Free Kissing Eden by T. A. Foster Page A

wasn’t the most creative marketing I had seen, but it was sure to draw lots of spring breakers. Maybe that was what I needed. I should get away from the Palm Palace and hang out with other college students. I needed to integrate with the rest of the real spring break world. A distraction from Grey and those lips was in order.
    There was a long list of performers. It was going to be one huge spring break concert. Luckily, whoever had designed the Bongos flyer had added a map at the bottom. Like Pete’s, it was on the sound side of the island and not too far from where I was staying. I smiled before tucking the party invite into my bag.

    ***

    The green sundress would have to be ok for the Bongos party. It was the only dress I had, and I didn’t want to wear running shorts for my night out. I checked my reflection in the mirror. It hit my curves in all the right spots, and I thought about what Renee had said about how I looked in it. I wasn’t above accepting a few free drinks tonight.
    I grabbed my purse and the palm tree key chain , and jogged out of the door and straight into Grey.
    “Oh, hey. Sorry. I was—” I looked at him. He was carrying a stepladder in one hand and his waist was wrapped in a tool belt.
    “You in a hurry?” He set the ladder down against the wall.
    “I thought I’d try the Bongos party tonight.”
    I brushed my choppy bangs to the side. I don’t know why he always made me fidget so much. I never did this around Brett.
    “Right. I thought you said you weren’t a party girl.” I couldn’t tell if he was teasing me again or offended I had caved to the stereotypical spring break parties.
    “I’m not . I just wanted to see what the big deal is.”
    I couldn’t tell him I needed a break from him. That would sound ludicrous.
    He dropped the smile from his lips. “Well, be careful. It’s a big crowd and things get a little crazy down there.”
    “So you’ve been before?” I tried to imagine Grey in a dance club.
    “I’m not that old. Yeah, I’ve been before. It’s not really my scene. I like Pete’s.” He picked up the ladder.
    I hesitated in the walkway, hoping for a sign of familiarity between us—a smile, a wink, anything. “Ok. See you around, I guess.”
    I tucked the palm tree key into my purse and walked away from Grey. I liked Pete’s too. If he had asked me , I would have gladly ditched my Bongos plan to go have a drink with him at the bar, but he didn’t. Instead, he acted as if nothing happened last night. I guess nothing did. I turned him down at my door. Well, at least I knew what he was interested in. This called for another Taylor conversation, but after I got back from Bongos.

    ***

    The bouncer at the door barely looked at my ID before shuttling me through the revolving turnstile that led into Bongos. I was wedged against the back wall by a crowd of people in line for drinks at the bar. Carefully, I edged along the wall, taking in my surroundings. There were cages dangling from the ceiling with bikini-clad girls dancing, a rapper I had never heard of performing on stage, and girls with beer logos strategically placed over their breasts handing out free drink samples. Everything was flashing and the bass was so loud that I couldn’t think. Bongos was all wrong for me. I knew it within my first two minutes inside the club. Why did I think this was a good idea?
    “Can I buy you a shot?” An overly muscled guy wrapped his hand around my waist and shouted into my ear. He had doused himself with at least half a bottle of cologne and was wearing a tight tank top.
    I tried to push back a little from him. “No, thanks. I was just leaving.”
    I could still make it to Pete’s and have a margarita. This evening didn’t have to be a total waste.
    “You here alone?” His hand was attached to my waist, and I didn’t have much room to move.
    “I’m meet ing someone, so thanks for the offer.” I tried to smile and brush past him, but he was like a solid statue I