Page 63 of Say It Slowly

She frowns, and throws her arm around me, giving me an awkward side hug as we walk up to the front door of the frat house. “All you need is some fresh meat,” she says, laughing. “And I guarantee, you’ll forget all about Roman Rush and his tiny dick.”

I swallow. His thick monster dick, I correct inwardly. God, I’m going to miss that. But that’s what dildos are for, right?

People are coming and going from the frat house, and we shoulder our way inside. The living room is packed with people, and the music is so loud, the walls are vibrating.

“I’ll find us drinks,” I scream at Wyn, struggling to be heard over the techno music.

“Okay, I’m going to head outside and see who's here,” she yells, leaning into me. “Meet me out there?”

I nod and start my hunt for alcohol. As I move through the house, I notice several Burning Crown members here. I spot Nathan, Nicole, and several others. Most of the school is here tonight.

In the kitchen, I find some cinnamon whiskey, and I load up two solo cups; one for me, one for Wyn. By the time we leave tonight, we’ll need to walk our drunk asses home, but whatever. I’m sure Wyn’s car will be fine on the street for one night.

I take a sip of the sickly sweet liquid as I make my way through the dining room, and then into the living room, where the DJ is set up. Everyone is dancing, and before I know it, I’m sipping my whiskey and swaying my hips. The whiskey hitsquick,and I’m already feeling a little floaty, that warmth snaking through my veins, loosening me up, making me feel free.

Yasss, this isexactlywhat I needed.

Setting the drinks down, I let the music take me away, giving in to it. At some point, I feel a pair of hands on my hips, and I glance behind me to see who’s brave enough to touch me.

It’s some random guy with messy beach hair and a jawline that could cut glass. He smiles at me with a set of pearl-white teeth, and I smile back, turning around to face him fully. We sway together, our bodies moving in unison. A couple of times, someone bumps into me, and I’m shoved into his hard body.

Mmm.He smells nice, like woodsmoke.

I leave the dancefloor briefly to grab my cup and drain it, wincing as the alcohol burns a path down my throat, then I set the empty cup down, and go back to dancing. I’m really feeling the flow, and for the first time in my life, I let myself go. I’m not worried about class tomorrow, or Bree, or Roman, or any of it. I just disappear into the music, and it feels so damn good.

After a while, the guy is pulled away by someone, and I’m left dancing alone in the dead center of the pulsing crowd. We’re all moving to the rhythm, and I’m so lost, I’m not even worried about what’s happening around me.

And every time my thoughts stray to Roman and Jen, I just dance harder, moving my body until I can hardly breathe. Just as a new song starts, Wyn comes up beside me and yellssomething in my ear, but I can’t hear her. Where we’re standing, the music is way too loud.

When I shake my head to tell her I don’t understand, she turns and points to the front door. My gaze moves through the crowd of people until I see what she’s pointing at.

Roman.

And Jen.

He has one arm around her as they step into the living room. They’re hard to miss because everyone stops to look at them as they walk in. My heart leaps into my throat, and I choke on my own breath. Coughing, I whip back around to face Wyn. I’m not a religious person, but right then, Ipray to Godhe doesn’t see me.

Actually, no. Fuck him. If he’s going to come here with another girl, then Iwanthim to see me. And notjustsee me, but see me having a great time. Without him.

I’m drunk enough now to make that believable.

I think. Maybe. No, definitely.

The DJ and his equipment are set up on a makeshift stage directly in front of us, which lifts him a little higher than the crowd. Several girls are up on the stage, dancing seductively, and on some crazy, drunken whim, I decide it looks fun.

Tucking my phone into the waistband of my skirt and panties, I push through the crush of people and climb up onto the stage. The other girls are drawn to me like a magnet, and they pull me into their little dance troupe, moving against me. Pretty soon, I forget why I even came up here. It’s just me, them, and the music.

The lights are flashing, and the bass is so loud, it vibrates in my bones. I feel so fucking free, and I move my body like no one is watching, seducing a crowd I can’t even see beyond the flashing lights.

We’re all laughing, swinging our hips, when I feel a hand on my waist. I don’t even turn to see who it is, because it doesn’t matter. It’s a guy, though, I can say that because when I shimmy back to gyrate againstwhoever it is, the frame behind me is tall and rock solid.

In the back of my mind, though, I wonder if it’s the guy from before. But none of the other girls have guys climbing up on stage to dance with them, and that makes me wonder if it’s Roman. But he’s here with Jen, and I doubt he’d risk pissing her off to come up on stage and dance with me.

Whatever.My bucket of fucks issoooempty right now. Whoever it is, I hope he can fight, though. Because if it’snotRoman, then punches will definitely be thrown. Even though Roman is here with another chick, I’m not sure his fragile male ego can withstand such an open display ofdisobedience, to use his word.

Suddenly, the tempo of the music changes, and the DJ artfully slides into another song with an upbeat tempo. I slowly turn, arms up, hips swaying, and take a peek at who is behind me.

Ash’s handsome face stares down at me.

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