crowd got bigger, surrounding them, and she lost sight of Mason…not just him, she lost sight of Kayla too. Thoroughly enjoying dancing, the not so bad looking guy she was dancing with was all smiles. By now, thoughts of Mason vanished, and she disappeared into the crowd as she danced like she’d never danced before. The vibration from the bass pumped through her body, enticing and fueling her with energy that was buried within her. With both of her hands up in the air, she moved in ways she’d never dared to do—seductively. Certainly, she was having the time of her life.
Skylar felt carefree, and at the same time, she felt light headed from the alcohol. Now she knew what feeling buzzed felt like. Though she didn’t know if she liked the feeling, she knew it made her feel braver, more daring…like the way she was dancing with a total stranger. As they continued to sway to the beat, sweat trickled down her forehead. Blood rushed to her face, making her feel hot from all the movement.
Unexpectedly, her dance partner placed his hands around her hips and pulled her in. Not only did he reek with alcohol, he was sweating like he had just gotten out of the shower. His hands were all over her, uncomfortably. Wanting him off her, she pushed him, but he didn’t budge and continued to hold onto her. Then he pulled her arms behind her back to lock them in place. It happened so fast she didn’t have time to react.
“Stop!” she yelled. The people around her were so hypnotized by the sound of the music, they were unable to hear her cry for help. Skylar desperately tried to push him off, but with all her pushing and yanking, and him moving to her sway, it looked like they were dancing together.
“Get off me!” she yelled again. Thank goodness her mom had made her take a self-defense class. Think. Think. Think . Recalling the demonstration she’d observed and practiced during a class session, she thought to try it. With the only part of her body that was free, she jabbed her heel on top of his shoe as hard as she could, and kicked him on his shin to push him away.
Stumbling several steps backward, looking like he was in great pain, he moaned loudly. With piercing eyes that held a look of rage, he pulled his hand back to swing at her. Just before contact, he was thrown across the floor, knocking people down who happened to be in his path.
“She said no!” Mason looked at Skylar. “You okay?”
Feeling humiliated and stunned, tears streamed down her cheeks. Unintentionally, she darted to Mason and threw her arms around him. She couldn’t help herself. She didn’t plan on doing it—it just happened. Skylar only did it for one reason—to thank him.
Chapter 9
“Skylar? Skylar!” Kayla shouted, sounding concerned.
Hearing her cousin’s voice, she pulled herself from Mason. “Sorry,” she whimpered, looking up at him as she wiped her tears away. His eyes gazed into hers with a look of concern; or was it a look of annoyance because she’d hugged him? She didn’t know. Whatever the reason, his hands were straight down and his muscles were tensed, so she was all too glad to have Kayla come to her rescue.
“Are you okay?” Kayla asked, pulling Skylar away from the dance floor and toward the exit.
Looking over her shoulder, Skylar had a clear view of Mason still standing there stiff as a board. Her body continued to tremble as tears dampened her cheeks again.
Kayla pushed the door open and led them half way down the block. “What happened?”
After Skylar explained, Kayla thought it was best to go home. Not wanting to ruin Kayla’s night, Skylar convinced her to stay. She told her to ask Nick to drive her home, and she would take Kayla’s car.
“Are you sure?” Kayla asked, letting out a conflicting heavy sigh.
“Yes. I’m a big girl. Please go back and have fun. I don’t want Nick waiting for you too long, and I don’t want to be the cause of you going home early and ruining both of your
Skylar felt carefree, and at the same time, she felt light headed from the alcohol. Now she knew what feeling buzzed felt like. Though she didn’t know if she liked the feeling, she knew it made her feel braver, more daring…like the way she was dancing with a total stranger. As they continued to sway to the beat, sweat trickled down her forehead. Blood rushed to her face, making her feel hot from all the movement.
Unexpectedly, her dance partner placed his hands around her hips and pulled her in. Not only did he reek with alcohol, he was sweating like he had just gotten out of the shower. His hands were all over her, uncomfortably. Wanting him off her, she pushed him, but he didn’t budge and continued to hold onto her. Then he pulled her arms behind her back to lock them in place. It happened so fast she didn’t have time to react.
“Stop!” she yelled. The people around her were so hypnotized by the sound of the music, they were unable to hear her cry for help. Skylar desperately tried to push him off, but with all her pushing and yanking, and him moving to her sway, it looked like they were dancing together.
“Get off me!” she yelled again. Thank goodness her mom had made her take a self-defense class. Think. Think. Think . Recalling the demonstration she’d observed and practiced during a class session, she thought to try it. With the only part of her body that was free, she jabbed her heel on top of his shoe as hard as she could, and kicked him on his shin to push him away.
Stumbling several steps backward, looking like he was in great pain, he moaned loudly. With piercing eyes that held a look of rage, he pulled his hand back to swing at her. Just before contact, he was thrown across the floor, knocking people down who happened to be in his path.
“She said no!” Mason looked at Skylar. “You okay?”
Feeling humiliated and stunned, tears streamed down her cheeks. Unintentionally, she darted to Mason and threw her arms around him. She couldn’t help herself. She didn’t plan on doing it—it just happened. Skylar only did it for one reason—to thank him.
Chapter 9
“Skylar? Skylar!” Kayla shouted, sounding concerned.
Hearing her cousin’s voice, she pulled herself from Mason. “Sorry,” she whimpered, looking up at him as she wiped her tears away. His eyes gazed into hers with a look of concern; or was it a look of annoyance because she’d hugged him? She didn’t know. Whatever the reason, his hands were straight down and his muscles were tensed, so she was all too glad to have Kayla come to her rescue.
“Are you okay?” Kayla asked, pulling Skylar away from the dance floor and toward the exit.
Looking over her shoulder, Skylar had a clear view of Mason still standing there stiff as a board. Her body continued to tremble as tears dampened her cheeks again.
Kayla pushed the door open and led them half way down the block. “What happened?”
After Skylar explained, Kayla thought it was best to go home. Not wanting to ruin Kayla’s night, Skylar convinced her to stay. She told her to ask Nick to drive her home, and she would take Kayla’s car.
“Are you sure?” Kayla asked, letting out a conflicting heavy sigh.
“Yes. I’m a big girl. Please go back and have fun. I don’t want Nick waiting for you too long, and I don’t want to be the cause of you going home early and ruining both of your
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