Jacinta was right. Carson was the dead ringer of that burly actor.
“Now I know why you’ve been pining all these months. Look at those muscles. They’re about to burst out of that polo.” Sienna giggled.
While reminding myself to breathe, I tried pushing aside Carson’s rejection, which had shaken my self-confidence. And whereas once I might have cracked the odd joke with him, now I felt awkward and tongue-tied around him.
“He’s not interested anyway,” I said. “Maybe my tits aren’t big enough.”
Jacinta rolled her eyes. “Nonsense.”
“Maybe he’s gay.”
Sienna frowned. “Didn’t you say he had a boner?”
I reflected on my failed attempt to seduce Carson and nodded.
“Gay men do not bar up over girls fondling their dicks. Trust me. I know.” Sienna pulled a smirk.
She would know. Sienna kept falling for unattainable men.
When we arrived at the front of the line, I came face-to-face with Carson.
“Hey.” My easy-going vibe hid a sudden rush of nerves as I locked my wobbly knees. “Didn’t know you worked here.”
“I’ve been here for about a month.” His eyes remained on mine, and suddenly it felt like it was just us.
I cleared my throat. “Declan mentioned you were returning to Reboot.” That was ages ago when I’d heard that, but I needed to find something to say.
He ran his hands over his buzzcut. Carson had once told me he preferred being close to bald because his hair went curly. He had the ideal symmetrical-shaped head for it. “I’m having to stick around. My brother…”
I didn’t quite catch the rest. He seemed more nervous than me.
“Anyway, in you go,” he said, with that uneven smile of his that dimpled his cheek, giving him a sexy, boyish look, despite him being a man.
A mature, sexy man.
Stop drooling.
Sienna and Jacinta both screeched with excitement as we entered the massive darkly-lit room.
“How good are you?” Sienna placed her slim arm around me, her charm bracelet jiggling on my shoulder.
With its red walls, velvet chairs, and changing lights resembling coloured stars, that nightspot teased one’s senses. In each corner, there were sword swallowers, fire eaters, burlesque dancers, and contortionists. One act was more astounding than the next as the latest dance tunes vibrated through our bodies.
Sweat and perfume thickened the air as everyone yelled and screamed. The venue seemed to shake from exuberance, which was typical of the club scene. It normally worked for me. I preferred sweating it out on a dance floor to thumping it out at a gym.
After battling through the crowded bar, we got our drinks and found a spare bit of wall to lean against to check out the talent, something we always did. Tonight I was tired. All the drama with Bram had kept me awake at night.
Although I should have reported Bram to the police, I couldn’t involve my family, who were already on my back about my crappy boyfriend choices.
This time for a good reason.
“Carson likes you.” Jacinta gave me the lift I needed with that heart-warming observation.
“Do you think?” I studied her. “He never answered my calls.”
“How often did you call him?” she yelled over the music.
“Three times. He’s just not interested.”