Noa knew the bartender and it didn't take very long to get me a beer. Liquid courage, and I needed it. I'd surveyed the crowd in front of me: a lot of twenty-somethings bumping and grinding to the music. But I hadn’t really recognized anyone else, and I hadn't seen Eli. It was a relief to know that I had my first awkward conversation with Levi and I could now just have fun with the rest of my evening. But by the time I was on drink number three the pace of the club had seemed to slow down. The darker it got outside, the more sensual it became indoors.

Noa had been chatting with friends from the military when what I assumed was her beautiful new girlfriend walked in. She had a crop top on and high-waisted shorts. I could see several piercings in her ears and a tattoo on the back of her neck. She had long blonde hair piled high on her head with a few black streaks. She was a hard-core rocker chick, not exactly what I expected for Noa, but I could see the appeal. She had a tiny waist and really gorgeous breasts. When she shook her ass on her way through the throng of people dancing on the dance floor, I could see why Noa wanted to be all over her, all the time. As soon as Noa saw her she lit up, grabbing her by the back of the head and kissing her full on. I hadn’t been like that with anyone in so long I couldn't even remember what it felt like. Once they broke apart, Noa pulled her by the hand over to me. “Lila meet Clara, Clara my best friend from high school, Lila.”

She smiled at me brightly. “It’s so nice to finally meet you.” She wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug but let me go quickly. “What's the fragrance you're wearing? Smells fantastic.”

I smiled at her effort to charm the best friend. Smart girl. “It's just my shampoo. But thanks.”

She winked at me. “I really like it. So I need a drink.” She eyed the bar. “Is there some bartender I need to cozy up to?”

Noa took her by the hand over to the bar and they returned with shots. Shots, not something I had done in probably a solid year. There were a couple friends of mine in college that really liked to have a good time, but they had graduated and the last time we really partied was in our junior year.

“Oh, no thanks I don't think so, not for me.” I put my hand up to signal to them in the loud club that I would not be partaking.

Clara just yelled at me, “No! C’mon Lila, it’s girls’ night.”

I took the last swig of my beer and placed the glass on an empty table next to me. “If you insist.”

As we clinked glasses I heard a voice behind me, a voice I hadn’t heard in a very long time.

“I do insist. I'm sure any single guy in here would.”

I set my shot glass down slowly trying to continue to breathe. I turned and looked over my shoulder and saw exactly who I didn't want to see. Eli Jackson, looking as smug as ever and sexy as hell. I turned around and tried to act surprised to see him, but I wasn’t. Somehow I knew my night would turn out this way.

“Lila, it’s been a long time. If I remember correctly, the last time I saw you,” he leaned closer to me and whispered hotly in my ear, “you were naked.”

I tried to take a deep breath and control the trembling in my legs, but it was hard. Just like I remember his cock being the last time I saw him.

“Eli, good to see you.”

He chewed on his lower lip, assessing my curves, and reached out to touch my darker hair. “You look different Lila, but you still look good. Why don’t we take a walk?”

A walk. A walk with Eli Jackson. That was about the last thing I wanted to do, but as I looked over my shoulder Noa was preoccupied with her new girlfriend and I was alone.

“I'm not going far with you Eli.”

“That's what you said last time.”

His green eyes sparkled just before he grabbed my hand and pulled me away from the bar and out the back door. There were some people still partying on the beach but it had become brisk outside, so many people had moved into the hot club.

I followed him for minutes in silence until I couldn't hear the whispers of the crowd anymore. Eli was taking me somewhere to be alone, and alone with Eli was never a good idea for me. I stopped and took my shoes off and stood looking out over the calm water. “What do you want, Eli?”

He was ahead of me and as I brushed the sand off my shoes he turned around and picked me up under my arms and was kissing me, full of lust and need. I tried to catch my breath and pull away, but his hold on me was too strong. When he let go and set me back on the sand, I slapped him across the face.

“What the hell was that for? I haven't seen you in nearly five years and you kiss me? What do you think this is?”

I picked up a handful of sand and threw it in his face. I was so angry that he thought he could treat me this way. But as I watched him brush the sand away from his eyes with his face contorted in anger, I realized that the way we had left things, he thought he could have me whenever he wanted me.

I moved away from him and sat on a rock looking out over the water, and I thought back to that night. The night my father took the brown suitcase and moved out.