Page 37 of Submit

I’ve never had a friend like Johanna - open, honest, loving, carefree, calm - and I’m so thankful she’s by my side right now.

~

“HERE, TRY THIS ON.” Johanna throws a cropped top and a mini skirt at me. I didn’t pack any clubbing clothes since I didn’t know it was part of the deal until after I’d left the house.

My makeup is light and my hair is pulled up off my neck after Johanna’s warning that we’re going to be hot and sweaty pretty quickly. A “mini skirt” on her is a “micro-mini” on me because my legs are about three inches longer than hers but I smile at the way it accentuates my legs and decide,to hell with it, I’m rocking the shit out of this tonight.

One night of carefree drinking and dancing isn’t too much to ask, right?

Johanna saunters through the front door of the club so comfortable here it’s clear this is one of her favorite spots. The club is oceanfront with a huge patio that’s enclosed by a white fence except for the stairs, which lead right down into the sand. People are mingling everywhere.

I follow her to the bar where she greets the bartender by name and gives her a kiss on the cheek. After introducing us, she orders two lemon drop martinis – knowing they’re my favorite - and I suppress a giddy giggle, wondering whose life I’m living. I feel so carefree hanging out with Johanna with the atmosphere of the club all around me, it’s almost like being out on the water earlier today.

It reminds me of when I was little. I’ve always loved to dance. Never afraid of the stage or others’ eyes on me despite being an introvert and enjoying time by myself.

Drinks in hand, we’re lucky to find a high-top table next to the railing overlooking the beach. We onlyjustmanage to set our stuff down when the DJ playsClub Can’t Handle Meand Johanna grabs my hand, screeching that this is her favorite song, and pulls me to the dance floor. Her good mood is so contagious and I can tell we’re attracting a lot attention as we shake, twist, and twirl without a care in the world. At one point, my back is to her front, our asses finding the same rhythm. She’s hands down the best dance partner I’ve ever had. No chance in hell would Willem attend a dance club with me even knowing how much I love to move.

In the middle of the next song – which Johanna also claims is her favorite – she erupts in laughter and I open my eyes to look at her right in front me.

“What’s so funny?”

“It’s the first time I’ve ever seen Casper in public outside of the gym and work and even here he still looks pissed as hell!” For some reason this causes her to cackle again. Meanwhile, my head whips around trying to find him. When I fail, she turns me by my shoulders and then moves her hands to my face, directing my eyes to where he’s standing at the end of the bar, staring right at us.

Johanna’s right. He looks like he wants to burn this club down. He’s leaning on the bar on his forearms. A shot glass of clear liquid in front of him.

I turn back to Johanna, “Did you tell him we were coming here tonight?”

“No, but I did tell Jörn and we all know Jörn runs his mouth.” She giggles like my ovaries aren’t exploding at the sight before me.

Cas makes no move toward us but stands up, making the small open buttons on his Henley visible. If that wasn’t hot enough, he picks up his shot glass and throws it back with no chaser, never breaking eye contact with me.

“That was the hottest fucking thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” Johanna says from behind me.

I would agree with her, but I seem to have forgotten the entire English language. I’m staring at him open-mouthed before I feel her tug my arm again.

“Well, if he isn’t going to come say hello, let’s make him wish he did.” When I look at her, she winks and walks backwards to the middle of floor holding my hands before sliding them to my hips.

Right on cue, the DJ plays a remix ofFerrariand even I have to laugh. This song ismyfavorite. As my hips sway to the beat, I drop into a squat, going low in front of Johanna, my back to Cas. When I stand back up, she says, “He hasn’t blinked once.”

For some reason, this goes straight to my brain and the power makes me heady. A couple of guys approach Johanna and I asking if we’re here alone. They’re cute and I appreciate the nerve it took them to come talk to us. Johanna admits she’s seeing someone but says she’s happy to dance as long as they don’t get too handsy. The blond guy agrees which makes his friend, Ryan, look at me in question.

I’ve never really loved games and it feels like if I say yes, I’m playing with Casper. Before I answer, the song changes again, and Ryan makes my choice for me. One hand hits my low back, the other is hanging down by his side. I’ll give it to him, he’s a surprisingly good dancer but before I can enjoy it too much, I feel Casper before I see him.

“I suggest you remove your hand from her back before I remove it from your arm.”

Johanna, laughs, “Holy shit, itdoestalk!”

The look Casper flashes Johanna is enough to make my jovial friend quiet.

Ryan looks at Cas and holds his hands up. “Sorry man. I thought she was here alone.” He backs away, says something to the guy dancing with Johanna and heads back to their table.

I feign annoyance but I’m smiling so it probably doesn’t even look convincing. Hands on my hips, I tell Cas, “I was enjoying that.”

Casper says nothing as he turns to go back to the bar but I catch him by the back of his shirt. “Oh no you don’t. If you’re going to chase off my dance partner then you’re going to replace him.”

Johanna’s eyes go wide, clearly waiting to see how this is going to play out. I’m pretty sure no one has ever touched Casper at all, let alone in public, but this is what he gets since he insisted on following me here tonight.

I think he’s about to protest and shut me down when he leans down to my ear and says, “Think you can keep up?”

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