Dirty Beginning (Dirty 0.50)

I pull away, and Erick’s face lights up. But I don’t care about him .

Arlo looks even angrier than before. I’m sure he has no idea what I just whispered into Erick’s ear, but just the thought of me saying anything clearly pisses him off. It makes me want to take things even further .

I’m drunk and sexually frustrated and obsessed. It doesn’t make for a very good combination .

I see a table toward the front of the dance floor, and I pull Erick toward it. He follows like a puppy trailing after his owner .

“Help me up !”

His eyes light up as he grabs my hips and boosts me up onto the table .

I start swaying my hips, and I dance wildly on top of the table. Everyone’s eyes fall on me. I don’t think about how this is breaking all the rules and that, at any second, an employee is going to come and ruin my fun. Instead, I just dance .

I’m handed a shot by one of the guys next to me, and I drink it without thinking, letting the tequila quickly slip down my throat, not even feeling the burn .

I wiggle my finger at Eden when she walks over, telling her to join me on the table .

She smiles and then is helped up by two men. We seductively dance together, turning on every man in the room. If Arlo can still resist me after this, then he has more discipline than I’ve given him credit for .

I don’t see Arlo anymore, but Erick is definitely more than into me. His hands are all over me as I move .

I look down again, and I see Arlo standing in front of me. He doesn’t look angry, just unpleased. I don’t see any lust in his eyes, just a man on a mission. A man who is in complete control. I just wish I knew how to get him to give up that control .

He holds out his hand to me. “Get down,” he says firmly without shouting .

I don’t know how I hear him over the noise of the crowd and the music, but I do. I’m so connected to him that I just know what he is saying .

“Why should I?” I ask as I up my dancing, grinding all over Eden .

“Get down, Nina .”

I grin with my eyes. “Only if you dance with me .”

Arlo continues to hold his hand out to me .

I take it, and he leads me away from the table and over to the dance floor .

He starts dancing with me. His hands go to my hips, firmly holding me as we move together. He leads, and I have no choice but to follow. He’s a good dancer without even trying. His moves are smooth and seductive without coming across as desperate, like when I was dancing with Erick .

We don’t speak. We just dance. It’s all I want to do all night. I just want to feel his strong hands on me, guiding me and promising that there is more to come .

I feel safe. I feel special. I feel cared for .

And, damn it, do I want Arlo to care for me all night long like he cared for me when he rescued me from the pool .

“Hey, man, she’s my date,” Erick says drunkenly to Arlo .

Arlo’s frown returns, his shoulders stiffen, and his eyes look dangerous as he slows our dancing and gives Erick his attention. “Well, she’s not yours anymore. She’s mine. Go find another woman to try your slick come-on lines with,” Arlo says .

My heart races in my chest. Arlo called me his. And, although I don’t like the macho male need to claim me like a possession, I do like that he feels any claim over me. If I admit it to myse

lf, I want to be Arlo’s. I want to be his to fuck. His to tease. His to even love. I want it all .

But I can’t let Arlo win that easily. Not after everything he put me through this last week .

“Excuse me,” I say, pushing back out of Arlo’s arms. “I am not yours any more than I am Erick’s. I’ll be deciding who I will dance with and who I will go home with tonight. You don’t get to decide that .”

Both men turn their attention to me. I can feel the anger pulsating off Arlo at the same time I can feel the testosterone and lust exuding off Erick. If I’m not careful, this night is going to end in a fight .