Take Me There

Sweaty Palms and Risky Business

Chapter Eighteen

"Does this look okay?"
Lincoln and Sadie both looked over at me as I walked out of the bathroom, my palms already clammy with anticipation. Lincoln grinned and nodded her head in approval.
"You look hot," She said, giving me an all over glance.
I looked over at Sadie and frowned at her dissaproving gaze. "What?"
She sighed. "He is totally gonna have trouble keeping his hands to himself."
I rolled my eyes even though my cheeks were turning red at her comment. Even though Sadie warned me that Kiptyn was going to ask me out, I still didn't really think it would happen. I still didn't believe it even as he asked me to get dinner with him. I'm pretty sure I'd made myself look like a complete idiot since I'd been standing in a towel with my mouth wide open.

No, it wasn't probably.

I definitely looked like an idiot.

I had to admit, I was really hesitant at first whenever he asked me. Especially since he had that notorious smirk on his face, like he just knew that I was going to say yes. But for some reason, my dumbness prevailed, and I was going on a date with Kiptyn Cross.
Yes. I was going out with Kiptyn Cross. The guy that was the bane of my existence not even a week ago.
Funny how things change.
Now it was three hours later and I'd spent over half of the time freaking out and the other half making sure that I looked perfect. I don't even think I'd put a whole lot of effort into my appearance any of the times I went out with Drew. And suddenly I was curling my hair in perfect waves and making sure that my mascara did not clump one bit.
Because we all know that's a disaster.
I'd decided to wear a really simple dress since I'd done my make up and hair. So I was currently wearing a light blue colored chiffon dress that stopped at the middle of my thigh and had simple ruffles across the breast area. It was strapless and hung straight down, so I'd paired it with my favorite gold sandals.
"Don't scare her," Lincoln said to Sadie, "Kiptyn knows how to be a gentleman when he needs to be."
Sadie snorted. "That's why he nearly fucked her in a pool."
"In his defense, she initiated the kiss," Lincoln pointed out.
I groaned. "You guys are just making me even more nervous."
Lincoln stood up off of her bed and smiled. "I think you look incredible."
"Thanks," I sighed.
"I think if Kiptyn touches you wrong, you should kick him in the balls," Sadie said as she applied a generous amount of mascara.
"Okay, Austin."
Sadie gave me a smile. "Since Kiptyn's making the moves on you, somebody knew has to fill the roll of babysitter."
"I don't need a babysitter."
"Says the girl that almost lost her virginity in a pool just because I wasn't around to stop her."
"I did not almost lose my virginity!"
Lincoln grinned. "You so did."
"I don't even like him that much!" I said, wanting nothing more than to face palm.
Lincoln and Sadie both just laughed, causing me to become even more embarrassed. All of this was just so new to me. Not because I hadn't gone on a date or anything, but because I'd only ever dated one guy. A guy that I'd known every little thing about. It was scary to suddenly be going out with someone that I knew but I didn't know.
I grabbed my phone off of the dresser. My stomach clenched whenever I realized that it was pretty much time for me to go downstairs to the lobby and meet Kiptyn. Since the rest of the gang were going to some club, Kiptyn decided that we were going to take a cab to wherever it was that we were going. "I'll see you girls later," I said, walking to the door.
"If you loose your v card, please give me all the deets!" Sadie yelled as I walked out of the room, shaking my head at her.
I made my way to the lobby quickly, surprised that Kiptyn was already standing in front of one of the TVs, obviously waiting for me. His hands were shoved in his jean pockets and I wasn't surprised to see one of his notorious vnecks stretched across his back muscles.
I took a deep breath before standing beside him. "Hi."
He looked over at me, a grin breaking out across his lips whenever he realized that it was me. "Hey."
I thought I was going to stop breathing whenever he reached down and placed a short kiss on my forehead. I couldn't even remember a time when Drew had greeted me like that.
It was weird, honestly. But sweet, too. Especially coming from Kiptyn.
"You look really hot."
I rolled my eyes. "Thanks."
Leave it to Kiptyn to ruin the mood.
"You ready to go?"
I nodded and let him lead the way out of the hotel. It was already dark outside, not surprisingly since it was almost eight thirty. A cab was waiting for us right in front of the sliding doors and my stomach tightened at the thought of him calling and planning for it to be here at this exact time to pick us up.
The ride to wherever we were headed was silent. I mean completely silent. He didn't say a word, I didn't say a word, and the driver didn't say a word. I wouldn't necessarily say that it was awkward, but it wasn't the most comfortable car ride ever.
I don't know. Kiptyn was just confusing.
When the taxi stopped, Kiptyn opened his door and climbed out of the car. I took a deep breath before doing the same, because I knew that Kiptyn wasn't the type to open a girl's door. He was no Drew in that aspect.
As Kiptyn payed the driver, I looked at the building we were currently at. I felt my excitement falter slightly whenever I realized that we were at a bar.
Yes, out of all of the places Kiptyn could have taken me, he chose a bar. I couldn't help but wonder what exactly went through his head.
I turned to look at him as the taxi drove away, narrowing my eyes. "Are we really at a bar right now?"
He grinned. "I figured you would feel most comfortable in your natural element."
"You mean your natural element."
He shrugged. "Same thing."
I inwardly groaned and walked beside him up the doors of the bar. We both showed the bouncer our IDs and were able to get our hands stamped so that we could drink whatever we wanted. I looked around the extremely large place, surprised to see that so many people were already here and it wasn't even nine.
We both took a seat at the very end and Kiptyn ordered us both some kind of drink that I'd never heard of.
"So what was the point in asking Sadie what I liked and didn't like if you were just going to bring me to a bar?" I asked, leaning my right elbow on the bar and resting my cheek in my hand as I looked at him.
"I didn't like any of the things you did and I liked all of the things you didn't. So I picked a neutral ground."
"A bar is neutral?"
"To me it is."
Whenever our drinks arrived, I looked at the tall glass filled with a brown liquid wearily. I had no idea what the hell it was, but if Kiptyn was going to be difficult, I might as well drink.
I took a sip and tried not to let the burning sensation it left as it went down my thoat affect me. But this shit was strong to say the least and I could feel my eyes burning.
Kiptyn smirked. "Do you like it?"
I coughed slightly. "It's strong."
"It'll knock you on your ass," He said, taking a long gulp.
I sighed. "Great."
He was quiet for a few minutes, taking a few more sips of his drink before he turned to look at me. "I have an idea."
"Oh God."
He grinned. "It's actually a good idea."
"Let me hear it."
"We're gonna play a little game."
I immediatley groaned which only made Kiptyn smirk.
"What? You don't want to play a game with me?"
I gave him a look. "Just explain the game."
"It's simple," His smirk grew, "I ask you a question and if you answer it, you don't have to drink. If you don't want to answer it, you don't have to. But you have to drink."
"That's stupid."
He shrugged. "It'll get you drunk faster."
"Oh so you're just planning to get me shitfaced?"
He smiled. "Of course."
I rolled my eyes. "Fine, I'll play."
Kiptyn turned to the bartender. "Can you bring out two more of these?"
I felt my stomach flip. This was obviously going to be one interesting game.

About thirty minutes later, and I was definitely feeling tipsy. Kiptyn had asked me a lot of questions about Drew so far that I obviously didn't want to answer, mainly because I didn't want to talk about them, so I'd decided to drink.
Now I was kind of regretting that decision. My stomach was warm from the alcohol and I could feel the numbness in my toes and fingertips; a sign that I was going to be extremely intoxicated soon.
"Are you going to ask a question or what?" I asked, leaning against the bar and raising my eyebrows at Kiptyn.
He rubbed his jaw before looking at me, his face suddenly serious. I could feel my heart beginning to race as his blue eyes stared straight through mine. "Why didn't you sleep with Drew?"
I thought for a second, trying to decide if I wanted to answer this question or not. I finally took a deep breath and decided to grow a pair of lady balls and just answer.
"I don't know," I said, shrugging slightly, "It was just never the right time for me, honestly."
"That's a shitty answer."
I stared at him. "What would you like me to say? That I was scared? Scared I wouldn't be good enough for someone like Drew Lawrence?" I looked at my drink and began to run my finger around the rim of the glass. "I didn't want our relationship to become sexual because I knew that once it did, that was all that it would revolve around."
"If you thought you wouldn't be good enough, then you're stupid."
I huffed. "You don't get it."
"Ask your question," He said, switching the subject suddenly. I was thankful for the switch though. I was tired of talking about Drew.
"Why did you ask me out tonight?"
I watched as his body tensed and he reached for his glass. I immediately grabbed his hand, staring at him intently. "Please don't drink. I want to know."
He glanced at me before sighing and pulling his hand away from his drink. After a few seconds of silence, he finally shrugged. "I felt like it was the right thing to do."
I gave him a curious look. "The right thing?"
"The other night when all of that shit happened in the pool," He shrugged again, "You pretty much said you regretted it. I don't like that."
I rolled my eyes. "So you're just trying to prove something."
"You said that I make you feel things."
I felt my cheeks redden but I nodded my head anyway, because I did say that and it was true. "Yeah."
"Well, you make me feel things too."
I smirked. "Yeah, like a boner."
His lips widened in a grin and I smiled. I really was getting better at this comeback thing. "No," He finally said, "It's more than just a boner."
"But you admit that I do make you hard?"
"You're beautiful. How could you not?"
I snorted. "Was that supposed to be romantic?"
"I'm trying here," He deadpanned.
"Why though? Why are you even trying?"
His eyes softened slightly and I thought I was going to melt into a pile of goo. "Because I like being around you."
"You hated me a week ago," I pointed out.
"Haven't we already discussed the whole hating thing?"
I nodded my head. "I just don't see a guy like you actually expressing your feelings."
"Well you make it really fucking hard."
I blushed. "Sorry."
"The bottom line is that I want to get to know you better," He ran a hand through his hair and I could tell that he was nervous about whatever he was going to say, "I thought I knew you. I thought I knew everything about you. But, you've proved me wrong. You're unexpected and I like that."
My blush deepened and the butterflies in my stomach were going crazy. I took a sip of my drink because I wasn't sure what else I could do, but I knew I had to look away from his piercing gaze.
Whenever I looked back over at him, I decided that I was done talking about all of this. "Let's dance."
He smiled, nodding his head and getting up from his stool. I hopped off of my own and grabbed his hand, dragging him onto the dance floor. There were a lot of people already dancing, and it was weird because the music was coming from a DJ instead of a band like I was used to.
Just like the week before, Kiptyn and I danced like we couldn't get enough of each other. His hands were on my hips, my ass was on his crotch, and his lips were pressed against the skin of my neck. The alcohol and the feel of his skin touching mine was making me feel dizzy. A kind of dizzy that I felt like I would never get used to.
Whenever the song changed, I turned around in Kiptyn's arms. He wrapped his hands around my waist and grabbed my ass immediately, pulling me tightly against him. I ran my hands up his chest and around his neck, playing with the hair on the nape of his neck as we both moved to the beat of the music.
I stared up at him, his eyes full of an emotion that I couldn't read. He was so good at that; putting up a wall so that I couldn't figure out what he was thinking.
I was going to tell him, tell him to let me in so that I could figure out what he was feeling or thinking. But before I could the chance, he was kissing me.
This kiss was different than the last one. His lips were still just as soft, but they were more urgent. His hands on my ass pulled me even closer to him before one of hands traveled up to my neck, cupping it as his tongue entered my mouth.
I couldn't believe this. I couldn't believe that I was making out with Kiptyn Cross again. Especially in a bar in Little Rock, Arkansas. I should have been embarrassed, but I wasn't. All I was focused on was making sure that our lips were in sync and that he didn't stop kissing me.
I didn't want him to stop kissing me any time soon.