e says. With that, Kylie, myself, and a very conflicted Hazel leave Chase and Drew at the bar, making our way through the crowd. Men and women swing their hips to the roaring sound of the music, sweat glistening on their skin in a sexy way. Laughter stretches across their faces, and were it not for the music, it would be echoing all around us. The music is electrifying, the rhythmic bass making even the air pulse with life. The whole atmosphere is infectious, and when Kylie and Hazel start dancing, I don't hesitate in joining them, barely containing my grin. I’m usually uncomfortable in crowds, especially when we’re so squeezed together that one wrong movement is all it takes to touch butts with someone. Some of that uncomfortable feeling still lingers in the recesses of my mind as I swing my hips, laughing as both Hazel and Kylie mimic grabbing someone's ass. There's this one other thing that bothers me, though...How will Damon find me here? I make a full turn in my spot trying to gauge him in the crowd. No luck.
Chase and Drew arrive an eternity later with our drinks. Chase hands me one of the glasses.
"What's this?" I yell in his ear.
"The barman's specialty. Tequila Sunrise with extra tequila." We all clink glasses.
I eye mine suspiciously then sip from it, squinting as the alcohol burns down my throat. Drew immediately pulls Kylie to him and they start dancing. Their intimate moves make me blush and look away. Chase pulls both Hazel and me to him, slinging an arm around each of our waists. I push him away because I have the nagging suspicion Hazel wants to have Chase all to herself. My friend has gone all sneaky on me. All those times she talked to me about her new friends, she never once mentioned she has a crush on Chase. I dance on my own, trying not to spill my drink on anyone. I study Hazel and Chase. For all his womanizing air, he doesn't dance nearly as provocatively with Hazel as other pairs around. In fact, he seems determined to keep a few inches of distance between them. Weird.
I've nearly finished my drink when I feel a familiar presence behind me. I don't know what alerts me to it, but I whirl around just as Damon says, "Dani."
***
My breath hitches as I stare directly into Damon's stunning green eyes. He takes my hand, placing a small kiss in my palm, making my toes curl. It's here, in the dimness of the room, with neon red and blue lights dancing across his features, that something becomes clear. Damon has changed. It's as if a veil has been lifted off him, and the burden he was carrying on his shoulders when I first met him no longer weighs on him as much.
"You look beautiful," he mouths to me. His eyes rake over my body, drinking in every inch of me. I don’t return the compliment, but that’s just because I’m too busy admiring him.
The bad boy vibe coming off him is so strong; I can almost touch it. I’m not the only one mesmerized by him. A group of women to our right point at him, giggling. Damon must know the effect he has on women, yet he only has eyes for me.
"Can I get you another drink?" he asks.
I nod, a familiar feeling of longing springing inside me as Damon takes my hand, leading the way. Delicious tingles form in my palm, traveling up and down my body, sending hot and cold shivers through me. The gentle squeeze of his hand bestows confidence and a sense of empowerment. It's not the first time his presence has made me believe that with Damon next to me, I could do anything. When we arrive at the bar, I’m pleasantly surprised to notice the line isn't nearly as large as it was before. When our turn comes, Damon asks, "What do you want to drink?"
"Tequila. I've already had a Tequila Sunrise, which had an overdose of tequila in it, and I'm sticking to the ‘only one type of drink a night’ rule."
"Smart rule." His lips curl upward to form the smile I fell for.
We walk with our shot glasses in the opposite direction from the dance room, into a darker part of the house. It's also quieter, though the bass still pounds heavily around us. Holding the glasses to eye level, we clink them.
"To what are we drinking?" I ask.
"To the girl who made me want to change," he answers. I tug at my lower lip with my teeth, trying to hide the devastating effect his words have on me.
"I can't toast to myself, Damon."
"To us, then." There is no hesitation in his voice.
"To us," I agree. The mere word makes me dizzy with elation; no tequila needed. Us. The possibility of us haunted me since our first kiss. When it became a reality, I was convinced it was a dream. When the dream turned into a nightmare, I wanted to forget. Now I’m ready to dream again. We take the orange slice off the edge of the glass then down the liquid, keeping our gazes interlocked the whole time. Tequila burns my throat, but Damon ignites every other part of my body.
"I wonder if the bartender needs help with other bartending gigs," Damon says, switching the topic.
"You're super smart. You should apply for some jobs in Silicon Valley. I know from James that companies there always look for programmers."
"I have. Meanwhile, I also applied for nearly every job on campus."
"I'm very proud of you." I lean on the wall behind me, jumping a bit as the cold concrete touches my skin. Silence dons between us for a few seconds that stretch into minutes.
"Dani?" Damon says tentatively, but I stare insistently at my feet. "There is something you want to ask me. I can sense it."
"Why did you never call, Damon?" I know I asked him before, in London, but his answer wasn't enough. "Even if it was just to say you never want to see me again."
"Precisely because I did want to see you again, but I was in a bad place when I left, Dani. It felt like I would never get out of it, and I didn't want to drag you down with me. I didn't know if I'd finally get my shit together or end up in jail like Gabe." Leaning toward me, he adds, "I want a second chance with you. I will make it right this time."
My head spins from the impact of his words and his intoxicating scent. I put my palm on his chest, gently pushing him away so I can whip my thoughts in order. Feeling his defined muscles beneath my fingers has the opposite effect, unleashing memories I tried hard to forget. The night we spent together flashes before my eyes, the hunger he awoke in me then ravaging me now.
"You're taking things a bit too fast, Damon. I didn't even know you were back until today."
"Okay, let's start with baby steps. A date?"