After a couple shots I was already getting used to Alec's presence, which was good because the crowd around us left him no choice but to move in close. Meaning I could literally see the flecks of gold in his eyes and a small dimple in his chin I had previously missed. He stood with his arm draped casually across the back of my seat. With a little effort I could have leaned sideways into his embrace and we would have practically been hugging. The spicy dark aroma of his cologne tickled my senses. Closing my eyes briefly, I inhaled softly, imprinting the scent to my memory. I could definitely work a moment like this into my current book.
"Here's to the loss of the crazy cat lady," Olivia announced, holding up her shot glass. I meant to kick her in the shin, but I missed and nearly fell off my stool before catching myself on the counter. "Whoa, easy, sister. We'll have to get you a seatbelt," she teased. I guess I was more of a lightweight drinker than I thought. My depth perception was a little off. Alec reached around from the back of my chair and handed me my shot glass that had magically been refilled. The move brought us intimately close, just like I had imagined.
I emptied the glass again without hesitation, feeling an increased level of confidence I hadn't possessed when we arrived earlier. Pressed up against the hardness of Alec's body, I had a sudden desire to snuggle in closer. From there I only meant to take a quick whiff of his neck. It was supposed to be harmless. How my mouth became involved was beyond me.
Somehow my lips found the soft warm hollow where his neck met his shoulders. Even my tongue decided to join the action, experiencing the subtle salty taste of his skin.
At first I thought I had imagined the whole thing until Alec's sharp intake of air followed by a reflex tightening of his arm caused me to pull back. My eyes met his as he studied me intently.
I wanted to drop dead. I couldn't believe I'd actually licked him. Olivia and Taylor sat giggling as I twirled away. I grabbed for the first glass I spotted on the counter and gulped it down. My hasty action caused the harsh amber liquid to go down the wrong tube, making me cough. My breath felt like dragon's fire trying to push through my airway. There would be no end to my embarrassment.
Chapter Five
Shockingly, I did not die. That would have been too easy. Instead, I was pounded on the back by my best friend, who eyed me like she was waiting for my head to spin around.
Once I could breathe again, and the black spots disappeared from my vision, Olivia dragged me toward the ladies' room. "Get in here," she said, pulling me into the handicap stall. She closed the door behind us, locking it in place.
"Ah, we've reached a new level in our friendship. You're peeing in front of me."
"Well, don't get used to it. I just don't trust you enough not to slide out the back door," she said, lining the toilet with a couple layers of toilet paper before sitting down.
I shot her a wry look before moving to the mirror. My face was a wreck. Thanks to the tears from my coughing explosion, my black eyeliner had smudged beneath my eyes and my cheeks were flushed. Even the knot I had gathered my hair into was sitting askew on my head. On a positive note, I no longer felt buzzed. Using my finger, I worked to repair my eyeliner so I no longer resembled a demented raccoon. By the time Olivia had finished, I had the knot back in position on my head, looking more presentable.
Olivia washed her hands, turning to me when she was done. I leaned against the stall door with my arms folded across my chest, waiting for some kind of tongue-lashing. I probably deserved whatever she felt she had to say. "In my defense, you said I needed to go wild, and if you remember, all I wanted was a Coke."
Olivia surprised me by grinning gleefully. "That was fucking awesome. I knew you liked him. You wouldn't answer any questions yesterday at lunch, but I knew there was something there. Alec could be the one to take your flower." I clapped a hand across her mouth. The acoustics in the bathroom carried her voice outside the stall where I heard an eruption of giggles. "You go, girl," someone said, rapping on the stall door.
"Oops." Olivia's eyes danced with mirth as she laughed behind my hand.
"Why do you insist on announcing my virginity to the freaking world?"
"Oh, so what? It's just a roomful of girls. Believe me, we all appreciate the significance of this moment. So, what do you think?"
"God, I don't know. Is this even something we should be talking about? Isn't your first time supposed to be spontaneous and exciting?"
"Not always. Trust me. It's nothing like the romance books you write. Sometimes the first time is wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am, but looking at Alec, I'm pretty sure that wouldn't be the case. The important thing is you'll finally have it behind you and it won't be the noose you're always acting like it is."
"You're talking about it like it's a foregone conclusion already. Like all I have to do is tell Alec I'm ready and he'll cooperate. What makes you think he would even want to sleep with me? We've said like five words to each other."
"Please. He's male. Of course he wants to sleep with you."
"That's easy for you to say. You can get any guy you want. Even one as delicious as Alec. Just because he's male doesn't mean he wants to stick it in any girl who throws herself at him."
Olivia placed her hands on my shoulders. "When are you gonna stop that shit? Girls are attractive for different reasons. So, you're not as tall as me. What does that have to do with anything? Your ass is bangin'. And look at these tits," she said, reaching for my bosom until I grabbed her hands.
I couldn't help but laugh even though it was clear people outside the stall were still listening. "Cool it, freako," I whispered.
"Believe me, Nicole. He's interested. I can tell by the way he looks at you. The guy is definitely jonesing for more of that tongue action."
I backed my head against the stall and looked to the ceiling. "I still can't believe I licked him." The past couple of days had become the most embarrassing of my life.
"I wouldn't have believed it myself if I hadn't seen it."
I shook my head. "Like he was some freaking popsicle."
Her laughter bounced off the tiled walls as she doubled over. "Go out there and tell him that and you're golden for sure."
"It's not funny, Liv. I don't know what's happened to me. Never in my life have I felt this way. My entire body reacts to him anytime he's within a ten-foot radius. I feel utterly ridiculous."