“Let’s go,” I said, following him to the dance floor.

20

I LIED SO MAX and Jenna would go dance without feeling guilty, but when I spotted Aaron from college, I was more than happy to greet him. Not that I expected Matthew to hang around with me since we were just friends, but I wondered where he was. I was pretty sure he had to be with someone at the bar or dancing. I didn’t care anymore. It was New Year’s Eve and I was going to party the night away.

“Aaron.” I wrapped my arms around him, raising my voice over the loud music. He was with a group of his friends and they looked way too happy. It had been several years since I last saw him, but he still looked good. He had shorter hair this time around and he was dressed to impress, so he looked mighty fine.

“Becky…Becky…Becky…Where have you been hiding?” Aaron squeezed me tighter, making me feel his hard chest. He probably could crush me with his hug. Not to mention, he reeked of alcohol.

“I’ve been around.” Aaron’s smile was contagious.

“You look great.” He turned to his buddies, “This is Becky. And boy can she…” he stopped, giving me an impish grin. “Did you come alone?”

“I came with Jenna, Nicole, and Kate. Do you remember them?”

“I remember Jenna. She was your roommate, right? After Amber.”

“Yeah.” Aaron bringing up her name, I suddenly became somber. “I could use a drink,” I said, looking toward the bar.

“How about shots, the way we used to?” Aaron suggested. “If I win, you owe me a dance and a kiss.”

"I don’t think so. I need to get back to meet my friends before midnight.”

“You still have an hour,” he winked, begging me with a flirtatious grin. “For old time’s sake.”

I was just about to say no again, when I spotted Matthew surrounded by a bunch of other women, laughing and having a great time by the bar. One of them was rubbing Matthew’s thigh. He looked like he was enjoying himself way too much. I don’t know why a spark of anger ignited in me, but I agreed to do shots with Aaron.

“Here you go.” Aaron placed a shot on the bar in front of me, as his friends surrounded us. I closed my eyes and chugged it down. Feeling the burning sensation was not pleasant. I had forgotten how that felt. It had been a while since I had done shots. Slamming the glass back on the bar, holding a bold stare and cringing, I yelled over the loud music, “One. Your turn.”

Aaron chuckled, doing the same. “One. Looks like you’re out of practice.”

“Maybe. But if memory serves, I’ve whipped your ass every time.” Squirming and wondering what the hell I had gotten myself into, I swallowed again, banging the shot glass in front of him. “Two.”

Wondering if Matthew was still there, I glanced in his direction, but quickly turned away when I thought he might catch me looking. Oh God, why was I trying to get his freakin’ attention? I hated that.

Obviously, he had no feelings for me or he would have been here instead of flirting with every woman in the place. Why did he have to say I made him forget about his late fiancée? I totally sympathized with him regarding her death, but he made it sound like he thought I was special. Something I didn’t need to hear.

Aaron’s friends were loud. Matthew had to have seen us. A couple of the girls he was with looked our way, I was almost sure of it. Whatever!

“Three,” I challenged, wiping the side of my mouth with the back of my hand. Hearing Aaron’s friends cheering me on got me all pumped up, and glad that Matthew was slowly getting out of my thoughts.

“Maybe you still got it, Becky, but we shall see. You look a little out of it there,” Aaron teased. “I can’t wait to get my kiss and—”

Aaron suddenly stopped talking, looking over me. Feeling the warm sensation on my arm, I turned to see the person who had put it there. Matthew’s smile gave me fluttering tingles in my stomach, which pissed me off.

“Do you mind? I’m having fun.” I nudged his hand off me.

Matthew glanced at the shot glasses, then back to me. At first, he narrowed his eyes at me disapprovingly, but then they became playful. “You like to do shots? You like to swallow?”

I twitched my brows. “Only ones that squirt in my mouth.” I could not believe I’d said that, and from the expression on his face, neither could Matthew. His eyes sparkled with amusement, trying not to give me a grin, letting me know how much he liked my answer. I just couldn’t help myself. A perverted question deserved a perverted answer.

Matthew swung my stool around. Putting his hands on my shoulders, he leaned into me, catching me by surprise. I thought he was going to kiss me, but he sniffed me instead. Looking squarely into my eyes he said, “I think you’ve had enough.”

I knew he was right, but he had no business telling me what to do. That pissed me off even more. “I’m fine. I can handle my liquor. And besides, I didn’t drive here, so I can get as drunk as I want,” I smirked. If he could hang out with a group of girls, then I could hang out with the guys.

“You came with Jenna. And if you didn’t drive, how were you planning to get home?” Matthew looked concerned.

“That’s none of your business. Why don’t you go back to your group of friends?” I sounded angry, like a jealous girlfriend, but I couldn’t help it and the fact that I was feeling buzzed gave me the courage to do so. I could always use that as an excuse.