JENNIE

Another club, another date, another night I was probably going to regret.

Not one single part of me wanted to do this for a second time. I knew deep down I had found someone that made me feel complete again.

Lisa.

Everything about her made me tingle. One tiny thought of her was like a train wreck, and it was all over. My brain would turn into hot soup, revisiting our night. She touched me like she knew my body from the start.

Either that was pure attraction or she was extremely skilled.

The club was packed, a hazy glow floated around the room like low fog. People were scattered around, dancing, laughing, clinking glasses high. But the energy did nothing to peel the dread of a date off my shoulders.

Another date, another chance to embarrass myself. . . And Lisa set in the background watching.

Walking in, I was so close to her the scent of steel hit my nose, pulling on me harder. My hand was in her arm and I wasn't ready to let go.

I didn't want to let go.

Deep down, I had wished the whole ride that this so called 'date' wouldn't show up. I was begging the driving force to let me get stood up. I had no interest in doing anything except stare at the woman I truly wanted.

She asked me to make room in my heart, what she didn't realize was she held the key to the door.

Lisa scanned the room, placing her hand over mine. Leaning in, her lips hovered above the shell of my ear. "He's here, are you ready?" Her words washed my face, spreading like hot fire over my spine.

Shivering softly, I glanced up. "Do you want me to be honest, or just tell you what you want to hear?"

"Honest." Lisa's eyes hardened, reading my thoughts. But I didn't think she really knew what was going through my head.

Yes, I was nervous. And that's what she saw.

What she couldn't see was why. I wasn't nervous to meet another guy, I could have given a shit less about that.

I was nervous because my fingertips surged with electricity as I touched her arm. I was nervous because her lips had just been so close to my ear, I felt her words.

I was nervous because she smelled so good, and looked so damn sexy in her blazer, I wanted to yank her back to the car and take her in the small backseat.

She was everything I felt right in that moment and I knew she couldn't see it.

Lisa's fingers circled the nub on my wrist, brows reaching into her hairline. "You're going to do fine."

"Yeah, fingers crossed." I joked, raising my hand and laying my fingers over each other.

"I'll be right over there if you need anything. Okay?" Her hand stayed static on mine, holding tighter instead of letting go.

Nodding, I gripped tighter too. "Which one is Flynn?"

A long pause sat between us, Lisa's eyes stretching deep into mine. Her lips twitched, before she finally spoke. "He's at the table by the bar, scruffy beard, green shirt."

There was something else in her gaze, like another thought had swept through her mind. I was tempted to ask, but I let her thought disappear behind her lids as they washed it away.

Blinking, I didn't look over my shoulder. "Face pubes and barf shirt—got it."

Laughing, her fingers came up and brushed the hair off my face. "Go have fun, that's why you're here." Cupping my cheek, her hand moved smoothly across my skin. "Because if you don't, I'm not doing my job." The pad of her thumb hooked my jaw, fingers pressing the back of my neck.

Why couldn't she see what flew between us?

She didn't touch me like a friend, she didn't touch me like she was trying to reassure me. No, her touch was soft and delicate, it was filled with so much more than any touch should have unless it meant something.

Her thumb on my jaw made me tremble, her fingers sent the hair on the back of my neck into a standstill. The way her eyes bore deep into mine, and flashed with feeling, emotion; Lisa was denying the charge that crossed her skin, and I wasn't going to let her ignore it forever.

"You've already done your job, now you just need to see it." Cocking my head, I smiled, and walked away, leaving her to dissect my words.

I bet she could read my mind now.

Reaching the tall bar table, I held my hand out, and said, "It's nice to meet you, Flynn."

When Lisa said he was a bit rough, he definitely meant it. Shaking his hand felt like I was grabbing coarse sandpaper, his jaw was covered in wild, curly black hair, and his shirt looked like it was the one he wore to work that day.

Slouching into his chair, Flynn tipped back a bottle of booze. "Same here, Jennie. Man, Lisa said you were pretty, but she left out how drop dead gorgeous you are."

"Thank you," I said uncomfortably, sitting down.

Looking at him more closely, I noticed the skin of his hands were stained brown, covered in deep cracks and raised callouses. Scuffed up and dirty work boots still dressed his feet, and the jeans. . .

Stone wash was definitely not flattering on Flynn at all.

Is this a serious date?

I wanted to try and give this guy a fair shot. If he was supposed to be a real match for me, I wanted to at least put some effort into it.

Especially if I couldn't have what I really wanted. Even though what I wanted was right there, a few feet away, and still untouchable.

Flynn teased his beard, gently stretching the curly hair. His lips split wide as he took a long sip of his drink. "You want a drink?" he asked.

"Yeah, sure." Setting my hands down on the wood top, I clasped them together tightly.

Flynn waved his hand to the bartender, signaling him over. "This pretty lady would like a drink, anything she wants, just put it on my tab." Winking, his hand fell onto the table, stretching closer to mine.

"Thanks, Flynn," I said nervously, using the moment to brush a loose strand of hair behind my ear, and place my hand as far away from his as I could.

Trying to make small conversation, I asked him a few questions about his work, and his son. "Wait, your son really thinks that he can run like Sonic?"

"Only when he's wearing his red water shoes. The kid even runs in place for a few seconds before he shoots off down the hall or around the yard. It's hilarious." Chuckling, Flynn reached into his back pocket, removing his wallet. "This is him, his name's Dean."

"Awe, he's cute. He's got your eyes."

So far, after two drinks, and a little discussion about our lives, I was starting to warm up to him. He was a really nice guy, not my type. . . But nice.

I knew my type; tall, funny, and her name was Lisa.

At least this date was going far better than my last. No injuries yet, no awkward conversation, and spills. If I really thought about it, this was probably the best date I had ever been on.

The disaster meter was still at zero. All I had to do was keep it that way.

"Do you want to dance?" Flynn asked, twirling a thumb over his jaw.

Flashing a glance over my shoulder, Lisa was staring us down with black eyes. Her face was completely blank, gaze empty and distant.

The amber glow I had gotten used to had turned a solid charcoal, her eyes hunting down the man across from me. I smiled at her, but she didn't smile back. She remained stone still, expressionless.

Why does she look so pissed?

She's the one who brought me here.

If I didn't know any better, I'd say she looked jealous.

Stop being silly. The last thing she would be is jealous. She made it clear that she had a job, and no interest in dating herself.

Staring at her, I wanted some sort of reaction. A head nod, a little smirk, anything to let me know how I was doing.

But I got nothing.

As I was making the strangest facial expressions I could to break her from her mindless state, a woman slithered up to her side. Her hand slid across her shoulder, her ass cheeks hanging just below the hem of her dress. If you could even call it a dress, it looked more like a junior's size shirt that she tugged below her waistline.

Chatting way too close into her ear, her hand inched even closer towards Lisa's chest. A jealous rain came down and soaked my body, coating my back in hot sparks. The image burned into my brain and I wanted to cut it out.

She warned you. This is work.

You are just a job to her.

My eyes began to well, the realization of how stupid and ridiculous I had been about my feelings for her came up and smacked in me the face.

"Yeah, let's dance," I said into the crowd that passed behind me. Standing up, I still watched Lisa, her face hidden behind the well carved backside of some woman.

I wished I could have just made the jealous feelings invading my body disappear, but it wasn't that easy. She had been thrown into my life, placed here without my approval, and now I couldn't get her out of my fucking head.

Flynn crept up close behind me, his arm wrapping my waist. His hips gyrated into my ass, swirling and bumping.

Cringing inside my head, I wanted to keep as much distance between us that I could. Spinning around, I stepped back, rocking my curves. Flynn tried to grip my wrist and tug me in, but I spun off, digging my hands into my hair.

I was trying to watch Lisa, and maybe. . . For reasons of my own, trying to get her attention back on me.

Sweat started to trickle over my neck, chilling my spine. My body swayed and rolled, dipping and grinding the air. Opening my eyes, the woman had taken a seat beside Lisa.

Instantly my chest felt tighter, ribs hurting and aching deep around my heart. No matter how much I tried to focus on the date Lisa had placed before me, I was completely fixated on the mysterious woman at her side.

Dragging my fingers up my sides, Flynn's body pressed against my back. I could feel him there like a thick sludge, each twist embedding his hands firmer around my stomach.

His beard itched across my neck, my muscles convulsing to get further away from him. I thought he was a nice guy, but that didn't mean I was ready to be man handled. Each pulse of his hips made his fingers jump and tease the edge of my breast.

Unfurling his grip, I turned to face him. "Can we dance with a little less touching? I'm sorry, I just don't know you well enough." Making sure my words were delicate, but leaving no misinterpretation.

"It's just dancing, don't worry." His palms came out flat, arms resting in the air.

Nodding, I let the music guide my rhythm. Not that there was much groove in these feet. I made every effort to look sexy, alluring, irresistible to the admirer I longed for.

But in reality, I knew I looked like a woman who had just stuck her finger in an electric socket. The many eyes of the people around us made that clear, I was pretty sure there were even a few pointing and laughing.

Dancing was never a strong point for me, my dad always said I was born with two left feet. And a few times when I was little, I even looked to see if he was right.

But that didn't stop me from trying. Right then I was just about willing to do anything to get Lisa's eyes back on me and off the bar troll.

Taking my eyes off Flynn for a brief moment, I felt his hands find their way back to my ribs, creeping up and trying to slip over my breasts.

Slapping them away, I cocked my head over my shoulder. "I thought I made myself clear?"

"Come on, it's just a little touch." His hands came up harder this time, attempting to grope my chest without any cheap maneuver. An animalistic grunt hit his throat, turning him from human into ape.

"Stop it!" I yelled, my brows dipping angrily.

"What?" He snapped, curling his hands around my back. "I'm just doing what you want, don't try and pretend you don't like this." His face jerked down, lips trying to find my skin.

The music was ear-deafening loud, thumping through my skull. The room seemed to shrink, casting us in shadows. Shadows that looked lifeless, blackness that felt like my world was ending for a second time.

This wasn't what I wanted at all. Throwing my elbow up, I connected with his mouth. A loud yelp of pain rained down on me, the heaviness of his weight seemed to shift, making a small gap between his chest and my body.

And when I thought I had created a second of freedom, his fingers trapped my wrist. His eyes were coated like glass as he glared down on me with this look of anger.

"What the hell is your problem?" he barked, squeezing my wrist tighter. "Lisa had promised me a good time, I want what I paid for."

My mind was throwing cusses and threats of death at the creature that had transformed before me.

I shouldn't have come tonight, I should have just told Lisa the truth.

I had only agreed to come to be next to Lisa, I had only wanted to go so I could see the woman I really wanted.

Flynn's smile gleamed with nothing but evil nature, and when I looked behind that face, I saw no intention of him backing away. "I didn't come here to leave empty handed." His filthy fingers dug into my skin, attempting to pull me back into his arms.

"Let me go!" Trying to push him away, he held his ground, squeezing me harder.

Biting down on his lip, he looked amused. A small smile fluttered on his mouth, his eyes devilish. "I paid for you, that makes you mine."

"I'm not a prostitute." Grinding my teeth down, the words hit my tongue like hot coals. "Let me go!"

Scanning the room, I realized that the lights were so low and no one was paying attention. My yells at Flynn went unheard through the loud music.

Taking a final look over his shoulder, the light hit my face like a bomb. There was a savior here for me.

Lisa was standing behind us, fists clenched by her sides. Her face had turned a shade of red that I couldn't even put an actual description to.

She was anger, she was rage, she was about to knock Flynn the fuck out.

As Flynn looked down on my face, my lips peeled back in a smile. I actually smiled right at him. His brows furrowed, deep lines cascading up his forehead, the large vein on his neck pulsed. "What the fuck are you smiling at?"

Through gritted teeth and air filled words, I whispered. "Not at you."

Lisa towered over him, teeth clenched tight. "This date is over. . ." Her knuckles turned white, fingers bearing down into her palm. "You can go."

She didn't yell at Flynn, she didn't scream into his face. But the deep tone was enough to bring a hint of fear into the eye of a man who couldn't read the signs.

Flynn's jaw fell open, a look of disbelief rolled in his eyes. "I paid for her, I paid for your service."

"Wrong." Lisa's fist crashed down, the sound of crunching bone, and squeal of pain hit my ears.

Maybe there was a bit of darkness that resided inside my soul.

Maybe you might think I was a horrible person for not caring what happened.

But I didn't give a shit if Flynn left with or without his teeth.

As Flynn laid on the ground, moaning in pain, Lisa said, "Come on, I'll get you home." Her voice was smooth and relaxed. Her hand was stretched out, reaching to pull me into safety.

"Thank you," I said, launching my frame into her arms.

Her thick, muscled arm curled around my body, holding me tight. "Are you alright?"

From the corner of my eye, I could see Flynn was holding his face, rolling around on the club floor. A small crowd had circled around us, Flynn sitting up slowly, clutching his jaw. A soft, painful groan was muffled under his palm as he swatted away hands that offered to help him up.

Flicking my eyes up to Lisa, I said, "I'm alright, he didn't do anything."

"That piece of shit, I'm so sorry, Jennie." Pressing me harder into her ribs, she said, "I had no idea he was such an asshole. When he reached out to me, he seemed like a genuinely nice guy."

"You're not going to be able to read them all, Lisa. I'm just glad you were here."

"I really feel awful about this. This has never happened before—not ever." Walking to her car, she opened the door, and helped me inside.

There was a look on her face that wasn't just about being sorry, or mortified, or angered about what happened. Her face held concern and passion. Lisa's eyes hardened, sealing with true emotion.

"I'll be alright. He was just a jerk, some people are just assholes."

Shaking her head, she knelt beside my seat. Her lids were stretched to their limit, mouth open partially as if there was more she wanted to say, but couldn't find the words. And to my surprise, Lisa just wrapped her arms around my shoulders, tucking my head into her chest.

We sat there like that for what seemed like eternity. Neither one of us spoke, neither one of us moved. Her hands were firmly pressed against my back, her head nestled into my neck.

And I felt safe. Completely untouchable to the world around me and any evil it might harbor.

I knew what I wanted.

From the first time we met, deep down, I just knew.

I thought I didn't want to fall in love, now I couldn't stop myself from falling for her.