Page 4 of Journey

“You’re staring,” she informs me. “And you’re starting to walk funny from pressing your thighs together.”

“I have no clue what you’re talking about,” I reply indignantly, shifting my eyes forward.

“Bullshit.” Leah giggles. “If we weren’t in public, you’d already be fucking the man.”

Journey hesitates mid-step, and his shoulders shake with laughter before he continues forward.

“Could you be any louder?” I ask Leah, my whisper harsh.

“I don’t mind,” Journey says without turning around.

Heat floods my cheeks, and I groan.

“What’ll you have?” Journey asks when we reach the bar.

“Vodka cranberry.”

“Gin and tonic.”

Leah and I speak simultaneously, and Journey nods before rattling off our order to the bartender.

Once our drinks are presented, a few minutes of silence pass while we all dive in. Jackyl strikes up a conversation with Leah, and it’s not long before the two disappear onto the dancefloor.

“Wanna dance?” Journey asks me. I shake my head, and he sighs with relief. “Thank fuck. I can’t dance for shit.”

Chuckling, I smile at him. “Me either. At least not—” Realizing what I was about to say, I slap a hand over my mouth.

Journey’s eyes spark with curiosity, and he gently grabs my hand and lowers it to my side. “At least not what?”

“Vertically,” I blurt, somehow recognizing that he’s not going to let me off the hook. “I can’t dance vertically.”

He arches a brow. “Is that so?”

I square my shoulders. “Yep.”

Now, this behavior might cause some to think I’m a slut, and maybe they’d be right. But the truth of the matter is, I like sex. It’s the one thing I can do that chases away my demons. Sure, it’s temporary, but it’s also the closest to perfection someone like me can get, so why not indulge when I can?

He downs the shot of Jack he ordered before grabbing my hand. “How ‘bout you show me?”

I slip my hand out of his grip. “I don’t even know you.”

Not that that is gonna actually stop me.

Journey’s eyes darken. “That’s an easy fix,” he says. “Whaddya wanna know?”

Can you fuck away my demons?

“Journey and Jackyl,” I say instead. “What kinda names are those?”

“They’re road names,” he says. “Ya know… for bikers.”

“I’m sure there’s a story there.”

“There is,” he confirms. “But is storytime really what you’re after?”

I grin. “Nope.”

“Next question.”

---