Page 4 of Tempting Him

Ivy hands me a cup with a penis shaped straw. “Here.”

After inspecting the cup, I realize it says,cheers to beer and bad decisions. I lift it in their direction, “Well, seems like a good plan to me.”

“You don’t have to suck out of the dick straw, man,” Curtis says.

“Well, it wouldn’t be the first time there’s been a dick in my mouth, but I appreciate it,” I say with a laugh. “I don’t normally drink beer with straws anyway.”

“We have to use the straws,” Ivy complains. “I bought them.”

I humor her by taking a huge sip out of the straw while staring into her eyes. “There. Used.”

She smacks my shoulder before spinning around and rushing off to talk to someone else, so I maneuver through the tables and say hi to people, stopping to talk to a guy in a South River University football tee. Turns out he played for my team five years ago. The engaged couple look to be in their thirties, but the guests range from early twenties to maybe early fifties.

After I finish my beer, I travel to the bar to harass Ash, the bartender I’ve gotten to know since coming here to visit Dom from time to time.

“Hey, Ash. Penis straw?” I ask, holding it in his direction.

He laughs. “No thanks. Want something else? They have a keg, but I know you like your shots.”

“Sure. Surprise me. Dom back there?”

“Yeah. I’ll grab him in a minute.”

Ash pours me a shot of dark liquid before disappearing in the back. I swallow it down, making a face as Dominic struts through the black curtain that blocks the kitchen area from the rest of the place.

“Drinking alone?”

“For now,” I say with a shrug, holding out my fist to knock with his. “I’ll find someone to drink with soon.”

“You with this wedding party?” he questions.

“I’m friends with a girl who’s friends with the bride.”

He snorts. “Of course you are.”

“Don’t hate on the fact that everybody likes me.”

He rolls his eyes. “So, you planning on partying every day of spring break, or what?”

“It’s likely. I might as well take advantage. I redownloaded this dating app not that long ago. I may log back in and see if I get lucky.”

Dominic chuckles. “Dating app or one-night stand app? And since when do you need an app?”

“Actually, itiscalled One Night Finder,” I say with a laugh. “And I don’tneedan app, but when you’re just looking for a no strings situation, it works. If I find someone here, for example, they may be under the impression it could turn into something serious.”

“And you’re not about that?”

I shrug. “Not yet. I don’t know. I’m still young.”

“You just haven’t allowed yourself the time to find someone who may be worth more than one night.”

“You fall in love for the first time in your life and now you’re giving me advice?” I say with a laugh. “I know Trev made you feel differently about relationships, but yeah, I’m not there yet. I’m twenty-two. I have at least ten years before I have to worry about settling down. Y’all just started early.”

Dom shakes his head. “You do you, man. I’m not gonna lecture.”

“Yeah, yeah.” I turn my head to the right and spot a guy sitting alone at a table in the corner. “Tell Ash to pour me a couple shots, yeah? I’ll be over there.” I jerk my head in the direction of the attractive man at the table.

Dominic follows my gaze and then looks back at me with raised brows. “Older than you usually go for.”

---