Page 23 of Twisted Proposal

I shouldn't want him to think of me at all.

But as I stepped into the night, I couldn't deny the rush of anticipation that came with playing with fire—or the uncomfortable truth that part of me was hoping to get burned.

CHAPTER9

VIKTORIA

"Jell-O shot?" Some frat boy in a varsity jacket was shoving a hubcap with mini red Solo cups at us.

"Oh my god yes," Amy shrieked, grabbing two and handing one to me. She touched the rims of the cups together like we were toasting with fine china and tossed it back.

I looked down at the jiggling red Jell-O and shrugged.

The skin-tight black skirt rode up my thighs with every movement.

Too much—too revealing.

I also should have known that Amy would overdress us for a freaking frat party. So much for blending in and being normal. The other women were all in tight T-shirts and tighter jeans.

Eyes tracked me across the room, hungry and assessing.

Tossing back the shot, the sweet cherry masking any trace of alcohol, I swallowed hard.

Amy locked her arm with mine and pulled me deeper into the house to meet with her friends, who were all just as bright and bubbly as she was.

There were several guys buzzing around the girls, acting like their idle chitchat was adorable.

Maybe it was? How would I know?

Bass hammered through the floorboards, vibrating up through my stilettos and into my chest, crushing my lungs with each beat. Sweat beaded at my temples, my carefully straightened hair already curling at the edges. Bodies pressed in from all sides, the stench of beer and pot mixing into something sickly sweet.

Amy kept her arm locked in mine like she could sense my hesitation and waved the guy with the hubcap over again.

"I'm good," I said, waving away the shot he offered me, tugging at the hem of my skirt as another pair of eyes raked over my exposed thighs.

"Come on, it's just Jell-O and a little vodka," the guy teased, his gaze lingering on the neckline of my top. "I thought all you Russians loved your vodka."

"Adam, that is a fucking harmful and bullshit stereotype. Stop being an ignorant dick," Amy snapped at him. I stared at her for a moment, impressed. I didn't know she had it in her.

"Sorry," Adam said, holding up his hands, a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth. "I didn't mean any offense, just trying to get her to loosen up and have some fun. Is there something else I can get you?"

Everyone in our little group stared at me, waiting for my answer, as Amy nudged me encouragingly. This was what I asked for. A roomful of strangers, each one measuring my worth with a glance, sizing me up like meat at the market.

"Two Jell-O shots?" I asked, batting my eyes the same way Amy had earlier.

The white shirt tightened across my chest as I straightened my spine, forcing confidence I didn't possess.

I felt ridiculous.

Everyone erupted into a cheer as the frat boy handed me two Jell-O shots and leaned down to whisper in my ear, his breath hot and sticky.

"Good girl," he said with a wink as he tapped his cup against mine and tossed back his own shot.

Those words sent a thrill through me I didn't expect, but it wasn't the frat boy that I wanted to hear whisper those words to me.

I didn't need the praise of some drunk kid living off of his daddy's money.

This frat boy was cute, but I didn't want cute.