Swinging my hips with my feet bare so I don’t fall, I gather up swaths of blue magic so I can really move. “The room looks so much bigger from up here!” I yell over to Jenna who’s dancing her ass off, the glowing white bar lighting us from the feet up.

“I know, right?!” she calls back, cupping her hands around her mouth over the music. “Look at all these people!! And look! Your dress matches the candles!”

My chin tucks so I can see below me and I laugh and step around one, dropping my swirling hips low. “You’re right! Ha! Hey Susan!” She grins with her hands above her head, laughing on the other side of Jenna. “Where would we be without you?!” She locked the store up early to come with us, insisting it wouldn’t upset her boss. Since then, we’ve bought bigger luggage to carry our new clothes, bought coats, checked into the Grand Hyatt and are now dancing on the bar in the bar, which is on the rooftop with the most amazing view. I’ve never had so much fun in my whole life.

I hold my arms out like I’m going to fly, and call out to the room, for the fourth time, “Hey New York!” The room cheers. “Another round on me!!!” They go wild and the bartenders gear up for another mob. Jenna yells a victorious scream and Susan laughs from her gut as the room goes spinning. Steadying myself, I squat down and wave to the handsome bartenders grinning up at us and shaking their heads. “Hi!”

“You’re amazing!” one of them calls up through cupped hands.

“No, YOU’RE amazing!! Can you help me down?” He raises his hand up and I balance myself against its strength to climb down, not forgetting to grab my precious drink. Jenna and Susan follow and we dance our way through the crowd, receiving claps on the back, grins, and the random fist-bump. “Thanks for the drinks!” “Aww… you’re getting off the bar?” “Where you guys from?” We just smile and keep going until we’re outside in the chilly night air. Finding a spot we’re happy with, the three of us dance in a tight little circle.

Another redhead standing nearby steps over to me, holding a drink I bought, and picks up a lock of my hair. “I love this shade.”

“Thanks! I love yours, too!” I look over to a tiny, pale, pretty blonde, and a very tall, dark-skinned beauty. “Hi! Are you having fun?”

The blonde grins, “Thanks to you! What is it, your birthday or something?” I shake my head and she holds out her hand. “I’m Amber. And these are my friends. Jessica and Nicole.”

“Hi! You guys live here?” They nod. “We don’t! Well, she does. This is Susan. But Jenna and I are visiting from L.A. I kinda want to move here now, though!”

Jessica leans in to be heard, her doe-brown eyes mischievous. “It has that effect on people.”

“You’re stunning!” Jenna says to Nicole. Nicole is obviously a model; tall, thin, and drop dead gorgeous. Mahogany skin. Great style. She smiles at Jenna, but doesn’t give the compliment much mind.

In a smooth voice, she asks, “Aren’t you guys cold? Thanks for the drinks, by the way.”

“You want another one? I was just going to order another one! Oh… wait. I have one in my hand. Am I cold! Where’s my coat? Oh no! My new coat!” Covering my face with my hands, I laugh and peek through my fingers. “I’m sorry. I must look very drunk.”

They just smile like it’s no big deal and Jenna runs inside to find our new coats. Forgetting all about it, I let the music take over my body, not caring about the cold air or everyone around me. I close my eyes and move to the beat, the glass tilting in my hand. I am the music. Liquid heat fires into my veins, taking me over. The bass is my master, the words my own thoughts. This is all there is, all there ever has been. Song, dance, and me.

I feel a poke in the arm and open my eyes to see Jessica standing close. She jogs her chin to my right. “I think you’ve got an admirer.”

“What?” Confused and pulled out of my reverie, I peek over my shoulder and lock eyes with a Brazilian guy staring at me with bedroom eyes. He looks like he wants to talk to me. Or drag me to the nearest bed. He’s over six feet tall, broad shouldered, and his skin is honey brown chiseled flesh so masculine I want to bite it. “Wow.”

“What’s your name?” he asks, his accent thick and confident.

A slow smile steals across my lips. I glance to see if Jenna’s back. She is, and she’s watching with interest. Her eyes tell me to go for it. I turn back to the handsome beast and catch my breath as he steps closer into my personal space. “What’s my name?” I touch his chest; feel the muscles rigid with no give at all. God help me. “Does it matter?”

He smirks and takes hold of my hand, wrapping his fingers around it, about to pull me away from the others. Realizing this is really happening, I get nervous and turn to my friend, my hand still held captive. “Wait! Jenna!” Whisper-yelling, I ask, “What if Alec sees us?”

She makes a face that I’m being ridiculous. “He’s in Los Angeles. He’ll never know!” Glancing quickly to the trio of women we’ve just befriended, she clears the air before they have a chance to think we’re horrible people. “Alec’s not her boyfriend or anything. It’s just a guy she likes. Should she worry about it? I mean, come on.” She throws a hand at the sexual creature holding my hand prisoner.

Nicole leans in with amusement, assuring me, “If this Alec guy is not your boyfriend, you are free and clear to do anything you want. Trust me.”

Jessica laughs, “Take it from the pro.”

“Hey!” Nicole objects, but doesn’t really mean it. Amber laughs and continues boogying with her hands snapping in the air to the beat.

Excited and intoxicated, I turn dramatically and announce, “Take me wherever you want, Hercules.”

“My name’s not Hercules.”

“Can I call you Hercules?” I smile.

He laughs. “Fuck yeah. Come here.”

Right where we stand, he kisses me, opening my mouth with his like a pro, and coaxing my tongue out of hiding. It feels so good that I have no choice but to climb up on him and latch my legs around his hips, my dress a cascade of blue. Jenna whoops loudly, making me smile through the kiss. He holds me up by my ass, massaging it while the music bounces a beat into our skin. Totally into it, we careen over to a wall, running into people. Making out is so incredible, the way my mouth moves with another person’s, how his tongue feels, how it tastes. The way it sends erotic sensations coursing through my body. We’re supposed to do this, human beings. We’re supposed to kiss each other and combine energy and feel the separateness collapsing until we become one. God, I’ve had a lot to drink. “Seriously, what’s your name?” the guy says thickly against my lips.

“Who cares!!” I kiss him hard and he responds, working my ass with his masterful hands, sending tingles pooling in between my thighs. Who needs names when we have this? Life is amazing. I’m alive! So alive and free and…

Two strong hands yank me off him. “Hey!” I yell, opening my eyes, feeling dizzy now. Someone I can’t see is carrying me away! With hands up like he’s saying he’s not going to fight, my Brazilian lover vanishes, devoured by the crowd as I’m pulled away from him against my will. “No!! I want to kiss! All I want to do is kissssssss. Noooooooooooo!”

“I bet you do,” a deep, familiar voice snaps.

Jenna appears in front of me, keeping up with us, her face very worried. “Jenna! You’re so pretty!” Shaking her head, she adjusts the coats in her arms and looks over to a mirage joining her. The mirage looks a lot like one of my new brothers. “You look like Sean! Come party with us! Look! I’m flying!!!” I wave to a camera-phone a shorthaired girl is pointing at me as I pass her. “Hi friend!! Hi new friend!” She waves back, her hand leaving a trail of peach behind it. “Whoa!” Almost-Sean shares a look with someone a couple people over. Bouncing over some guy’s shoulder, I follow his look and call out to Jenna, “Doesn’t that look like Alec?!”

“That is Alec, Rue!” she laughs back to me.

Alec and I lock eyes as I bounce in the arms of the only person left in their little circle. Jack. Jack must be carrying me. Jack must have seen me kissing Hercules. Absolutely mortified, I glance back to Alec and see golden embers of anger glow from his eyes, his jaw tight, his lips flattened. He looks away, unable to look at me anymore, and suddenly I feel sick to my stomach. “Uh-oh. Uh-OH!!!”

“She’s going to throw up,” Jenna yells over the music, pointing to my hands over my mouth.

It can’t be Alec.

It can’t be Sean.

And it certainly can’t be Jack.

It’s not possible!

The room swivels. I’m going to puke. It’s too late. It’s coming. A door is slammed open and a bathroom sink magically appears in front of me. I lean over it and hurl. “Ugh! So gross.” Another round comes up and Jenna holds my hair as Susan turns on the sink to wash it down. “You guys are real friends,” I murmur into the porcelain. Wiping my mouth, I look up at the mirror. Jack, Alec, Sean, Jenna, and Susan, plus a couple strangers, are all in the reflection. “Oh no.”

“Oh yes,” Jenna says, dryly. “Oh yes, girl.”

Sean mutters to Jack. “See? You are related.”

“Shut it,” Jack growls.

During this mysterious brotherly exchange, Jenna has produced from her purse a travel toothbrush with a glob of fresh toothpaste on it, wrapped in plastic wrap.

I stare at the miracle. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”