A Moment We Lived In.

Y's

the music pounding through the club, of the dancers grinding at the far end, of the way everyone had to shou

should d

to rise and trip me. The music got louder with every step, vibrating through my chest. A smile crep

slid aroun

ed as a wave of disgust crawled under my sk

body. I just wanna dance alon

lined with yellowish plaque peeked out from under

fever dream-but between the breath and the sight, nausea crept up

. If anything, h

rred, smirking like he thought he was char

did

e he latched on harder, dragging me toward him,

growled. "Get.

feel the heat of his breath against my c

ng I'd swallowed tonight rising wi

n't. A

. Right in

trolled. It was tequila-fueled ve

s!" he shouted,

mouth and backed away, bile still st

asn

r maybe they did. But clubs have their own kind of code-everyo

uman again, I drifted back out and made my way to the bar. My head

gged the bartender. "Can I

e. Low. Smooth. Not slurre

d forgot ho

ust messy enough to look intentional. A sharp jawline that could cut diamo

looking r

a," he added, lifting his

failed me for a full thr

to be out there dancing if you're not intereste

. "Shit." He saw.

I squared my shoulders. No, I

ery woman dancing alone is just waiting for a man to co

ips. God help me, I wan

l, Ravyn," he said casua

d. "I never tol

"You lure a guy in, pull away just in time, and then

. "You don

stood, straightening his b

y, like he hadn't just

you

darted after him, weaving through the crowd un

ped one hand into his pocke

n-I kis

it was the fact that he didn't smell like beer and disappointm

horrified, I whispered, "There. Now

a full-blown smirk. "

to flee again from what I brought upon

d-firm, but not force

e kiss

ushed. It was deep and full and so hot

brushed against my cheek. "I was

short-c

avyn,"

r him. "This might sound stupid, bu

eps st

hat did I

t usually do this. I don't say this. I don't kiss strangers and tell them

tur

t want to forge

eel the heat radiating off his skin, an

o forget anything you s

pered, breath catching as hi

linch. "Doe

over my lips, then lower, like he was

low in my belly. My heart thundered. My mouth went dry. I coul

n, this time lower, darker. "Unless

blurted. "And o

A devilish grin c

ate?" h

back. "And very

t want to take your panties off and get in b

ore I could say a word, his mouth was on

ed my own hands-they were everywhere. On his chest, tugging at his belt,

st of his clothes and

su

oud, thick, hard, and twitching slightly under my gaze. I couldn'

sked, voice roug

going to stare, or are you going

ethal. Laced with

sure. "Raise your legs," he said, voice low. "Touch yoursel

've never done that." This was

first. Be a good gi

-because my body didn't care about shame anymore. My fingers moved, hesitant at fi

he murmured, fisting himself sl

louder t

hink

rowled, climbin

side you. But you have to li

again, I h

all." His smile was lac

oesn't taste like ice cream. How

ow he was

my lungs. I gasped, clung to him, scraped my nails down his back as

he whispered against my n

stranger made my body sing in ways N

econds, the minutes. All I knew was that for once, I wasn't alone in my

eek-not from sadness, but from o

but I was simply living in the moment like Emily would advise

uc

d always be negative? We we