Page 62 of Burnout
“A little bit of both.” She grins.
People have gathered in front of the stage. Most are standing around watching and drinking, not really dancing. One of the great things about Quinn is she doesn’t worry a lot about what other people think. She doesn’t need other people to dance for her to throw her hands over her head and wiggle her hips to the beat.
And I easily fall into step with her. We cut loose for the remainder of the song, singing the lyrics along with the band.
I don’t forget about Knox, but I can’t see him.
The next song is slower. We turn and stare toward the stage, swaying to the beat.
“Knox looks good,” Quinn says, still a little out of breath.
I hum my agreement.
“What’s going on with you two? Are you planning on hooking up on the regular or was it a one-time thing?”
“I don’t know. I forgot to ask him when he was making me orgasm in the empty parking lot.”
She fights to hold in a laugh. I smile right back at her. Did I immediately tell her every detail when I got home the other night? Of course, I did. Ineededto tell someone so I could relive it.
Colter comes up behind Quinn and wraps his arms around her waist. He drops a kiss on her cheek. “Hey, babe. I need my darts partner.”
She looks at me for permission.
“Go. Have fun. I’m going to dance some more,” I tell her with a wave of my hand.
“Come watch.” She leans back into her boyfriend without moving.
“Yeah, Quinn does better with an audience.” Colter drops another kiss onto her cheek.
She nods her agreement. “I do love when people are watching me beat up on unsuspecting men who assume it’s my first time playing.”
Yeah, that sounds like her. I follow them into a back area where there are billiards, pool, and some arcade games. This room is a little more closed off from the rest of the bar, which drowns out some of the noise from the band.
I park myself on an empty stool against the wall next to the dart boards. Quinn and Colter are playing with two of his riding buddies, Oak and Shane. I glance around for Knox but he must still be at the bar.
While I’m cheering on Quinn and giving her the audience she craves, another one of Colter’s friends comes over to me.
“Hey.” He drops his head to catch my gaze. “Can I buy you a drink?”
“No thanks.” I never did grab my Sprite from the bar, but I don’t want to give this guy the wrong idea by letting him buy me another drink.
“I’m Mitch,” he says.
“Avery.”
He tips his head toward Colter. “How do you know the birthday boy?”
I point toward my best friend as she raises her hands overhead in victory. I don’t follow darts that closely, but I guess that was a good shot. “Quinn is my roommate.”
“Ah.” He moves closer and rests one side up against the wall. He’s a tall guy, broad, mid-twenties, I think. He has a short beard that makes it hard to accurately guess his age. At youngest, twenty-four. At oldest maybe early thirties. He’s good-looking. Striking eyes and chin-length hair that’s tucked behind his ears. Objectively, I should be attracted to him, but right now I have a singularly focused addiction in the form of Knox Holland.
Mitch is about to say something else when my addiction walks into the back area. One side of his mouth pulls into a tiny smile as he approaches. I hate the way I want to squirm in my seat from the butterflies swooping low in my stomach.
Mitch stands tall and offers him a hand. “Holland. Good to see you.”
“You too,” Knox says.
Mitch is oblivious to Knox’s intent in coming over. He thinks he’s there for him, but I know better. Even if he isn’t looking at me, I can feel the pull between us.
