Page 2 of Protecting Her Secrets

“Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?”

“Yes, but tell me again.”

I grab her by the hips and set her on her feet before standing myself. Turning her around, I place her hands on my shoulders, thankful for the heels that bring us a little closer to eye level. “I’ve never seen a more stunning woman in my life.”

The megawatt smile returns. “And I’ve never seen a more handsome man.”

“Dance with me.”

“You don’t dance.” She reminds me, and she’s not wrong. I suck at it, and after multiple failed attempts at various school dances, I gave up.

“It’s a slow one. I think I can manage to sway without bruising your toes.” I take her hand and lead her to the dance floor. My hands roam up and down her back as we stare into each other’s eyes. There’s no doubt in my mind this woman is meant to be my forever. I knew it just as sure when I was sixteen as I do now.

One song turns into two until the DJ speeds things up, and I decide not to press my luck. “Let’s head to the bar.”

Once we have shots of tequila and Coronas in hand, we join a group of our high school friends standing at a table next to the bar, chatting and reminiscing. Some still live in Bakersfield, like Skylar and I do, while others have moved all over the country. When Bethany and Jeremy announced they were getting married in Vegas, we all decided to make a vacation of it. This last week has felt like a high school reunion, only fun, since it’s only our friends in attendance.

“Remember when Walker and Skyler decided to do the most cliché high school thing ever and get busy under the bleachers?” Casey says through a cackle.

“In our defense, I don’t think Old Man Louis had seen that much action in years. It was a kindness, really.” I hold up my shot of tequila before swallowing it down.

“I hear he’s still the janitor,” Dalton shouts.

“There’s no way.” Skylar’s shot glass halts midway from the table to her lips. “He had to have been in his eighties when we were there.”

“That man will haunt the halls of that place even after he dies,” I say.

“Children,” all six of us croak in our best Old Man Louis impersonation. “Slobs. All of you.”

Everyone laughs as Dalton holds his beer in the air. “To Old Man Louis.”

“To Louis,” we cheer.

Hours pass as we continue to drink, reminisce, and laugh with our friends. By the time the bride and groom leave to catch a plane to Mexico, we’re all more than buzzed. It’s not often I allow myself to let loose; kids like me can’t without the safety net of family to fall back on. If I want to create a life worth living where Skylar and I aren’t pinching pennies and working multiple jobs, I have to get good grades so I can graduate on time and get a decent-paying job. I’m not particularly interested in accounting, even if I am good at numbers, but it’s a job that’s always in demand and will allow me to work for myself one day.

“Where to now?” Casey asks as we watch the newlyweds pull away in their limo.

I push down all thoughts of college and my future. I’m in Vegas with my friends and the woman I love for one more night. I need to make it count. Who knows when I’ll have the opportunity again?

“Strip club!” CJ shouts.

“Pig.” Casey slaps CJ’s bicep.

I grin down at Skylar, whose cheeks have pinkened at the suggestion. My woman is a closet freak. She’s down for anything in bed, but she’s too embarrassed to admit it out loud. We lost our virginities to each other senior year of high school, soI’d still consider us both inexperienced. Asking her to try new things makes me nervous, so it has been a slow progression to broadening our sexual horizons.

However, tonight, we’ll both be buzzed, which means inhibitions will be low, and I have so many ideas. So,somany ideas. Realizing my cock is growing hard, I dismiss those thoughts and check back into the conversation.

“Strip clubs are a rite of passage for Sin City,” Dalton argues. “What do you think, Walker?”

“Only if you can get Skylar to agree.”

“What do you say, Sky? You down?”

She tucks her chin, her cheeks flaming now. “I’ll go.”

Yeah, she will, and she’ll love every second of the debauchery. Our friends cheer as the drunken energy grows. We’re all going to hate life tomorrow, but that’s not even a thought right now as we make the nights ours.

“Fuuuuuck,”I groan as I press the heels of my hands into my eyes. The alarm on my phone chirps at a decibel that makes my head pound. I sightlessly mute it as I roll onto my side and pray for death. What the hell was I thinking last night? And now we have to pull it together enough to get on a plane home. Shit.

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