The club is smoky and dark inside. The strobing lights make it hard to see anyone in the darkness. I'm surprised the bartenders can produce drinks in such scarce visibility—props to them! I'd break everything if that were me up there. The dance floor is massive, and the bar station covers the entire circumference.

There are at least ten workers shaking drinks. The place is jammed with partiers who form a pit in the middle of the floor. The trap music booms and rattles the walls, and giant speakers line the ceiling. As we pass down into the pit, I admire how straightforward the women are.

I spot a few who basically have sex with clothes on. Full-on hump and thrust right in public. How can they be so wild without there being something more behind it? Their sensual expressions and moans entice me.

Oh, I'm being dumb. It's obviously for pleasure, the same thing I get from sexting. But typing is nowhere near that explicit...nor does it bring heavenly lust.

Jessica gets us a round of drinks; she's the designated orderer. Lil sways to the music and curves her body and hips. Her serious expression cracks me up. I join her in the belly dance, starting at our hips on up. My body seamlessly imitates a sexy snake, shifting fluidly as if I have no bones.

I sense Brad's eyes on me. I peer at him and call him over with my finger. I want to play a little and get the same sensation those other women are getting. It'd be nice to know what that feels like.

"Dance with me." I waver my body before him, going closer than I planned. There are only a few inches between us. I work my hips and swing my hair. I spin around in front of him. Will he get the hint that I want some touching? My hands move upwards and reach back to wring around his neck.

Brad holds me by the waist. Oh! I respond to his hot breaths beating down on my neck and his lips on my ear. "Is this okay?"

"Yeah," I sigh at the feel of his palm squeezing my hips. My skin electrifies and tingles. My downstairs stirs awake and throbs up a fire. When he kisses my neck, I lean my head back and sigh softly.

Every cell in my body is set ablaze. And that shuddering feeling I had before maximizes. My gut heats like a furnace; this shocks me so much that I stumble into him. I feel Brad's bulge on the lining of my ass. I gasp and close my eyes. My sighs are louder now. He trails his hands up my dress and stops below my breasts.

Brad nibbles at my ear while clutching the skin under my boobs. All the spicy euphoria, on top of his breathing on my neck, makes me quiver all over. Every part of me is sensitive, as if I have no skin. As if my veins are exposed. His dick hardens against my ass. I tremble again, expecting more to come. It doesn't. Why isn't he moving it around?? "Can you move it around?" I ask breathlessly.

"Are you sure?"

"I am...but it's just for fun. No sex."

"Alright." His large hands slide to my abdomen. My blood boils where his hands rest. I huff and swallow. Brad presses me against him and drifts his waist forward. I breathe longingly. My eyes roll to the back of my head. Oh my! I stiffen; this only adds more pressure to where his dick is. I gently rock into him. A shrill moan escapes my lips. My mouth waters. So, this is what it feels like? What the hell does it feel like with clothes off?!

"Umm...Madi??!" Lily's voice sounds before me. "I need to borrow her real quick."

I open my eyes to find my friend watching me scoldingly. "Sure," Brad says, clearing his throat and catching his breath.

"Come here!" She yanks me by the arm and leads me to the restroom.

"Why are you so mad?!"

"Are you serious???!!" Lil bellows.

"Yeah."

She pushes the women's room door open and turns on me with her arms crossed. "I said go out with the guy, not to oil him up with foreplay?!"

"It's fine. I told him there wouldn't be any sex."

"Then you put on a pornstar show??"

"I know what I'm doing!"

"No, you don't; that wasn't teasing. You two were close to orgasming!"

"Look...I'm having fun, that's all."

"Doing that still requires being careful. Fooling around can turn into sex real fast in real life. Just slow down some, dial it back. This guy is gonna think you do this all the time; you don't want that label."

I roll my eyes. "It's all harmless."

"No...it's not. This isn't one of your sexting guys. Brad isn't separated by a screen, okay??! Just slow down, that's all I'm saying!" She throws her hands up before leaving me alone in the scummy restroom.

I know what I'm doing. Playing around can go far without sex. I know this; she doesn't! I stomp from the room and return to Brad, who's at the bar. I travel a sea of people to reach him on a higher level. "Hey," I say from behind him. "That was crazy, huh?" I move to sit beside him.

He glances over at me with a light smile. "I think we took it too far for your friend."

"Yeah...she overreacted."

"I don't think so...we were getting wild."

"Were we??"

"Yeah...that was kind of hardcore for the first night."

"Oh, no..." I hang my head down in shame.

"What?" I feel him move closer to me. "You okay?"

"You must think I'm a slut."

"No...I don't. You don't come off like a slut at all."

I raise my head, slump my shoulders, and sulk. "That must be sarcasm."

"It's not."

"I ruined the night."

He guffaws and shakes his head. "No, you did the opposite. I like the good, bad girl thing you got going. I definitely want another date."

I lower my eyes to the bar counter. "I don't usually act like that. I'm only text guys, not go out with them."

There's a brief pause, long enough that I make out a boosted bass cover of Bad Karma. "Wait...what?" he asks, baffled. Oh hell, did I just give myself away? "I don't think I heard that right."

"You didn't...the music is loud." I lie.

"Hey, you freaky thangs!!" Jess sings from behind us. She's so wasted that her words are slurred. "Y'all nasty!" She snorts.

Lily isn't far behind. I turn away when our eyes meet. She's gonna let me hear it later; I just know it. It's not my fault; it's my curiosity's fault. I was tempted by the thirst I saw on the way in. Now I might want more. Okay...umm, I think I fucked up. I can't run around like a horny dog trying to get my leg over! I can't behave this way next time. Or any time after. If I do, I'll get comfortable being fast and be a mistress instead of a wife.

"She's hammered; I gotta get her home. Are you two over the sex frenzy?" Lily looks between us. "And you. I thought you were respectful. Did you lie?"

"Umm...no. I didn't start it. No offense." He clenches his teeth.

I shrug. "None taken."

"Well, miss bad influence, get home without any more orgies."

Brad hides his mouth with his hand, but I spot his shoulders jerking. He's hiding laughs. "Relax, Lil." I look at him and smile. "We can text later."

"I can walk you home; it's late."

I shake my head. "That's a bad idea. I'll just get a Uber."

"I can walk you out and wait with you."

"That can be done."

All four of us leave out at the same time. I know Lil is observing me with Brad. I feel that surveillanced sense, the back hairs of the neck standing up. "How long have you been on Tinder?" He asks as cars zoom past.

"Umm...a few years."

"You must have a lot of guys in your dm's."

"I do."

"So, you've been on dates, I assume?"

I squint at him. "You're trying to figure out what I meant at the bar, aren't you?"

"No...yes." He grins. "You can't leave me with that much mystery."

"Oh, yes, I can. I forgot to mention that I'm a tease."

"I can tell. Is that the most you ever played? I kinda get that it was with how you reacted."

"I can't answer that." I hide my lips by poking them backward inside my mouth.

"Ahh, come on, tell me."

"Yes...and no," I smirk flirtatiously.

"Mmm...interesting." He grins. "Was it your hottest one?"

I look off into the street. "Maybe."

"I think that means yes."

"It would have been if I saw how hot and bothered you were. I was too overwhelmed to notice."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Hmm, mmm." I swing my waist in a bubbly manner. His eyes dart down to it. I bite my lip. My phone dings, notifying me that my ride is here. "Oh, I gotta go...goodnight."

Brad frowns at my words; he looks so deflated. "Alright, good night, Madison."

I blush when he says my name. It's the first time he's done it. I've never heard a guy say it aloud; I've only ever read it in text form. So bizarre yet satisfying. "Goodnight, Brad," I say his name softly before waving my ride down.

#Romance
#Love