spine, like cold water. Like jumping into the lake in the dead of winter.
“Wouldn’t it be more fun if Kacey and Zen were here? Or Halliday? I can…I can go and get them.”
“There’s only so much coke to go around,” Jake says tightly. “And besides, we want to get to know you a little better. I hate to say it, Parisi, but your friends are all super cunts. Way too bitchy, especially Winters. If they came up here, they’d ruin the dynamic. Cillian, why don’t you rack ‘em? We probably don’t have long.”
Sam connects his cell to the Bluetooth speakers that are mounted onto the walls while Cillian preps a worryingly long line of coke along the slate counter. A creeping sense of unease keeps trying to sneak up on me, but every time I begin to worry, Jake touches me, his hand on my arm, or my back, or my side, and the attention dispels the dread.
I can’t believe he likes me.
I can’t believe he’s finally noticed me.
I can’t believe he kissed me.
I can’t believe he chose to spend time with me.
‘Santeria’ by Sublime erupts from the speakers, just as Cillian ducks down and inhales a good three inches of the insane line he’s just cut. The music seems way too loud, thumping at the back of my head, but no one else seems to mind. Cillian hands Jake a rolled-up bill, his eyes rolling wildly, a dazed smile pulling his mouth open.
“Uhhhhh, oh my god. It’s good. It’s good. Fuck. My face is numb as fuck,” he jabbers, his words bleeding into one another. “Get in there, boss.”
Jake doesn’t need telling twice. He snorts just as much as Cillian, if not more. He staggers when he stands, pinching his nose, eyes tightly closed. “Shiiiiit. I think I just came,” he hisses. “Holy fuck.”
I laugh because Sam and Cillian are both laughing. I don't stop laughing, even when Jake grabs hold of his dick through his pants, squeezing, working his hand up and down his obvious hard-on through his jeans. He’s just playing around. He’s just being a jock in front of his friends.
Sam dances along with the music as he takes his place in front of the counter for his hit. Jake has moved behind me, pressing his chest up against my back. He’s stopped touching himself, but I can feel his erection butting up against my ass. His hands move to my hips, which feels good, and then they’re moving up over my stomach, higher and higher; he skirts around my breasts, one hand resting around the column of my neck, stroking my skin hypnotically, while he buries the other in my hair. His breath is so hot against the shell of my ear. I’m his to puppet as he pulls me back against him, off balance, so that I’m leaning against him with most of my weight.
“Sam, take your shirt off,” Cillian commands. That seems a little weird, but Sam doesn't bat an eyelid. He rips his t-shirt off over his head, exposing his muscled, tanned back. I can see his chest in the mirror—his cut abs, and his defined pecs. Sam grins like a court jester at me, his reflection making eye contact, and Jake moves his hand, taking hold of me by the jaw, angling my head so I can’t look away.
“Sammy just got back from surfing in Hawaii. D’you think he’s hot?”
What?
That's a really bizarre thing to ask. He must know I came up here because I'm interested in him, not Sam, or Cillian for that matter. “Honestly? Sam's not my type,” I say in what I hope's a light, airy tone. “No offense or anything.”
Sam’s isn’t fazed by my comment. In fact, he seems to find it entertaining. He dips, inhales sharply, groaning as he staggers back from the counter. “All right, Parisi. Your turn,” Cillian says.
“Oh, no. I’m good. I think I’ve had enough already. Seriously. My head’s thumping right now.”
“Come on, Princess. Just a taste.” Cillian wets his finger, dabbing it against the still foot long length of coke, collecting some on his finger. There’s a devious look on his face as he stalks toward me. “Open up now.”
“Cillian, seriously. I don’t need any. I’m good.”
“Siiil-verrrr.” The sing-song cadence of his voice is a taunt.
Anger finally shoves through the confusion in my head, buzzing in my ears. Spinning in Jake's arms, I try to tell him that I want to go back downstairs now, only…I can't actually turn around to