Blame it on the Champagne (Blame it on the Alcohol 1)

And just like that, we moved on from the edge of my deeper concerns. That was the joy of being drunk. Honesty came pouring out, just to be washed away by a random joke—shoved back down where it needed to stay buried.

“We love you.” I wobbled the two steps and wrapped my arms around her.

I opened an arm for Nova to join, and she came in, slapping a kiss against both our cheeks. Her focus shifted behind us, and her lips parted, only to snap closed just as quick, before smiling at Raelynn.

“I love you so much that I want to take you home before you hate yourself.”

A chorus of boos from both of us met her declaration.

“Come on. Where’s Naughty Nova?” Raelynn asked, searching Nova’s face like she’d find Nova’s inner party girl hiding in her eyes.

Nova was the stable one. The one that gave in last to Raelynn’s antics. But when she did, she gave in full force.

“We fed her tequila. Why won’t she come out to play?” Raelynn asked, looking to me with a pout.

“Maybe she wants to dance. We haven’t danced enough,” I added.

“Naughty Nova does love to dance.”

We closed in, and she half-heartedly tried to shove us back, laughing as we danced around her. I turned and leaned my back to her chest, rubbing my hands down my body all the way to my feet. With my legs still straight, I did my best ass-shake to Raelynn’s catcalls. A firm slap to my ass had me pulling upright and glaring at Raelynn.

“You liked it.”

I flashed back to Nico carrying me into the bedroom against my will and slapping my ass. I remembered the heat that bloomed, and I remembered how much I had liked it. The same heat came back with a force, not because of Raelynn, but because every time I thought of him, my body softened like it was preparing to give in.

“Come on, Nova. We have to get this bride-to-be so liquored up she stops being a stubborn bitch and finally bounces on her fiancé like a pogo stick.”

I shoved Raelynn and stumbled back in my spiky heels. “Stop it.”

“Many more drinks, and she won’t be able to stand,” Nova laughed, holding me steady.

“You don’t need to stand to fuck.”

Nova blushed; the dark club unable to hide the heat flooding her freckled cheeks.

“Okay, okay. Serious-time.” Raelynn turned to me and held two fingers to her eyes before pointing at me. “Just one question. Please.”

“Fine,” I said, already knowing I’d regret it.

“The fucking? Was it good? Great? Epic? Bad? What? Hit me with a number? One-to-ten.”

I sighed. Part in defeat, part in dreamy remembrance. “The. Fucking. Best. Like a twenty.”

“Damn,” she breathed. “And you didn’t even get undressed. Okay, how big?”

I blamed the alcohol for answering as honestly as I did. “I didn’t get to see. He was behind me the whole time. But he felt big and so, so good. Big like you imagine Austin to be.”

“Damn,” she said again. “I bet your poor vibrator is getting a workout.”

Nova choked on her water. Raelynn slapped her on the back but kept going.

“Will you please just fuck him. For us. We know you want to.”

I curled my lip and was a second away from crossing my arms and stomping my feet. “I don’t want to want to.”

“But you do want to,” Raelynn exclaimed, pointing her finger at me victoriously.

“I’m definitely done with this conversation.”

“But I’m so interested to know.”

I wanted to blame the liquor in my veins for hearing the familiar deep voice. Like my imagination conjured the rough rumble that haunted my dreams. But the words stroked down my bare back, heating my core—too intense to not be real.

That and Raelynn’s brows trying to merge with her hairline as she focused over my shoulder let me know this was no figment of my imagination.Twenty-TwoVeraI whirled around, coming face to face with a perfect row of black buttons I followed up to a strong neck into dark scruff that led to his full, smirking lips. After lingering there for too long, I finally met his eyes, dark pools of even darker promises just waiting to be fulfilled.

“Ho—How long have you been here?”

The real question was how much he had heard.

Actually, the real question was why he was here, but my mind stumbled over itself, trying to process the situation.

“Not too long. I’d say I walked in just in time.” He scanned me from head to toe, his examination like a finger’s touch, leaving fire in its wake. “That was some impressive…what’s that word called? Twerking? Nova looked a little uncomfortable, but I’d be happy for you to perform that dance on me any time.”

My eyes widened, and my jaw dropped open. The world swayed, the lights flashing in a blur around me, all focusing in on Nico’s smirking face.