there, sitting alone and nursing a drink.
"Mia won't be needing a ride back to her place," Cameron said to her. "I'll be sure she gets home safely."
Carrie shrugged indifferently as she swirled her straw through her drink. "Okay."
Mia wasn't in the habit of leaving nightclubs with strangers, and she felt compelled to explain who Cameron was so Carrie didn't think she was about to indulge in a one-night stand with someone she didn't know.
Keeping up the pretense of being intoxicated, she leaned into Cameron and patted him on the, chest in a placating way. "He's a friend of the family and seems to have this need to play my white knight tonight." She rolled her eyes at that notion.
Carrie's stare was distant, her demeanor standoffish. "Lucky you."
The sarcasm lacing Carrie's tone took Mia off guard. Her friend had been acting oddly toward her all evening, but before Mia could ask Carrie what was wrong, Cameron was pulling her along again, seemingly eager to get out of the place. With his fingers still locked around her wrist, she had no choice but to follow as he wended his way through the mass of people filling the establishment.
"Mia!"
Hearing someone shout her name, she craned her neck around and saw Gina trying to make her way toward them, a worried look on her face. No doubt her roommate was wondering where she was going… and with whom.
"I'm fine, promise." She mouthed the words to Gina because she knew her voice wouldn't reach her over the loud music and gave her an "okay" sign, but her friend seemed insistent on reaching her… until her boyfriend, Ray, grabbed her arm and jerked her back.
The physical command was rough enough to make Gina wince in pain. Ray said something to her friend, his expression harsh, and Gina seemed to shrink back from him.
Mia had come to the conclusion very quickly that Ray was extremely dominating and possessive when it came to Gina, which contradicted Ray's own roving eye and womanizing ways. But the few times Mia had tried to talk to Gina about Ray and how he treated her, her friend promptly dismissed her concerns and assured her she was just fine. Mia was left with no choice but to believe her friend knew what was best and could take care of herself.
What Mia didn't have the heart to tell Gina was the fact that Ray had even made a major move on her. She'd immediately made it very clear to Ray she wouldn't tolerate his hands-on approach or his licentious behavior. He'd instantly backed off, insisting it was all a joke, but she hadn't even been slightly amused by the lustful look in his eyes as he'd raked her body over with his gaze.
The entire incident had left a bad taste in her mouth when it came to Ray. She didn't like the man, or trust him—around herself or Gina. But her roommate wasn't willing to hear the truth about her boyfriend and made excuses for his conduct, so Mia knew there was nothing much she could do. Ultimately, it was up to Gina to face the truth and realize what a jerk Ray truly was.
Mia just hoped Gina didn't get hurt in the meantime—emotionally or physically.
Because she was paying more attention to Gina than to where she was going and was just blindly following Cameron's pull on her arm, Mia bumped hard into someone, who turned and glared at her for not watching where she was going. The impact made Mia lose her balance, and she wobbled on her heels to keep from ending up sprawled on the floor. Cameron, obviously realizing what had happened, came to an abrupt stop, and Mia collided into his hard, unyielding body and then bounced right off—sending her stumbling all over again.
She was beginning to feel like one of those steel balls in a pinball game, ricocheting from one obstacle to another. A bit dazed from the jostling, she swayed dizzily into Cameron, and luckily he caught her in his arms. She clung to him like the helpless female he was under the impression she was tonight.
He
"Mia won't be needing a ride back to her place," Cameron said to her. "I'll be sure she gets home safely."
Carrie shrugged indifferently as she swirled her straw through her drink. "Okay."
Mia wasn't in the habit of leaving nightclubs with strangers, and she felt compelled to explain who Cameron was so Carrie didn't think she was about to indulge in a one-night stand with someone she didn't know.
Keeping up the pretense of being intoxicated, she leaned into Cameron and patted him on the, chest in a placating way. "He's a friend of the family and seems to have this need to play my white knight tonight." She rolled her eyes at that notion.
Carrie's stare was distant, her demeanor standoffish. "Lucky you."
The sarcasm lacing Carrie's tone took Mia off guard. Her friend had been acting oddly toward her all evening, but before Mia could ask Carrie what was wrong, Cameron was pulling her along again, seemingly eager to get out of the place. With his fingers still locked around her wrist, she had no choice but to follow as he wended his way through the mass of people filling the establishment.
"Mia!"
Hearing someone shout her name, she craned her neck around and saw Gina trying to make her way toward them, a worried look on her face. No doubt her roommate was wondering where she was going… and with whom.
"I'm fine, promise." She mouthed the words to Gina because she knew her voice wouldn't reach her over the loud music and gave her an "okay" sign, but her friend seemed insistent on reaching her… until her boyfriend, Ray, grabbed her arm and jerked her back.
The physical command was rough enough to make Gina wince in pain. Ray said something to her friend, his expression harsh, and Gina seemed to shrink back from him.
Mia had come to the conclusion very quickly that Ray was extremely dominating and possessive when it came to Gina, which contradicted Ray's own roving eye and womanizing ways. But the few times Mia had tried to talk to Gina about Ray and how he treated her, her friend promptly dismissed her concerns and assured her she was just fine. Mia was left with no choice but to believe her friend knew what was best and could take care of herself.
What Mia didn't have the heart to tell Gina was the fact that Ray had even made a major move on her. She'd immediately made it very clear to Ray she wouldn't tolerate his hands-on approach or his licentious behavior. He'd instantly backed off, insisting it was all a joke, but she hadn't even been slightly amused by the lustful look in his eyes as he'd raked her body over with his gaze.
The entire incident had left a bad taste in her mouth when it came to Ray. She didn't like the man, or trust him—around herself or Gina. But her roommate wasn't willing to hear the truth about her boyfriend and made excuses for his conduct, so Mia knew there was nothing much she could do. Ultimately, it was up to Gina to face the truth and realize what a jerk Ray truly was.
Mia just hoped Gina didn't get hurt in the meantime—emotionally or physically.
Because she was paying more attention to Gina than to where she was going and was just blindly following Cameron's pull on her arm, Mia bumped hard into someone, who turned and glared at her for not watching where she was going. The impact made Mia lose her balance, and she wobbled on her heels to keep from ending up sprawled on the floor. Cameron, obviously realizing what had happened, came to an abrupt stop, and Mia collided into his hard, unyielding body and then bounced right off—sending her stumbling all over again.
She was beginning to feel like one of those steel balls in a pinball game, ricocheting from one obstacle to another. A bit dazed from the jostling, she swayed dizzily into Cameron, and luckily he caught her in his arms. She clung to him like the helpless female he was under the impression she was tonight.
He
Similar Books
The Last Operation (The Remnants of War Series, Book 1)
Patrick Astre
Marilyn Monroe
Barbara Leaming
Everything to Gain
Barbara Taylor Bradford
Superstar Watch
Gertrude Chandler Warner
So sure of death
Dana Stabenow
Other Earths
Jay Lake, edited by Nick Gevers
Demontech: Gulf Run
David Sherman
DREAM LOVER
Kimberley Reeves
Taffy Sinclair 011 - Nobody Likes Taffy Sinclair
Betsy Haynes
Maps
Nash Summers