean against the sinks and raise my eyebrows. “You’re telling me you didn’t sleep with anyone in Vegas?”

She straightens and examines her reflection in the mirror. “I’m not sayin’ that.”

“Right. So what makes Adam so different?” Even though I know what she’s gonna say.

“Because I care,” she answers quietly. “And that makes him different. If you care, there’s strings attached, and he doesn’t want strings. Are you comin’?”

Luce straightens again and walks to the door, a sadness lurking in her eyes when she looks back at me. My heart hurts for my best friend. I know there’s nothing she’d love more than to have Adam care the way she does.

I know he cares about her – but I just don’t know if it’s in the same way she does.

And I don’t trust him enough not to break her heart.

I let her lead me back into the club, but instead of heading to the table, she tugs me toward the mass of writhing bodies on the dance floor. Calvin Harris’ newest song blasts from the numerous speakers lining the wall, and it’s so alive in here it feels like the floor is vibrating.

In fact, I don’t think I’d be surprised if there were speakers under the floor making it vibrate.

Luce shakes her hair out, shaking her body at the same time and starting to dance. I let the music flow through me, following her movements. With the stress of the last week, I’ve forgotten how freeing it is to just let go and relax the way I am now. I forgot how freeing it was to just be me.

And it’s easy to let go in this crowd. With the pulsating beat of the music and rhythmic movements of the people around, getting lost happens almost without thinking. And this, I realize, is where I’m most comfortable. Surrounded by people that don’t know me or my story, where I’m just another girl.

I don’t know how long Luce and I dance for. Songs blend into one another seamlessly, and we travel slowly across the dance floor until she makes a drinking motion. I nod, knowing the music is too loud down to speak down here.

She grabs my hand and leads me back toward the table. The music is slightly quieter up here, and I sigh with relief as I drop onto the seat next to Reese. He watches me as I throw back half of my drink, the liquid cool from the melted ice cubes and soothing my thirst. I wriggle my toes in my shoes. My feet are slightly sore already, even though the night is still fairly young.

I’ve become a total lightweight since coming back to Alabama.

Luce motions again to the dance floor, but I shake my head. Hell no. I need to sit down for five minutes.

“Suit yaself,” she shouts across the table. “I’m goin’ to find me a hot ass guy.” She stands, her skirt flouncing as she sweeps down the stairs. Adam’s eyes narrow and he says something I can’t hear that looks an awful lot like, “Hell f**king no.”

I hide my smirk as he follows her, leaving us alone. Reese trails his fingers up the inside of my thigh, and I squirm in my seat, looking over at him from below my lashes. He’s wearing his cocky grin and gazing at me intently.

“Come dance.” He leans forward, brushing his lips across my cheek toward my ear. I shake my head. “Come and dance,” he repeats, kissing my earlobe.