Page 14

14

TASHA

“ G od, that burns.”

I coughed as I took another shot of tequila. I was already three shots in and each one seemed to sting worse than the last. Yet when Mila slid another shot in front of me, I knocked it back.

I looked around the club, still pleasantly surprised at how nice it was. It was bigger than it looked on the outside and despite it being the only club here on the island. Cleaner than any I'd ever been to, and while it was packed with people, it didn’t feel like we were sardines on top of each other.

The dark red walls gave the place a more moody vibes, paired with the low lights hanging above us. It wasn’t too dark that you couldn’t see in front of you, but dark enough it set the mood to something sexier.

“I’ll be right back!” I yelled over the loud music as the others got ready to go on the dance floor in the middle of the room.

“Want me to—” Josie started to say, but Trevor interrupted her.

“I got her.” I shivered as Trevor came up behind me, his chest grazing my shoulder blades. With a firm hand on my back, he helped guide me across the room toward the bathroom.

From the moment we entered the club, Trevor has stayed by my side. He went up to the bar with the others to get us drinks, making sure I stayed in the booth but kept his eyes on me the whole time. Just like he promised.

Trevor was a wall of pure muscle and towered over almost everyone. He easily paved a way for us through the crowd.

“Are you doing okay?” Trevor leaned down and whispered in my ear. Surprisingly, I was. We’d only been here a little bit, but I felt good. No panic attacks yet. I knew I had Trevor to thank. His words and the fact he stayed by my side so far had eased the tension inside of me. I knew nothing was going to happen as long as he was there. I was already too tipsy to think too hard about that.

“I am.” I tilted my head back and smiled up at him. Even in the dark club, his eyes seemed to shine at my words.

“I’ll be right here when you’re done.”

I had to physically force myself to walk through the bathroom doors because if I stayed there for another moment I would have done something incredibly stupid. The alcohol running through my system slowly made my logic fade to the background.

While I washed my hands, a group of girls stumbled over to the sinks, talking loudly. I tried to ignore them, but I couldn’t help but overhear what they were saying.

“Did you see how hot he was?”

“I would let him throw me against a wall.”

“Those tattoos.”

I immediately knew who they were referring to. Who was standing outside the women’s bathroom with tattoos and was extremely attractive? That would be Trevor. Looking through the grungy mirror, I listened to the girls rave about him.

In a weird way, I felt a bit smug at them talking about Trevor. He was attractive and always grabbed women’s attention when he was out, but they weren’t the ones going home with him. He wasn’t going to walk them back to their room and make sure they were okay. Nope, that was me.

So, they could say what they wanted, but they had no chance.

Smirking to myself, I let them walk out in front of me, catching sight of Trevor leaning against the wall waiting for me. Unable to help myself, I firmly pushed my way through the girls standing there. I felt their eyes snap toward me as I went up to him, sending him a wide smile as I hooked my arm through his.

With a quick glance over my shoulder, I caught the glares from the girls, but my smug grin only got wider. I refrained from winking at them, and instead tugged Trevor away from the bathrooms, back to where our friends were waiting for us.

I knew I practically staked my claim on someone who wasn’t even mine, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. Not right now anyway.

“What was that about?” Trevor asked, to which I just shrugged.

“Nothing.”

When we reached the booth that we managed to snag, I noticed only the guys were seated. None of them even glanced at Trevor and me, their eyes glued to the dance floor in front of us. Without looking, I knew my girls were dancing.

With each passing second, I felt the tension between Trevor and me grow. I know he knew what I did a second ago was anything but innocent, which meant I needed to get away from him before I did something even more stupid. Without looking at him, I left him at the booth with the others and made my way toward my girls on the dance floor.

Upon seeing me, all three girls cheered. I looped my arm through Josie’s and let the music sink into my body as I let go.

Sweat ran down my back, making my hair stick to my neck and shoulders. My feet were starting to hurt, but I barely noticed it as I stumbled in the direction of our booth. Josie giggled against my side.

“Oh, shots.” She reached for one as Wyatt spoke.

“Want some water, babe?” Josie shook her head at his words, not even looking at him as she grabbed the clear glass and knocked it back. I followed her lead and took two, barely feeling the burn this time.

I caught my breath before Lydia was beside me, tugging on my arm, bringing me back to the dance floor before I could say a word.

“I love this song!” she yelled.

The two of us found a spot not too far from our booth, Lydia’s arms going around my neck as we danced together. The music was so loud that she had to bend her head to yell into my ear.

“Trevor hasn’t taken his eyes off of you.”

At her words my head instantly turned toward our booth, eyes landing on Trevor. True to her words, he sat there, watching me dance with Lydia. The heat of his stare burned my skin, even from afar.

Still moving my body, I watched as he brought his beer bottle to his lips, taking a long pull. I didn’t know what it was, but the action was erotic. My mind instantly went someplace dirty.

I was definitely feeling the effects of the alcohol as I found myself moving my hips more. My eyes were hooded as I kept my gaze on Trevor, my body grinding and rolling. A jolt of satisfaction ran through me at the way he leaned forward, forearms braced on his knees, eyes glued to me.

I couldn’t look away even if I tried. Under his gaze, I felt sexy. Sexier than I ever felt in my life. I knew I was pretty. I wasn’t blind. I knew guys loved my long legs and blonde hair. Saw my face, the same features as my mother, and thought I was a model. I was used to those stares. But not the way Trevor was looking at me.

Looking at me like he would go to Hell and back just so he could watch me.

The alcohol in my system fueled my confidence. Lifting my hands up, I swayed my hips, loving the way Trevor’s eyes tracked the movement. With my heart racing, I closed my eyes and turned.

My head whirled at the movement, making me stumble, but a pair of arms caught me. Opening my eyes, I jerked out of the person’s hold and looked at the person standing there.

Johnno. Our snorkeling guide from the other day.

He recognized me at the same time I did as a wide smile took over his face.

“Nice to see you again!” he yelled.

“You too!” With a mind of their own, my eyes raked over him. He was wearing a button-up shirt and shorts. His tan face and hair slick with sweat. While he was still very attractive, I couldn’t help but compare him to Trevor. Couldn’t help but see Trevor’s green eyes where Johnno’s brown ones were.

Speaking of Trevor .

I glanced over my shoulder and looked for him, only to pause at what I saw. He was still sitting at the booth but a girl was leaning forward, grinning down at him while her hand was on his arm. I watched with a sinking stomach as he smiled up at her. Smiled.

I didn’t know why but seeing that felt like a blow to the stomach. His smile appeared genuine, and he didn’t seem to be moving away from her. Hurt and irritation washed over me.

Anger and alcohol wasn’t the best combination to have filling my veins as I whirled to face Johnno.

“Dance with me,” I all but demanded. I barely gave him time to nod before I was moving my body against his. If Trevor wanted to flirt with someone, then so could I.

I had no right to be jealous but telling myself that did nothing to help the envy that bloomed in my chest. Trying to shove it aside, I turned around until my back was pressed against Johnno’s chest. His hands landed on my hips, guiding them back against him.

Closing my eyes, I tried to get lost in the moment. I had an attractive guy behind me who was more than happy to be dancing with me. But as soon as I closed my eyes, the person dancing behind me wasn’t Johnno. No, it was Trevor. It was his muscular arms holding me against his chest. His breath on my neck.

I lost myself in the image. My alcohol-induced brain ran with the fake scenario as I moved my hips back into Johnno.

I was so lost in my head, the music pounding through my body, that I didn’t feel the hands on my hips disappear. It wasn’t until warmer breath fanned over my neck that I blinked out of my fantasy. I stiffened as hands wrapped around my waist. My mind took a moment to realize I wasn’t imagining a different set of hands on me.

“Sunshine.” Even though the voice was deeper and huskier, I would have recognized it anywhere. I relaxed into Trevor’s hold, but my heart raced at the weight of his hands on me.

Trevor moved one of his palms across my stomach, stopping right below my breasts. His hands were so big that just one spanned almost all the way across my torso.

“If you wanted to be touched, all you had to do was ask.”

A moan almost escaped from my mouth. At his words and the tone he used. My eyes fluttered as well as my stomach. Damn.

“What do you think you’re doing, hmm?” With one hand under my breasts and the other on my hip, he gently coaxed my hips to move. I felt ready to faint as my ass pressed into his groin. My skirt had ridden up to where I could feel the fabric of his pants against the back of my thighs. My nipples threatening to poke through the little fabric of my top.

“You should know better than to tease me, Sunshine.” My eyes closed on their own as he whispered in my ear. His breath tickled my neck, making me hyper aware of how close he was

The bratty part of my brain was working just fine as I opened my mouth to respond.

“I wasn’t the one flirting with a random stranger.” My voice came out breathier than I intended.

“So you were jealous.” Trevor’s grip on my hip tightened just slightly. Somehow, his voice got even deeper.

“No.” But we both knew it was a lie.

“If you would have looked you would have seen me turn her away the moment she touched my arm.” My skin heated when his nose grazed the top of my shoulder and skimmed the distance up to my neck. “Jealousy looks good on you, Sunshine.”

God, I loved when he called me that. I may have said I hated it the other day but I lied .

“But know that no one is allowed to touch you when I’m around.” The conviction in his voice was clear as day.

If I wasn’t already a puddle in his arms, I was now. I was near detonation with the way he was gently, but firmly, grinding against me. I'd done more with guys on a dance floor but this with Trevor was by far the sexiest thing I'd ever done. Ever felt.

“Understood?”

“I… Uh…” I couldn’t get the words out. My brain was complete mush.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” He chuckled against my skin.

Yep, I was done for. I was going to explode into a ball of need. I wanted Trevor right then. Wanted him more than I ever wanted anyone else. It took everything in me not to turn around and kiss him. To press myself against him.

The thoughts that swirled in my head were dangerous. If I let myself give in, I’d be done for. I’d lose whatever sort of friendship the two of us had developed over the last few days. And as much as I wanted to believe that Trevor liked me, I wasn’t sure he did.

Yes, he was here with me, but we were in a different place, a different country. Would our feelings be the same once we got back home, back to the real world?

And as much as I wanted to not think about the future, I had to. Because Trevor had the ability to take my heart and break it into a million pieces.

Using all of my willpower, I forced myself out of his hold. My head whirling as I quickly stepped away, heading to our booth. On the way, a waitress walked by carrying a tray with shots. I didn’t hesitate in reaching out to grab one, only for another hand to snatch it first. It was Trevor’s. He wasted no time in knocking back the shot, my eyes glued to the way his throat rippled as he swallowed .

With heat crawling up my spine, I turned on my heel and continued my way back to the others.

“Where’s Josie?” I questioned Landon, the only one sitting at our table.

“They left a few minutes ago,” he said, his eyes not leaving the dance floor.

“Oh.” I swayed to the side as the effects of all the alcohol took hold. I was a lightweight, so drinking so much was probably not the smartest idea. Big hands grabbed my hips to steady me. Trevor’s citrus-y scent filled my head. “I think it’s time to go.”

“What? No.” I shook my head but had to close my eyes as my head dizzied.

“Time to go, Sunshine.” I opened my mouth to argue but when the world started to tilt on its axis, I knew he was right.

Trevor talked with Landon for a moment before gently steering me for the door with an arm around my waist. “Let's get you back to the hotel.” His voice was soft. A big difference then what it was a few minutes ago on the dance floor.

Using his big frame once more, Trevor led us through the crowd of people until we reached the doors. Immediately, the brisk air cooled the sweat clinging to me, bringing my temperature down a few degrees.

Still keeping his arm on my waist, Trevor guided me down the sidewalk leading back to the hotel.

“Did you know I danced back in the day?” I suddenly said after a moment when the silence stretched between us. The sober part of my brain wanted to reach out and slap drunk Tasha. I needed to learn to control my mouth when I drank.

“Oh yeah?”

“Yep.” I nodded my head rapidly. “My mom put me in ballet classes for years.”

When my mom first signed me up for them, I was thirteen. I loved it and even made a few friends in the class. Every few months, we would have recitals and all the parents would come and watch their kids. My mom and dad came to the first one but that was it.

The next recital—four months later—my mom dropped me off at the doors and drove off. I thought she was just going to find a parking spot but as I went on stage, I looked everywhere for her just to come up empty. Then, I thought maybe they were somewhere in the back, but when it was over and everyone ran to their parents, who congratulated them on their performance, I stood there. Alone. My parents were nowhere in sight.

It wasn’t until twenty minutes after the recital that my mom showed back up and ushered me into the car. Not a single word was said about my dance. Not even a, “How did you do?”

After that, ballet turned into a way for my parents to get rid of me for a few hours. It also gave them bragging rights—that they had a daughter in dance. Like they knew if I could dance or not. I stayed in the class until I was sixteen, when I learned that the real reason my parents signed me up was to get close to another girl's father, who, apparently, was a millionaire that they thought would be useful as a friend.

“Bet you were great.”

“Best in the class.” I stuck my chin out proudly. “Watch this.”

Stopping in the middle of the road, I moved my feet into first position, the back of my heels almost touching. It was hard to do in heels, but I lifted myself up onto my toes. I went to lift my leg up but my skirt was too tight and my balance was completely off. Stumbling to the side, I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Oh yeah, so impressive.”

“I know, right.” I smiled. Totally missing the sarcasm in Trevor’s voice. “I quit just to spite my mom.” The words left my mouth on their own.

“Wow, such a badass.”

“The biggest badass. I used to dye my hair a lot to piss off my parents,” I said as we started walking again. “I once went pink and my parents practically banned me from being seen with them. Worked in my favor cause I didn’t have to go to any stupid events,” I rambled.

“Wait, I have a picture!” I patted my hips and then cupped my chest, looking for my cell. “Where’s my phone?” I turned in a complete circle, hands still on my breasts.

“I have it, Sunshine.” Trevor gently grabbed my elbow. I forgot I left my phone on the table near the others so I wouldn’t lose it. Didn’t even notice Trevor had grabbed it.

“Oh, good. Can’t lose that. It’s got all my dirty pics.” I sent him a wink. God, I had no filter when I drank. Beside me, Trevor cleared his throat, his eyes widening as he looked at me.

“Yeah, you need to get some sleep.”

“But I’m wide awake!” I made a show of making my eyes big.

“For now.” He steered us onto the sidewalk yet again—because I kept veering off into the street—the hotel up ahead. We walked in silence for another minute as I stumbled along the cobblestone pathway.

“Why aren’t you all over me like you were at the club?” Again, the word vomit. Trevor just laughed under his breath at me.

“You don’t need that right now. And despite what you think, you are definitely not sober.” Walking through the hotel doors, I stumbled slightly, making Trevor wrap his arm around my waist again and tug me to his side. “I made a promise to watch over you tonight and I intend on keeping it. ”

Why does he have to be such a gentleman?!

I was quiet as we rode the elevator up to our floor. My head was in an almost drunk haze, but it only magnified the dirty things that ran through my mind. Especially when those big hands of his grabbed my hand and tugged me out of the elevator. His hand engulfed mine and made me wonder what he could do with them. He had big hockey player hands. Maybe I just unlocked a new kink.

“Keycard?” Trevor’s voice pierced through my dirty thoughts. Shaking my head, I reached into my top, pulling it out. It was warm and a tiny bit sweaty thanks to being next to my boob all night.

Without batting an eye, Trevor took it from me and opened my door, letting me stumble past him inside. Needing to get my heels off, I barely made it three steps before I was bending over and unlacing the torture devices. How I managed to get both shoes undone without falling over, I had no clue.

I briefly heard a low grunt behind me, but as soon as I flung my heels off, all I could think about was how much better my feet felt. I wiggled my toes and moaned.

“You go get changed while I get you some water,” Trevor said.

I didn’t need to be told twice to get out of these clothes. While it wasn’t the most uncomfortable outfit I'd worn, it wasn’t comfortable either. Plus, who wanted to stay in sweaty, gross clothes? Not me.

When I got to my room I quickly changed into an oversized T-shirt to sleep in. I was pretty impressed with myself. I only managed to trip twice and fell onto the bed once. Not bad.

“Are you dressed?” Trevor’s voice came through the doorway .

“Yep!” I sat on the edge of the bed, legs dangling off the side.

“Here, brought you these.” Trevor walked in, holding a glass of water and something else. My stomach churned slightly at the thought of water, and I shook my head.

“You’ll thank me later, Sunshine. Drink.” The command in his voice had me instantly reaching out, taking the water and the Advil he had.

“Good girl.” The praise had my toes curling. I took another few sips. “Think you’ll be okay tonight?”

“Unless you want to stay the night.” The voice that came out of my mouth was anything but innocent. The flirty tone seemed to shock him as his eyebrows raised. Biting my bottom lip, I tilted my head back to look up at him. My inner voice screamed at me to stop talking. “We could stay up awhile longer.”

I watched as Trevor’s eyes darkened and his jaw clenched. He was staring down at me with a look that screamed yes, but he stayed where he was. He looked like he was at war with himself before he shook his head.

“As tempting as that is—no.”

“Why not?” One hand left the cup I was holding and trailed up my bare legs to the hem of my shirt. This was drunk Tasha talking now.

“Because…” Trevor stepped forward, bending down slightly as he reached out. I thought he was going to touch me, but he just grabbed the glass of water from my hands. Our fingers brushed, sending a zing up my arm. I watched him move and place the glass on the bedside table before coming back to stand in front of me.

“Because why?” I prompted.

“Because,” squatting down in front of me, Trevor gently lifted my chin with his hand, “when I take you, I want you completely sober.”