Ocean (Damage Control 5)

Shaking my head, I scan the dancers until the strobing lights hit a glittering green top and huge earrings.

The almost smile that’s been tugging at my lips spreads. Why the fuck am I grinning as I push through sweaty bodies to reach her?

I stop.

She’s dancing alone—and with everyone. Her dark hair is flying around her face, the white-blond highlights catching the light as she lifts her arms and twirls. With her eyes closed, her cheeks flushed, she’s…

Jeez. I rub a hand over my face and tell my body to stop acting like a dog with a bone. Boner. Ugh.

Time to drive her home, tuck her into bed and return to my own apartment, have some quality time with my right hand under the shower.

It’s getting way too common lately. Way too lonely.

Yeah, it’s really time to go.

Chapter Three

Kayla

Spinning colors, laughing faces, bodies moving to the music. It’s a magical place, a fairytale place, and I laugh as I spin, too, letting my arms flow to the sides and my hair fly.

Free.

Moving.

Leaving the orbit to hurtle into starry space.

Everyone has left already—Ev and Amber and Cassie and the guys. It’s all right. I know they came to please me, and that sure pleased me. But they want to go home and have kinky sex, which I perfectly understand.

I giggle, because it’s so funny, the guys are so funny, panting after the girls, and the girls…

Do the girls really like the sex? The few dates I’ve gone on since moving here and starting college were a disaster. And the sex? It was dead boring.

Want details? Sure, here you go.

Orgasms achieved: zero. Fun had: zero, unless your definition of fun is getting naked and sweaty in filthy guys’ rooms, with nothing to show for it afterward except the soreness between my legs.

Nada.

Which sucks. I want to experience exciting sex, orgasm-inducing sex, something I’ve never had, which begs the question, it is even possible—?

A girl bumps into me, not even noticing, and I stop to catch my breath. I’ve stopped spinning, but the bar and the lights haven’t. They swirl lazily in my eyes, and my stomach roils.

Gah. Nice.

Maybe I need to sit down for a bit. Not ready to head home just yet, especially since Amber won’t be there. Jesse said something about arranging a bodyguard for me.

I think he was drunk, too. God, I hope he wasn’t driving.

Wait a sec, what did I do with my coat? And my purse?

Fear hits me like cold water. Did Jesse or Amber say anything about that? Did I just leave them at the table? Oh crap!

Where is the table where we sat at? Disoriented, I turn in a circle, trying to locate it. The crowd blurs. The music beat is hammering behind my eyes, at the base of my throat. Another girl jostles me as she dances her way around a guy, and I stumble backward.

My back collides with a rock-solid chest, and a pair of steel arms close around me. I yelp, my shoes scrabbling on the floor, my arms wind-milling as I fight for balance.

The arms tighten, keeping me upright even when my heels screech and slide from under me, leaving me hanging in a stranger’s hold.