Page 71 of The Second Deal

Peekingdown, his feet are normal.

Adriancaptures my chin and forces me to look at him.Hesearches my eyes, slowly moving closer, until he kisses me softly.

Allsorts of colors flicker beyond my eyelids as the thumping of bass pulses through the atmosphere.Adrian’shand warms my neck, and his thumb pressing down on my chin coaxes my lips apart.

Hismouth is cold and sweet with the smallest burn and a hint of sex.Thewoody musk he’s wearing forces all thoughts out of my head and allows only memories of his touch to consume my brain.

Thenightclub doesn’t exist outside of us—we’re not surrounded by bodies bumping along with the music echoing through the darkness.It’sjust me andDree, only us in the swirling lights and house music with lips locked and eyes closed.

Myarms slip around his shoulders to draw him closer, pressing all of myself against him.Hishands slip down to grab handfuls of ass, and he grinds us into each other.

“ForChrist’ssake,Dree, what is your problem?”

Wepull apart immediately at the sound of a familiar voice.

Brandystands next to us with a couple of drinks in hand.

Hereyes and nostrils both flare on me. “Soit’s true.Whatthe fuck is wrong with y’all?”

Adrianstraightens and grabs my hand, butIpipe up before he has the chance. “Ididn’t know he was seeing someone.”

“Bullshit,” she spits. “Andthis is what you left town over—”

Adriansays loudly, “It’snot her fault, so back off.”

Herblazing glower sets in on me. “Whatthe fuck,Steph?”

Grimacing,Idon’t know what to tell her except, “Pleasedon’t say anything to anyone.”

Withcold glasses in hand, she fans out fingers around them like she’s surrendering. “Don’tworry—Iwon’t even say anything to you,” she says before stalking off.

IfIthoughtBrandywas going to be the hardest sell before,Ijust lost her for good.

Adriansqueezes my hand. “Hey, don’t worry about her.She’llcome around.”

Mynose scrunches, andIturn away asIcross my arms. “Idon’t think so.”

Hecatches me and makes me look at him. “Ithink if you stop ghosting and start reaching out, she’d be more amenable.”

Ibite the inside of my lip and stare at the dark floor shimmering from spilled drinks. “Thiswas a mistake.”

Adrianreaches for me, butIslip away, slinking through bodies between me and the door.

It’shard to breathe in a hundred-and-one degree weather that tries to suffocate anyone trying to live their fucking life out here.

Adriancatches me beforeIreach the crosswalk, blocking my way. “Steph, wait.”

Iskirt past. “Weshouldn’t be doing this.”

Hegrabs my hand and drags me towards the parking lot. “We’vedone worse.”

Scoffing,Itry to snatch my hand back, but he has a firm grip. “Seriously?That’ssupposed to make me feel better?”

Hestops and steadies me by the shoulders whenIrun into him. “No, it’s not.”

Prettysure there’s steam coming out of my ears. “Thenwhat the fuck,Dree?”

“It’sa reminder that we’ve done some shitty things that we’re trying to make right.”Hetakes my hands, letting them hang between us as he stares down. “Allanyone’s gonna see is the shitty things you did in a moment of weakness, no matter how much good you do or how much you wanna make things right.”

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