Page 26 of Left In The Dark

I circle the room, taking a red cup from a guy who insists I try his yummy concoction. Faking a smile, I nod, pretending to sip it as I stroll out the back door where more people are enjoying themselves. Then I dump the drink into the grass, holding onto the plastic cup until I spot the line for the beer keg. No way was I going to drink some mysterious drink from a stranger. I doubt I’ll drink the beer either. Not having anything in my hand makes me feel awkward, though.

“You seem to be everywhere I am today,” a deep voice says. “The first two times may have been coincidences, but I highly doubt this one is.” Hot breath brushes over my ear and I shiver, slowly turning around, forgetting what I’m supposed to be doing.

There they are. Those deep brown irises taking me in. Not like anyone else has but in another way I can’t explain and don’t fully understand.

“Can you prove it?”

“No,” he says, face unreadable and merely inches from mine. I can taste the vodka on his lips mixed with something sweet. Before I realize, I’m moving closer to him, tongue darting between my lips. I plant my feet into the ground to keep from going too far. His loud silence is enough for me not to continue. Unspoken words flash in his eyes and stance, and speaking is no longer necessary when it comes to him telling me what I should and shouldn’t be doing.

How he pulls it off, I have no clue, but I can’t stop following. Why can’t I?

It all leads back to wanting what I can’t have, doesn’t it? My enjoyment in accepting a challenge when I see it? Has to be. Why would there be another reason? I’ll get what I’m after and then I can put an end to whatever is happening between us. But do I even know what I’m after anymore?

His gaze points down at my cup, one brow lifting. “Why are you carrying around an empty cup?”

I sway the red plastic from side to side. “It wasn’t always empty, and I was about to get in line for some beer.”

“I guess I’ll leave you to it, then. That way you can play the part of being here for a reason other than to follow me around.”

Before I can say anything, he’s already closing in on another group of people. He gives them a “hey,” and “hi,” loud enough for me to hear. He does it all night long, with almost every person he comes across. Everyone but me.

I flirt with two different guys, pretending to be interested when I’m not, but they don’t distract me for long. One’s as hot as sin too, but still isn’t enough to keep me from looking over to see who else is getting the “hi” I should already have had.

My cup crunches between my fingers and I down my drink, smiling at a girl asking who will drink shots with her. I offer, waving my hand, and she drags me to the kitchen. People cheer us on as she fills two shot glasses, handing me one after making sure they have the same amount.

The first round we do leaves a slight sting at the back of my throat and my head feeling light. I get a bigger rush by the third one, my words slurring and legs going wobbly. My new friend Sheila laughs in my ear, wrapping an arm around me, and as she’s trying to talk me into another drink, the ground moves from underneath my feet.

My eyes meet the ceiling as I’m falling back, vision blurring, and a large hand grabs onto my arm. My eyes blink, but I can’t get everything to stop spinning around me until my gaze is held by the one man I struggle to look away from for too long. Logan steadies me against him, his face hard to read.

“I think it’s time you call it a night, little stalker. I sure hope you didn’t drive here.”

“Drove,” is all I can manage to get out. I try to whip my keys from my pocket and they fall to the ground.

He lets out an annoyed laugh, reaching down to retrieve them. His hands come back to me when I begin swaying again, my whole world moving too quickly.

“Hey. Easy now.” He shakes my keys above my head. “You won’t be needing these tonight. I was about to head out anyway, so I guess I can give you a lift home. Better than having you kill someone out there.”

“I can . . . call someone.”

“Yeah, I can’t trust that. For all I know you’re just telling me that, and as soon as I hand you back your keys you’ll get in your car, doing the exact opposite.”

I shake my head. “I . . . no. I wouldn’t . . . not do that.”

He grunts. “Yeah, no way you’ll be able to make that call anyway. Can barely string two words together.”

“There you are,” his friend Jimmy says, doing a double take when he sees us together. “What are you doing talking to him?”

Logan’s eyes dart between us and he gets a better hold of me, wrapping his arm around my waist. “We’re gonna give this one a ride home. He can’t stand up, let alone drive.”

Jimmy gives him a dead stare. “You serious?”

“Yeah. It’s better than having him out there risking lives and shit.”

Jimmy lets out a deep sigh. “Yeah, alright. Whatever. But I’m not riding in the back with him.”

“Does that mean I have to?” A raspy voice comes from close by and another one of his friends steps into view.

Logan tugs at his hair. “I’ll sit with him. Reese can drive. You haven’t had a single thing to drink tonight.”