Kairos (3 page)

I climb into my car after my last class of the day, and I’m buzzing with excitement about the upcoming night. Tonya and I have agreed to get out and cut loose tonight at the local nightclub. It’s going to be a night of fun-filled drinking and dancing until we pass out or puke. I prefer to pass out, but some hardcore partygoers prefer to puke it up and start anew. College…humph. The things we do in college we will probably never do again, so I don’t concern myself with propriety, and I’m ready to turn loose for a night and be free to live a little without worrying over everything.

I pull out of the parking lot and turn onto Main Street, heading toward home. I live about fifteen minutes from school, but today it feels like hours. I’m so excited when I get home that I barely remember to lock the door when I come in. I dart up the stairs and sling my purse and backpack on my bed. I quickly divest myself of my yoga pants and tank top and kick my shoes into the corner as I walk into the bathroom.

Thirty minutes later I emerge clean and shaven. My hair is soft and smells like flowers from my conditioner. I pull on my bathrobe and towel dry my hair.

“Sully? Hey, Sully, you in there?” Tonya calls from the hall while knocking on my door.

“I’m in the bathroom getting ready. Come on in. I’m decent.” I turn back to the mirror and start the beginnings of my makeover. I’m applying lotion when Tonya struts into the bathroom and sits on the wide rim of the Jacuzzi tub. She looks up at me with a face-splitting grin, bursting with excitement. Her big brown eyes are glowing with a mischievous glint.

She’s in her element. She loves to have a good time, and this is like her crack. She’s addicted to the high she gets when we’re going out for a night on the town. Even though she’s been seeing some guy for a little while, she never lets that stand in the way of a good time. Monogamy isn’t one of her strong suits but partying is. Tonya is the girl dancing on the tables and out-drinking a three-hundred-pound man just because she can. And she’s amazing. Such a kind and considerate heart, and she would do absolutely anything I asked her to if she thought it would help me. I’ll miss her when we graduate. I sigh at the thought.

“That was a sad sigh. None of those now. I know what you’re thinking, and we are going to stay in touch. We aren’t going to drift apart, Sully. You’re like a sister to me, and I love you dearly, so don’t sweat this anymore. All right?” Her eyes show genuine concern and sympathy. She’s worried too, but she would never let it show. She’s like the Rock of Gibraltar, that one.

I relent and smile at her in the mirror. “So what were you so excited about earlier?” My voice is tinged with amusement. She is near to bursting out of her skin.

“Say you won’t get mad. Promise me, Sully, or I won’t tell you.” She tries to give me her serious face but fails miserably when her bottom lip twitches, and she bursts into a fit of giggles. I laugh back at her, and for a minute that’s all we do: just laugh until tears cloud my vision. That’s how we are together. We can laugh over absolutely nothing. I rein in my giggling and take a deep breath as I wipe my eyes dry on the back of my hand.

“Okay, I won’t get mad. I promise,” I say solemnly. She clears her throat, and I notice she’s a little reluctant to tell me whatever it is. But finally she steels herself, stands up, and looks down to my eyes. Tonya is around five-foot-ten, so she looks down and I look up. It’s always been that way.

“I met some guys at Starbucks on the way home. I was grabbing a latte when I bumped into them in line. They are megahotties, girl! I am talking out-of-this-world hotties. And I got us dates with them tonight!” She squeals the last sentence out as she begins to jump up and down with glee. She’s acting as if she won the lottery. I can’t help but be drawn in by her enthusiasm, so I clutch hands with her and start the idiotic ritual of jumping and squealing like a ten-year-old girl who’s seen her first naked boy.

I gently calm her trampoline feet and face her with my interrogation. “Are they meeting us at the club? I am not hooking up with two complete strangers anywhere private, Tonya. I don’t care how wet your panties get around this guy; the answer is no.” Her smile falls, but she plants a smart-ass smirk in its place and puts her hands on her narrow hips. She’s ready to battle, and I’m less than prepared for a siege, so I capitulate. “All right, fine. But you owe me for this. Make sure you take your mace!” I turn back to the mirror to finish drying my hair and then turn on my straight iron.

“You won’t regret this, Sully. I promise you.” She grins like a fool as she leaves the bathroom.

“What about what’s his name? You know, the guy you’re dating?” I yell after her.

She stops at the door and turns, still smiling her million-dollar smile. “You don’t even know his name, so obviously it was never anything serious. More like a friend with benefits, but the benefits came with a high deductible, and I decided to close my account.” She huffs, “Just remember the black-haired one is mine. The other one is equally gorgeous, but I don’t do blonds. He’s yours, sister.” She blows me a kiss and saunters out the door.

I turn back to the mirror and section off my hair and then begin the tedious process of straightening my wavy locks. I hate doing this, but my hair looks so pretty when I’m finished that I can’t resist the allure.

One hour later I emerge from the bathroom all dolled up and ready for my dress. I walk into my closet and pull my little royal-blue, tiered-ruffle tube dress from its hanger and walk to my bed, where I lay it down. I step up to my dresser and find a strapless bra to wear with matching panties and set about getting dressed.

A few minutes later I step into the hall and walk toward the stairs. I can hear Tonya blow-drying her hair, so she’ll be a few more minutes. I’ve got a little time to kill, so I go downstairs and search for something light to eat so I won’t get sick when I drink. I quickly round up some lettuce, sliced turkey, cheese, and honey mustard and then spread it out on the bar and start making my dinner.

After finishing my sandwich and cleaning up my mess, I head to the powder room to freshen my makeup.

Inside the powder room is a full-length mirror where I check myself out. I look good tonight. My dress is snug where it’s supposed to be and free flowing where it needs to be. My breasts are covered, but the strapless top allows for some cleavage to show. My cute silver flats match my silver hoop earrings and necklace. I’m wearing the white gold watch my dad bought me for my high school graduation. The dark blue of the dress really sets the jewelry off.

My blue eyes are dark and sultry beneath my smoky eye shadow, and my skin sparkles from my tinted body lotion. I pull my lip gloss from my clutch purse and apply it in smooth, even strokes so that by the time I’m finished my lips look plump and kissably wet. My perfume is in the cabinet beside Tonya’s, and I snatch it up and spray a couple pumps and put it away. I step back and take in my appearance for a final time and smile at myself in the mirror.

“I clean up pretty damn good.” I smirk.

Tonya steps into the room and reaches inside the cabinet for her perfume. After a couple of squirts, she sets it back and takes a quick peek at her stunning self before smiling and pulling me out and toward the front door. We emerge into darkness and walk quickly to her Jeep. I slide into the passenger seat, and she fires up the “Beast,” as we have aptly named it.

Twenty minutes later we have arrived at The Club. They sure went to great lengths to be clever with that name. But it’s the nicest establishment around, and it’s always clean and drug-free for the most part. We pay our cover charge and step into the blaring music-filled hall. All around lights are flashing and spinning, and the first thought that comes to mind is that this would be a nightmare for someone with epilepsy. I chastise myself for always thinking of the negative and follow Tonya as she heads for the bar.

The music is bumping loud enough for me to feel the vibration down to my bones. The sound calls to my body as I start to sway to the beat with sensual grace. I love to dance, and I tend to come out of my shell when a good beat is involved. It’s one of the few places where I don’t feel inhibited.

I smile and tip the bartender as I collect my Crown and Coke, my hips swaying to the music as I make my way over to the small circular table with four barstools. I set my purse on the table and wait for Tonya to get her drink from the bar. As I sit and wait, I get the feeling I’m being watched. I look around to see if someone I know has spotted me but don’t see anyone familiar. I shuffle in my seat a little to get a broader range of view and catch a glimpse of blond hair before it disappears behind a couple of girls with glow sticks gyrating and weaving to the music.

Tonya appears to my left and takes her seat. “It’s packed in here tonight,” she yells so I can hear her over the music.

“Yeah, it is. Who all is coming to meet us?” We’re leaning in toward each other now so we can hear without screaming. She nods toward the dance floor, and I look to see two large men approaching our table.

“That is why you will thank me later. Feast your eyes on our prey for the evening. Remember, the blond is yours.” She shoves my shoulder playfully, and I look up to see piercing green eyes staring down at me.

It’s him. Oh, my God, it’s really him. I blink to make sure my eyes are really seeing him. His full pouty lips pull up into a half smile, and I know he is reading my expression and can see my confusion/recognition. Good lord, he is too damn pretty to be real.

“Hi.” His teeth show as he shoots his charming grin in my direction.

“You seem to have me at a disadvantage,” I say sternly. His smile fades, and his eyes scan my face for what I’m thinking. Seemingly satisfied, he steps up to my chair and extends his hand to me, gesturing toward the dance floor.

I stand up and take his hand. He leads us into a remote corner on the dance floor. The DJ has been switching it up between techno and remixed pop, but I don’t mind. It has a good beat, and I can feel my muscles warming up as I start to work my body with the rhythm. I raise my arms and place them around his neck and scoot closer to him. My body is rubbing against his with blatant carnality. I can play this game too, as long as I don’t have to speak. My body is drawn to his, so it’s no effort to let my wanton moves carry me away with the song.

“Logan. The name’s Logan Thatcher. No more disadvantages. We’re on a level playing field, and I must say I’m enjoying the game immensely.”

I turn my back to him and swing my arms back over his head and secure my fingers behind his neck. He hisses between his teeth as my ass bumps his groin. I purposely do it again and nudge his slightly erect penis with the cleft of my ass. A current tingles through my body at the contact.

I close my eyes and sink into an erotic dance. My body slithers over his like a snake up a tree. I can’t stand any distance between us. I want to touch him, feel his hard muscles beneath his velvety skin, and bask in his growing erection as I brazenly press myself against him. His breathing has picked up, and he begins to run his hands up the sides of my thighs and under the hem of my dress. He goes no farther but teases my senses with feather-light touches, and then he runs a hand up the back of my thigh and squeezes my ass…hard. I gasp in surprise, but the move only heightens my desire.

“You’re playing with fire, brave one. I may not be an animal, but I’m still a man, and you are provoking a hunger so strong it’s all I can do to keep from driving myself deep within you,” he growls in my ear. His warm breath on my skin sends an electric jolt down my neck and across my belly. My womb clenches as moisture gathers between my legs. His hand is now massaging my bottom, while his other one climbs up my stomach and skims across my breasts, brushing up against my hard nipples, and pulling a strangled gasp from my lips.

“Logan. What are you doing to me?” I say breathlessly. I’m shocked by my voice. It sounds so husky and leaden with lust. He places both hands on my hips and pulls me into his fully erect cock. He’s thick, hard, and ready for what I would willingly give.

Blunt teeth graze my neck where it meets my shoulder and work their way back up, nibbling on my sensitive flesh. Masculine hands press into my hips, working down my belly to the apex of my thighs. I inhale sharply at the contact and tremble in his arms. A throaty chuckle next to my ear melts any defenses I have left.

His warm breath is doing amazing things to the delicate shell of my ear. Hot and moist, his tongue slowly licks up the skin behind my ear and then slowly works back down. A hard shudder works through me as the burn building between my legs mounts to a frustrating peak. I need release, and I want it now.

His right hand trails a path under my skirt and up around my behind. At the first contact, I nearly jump from his arms, but he has me held securely against his rock-hard body. My back is to him, his arm like a vice around my waist, while the other works its way into my panties.

My eyes are closed to everything around me. The darkness alludes to a false sense of privacy. I can’t hear anything but his breathing. I can’t feel anything but the rocking motion of my hips as my body strains for contact with his. I feel a sharp tug, and my panties fall, only to be snatched up by his other hand and quickly folded in his fist as he resumes his grip around my waist.