Page 14 of Too Good to be True

If nothing else, Ian could serve as my safe zone. He could be a deterrent if any pushy guys or freaks come my way. Just as long as he doesn't deter Walker.

And what's the worst that happens? We leave there and end up spending the night together? I've never had a one-night stand, and if one is to be had, I could think of worse guys to experience it with. Besides, he's flirting with me. I'm out of practice, and Lord knows I need help in this department.

The bus stops, and the doors open. I'm feeling better about the whole situation now that I have a buddy to hang out with. Francesca and Sam lead the way off the bus and to the club door. Ian is careful not to touch me but sticks close to my side. The fact he hasn't touched me has me wondering what his hands feel like.

I look up at the windows on the two-story building. They are all blacked out. If not for the line of people waiting to get in and the music pounding outside, I'd think we were standing outside of an abandoned building.

Once we're let in, our group disperses. Music pounds through the room. I look around the dimly lit area. There's a dance floor with people grinding and holding each other close. A silver pole stands in the center of the floor.

A bar takes up one corner of the room. The women are dressed in tight, skimpy dresses, similar to me, and the men are in pants and button-down shirts.

"Where do you want to go?" Ian asks.

Clueless, I shrug. Before getting off the bus, we were told there were booths reserved for us in the VIP section upstairs. The main level is where most people dance and hope to make enough of an impression to get invited to the VIP section.

“Want to dance?" He suggests. “I’d love to see you move.” He slips an arm around my waist and pulls me close. His nose skims up the side of my neck, making my muscles tense.

Okay,whatis going on here?

All of a sudden, this feels creepy.

I'm new to all this: flirting, dressing like I’m looking to get laid, and considering a one-night stand.

"Um . . . I’m not sure."

"It's okay," Ian smiles and creates a little distance between us. “I didn’t mean to come on too strong—"

"Hey!" Francesca comes from behind and forces herself between us. "This place is great, isn't it?" she asks, excitement brimming in her eyes.

I shrug. "I guess. I haven't seen much."

"Sam's looking for you," she directs to Ian.

“My work is never done. I’ll be back," he says, giving me a long, hard look before he leaves us.

Once he's gone, I exhale. That was an intense couple of minutes.

"Wow, look at you. Last night Walker, tonight Ian. You keep up at this rate, and Penelope Prude will be dead and buried before we get home and be replaced by Slutty Stella."

"You're not funny."

"Of course I am. I just came to see why you were leaving Walker to Kiara, and now I see it’s because you have your hands full with Ian, although I should warn you, he tends to get a little intense."

My mood drops with this news. Walker's with Kiara? Fuck! It's a good thing I didn't reject Ian in the hopes Walker would want to be with me.

"Where are they?"

I shouldn't want to look, to see proof that I'm not good enough, not pretty enough. But I do. I need to see firsthand what he rejected me for. I need to see them together with my own eyes.

"Over there."

Francesca turns me around. I see a couple making out, going at it pretty hot and heavy on the dance floor. His hands are all over her ass, and I feel like we’re in the middle of a filming ofDirty Dancing 2. The girl lifts her calf against his hip. He removes one hand from her ass to slide it up her leg, up her thigh; okay, I’ve seen enough, time to look away. The girl is Kiara, but the man isn’t the guy I met in the hall last night.

"That's not Walker," I say, looking back at my friend.

"What are you talking about? Of course it is."

I take another look and realize she's referring to Mr. Octopus Hands. Is that who she saw me with? Of course, we were drinking and laughing at check-in while she was being led to her room.

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