I tell Cory that I am heading back to the booth; he looks disappointed but nods. I go back and as soon as I sit down, Anna leaves, taking Calvin with her to the dance floor. I roll my eyes; I guess I’m looking after our booth. I am sitting there peeling the label off my bottle when Cara drops down next to me, screaming in my ear.

“I think he noticed me. I am sure he gave me a wink. I’m not one hundred percent sure, but I think he did.” She beams at me and I put on a fake smile.

“I bet he did, how could he not?” Which is true—how can he see her and not be interested?

“Hopefully when he is finished with his set he will come look for me.”

“What do you mean he will come look for you?”

“After he finishes, he normally picks a girl and tries to seduce her. Well, he does seduce them, if you know what I mean.” She winks at me.

“You want him to pick you?” I shake my head.

“Well, I have a plan—if he does pick me, I’m going to play hard to get, then I’m going to turn him down. I bet he never gets turned down and he is going to want me more and that’s when I will set my plan in action on taming him.”

I look at her incredulously. “Well, hope it works.”

She shakes my arm and takes a sip from her drink.

The band starts to play a catchy song and Cara begs me to come dance with her. How could I say no? I love dancing and I really want to, so I nod, and squealing once again, she drags me to the middle of the dance floor where we start moving. I let the music take over and I relax my body. Cara smiles at me and I smile back.

The band’s music ranges from rock to pop rock, which I like. I notice they do some power ballads and we end up dancing to a few. I move my hips and at times, dance with my arms above my head or in my hair. I never look once at the stage, but I swear I can feel his eyes on me.

I try to ignore it.

I really do.

“I think he keeps looking at me,” Cara says during one song, and I hope he is. The song ends and I finally hear his voice when he talks through the mic.

“Thanks, guys, for listening. You rock.”

Most of the women scream and I’m sure I’ve gone deaf. Cara’s eyes train on the stage as I walk away, heading back to the bar.

“You looked good out there.” Sean wiggles his eyebrows and I lean over the bar to hit his arm.

“Bet you say that to all the girls,” I chuckle at him.

“Only the girls from the UK.” He winks at me and I can’t help but laugh. “Same again?”

I nod. He passes me another beer, and handing him over the money, I tell him to keep the change, which gets me a wink in return.

Another band comes onto the stage. They just play power ballads, so I mostly stay on the dance floor. Cara joins me but after a while, she starts complaining her feet are killing her and she wants to sit, so I tell her I will be fine and I dance on my own.

The alcohol has made me feel tipsy and I feel mellow. I love this feeling. All the stress and worry has seeped out of me. I look over to the booth to make sure Cara is okay and I see her talking to Anna. I realise that Calvin is staring at her—a look that shows pure interest. I guess there’s more to him than meets the eye.

A few guys have tried to dance with me but I turn them each down. I know by the look in their eyes what they are after, and they aren’t getting it from me. I am no virgin but I don’t do one-night stands. I like to have more of a connection if I ever let a guy get in between my legs.

I don’t know how long I have been dancing on my own but I don’t care. A slow song comes on and I move my body slowly to the beat. I have my eyes closed as I let the music guide me and then I feel my skin start to tingle. I feel someone dancing behind me, but he’s not touching me. I can sense him moving with me, but he never touches.

It’s like he is teasing me and I feel my heart beating a little faster. I have never wanted someone to touch me as much as I do now. I want his body close to mine. The song continues but he doesn’t make a move to close the distance. I start to think maybe I’m imagining it all.

My body heats up further when I feel his hands finally touch me, holding onto my hips, his body swaying with mine—following mine. I don’t know who he is, but I have never felt this pull before. I let myself get lost in the music and his closeness. The next song comes on, and again it’s a slow one. I am about to turn around but his hands grip onto me tighter, making me stay where I am.

He starts moving my hips, taking control of the movements. We have gone slower; his front is pressed into my back. I can feel his thumb stroking my bare skin and I swear my body shivers from the contact. I feel one of his hands leave my hip as he moves my hair from my shoulder and I feel his breath against my neck. I turn my head to the side but I keep my eyes closed, and he strokes his stubble against my cheek.

My stomach is full of butterflies and I almost come undone when his lips touch my skin, kissing it. He scrapes his stubble over my neck to my jaw, teasing me. I am getting turned on by it. How can this simple act make me turn into a puddle of goo?

His hand that is still holding my hip pulls me farther into him—I can feel his hard erection press against me. We are still swaying, but I’m panting with want. His hands leave me and he touches my shoulders, gliding down my arms until his fingers entwine with mine and guide my hands to the front of my jeans, close to my aching pussy. He grinds our hands against my thighs, close to my pulsing core. I can feel his breath picking up near my ear. Knowing he is turned on as much as I am is making me want to beg for him to keep going.

I don’t care who is watching, because right now all that I’m concerned about is him and me. I release one of my hands and loop it so it’s around his neck as I push myself farther into him. His free hand starts stroking the side of my waist and hip. He starts grinding himself against me as we still sway in our own little world and I feel that ache start to build. I can feel him getting harder and I can’t get close enough. He holds onto my hips again and squeezes tightly. I lift my other arm so it’s also hooked around his neck as I push myself closer into him, even though we can’t get any closer.

Our breathing is coming in fast. It’s like we are having sex through dance. I feel his nails dig into my side and I groan, gripping his hair. I hear him growl into my neck. I notice he starts to walk backwards and I follow him, neither one of us letting the other go. He could be taking me to Nevada and I wouldn’t care.

I would follow him anywhere right now.

We are hidden somewhere and I feel his lips press against my neck. His tongue licks across my jaw—tasting me. I start grinding my ass against his hard erection and again he growls, making me want to throw out all my morals and let him fuck me here and now. As though sensing this, he spins me around, his hands on my hips squeezing tighter—it’s almost painful but feels so good.

He pushes me against a wall and he presses his forehead against mine. I finally open my heavy eyes and I gasp when I realise who I am dancing with. I am looking into a pair of beautiful dark blue eyes that belong to Sebastian.

The guy my cousin is crazy over.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

Holy shit, did Cara see me dance with him?

Feeling angry, I push him away from me and he looks at me like I’m crazy. I’d rather let anger take control, than my lust. I can’t believe I didn’t see who I was dancing with. Who doesn’t look, though? He is staring at me, watching me, and I can’t look away. He walks to me again and my body goes on autopilot and I slap him hard across the face. I cover my mouth with my hand in shock that I did that. I didn’t even mean to do that.

He looks angry and I don’t blame him. I am now speechless; no words will form. He walks back to me and pushes me hard against the wall again. He places both his hands on the wall—caging me in. His nostrils are flared, his eyes looking into mine darkly. “Why did you slap me?”

His voice ripples through my whole body and I try not to groan. His voice has just shot right through me to my very core. I can’t believe I danced with him the way I did and just slapped him. He is still looking at me, waiting for a reply, and I am trying to form words. I lick my lips as I start to feel a little dehydrated and his eyes follow the movement.

I need to walk away. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to. I need to go, though.” I take a step forward hoping he will move, but he doesn’t and it makes me closer to his mouth. My eyes look from his soft lips to his eyes.

“You dance with me, you seem to be into it as much as I am, slap me, and then have to go?” He pushes his body against mine so I move back against the wall. He looks at me darkly again and I feel my heart hammering in my chest. “Fuck me, you are so beautiful.”

I look at him like he is the crazy one. My eyes are still on his and once again I feel like I’m lost. I suck in a deep breath, snapping myself out of it. It’s no wonder he is the ultimate player—his eyes, voice, and body are like sin. I put my hands on his chest and blimey, they are hard, but I push him slightly.

“I need to go,” I breathe out. I know he doesn’t want to let me go. I don’t want him to let me go, but he has to. I need to harden myself up. “I’m not after a single fuck.” I duck under his arm but his hand hits the wall, blocking my way past. I roll my eyes as I realise that I’m making this a challenge for him. It’s like what Cara said, he probably isn’t used to girls walking away.

Girls do actually say no.

“I love that accent.”

Yeah, I have heard that before.

“What if I offer you more than a one-fuck thing?” He pushes his body closer into mine again. “What if I fuck you now, fuck you in my home, on my couch, on my kitchen counter, and bent over the breakfast island? On my bed, and again in the shower in the morning? I will even let you sleep over, which is rare.” He pushes my hair from my shoulder and plants a soft kiss on my neck. “Say yes,” he breathes out. I close my eyes, feeling the sensation run through my system. I want to say yes; I want to take what he is offering, but I can’t do it. I couldn’t do that to my cousin. I couldn’t hurt her like that. I need her to not want him, but as long as she does, I can’t be near him.

I can’t be just another girl he fucks and throws away.

I know if I did, I would regret it.

“No,” I say strongly so he’ll believe me. I push his arm away and start to walk away.

“No?”

I turn around and look him dead in the eyes. “No,” I repeat, walking away from him, and this time he lets me but I can feel his eyes on me until I’m out of his sight.

I head back to the table and Cara screams and puts her arms around my neck, hugging me, and I feel myself relax, knowing she didn’t see me on the dance floor. I feel like shit now. I feel like the scum of the earth. I know Sebastian isn’t her boyfriend, but it’s girl code, isn’t it? When your friend or family say they like someone, you don’t try to pull them.

I sit there quietly reliving the whole experience in my head and I hate that just thinking about it still makes me feel hot and needy. I try to pay attention to what Cara and Anna are talking about when they stop talking mid-sentence. It’s then that I realise why—Sebastian is standing next to our table.

“Hello, ladies,” he says with his husky voice. “Hiya, man.” He nods to Calvin and Cara is looking at him like she is looking at a celebrity.

“Hi,” she says, smiling at him as he looks at her then back to me again.

I wonder if it has clicked for him. Yeah, she is the better one to pick. She is hotter and will eventually give you some.

“I’m just wondering if you enjoyed the show.” His eyes go back to me and I look down.

“Oh, my God, I think you are amazing. I have seen you play like a hundred times. I am such a huge fan,” Cara gushes at him and I look up to see him smiling warmly at her.

As if he knows I’m watching, his eyes go back to mine and it’s like they change, they go darker. “What about you?” he asks me.

“This is the first time she has seen you play, she just moved here. She’s my cousin.”

He nods as she talks. “So, did you like it?”

I feel like he’s asking a completely different question. “Yeah, it was okay.” I shrug and he smirks at me.

“Just okay? You didn’t think it was mind-blowing or something you would want to see again or want?”

I feel my cheeks blush and I scowl at him and he is still smirking.

The ass.

“Course she thought you were brilliant, we all did.” Cara talks on my behalf again.

“Well, I guess I will see you around.” He smiles at everyone and looks at me one last time before walking away.

I try to not look where he is going. I wonder if he is looking to find an easy hookup since I turned him down. I shouldn’t even care—so what, if he fucks someone else?

“I can’t believe he talked to us. I knew he winked at me. Didn’t I tell you? I wonder why he didn’t offer to take me back to his place or something?” Cara looks in the direction he left.

“Maybe it’s because you were with us,” Anna says.

“Maybe.”

“Okay, I am going to get another round.” I stand back up, everyone telling me their orders, and I leave them again. I feel like I have hardly hung out with them but they don’t seem to mind. To them, apart from Cara, I’m a stranger.

I head to the bar and Cory is shaking his head at me.

“What?” I ask him.

“I saw you dancing with Sebastian.”

Oh, crap. “I didn’t realise who it was until it was too late—thought it was a stranger.” That didn’t sound any better and by the looks of things he doesn’t think so either. “I mean I felt this pull and I liked it, but once I knew it was him I took off,” I defend myself.

“Well it looked hot and heavy from where I was standing and he’s not going to let you get off the hook so easily.”

I don’t need to know that. “Listen, my cousin likes him, so I wouldn’t go near him. It was a mistake type thing. Don’t worry I can handle this.”

He looks at me carefully then nods. “Sorry to act all brotherly, but I have seen how he treats women. You are different; I don’t want you to be another notch.”

Aww, that’s so sweet. “I am no one’s notch. Can I have another round for all of us please and get yourself and your brother a drink on me as well.”

He smiles and starts pouring our drinks, putting them on a tray for me to carry back to the table.

Randi’s is practically empty an hour or so later. I watch Calvin and Cara dance and I can tell that he likes her but I don’t think she knows it. I wonder if I should tell her, but it may ruin their friendship, so I’m better to keep my mouth shut. It’s not really my place to say. Anna doesn’t talk to me when we are alone; she just goes on her phone and I do the same, seeing posts and pictures of my friends on Facebook.

I eventually get up and dance again with Cara. I’m moving my body to the music when I have that feeling that someone is watching me. I turn around and see Sebastian leaning against a wall, his eyes once again trained on me. His eyes are dark and hooded. I feel that pull once again. How can he make me feel like this?

He is standing near the shadows, but he keeps his eyes on me, trapping me again. My breathing is coming faster and he keeps me under his spell. I finally shake my head and turn around, and Cara is too busy dancing to notice that I had yet another moment with him.

For the rest of the night, I know exactly when his eyes are on me but I ignore it. I don’t look for him and I try to spend more time with Cara and interact with her and her friends. She didn’t have to invite me out tonight but she did. She loves me and I feel like I stabbed her in the back.

I take a taxi home and my mum is asleep on the couch with a book on the coffee table when I get in. I sit on the edge and nudge her awake. She stirs and smiles when she sees me.

“Did you have fun tonight?” She yawns and sits up.

“You didn’t have to wait up for me. I am a big girl, you know,” I chuckle at her.

She sits straighter and looks at me, really looks at me, and tucks a stray hair behind my ear. “You have grown into such a beautiful young woman. I am so proud of you, sweetie. My Angel.”

I see the sadness in her eyes. I know she misses my dad. He was her childhood sweetheart and I hate what he has put her through.

“I made two friends tonight.” I try to change the subject and it seems to work as she cheers up.

“That’s good, what are they like?”

“Well, they are twin brothers and they work behind the bar. They were super nice and made the night bearable,” I chuckle.

“Weren’t Cara’s friends friendly enough?”

“Well, Anna, this girl who is a complete B-word, blanked me as Calvin seemed to flirt, but he’s harmless enough. I even think he has the hots for Cara.”

My mum’s mouth goes into an O shape. “Well, that’s interesting.”

“Yeah, but I don’t think she knows as she’s head over heels with Sebastian, the rockstar.” I try to chuckle it off, but just saying his name reminds me of his body close to mine.

“You okay, sweetie?”

I shake my head and smile at her. “Yeah, guess I’m just tired now. Going to bed and I think you should too.”

I watch her roll her eyes. “Okay, come on. Just think in a couple of days you start school.”

This time I roll mine and groan. A new school, with new teachers—what joys. “Thanks, Mum.”