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I expected to see people like this here, but I watched Jacqueline study everyone around us. She wore a curious but reserved expression on her face.

Suddenly, a light was cast on the far wall. It illuminated a metal spiral staircase that led to what looked like a second-floor fire escape. A woman in a body suit, also covered in glitter and exaggerated makeup, started to dance as the music slowly started to play.

It was loud, so I reached into my pocket to hand Jacqueline orange foam earplugs. I managed to snag them from the top of her dresser as she got ready in her bathroom. She would still be able to hear everything with them, but I knew that tonight might also be overstimulating for her and that these would help take the edge off.

I held them out in the palm of my hand, nudging her arm with mine to pull her attention away from the dancer. Jacqueline glanced down, debating on whether to use them or not. After a second of thought, she decided to put them in.

The music and the bass were growing, and I watched as Jacqueline stared at the dancer. The interpretive, modern dance moves were choreographed perfectly to the build of the music that was getting louder and louder. It made the audience focus on what was about to happen.

Jacqueline’s hand squeezed mine right when the dancer decided to stand up on the rickety railing of the fire escape, looking very precarious as they somehow continued to dance. Anticipation was building within the crowd; bodies already started to bob and sway with the beat of the rising music.

Right when the bass dropped, colorful strobe lights lit up the room, revealing four more performers dropping dramatically from the shadows of the ceiling, secured in ribbons and hoops. The original dancer had also jumped and grabbed onto one of the hoops, and a surprise aerial performance took place above as the club came to life.

A loud, feminine cackle made me lower my gaze to my coworker. Her hand was up over her mouth, eyes wide as she took in our surroundings. Taylor took one look at Jacqueline before grabbing her arm to pull her further into the depths of the crowd, laughing and jumping with everyone else who started to dance.

Before she was pulled too far, Jacqueline reached back and snatched my hand, tugging me with them.

And just like that, the three of us were part of the rave.

The music was loud, so loud that I could feel it in my bones. Jacqueline pressed a hand to her chest, and I wondered if she was feeling it just like I was. It was the kind of music she listened to every day at work, but I had a feeling she had never experienced something like this before.

Her friends and past partners had failed her this way, I realized.

Because Jacqueline came to life here.

Her smile was bold and uninhibited. She didn’t cringe away from other bodies inevitably bumping into her. She didn’t shy away from dancing. No, as I watched her and Taylor dance and grind and sing loudly along with the popular but fifteen-year-old song, I felt something heat in my chest.

Taylor spun Jacqueline around, making her lose her footing just before collapsing against me. I took her hands and spun her again, knowing that I would have another memory of Jacqueline’s laugh burned into my memory.

The song was fitting for this moment.

As everyone in the room sang along about finding clarity in someone unexpected, Jacqueline threw her arms around my neck and danced with me.

I was on cloud fucking nine.

I glanced at Taylor over the top of Jacqueline’s head, mouthing a “thank you” for helping me surprise Jacqueline like this.

Taylor gave me a thumbs-up before disappearing into the crowd's throes, and Jacqueline and I were alone.

The song eventually ended, but this was a rave, so the music never truly ended. There was no break because the DJ hidden in the far corner was blending one song into the next.

AsSwedish House MafiaandJohn Martinstarted to sing about heaven having plans for us, I leaned down to speak into Jacqueline’s ear. My lips pressed against her hot skin as I asked, “Is this alright?”

Jacqueline leaned back, beaming at me, and I wanted to pound in my chest which was now filled with male pride from her expression, “Yes.”

And then she spun around, keeping my hands in hers. She guided my touch on her body, one held her hips and the other slowly dragged up her torso, over her breasts, until it rested over her heart. She ground her arse against me, and I didn’t bother stifling the groan that erupted from my chest.

“Let me know when you’re ready to leave,” I spoke, licking her ear lobe.

“Do you want to leave?” Jacqueline asked. She had stopped dancing against me, her eyes wide and a concerned expression pulled her lips down. I closed my eyes and kept my mouth against her neck because the noise level made it practically mandatory to speak to her so closely.

“Not at all,” I assured her, remembering her need for direct and honest communication—becausefuck meif I ever became an asshole like some prick named Vincent, “I am thrilled to be here with you. I just don’t want to wear you out too much.”

Jacqueline scoffed, “You wear me out most nights of the week, Leo.”

“And I’ll keep wearing you out as long as you’ll let me.” I didn’t think about the words until after they left my mouth. As soon as they did, though, I wondered if I had accidentally crossed some line. But no, Jacqueline just grinned and resumed torturing me with her arse against my groin as we danced together. Bodies bumped into us, and strangers smiled and sang as everyone lost themselves to the loud music.

Jacqueline never accepted dances with other men or women, even when they tried to sneak between us to gain her attention.