“It’s okay if you’re not ready,” he said, backpedaling.
“No, you’re right.” She moved her fingers up his shirt and then wrapped her arms around his neck. “My friends are already calling you that. I care about you. We’re not just dating because I just made it abundantly clear that I want to be exclusive. So, yeah, I guess I am your girlfriend.”
He let out a happy sigh and then sweetly kissed her on the lips. “That’s what I like to hear.”
Trihn felt like she had just made one huge step forward. A chip that she had tried to harden fell away from her heart. When she fell, she fell hard. And she had been trying to avoid letting herself get to that point, but Damon seemed determined to be the guy for her.
“I’m going to go tell Cadence that she can head out. You can come with me if you want,” he offered.
“You know, while she’s up there,” Trihn said, an idea forming in her mind, “why don’t you come up to VIP with me?”
“I still have to work.”
“I know, but I want you to meet someone.”
“Yeah? Color me intrigued.”
TRIHN GESTURED FOR DAMON AND JIMMY to follow her up the steps to the VIP section.
Compared to when she and the girls had first gotten here, it was packed. Trihn didn’t know if it was a result of the news getting out that Chloe was here or what, but it was a fight just to get through the crowd.
She felt the reassuring pressure from Damon’s hand in hers and slowed down. She was excited to introduce him, but she didn’t need to throw down with someone to get through. Plus, this introduction was with her boyfriend. She swallowed hard at the realization that she was going through this all over again. It was scary, terrifying really, but still exhilarating. Damon wasn’t like anyone else, and she prayed to God that it would stay as the truth.
The bottle of tequila was empty when they made it to the corner booth. Chloe was standing on their table, dancing with Bryna, who looked like she had drunk her fair share of the bottle. Eric and Maya were supervising. Stacia was nowhere to be seen, which likely meant she was with a guy. Whether it was Pace, Marshall, or someone else entirely, Trihn had no clue.
“Is that—” Damon whispered next to her.
“Holy fuck, that’s Chloe Avana,” Jimmy said.
Chloe, hearing her name, swiveled around on the table and nearly lost her footing. She grabbed on to Bryna and cracked up laughing. Before they could tumble to the ground, Eric was there, supporting them both.
“Trihn!” Chloe cried. “Come dance with us.”
“When you said you were introducing me to someone, I thought that I was going to finally get the official introduction to your friends,” Damon said, his eyes wide. “Not that you’d brought a celebrity with you to Posse.”
“Well, yeah, I wanted you to meet my friend. But, also, this is Chloe Avana,” she said.
Chloe hopped off the table and strolled over to them. “Oh my God, you must be Trihn’s boyfriend!”
“That I am.”
“Good choice,” Chloe said with a wink. She turned to Jimmy. “And who are you?”
“Uh…” he murmured, seemingly losing his voice.
“This is Jimmy, Damon’s friend,” Trihn introduced them.
“Cute. We need another bottle, and it’s on the way. You guys should join us for shots.” Chloe sauntered back over to Bryna and nearly fell into her lap.
“She was not this drunk when I left her,” Trihn told Damon.
“Well, I don’t think we can turn that invite down.”
Trihn took the seat next to Chloe, and Damon and Jimmy filled in the rest of the booth.
Bryna leaned over Chloe and looked right at Damon. “So, you’re the hot piece of ass she’s been fucking?”
Trihn dropped her head into her hands. Drunk Bryna was always a little bit of a hot mess.
“Good to see you again, Bryna. Always a pleasure.” He glanced over at Trihn and laughed. “And, um…yeah, I guess that would be me.”
Eric pulled Bryna back with a shake of his head. “What she means is, Hey, how’s it going? Thank you for being a great DJ at all party. It’s good to see you again and to officially get to meet you as the guy Trihn has been talking about.”
“No, that’s definitely not what I meant,” Bryna said.
“Now, this is the Bryna Turner I’ve always heard about—cheerleader, gold digger, riotous drunk,” Damon said with a smirk. That British accent made Trihn swoon all over again.
“Everything you’ve heard is true,” Bryna said.
Trihn laughed. “And worse.”
“Gold digger?” Chloe asked, wide-eyed. “But you’re fucking rich.”
“Everyone has their vices,” Bryna said with a nonchalant shrug.
A bartender came over and placed another bottle of tequila and a bottle of vodka down on the table with some more mixers. Maya thanked the girl and started pouring out drinks for everyone.
“No, thank you,” Damon said when Maya offered him a drink. “I have to get back upstairs soon. This was cool.”
“You’re leaving already?” Chloe asked.