Page 13 of The Very First Night

“If you want it to be.”

“I’m not looking for anything right now,” I respond awkwardly. It’s not not a lie; it’s a partial truth at best. I’m not looking, because I’m about to find it.

It’s not that I don’t find Tanner attractive. Hell, for a brief moment I find myself considering his words. However, it would be a waste of time.

It’s Elijah—it has to be Elijah.

“I hear ya,” Tanner says before swallowing another sip of Jungle Juice. “Friends, then?”

“Friends.”

“Well, friend…how is your night?”

“We just got here. Jenna and me, I mean. She—” I nod my head in her direction, finding her pressed up against a wall with Marcus’s tongue down her throat. “—is busy, apparently.” I chuckle as I scratch the back of my neck.

Tanner’s eyes follow my gaze, and a much more boisterous laugh escapes him at the sight.

“Classy.”

At first I think it’s Tanner responding, but my heart instantly crawls up into my throat as my eyes venture upward. Instead of Tanner’s adorable green eyes, I am met with dark, piercing eyes and a cocky smirk.

Elijah.

My heart races as he extends his hand. I shake it, feeling a jolt of electricity at the simple contact.

“I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Elijah,” he introduces himself confidently.

His strong grip makes me feel off-balance, like my whole world is tipping toward him. My stomach is swarmed instantly by a kaleidoscope of butterflies, the tiny wings pushing me closer and closer to vomiting.

Or maybe that’s the Jungle Juice—it’s hard to tell.

“And you are?” Elijah’s grin lingers on his lips, but his eyes are filled with confusion.

I stand there, his hand still in mine, but words escape me. “Huh?”

“I didn’t get your name.” He nearly has to yell over the music as he leans toward me, the familiar tropical yet musky scent of his cologne filling the air around me.

“Kat—Katarina. Katarina is my name, but people call me Kat.” My anxiety spills out as I stumble over my words.

“Nice to meet you…Kat, Katarina.”

On instinct I think to correct him, then notice the amused expression on his lips. He finds my nervousness entertaining.

“Nice to meet you too.”

I don’t miss the way his hand is still holding onto mine.

SEVEN

KAT

A loud crash reverberates through the house, drawing everyone’s attention toward the DJ booth. My gaze snaps to the source of the noise, my heart rate quickening in anticipation.

Tanner stands tall amidst the chaos, his arm tight around the waist of a petite blonde. He skillfully pulls her out of harm’s way as two guys start throwing punches and screaming at each other about a foot in front of the DJ booth. The music screeches to a halt as the DJ jumps over the table, attempting to pull the two men apart. Tanner pushes the girl behind him, urging her to go toward the kitchen as he attempts to intervene alongside the DJ. He holds the taller of the two men back as the DJ attempts to wrangle the other, arms swinging haphazardly as one of them tries to land a blow on the other guy’s jaw.

The sounds of breaking glass and thuds are drowned out by Elijah’s voice as his lips ghost past my ear, pulling my attention back into the moment.

“Do you want to go outside?”

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