25 Days

"He seems to want to know you." She laughed and turned her attention back to me. "I'm going after him if you're not interested."

I shrugged and pulled out of her hold as the music changed. "Do what you want, girlfriend. I'm dating someone back at UCLA. A fling would be fun if I were single, but I'm not."

It wasn’t actually truthful. Seth and I were on a break. Broken up truly, but it was my quickest excuse.

"Not the cheating kind, hm?" She wagged her eyebrows as if cheating was the sexy thing to do nowadays.

"Um, no." I laughed and took her hand, helping her back toward the bar.

She moved out in front of me as I took a seat, her attention in the direction of Fi

I'd just taken a drink of a glass of ice water the bartender handed me. I spit it all over the back of her little black dress thanks to her question.

She turned toward me, her eyes wide.

"Oh fuck, Cindy. I'm so sorry." I reached for a napkin and moved behind her cleaning it up as she laughed loudly. The sound of her having fun with it ushered in much needed relief. Fear left me thinking she was going to be furious.

"It's all good." She swatted at me. "It was hot as hell in here anyway. That actually felt good."

"No bringing anyone home to my Dad's. Sorry. He would have a heart attack. I was picturing the look on his face when I spit my drink. It's too fu

"No worries. We'll just get a room." She bent in like she was going to whisper something to me, but instead slipped her hand in the top of her dress and tugged her breasts up.

I turned from her and gave the cute bartender a look that screamed 'save me.’

Cindy leaned in beside me and smiled right next to my face. "Wish me luck. He's exactly my type."

"Good luck." I reached for the peanuts, but the bartender jerked the dish away.

"Don't eat those. Who knows who has been touching them." He smiled and pulled the jar from under the counter, reaching for my hand and pouring some out for me.

"Thanks." I picked at them, ignoring the horrible feeling that rose inside of me over the idea of Fi

"What's got you down?" The bartender leaned forward, pressing his forearms to the bar and giving me a kind smile.

"It's stupid."

"Guy problems?"

"Not really. I don't have a guy to have problems with." I shrugged and looked over my shoulder as Fi

He laughed and shook his head. "You could have any guy in this bar, pretty girl. The problem isn't not having a man, it’s which one to choose."

"Chloe Burke. You have to meet these guys." Cindy's voice was loud and slurred.

I stifled a flinch at her using my last name and turned, smiling at Fi

"Pleasure's all mine." Fi

Cindy tugged him back and shook her head. "This sexy boy is the only one off limits, Chloe. He's mine."

Fi

A loud balding guy from behind Fi

I laughed, unable to help myself. "That's great. Stay off limits. No one likes a cheater."

"She's right boys." A handsome guy in a suit extended his hand as he hit Fi

"Brian. Really?" Fi

"Yeah. Sure." I shrugged and glanced over my shoulder in time to see the bartender laugh at me. "Thanks a lot. If you would have just pulled the trigger..."

"Never." He winked and turned to help other patrons.

I walked to the floor with Brian, feeling a little off about dancing with one of Fi

You're being ridiculous. You don't know the guy and even if you did, he is just trying to get into your panties. Leave it be.

I moved into Brian's arms as a slow song started, the rhythm perfect for a first dance with someone you just met.

"You from around here, Chloe?" He smiled down at me and I turned my attention back to him, not really wanting to see Cindy put her moves on the only guy that had caused my blood to boil in the worst sort of way.

"I'm from Los Angeles. Just here for a few weeks." I smiled, enjoying the kindness I found in Brian's eyes.

"Oh nice. You look like a beach girl. A good tan, and a great smile. I'm surprised you're not beating the guys off around here." He smiled and then looked ill. "I meant. I didn't mean like literally beating the guys off. I meant like..."

I laughed. "Stop. You're digging a hole you're not going to get out of."

He smiled. "I do that often. I keep telling my friend, Fi

"The more you do it, the easier it gets." I shrugged and took a glance toward Fi

Cindy was tucked up against him, whispering something in his ear, but his eyes were on me and Brian. The anger in his gaze told me that maybe there was something more than a silly challenge sitting between the two of us. If that was the case, then it was better that he and Cindy leave together.

"I actually don't want it to get too easy." He glanced down at me and I turned back to him.

"Why is that?"

"I don't know. I've seen Fi

"Did he tell you to talk to me?" I lifted an eyebrow and pulled back.

"What? No. He doesn't even know you, right?" Brian studied me as I fumbled for the right thing to say.

"No. Of course not. Never mind." I slid my arms back around him and turned us so I could find the twins. They were dancing with the other three guys in Fi

The dance ended and I was ready to head home, but it would seem that the party was just getting started.

We gathered back at the bar and I nodded toward Cindy. "I'm getting tired and my stomach's hurting. You guys ready to go?"

"Go? Hell no. We just got here." Kinsey laughed and wrapped her arm around me tightly from the side.

"Yeah, Chloe. Don't go yet." Fi

Bile rose in my throat and I knew I had to get out of there. I didn't believe in love at first sight, but something buzzed with excitement inside of me at the very thought of the handsome guy before me. I couldn't handle the pressure of wanting to pull him from my friend and subsequently punch her in the face. I wasn't at all a violent person, but something about the way she draped herself across Fi