“So Tiffany’s a junior?”

“Yeah.” Beth couldn’t stop grinning as she watched her cousin in action.

I had to admit. I was impressed. She was stroking his arm, putting her boobs on display, and even puckering her lips. Oh yes. This girl knew how to work guys and every movement promised them so much more.

Finally, the guy grinned with lust as he ran a hand over her bottom lip. Then he nodded and stepped aside.

Her eyes lit up in triumph, and she glanced at us.

“Come on.” Beth grabbed my arm and pulled me after her.

We hurried through before the guy changed his mind.

When we got inside, it was one large room with a frenzied mass. People gyrated, grinded, did all sorts of dancing to the band on the stage. Some of them wore clothes that lit up like Christmas trees. As we fought our way to the bar, I was entertained by a girl that extended the lights to her hair and neck. She wore eyelashes that glowed in the dark. When she caught my eye and saw that I was studying her, she pressed a hand against her cheek, and then touched it to mine.

Beth grinned. She saw the exchange and leaned into my ear, “You have a glowing rose on your cheek now.”

I nodded, happy for some reason.

The girl pressed a kiss to my cheek and lifted her hand to the bartender. After she got her drinks, she turned and disappeared again.

Two glasses were pushed our way. The bartender leaned close over the bar with his elbow braced on it. “That girl paid for your drinks.”

I was floored by the generosity, but Beth grunted and flashed a wad of cash. The bartender nodded and she was given a tray of drinks instead. She added the free ones to it and lifted it high above the heads as we moved out of the crowd. When we got to the edge, she lowered the tray and hollered in my ear, “The girl seemed fine, but don’t accept any more drinks from anyone. I like this place, don’t get me wrong, but don’t be stupid at the same time.”

I hollered back in her ear, “Where’s your cousin?”

She gestured to the dance floor.

And yep, there she was. She had an arm around some guy who was grinding against her hips. The two looked hot and heavy; then Hannah pressed her chest against the guy’s and he dropped his head to her neck. When she gasped, I turned back to Beth. “You think she’s coming back for these drinks?”

Beth laughed. “Maybe. They’re for all of us, help yourself.”

“What?”

She found a table in the back section and placed the tray on it. Her bag was put on the chair beside mine and she patted the seat. “Have yourself some fun. I’ll be back.” And with that announcement, she vanished into the crowd.

I was left alone with a tray of drinks.

Wonderful.

I didn’t even like to drink.

I didn’t see either of the girls for a while, but I couldn’t really fault them. I didn’t know them so I settled back against the wall, kept the tray in front of me, and watched the people. When it was nearing midnight, Beth returned. Her hair was sweaty and slicked back from her face. Her face was red. When I saw the hickey on the side of her neck, I didn’t ask what she’d been doing. I hadn’t seen her on the dance floor.

“Did you have fun?” She hopped onto the stool across from me and yelled over the table.

I indicated the tray, still full with the drinks. “Loads.”

“Sorry.”

She didn’t look it.

She started searching the dance floor. “A lot of my friends come here. It’s an underground club.”

I had gathered.

She kept going, “I’m a big band junkie and these guys are one of my favorites.”

“What’s their name?”

“Do Cocktails.”

“Nice name.”

“Yeah.” She flashed me a grin. Her eyes were glazed over and the smile was sloppy. I wondered if she’d been doing more than drinking, but I didn’t ask. It wasn’t my business and it wasn’t my place to judge. A yawn came over her and she fought it off before leaning closer. “Listen, you want to leave? I’ll call a cab for us.”

“What about your cousin?”

She shrugged. “She’s with that guy. Don’t worry. She’s been with him before.”

With him before? Duly noted. I nodded. “Okay. Sure.”

She pulled out her phone. After she called for the cab, she yelled again, “It’ll be about twenty minutes.”

“They know this place?”

“Oh yeah. All the cab companies do. Sometimes they don’t even charge, but we’ll get charged tonight.”

“Why’s that?”

She gestured to me. “Because of you.”

Me? I looked down. Why me?

“You look rich.”

“I do?” I only wore jeans and a gray shirt. There wasn’t anything special about my outfit and I never wore make-up.

“Yep. You might think you’re being simple, but I can tell you’ve got money.” When she saw that I was dumbfounded, she waved it away. “Don’t worry. Kara and Tiffany are like that too. They try to look like that, though. You just exude it or whatever.”

I wasn’t sure how to take that. I didn’t want to be like either of them.

Beth’s phone lit up and she hopped off the stool. “Come on, cab’s here. That was a lot quicker than I thought.”

She led the way, weaving through the crowd. When we neared the door, I saw her cousin not far. She was being pressed against the wall by a different guy. His tongue was inside her mouth and his hand was underneath her bra.

I tapped Beth on the shoulder and pointed. “It’s a new guy and your cousin lost her shirt.”

She grinned, not the reaction I was expecting. We both watched as the guy started to undo her jeans and slide them down.

My eyes bulged out. They were going to have sex, right there, in front of everyone. My hand wrapped around Beth’s arm. “Stop them.”

“Why?” She shrugged. “That’s why she came.”

From a different tone in her voice, I edged back a step and gave her another more measuring look. “Is that why you came here?”

She could’ve gotten mad. She didn’t. Another jerk of the shoulder as she mused, sounding bored, “I don’t do it in public. Hannah doesn’t give a shit. She will in a few months, but she doesn’t care right now.”