Save Me (10 page)

"Where's your truck?" I ask.

"It's at the mill. This is mine, too."

"I prefer the truck," I say with a grin. "It seems more you."

He gives me that same appraising look before opening the door for me and I hate to let go of his hand long enough to climb inside.

He closes his door, puts the SUV in gear and immediately reaches across the cab to take my hand again.

We pull up at Rider's and I look for Allie's red Nissan in the parking lot. I dig out my lip gloss and Jack looks across the vehicle at me.

"You have the prettiest mouth, just so you know."

I look at him, and then at his lips. "Yours isn't so bad, either. Just so
you
know."

He leans across and plants a soft kiss against my freshly shined lips.

"Mm, strawberries," he says. I smile at him and he opens his door. He comes around the SUV and opens my door before I get the chance to. I take his hand and hop down from the tall vehicle.

I follow him inside and wave at Billy as we pass the bar. I feel like a spotlight has been cast on us as we meander through the crowds of people. I keep my eyes peeled for Allie, but haven't spotted her yet. She knows I had a date with Robert. I can't wait to reveal my happy surprise.

"Do you want a drink?" Jack asks.

"Um, sure. Maybe something light?"

"Liquor or beer?" he asks, pulling me toward a table.

"Beer," I answer. "Corona." I'd better play it safe. I don't want to be drunk for a minute of this date.

"Corona, coming right up." He leans in and kisses me again, claiming a familiarity with me that he shouldn't have yet and I shouldn't allow. But he does and I do.

Allie is nowhere to be seen, but I keep looking through the decent sized crowd of people for her kinky blonde hair. Finally, I think I see her in the corner. I figure I can grab her and be back at the table before Jack can get through the line at the bar.

Walking through a crowd of dancing bodies is never easy, but doing it in high heels is even less fun. I manage to make my way to the blonde and thankfully, it's Allie.

I tap her on the shoulder and she spins around. "Oh my god, Carls! What're you doing here?" Her face falls. "Was the date that bad?"

I smile at her and shake my head. "You won't even believe me," I shout. "Come over here and sit down with me for a second."

I grab her hand and lead her toward our table.

"You look so beautiful tonight, Carly!" Allie says as we finally get to see each other. She's wearing low rider jeans and a fishnet shirt that shows her taut midriff.

"You look good yourself, hot stuff," I say.

"Now what happened with Robert," Allie asks.

"Robert
is
Jack," I say, leaning in to be heard.

"What?"

"Robert, the guy Mark fixed me up with, is Jack, the guy from last weekend."

Allie shakes her head in confusion. "Okay, I’m not even drinking tonight and you're confusing me."

"It
was
confusing," I say. "Robert is Jack's first name. Jack is just a nickname. We had no idea we were being set up with each other."

"That's crazy!" Allie cries, putting her hands over her mouth. "What are the odds?"

"I know," I say. "We had dinner at Captain’s and he asked if I wanted to come here. He kissed me in the parking lot." This is a real first for me. I've never really gushed to Allie about a guy and she won't let me forget it.

"Ooh, somebody has got it
bad
!" she shouts.

Jack nudges his way around a small cluster of people and holds out my Corona.

"Well, hello there, Allie. Nice to see you holding your own head up."

"Nice to see you making her smile again," Allie says, pointing to me. I don’t even attempt to stop her this time.

Jack looks at me and gives me a grin. "She returns the favor."

Allie smiles at me, her eyes telling me she approves.

"Would you turn her loose long enough to dance one with me?"

"As long as you promise to bring her back," Jack says, his eyes falling on mine.

"Allie, I'm not dressed to shake my ass," I protest. "Really. I'm wearing thigh highs." I pull the dress up a little and show her the black lacy top to the hose.

"Damn," Jack says, leaning into my neck. "You'd better put that dress down."

I hastily jerk it down as Allie starts to laugh. I didn't even think; I just pulled it up.

"Looks like you've got your hands full," Allie says, but I'm not sure if she's talking to me or to Jack. He puts his arm around my waist and pulls me closer to him. She blows me a kiss and drifts back through the throng of dancers.

A slow song starts and Jack's mouth is at my ear. "Would you dance with me?"

"I thought you didn't dance," I say.

"Only with you," Jack answers. His breath is hot in my ear.

Slow guitar strums as we find ourselves on the dance floor hand in hand again. I immediately recognize the song and something in me lurches through my heart and into my throat. Hayley Williams' voice sings out the words I know so well.

When I was younger I saw my daddy cry and curse at the wind.

Jack's arm wraps around me and I'm pulled into him again. I try to focus on him and not feel the words of the song, but I'm listening to my life story as I have so many times before.

"This has been the best night I've had in so long," Jack says. His smell has wrapped around my head again, fogging my brain as I let my fingers run through his hair.

Maybe I know somewhere, deep in my soul, that love never lasts.

"I'm still trying to grasp my luck," I say. "I've thought about you more than I care to admit since last weekend."

Jack just pulls his arms tighter around me and I rest my head on his chest. I'd swear I can feel the beat of his heart, but I know it's just the music.

I've got a tight grip on reality, but I can't let go of what's in front of me here. I know you're leaving in the morning when you wake up, leave me with some kind of proof it’s not a dream.

Jack slides his fingers underneath my chin and tilts my face up to his. I stare into those dark eyes that reflect the slow moving lights of the disco ball like tiny stars in the abyss of space. He presses his mouth to mine, his lips are so plump and his wet tongue ventures into my mouth fully for the first time.

The kiss lifts me up and I think back to my favorite movie as a kid. I loved
Casper
and watched it a million times. Claire and I would sit on the floor in front of the TV and watch from start to finish without moving. The scene at the end of the party where Casper kisses Cat and they float up from the floor was what I thought my first kiss would be like. I was sadly disappointed at thirteen when Malcolm Walsh kissed me and all I could taste was the corndog he'd had for lunch and then he stepped on my foot.

This kiss, though, this kiss is my floating kiss.

You are the only exception, you are the only exception.
You are the only exception, you are the only exception.

The song ends, but Jack keeps his arms around me and holds the closeness for a second. I can't breathe, but I don't want to.

§

Allie finds me again at the table and asks me to go to the bathroom with her, practically insists on it. I grab my clutch and Jack nods as I walk around the table. I look back over my shoulder at him and he smiles at me, the upturn of his mouth and his eyes tell me he’s watching my ass as I walk away from him. There go my panties.

"Carls, Nick's here,” Allie says as we walk toward the bathroom. “He was asking me where you were and why you won't respond to any of his messages." Nick has texted me every day since I broke it off, but I haven't responded other than the one blow job text. I haven't heard from him today and to be honest, I'd forgotten he even existed.

"So? Who gives a shit?" I say.

"He's looking for you, Carly. And you're here.
With Jack.
Don't you think that could spell trouble?"

"Why? Nick doesn't want me. He just wants me to be alone so I'll be there for him. It's not gonna happen. Even if Jack and I don't start dating, I'm beyond finished with Nick."

Allie's eyes are surprisingly serious and I wish she'd just let it go.

We finally get an open stall, so I hold the door for her as she pees. We check our faces in the mirror as we wash our hands.

We wiggle through the waiting women at the door, then fingers clench at the flesh of my upper arm and I’m violently yanked back toward the bathroom.

"Why won’t you talk to me?"

Nick's breath is positively saturated with vodka. It hits my nose and I have to lean my head away to keep from gagging.

"Let me go," I say, jerking my arm free with more force than it actually takes. Allie reaches out and pulls me back toward her.

"Who is he?" Nick raises his voice at me.

"None of your fucking business," I shout. His blue eyes are narrowed and glassy.

"Is that why you broke it off with me? So you could go fuck him?"

"There was nothing to break off with you, Nick. And I don't owe you any explanation about who I fuck. You're just an asshole."

"And you're just a whore," he yells like a wounded little boy.

I don't see Jack at first, I just watch as Nick takes a big fist to the face and falls on the bar. People try to jump out of his fall path and beer bottles crash to the floor.

Jack’s chest isn’t heaving like I expect after Hulking out the way he did. He stands there, his arms slightly raised, his face begging Nick to get up and come at him.

“
Ugh,” Nick groans, attempting to push himself off the bar. I can see a giant knot forming underneath his already blackening eye. His face is going to hurt tomorrow.

“
You know you gotta leave now,” Billy calls out from behind the bar. I look to the door and see the bouncers coming to break up the already finished fight.

“
Jack!” I call.

“
Come on,” he growls, grabbing my hand. He leads me out as the bouncers go over to Nick and start to help him to his feet.

“
Your coat!” I call out to Jack.

“
Fuck it,” Jack says, meandering between the forming crowd as people try to find out who got their ass kicked.

"I'll get it!" Allie shouts. She glances at Nick and then watches as we walk toward the door.

I walk fast in the wake of him, his smell clear over even the strongest liquor odor of the club. Adrenaline courses through my veins, heightening everything around me.

“
I have to go back in and get Allie.”