Blake twirled me around and pulled me into his arms. “There won’t be a next song. You’re wasted.”
“I am not. Two drinks are not going to get me drunk.” The room did spin a little more than usual, but it was probably because he just swung me around.
“Whatever you say, princess.” He laughed.
Smiling, I laid my head on his chest. It helped ground me. “I love it when you call me that.”
“Princess?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“It used to piss you off.”
I lifted my head. “I know, but now you say it differently. Why is that?”
His gaze moved to my lips, but then he shook his head. “It doesn’t matter.”
“It matters to me. Are you ready for me to leave?”
“No. Why would you think that?” His thumb brushed along my cheek and I shivered. I loved it when he touched me. It was a craving that would probably never be satisfied.
“Then why are you being so distant? No matter how much you say it didn’t, something changed after Robert’s call. I want to know what happened. It’s different between us.”
“That’s the thing . . . there is no us. It would never work out and you know it.”
Those words felt like a punch to the gut. “So you’re not even going to try? Would it make a difference to know I want this? That I want you. We could make it work.”
He shook his head. “Even if that’s what I wanted, we’d never see each other. You’re not the only one with something to lose. Besides, tomorrow you’re not going to remember saying any of this to me.” The tears started to build and I didn’t want him to see me cry. I tried to push past him, but he caught my arm. “Where are you going?”
“To the bathroom,” I snapped, jerking my arm away. I rushed away as fast as I could and disappeared behind closed doors.
Tyla barreled into the room. “What the hell happened?”
I flung my arms in the air. “He told me it would never work. He doesn’t want to try.”
She grabbed some paper towels and handed them to me. “He’s being an ass. Lots of people have long distance relationships. You just have to put in the effort.”
“I don’t think he’s willing to do that. Plus, he thinks I’m drunk and won’t remember anything I’m saying.”
Placing her hand on my shoulders, she squeezed and looked into my eyes. “Then you prove him wrong. Now dry your eyes and get back out there. Always keep your head high, no matter what anyone does to you.”
I nodded. “I’ll be out there in a minute.” Once she left, I dried my eyes and looked in the mirror. I can do this. Taking a deep breath, I opened the door, determined to find Blake and try again. I wasn’t going to give up.
A man stepped in my path and I ran into him. His hands came down on my shoulders, and I wriggled out of them in disgust when I smelled his liquor-reeking breath. He was tall and a little chubby in the midsection, with sandy brown hair and tattoos all up his arms.
“Hello, beautiful,” he said with a crooked smile.
“Sorry, just in a hurry to get back to my friends.”
“No worries. I thought I’d see if you were okay. I noticed you got upset back there with that assfucker.” He took a step forward and I had no choice but to step back. His hazel eyes stared at me as if I was prey; I didn’t like it.
“Yeah, well, he pissed me off. If you’ll excuse me, I’d like to find him so I can rip him a new one.”
“Why don’t I help you? I think it could be kind of fun.” At first, I thought he was Tyla’s friend, Sebastian, but there was no way she’d be involved with such a scumbag.