Page 63 of Once Bitten
“Makes what worse? You’re already not speaking, hon. There’s nowhere else to go but up, right?”
Jordyn bit her lip. “I guess you’re right.” She didn’t like that Tina was right, but the woman had a point.
“I know I’m right, which makes this a great idea. We’ll go there, and he’ll see you, and then you can talk and...you know.” She winked at Jordyn.
Jordyn hesitated still. “Well, it’s not just that. There’s also the camp...I mean—it leaves tomorrow at eight o'clock. I don’t know if a night out is a good idea,” Jordyn explained, but Dora slid back into the hallway and shushed her.
“And you’ll wear this, so there will most definitely be more than talking going on,” Dora said, waving a red dress in her hands at Jordyn. “His eyes are going to fall out of his head when he sees you in this. I promise. Don’t you want that?” she asked, bouncing on her feet.
“More than anything,” Jordyn groaned, already reaching for the dress before she had finished speaking. She’d give anything to have Steve look at her like that one more time.
“Awesome! Girls’ night out!” Tina yelled and waved a hand at Dora. “What slutty thing do you have in there for little ol' me?”
“You have no idea. Prepare yourself.” Dora said with a very serious face and jerked open her closet door rather smugly. Tina let out an excited squeal and followed after Dora. Their excitement was contagious, and before long, Jordyn was smiling, the dull ache in her chest not so deep, and she found that she could breathe a little easier so long as her friends were with her.
Maybe tonight would work out after all.
* * *
Jordyn staredat her reflection one more time in the passenger side mirror and tried to still her hands, both of which were shaking with adrenaline. They were in the parking lot of The Velvet Throne, and she was bouncing wildly between feeling excited and panicked at the prospect of seeing Steve. She blew out a deep breath before taking a glance out of the car and at the familiar bar front. She had to pinch herself because it was so reminiscent of the night she had walked through its famous front door and found Steve.
Well, except that she hadn’t been dressed anything like she was now. Not in the slightest. Jordyn looked down at the red silk skirt of her dress, which rode dangerously high on her thighs, while she sat in Dora's car. The dress was light and clung to her body when she moved, with a low cut back that left her skin bare until just above the dip in the small of her back, and the front featured a plunging V-neck that was held in place with two delicate scraps of silk that tied at her neck. Her heels were also red, stilettos with a t-strap that made her wince when she walked, but both Tina and Dora swore made her look like a goddess.
She’d almost fought back on the heel selection but then she’d caught sight of herself and she’d given in. She did look like a goddess, and she knew she was going to need every last bit of appeal and luck on her side if she wanted to win Steve over. A declaration of love hadn’t quite worked to motivate him, but maybe sex would.
Jordyn had decided to leave her hair down because Steve liked it that way. She shivered, thinking maybe he’d be running his hands through it before the night was over. And that was the thought that propelled her out of the car before checking her red lipstick one more time with her similarly scantily clad friends. The dress that Tina had chosen was black and barely legal, and Dora happily walked along, holding a gold clutch in a turquoise strapless number that was significantly longer than what either Jordyn or Tina was wearing.
They all looked fucking amazing, and Jordyn returned her friends’ smiles easily enough as they approached the door.
“It’s freezing. Someone wanna tell me why jackets aren’t sexy again?” Jordyn crossed her arms against the chill of the night.
“Don’t worry. We won't be waiting in line with the riff-raff,” Tina laughed, waving a dismissive hand at the line outside the bar. When Dora and Jordyn gave her a skeptical look, Tina just motioned for them to follow her. “Watch.” She tossed her raven hair over her shoulder as she strutted up to the doorman. It was the same doorman who’d let her in all those weeks ago, Jordyn saw, hurrying along behind Tina as best she could in her heels.
“Good evening, sailor,” Tina said with a wink. The doorman turned to her and straightened up when he saw her.
“Well, hello there beautiful.” He grinned, reaching back to open the door for her. “Ohhh, please tell me these two are with you,” he said, nodding at Jordyn and Dora. “All good things come in threes.
“They definitely are,” Tina said with a sultry smile and gave the doorman a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you, darling." She purred and then looked back at her friends with a smirk. "Come on ladies,” she said and disappeared into the bar without a look behind her.
“Have a good time,” the doorman said, making no move to hide his roving eyes as Jordyn and Dora slipped into the club after Tina.
“Nice,” Jordyn mused, following Tina into the club.
“Holy shit, this place is a lot,” Dora said, her eyes going wide when they walked into the club. The long glass-backed bar along one wall with its lights vied for her attention, but then she turned and craned her neck, trying to take in all of the dance floor, which was flush with bodies and lights that moved in time with the music.
“Yeah. It can be,” Jordyn agreed, her eyes moving quickly through the bar, trying to find Steve. Where was he? Why hadn’t he called her? Did he even want to see her? She felt her courage start to slip and her steps slowed. Maybe she shouldn’t have come...
“Stop overthinking this. You look good enough to eat,” Tina admonished her and pulled her along to the bar. “A drink will loosen us up and put a smile on that pretty face of yours, hmm?”
“Yeah, a drink. I want a double of whatever we are getting,” Jordyn said, slipping into a seat. She was going to need the courage if she was going to follow through and make a play for Steve. A leering look from the man next to her made her shift and try to tug the skirt of her dress lower, but given the amount of fabric she was working with, it didn’t make much of a difference. She swallowed hard and angled her body away from him and towards her friends. Tina frowned when she saw the man try to lean in closer to Jordyn and pointed a finger at him.
“Get lost, bozo,” Tina said with a sneer, and the man stalked off. “Men,” she sighed and took his seat.
“What can I get you ladies?” the bartender asked, tossing the towel over his shoulder.
“Whiskey sours all around and as strong as you can make ‘em,” Tina said, slapping money down on the counter.
“Your wish is my command,” the bartender said, seeing the generous amount of cash on the bar.
