Free Body, Ink, and Soul by Jude Ouvrard Page B

Levi, my cheeks heating and my body reacting to Tristan’s nearness.
    ''You scared me,'' I admitted.
    ''Your skin is so soft,'' he whispered. I turned around to look at him - he sounded different. ''You are so beautiful tonight, baby.''
    ''Are you drunk?'' I asked, with a giggle. I hadn't known him for very long and I’d never seen him like this before. ''You’re kind of cute.''
    He smiled a lopsided grin. ''I had a few drinks before I came here. So yes, it’s a possibility.'' He leaned in and pressed his lips against mine. I nibbled on his bottom lip and he pulled me closer, devouring my mouth. He’d never kissed me in such an unrestrained manner before. My entire body lit up with excitement. He pulled back, offering me a smile. ''Do you want to dance with me?''
    ''I would love to,” I breathed.
    He led the way through the crowds to the dance floor. The sexual tension between us was so strong, more powerful than ever. His hands slid from my hips to the side of my breast and down to the small of my back. We laughed, kissed repeatedly, and smiled. We didn't do much talking, our bodies were in control, doing all the communicating for us.
    For the first time in months, I let myself go. I enjoyed myself, letting my walls down. I knew him – even if it was just a little, I knew him enough to feel safe. We danced until the DJ put on a rock song and then went straight to the bar and ordered another round of shots. Jim Beam and Tequila - I knew better than mixing alcohol, but I wanted to have a good time.
    I spotted Levi sitting at the end of the bar. When our eyes met, he saluted me with his hand, holding a bottle of beer. I nodded back. I remembered that I wanted to talk to him, but with Tristan’s cologne all over me, I didn't care anymore. I turned to Tristan, who’d taken his second shot, and he kissed me again. I could taste the tequila and lemon on his tongue. He kept his arms around my waist, one of his hands settled on my behind. It made me feel like I was his, that he wanted me and me alone. We were inseparable - repeatedly kissing with our tongues colliding, seeking out one another. His hands roamed across my body, touching my revealed skin. This had never happened to me before, and it should have been nerve wracking. I’d always thought of myself as a timid person, shy and not prone to public displays. Tonight was special, I didn’t care what other people though and he made me feel special.
    Much to my disgust, the karaoke machine was started up. The first contestant to reach the stage was a tall, thin redhead. The club went quiet as we waited for the song to start. The girl looked nervous and I didn't know what to expect, whether she could even sing. The music started and I groaned inwardly - it was one of those songs with the high notes which no one could ever hope to reach. I kept my fingers crossed that she could do the song justice, but I knew it was unlikely.
    Tristan watched her singing her heart out and, to my surprise, he seemed to enjoy it. He applauded when she sang the last lyrics of the song. I downed my two last shots of JB, in hopes that the headache this girl had just given me would go away.
    Unfortunately, I started to feel dizzy instead. I’d had a lot to drink and I closed my eyes, concentrating on not falling over. The floor felt like it was made of marshmallow, and the vibration of the loud music was jarring. I grabbed hold of a table and breathed in slowly again, feeling better after a few seconds. Bekka ran over to me and pulled me onto the dance floor. I didn't have time to say anything to Tristan, he just watched me disappear into the crowds. I felt torn – while I wanted to be with him, I also wanted to enjoy my night with Bekka and Val. That was, after all, the whole point of the night.
    Val was already dancing in the middle of the floor. We were dancing to a mix of Rihanna and Jay Z and I soon realized they had as much alcohol in their systems as I did. There was no doubt about it,