Chapter 32
James
I used to be pretty good about picking the noncrazy girls out at a bar.
But I must be out of practice, because the girl currently dancing on my coffee table—even though no music is playing—is all-out nuts.
“Elisse, honey,” I say, keeping my tone as calm as possible. “How about I call you a cab?”
The only response I get is a shirt in the face. Her shirt.
“Christ,” I mutter. So not in the mood for this.
“I wanna dance!” she hollers. “Come dance with me, Jaye!”
I scratch my cheek. I swear to God she didn’t seem this weird in the bar. A little hyper maybe, but not loony bin.
I’ve just been so damn desperate to lose myself in someone else. To get rid of the ache that seems to have taken up permanent residence in my chest.
“I’ll dance with you if you get down from the table,” I lie.
She does this sort of saucy hip wiggle, and her fingers drop to the fly of her jeans. She wiggles her eyebrows as she unbuttons it, and I realize I’m about to be subjected to a nonconsensual striptease.
A knock at the door saves me from having to watch as she slowly turns around, bending over as her tight jeans start to make a downward trek over her ass.
“Please let that be Bret,” I mutter.
I’m obviously going to have to physically remove this girl from my coffee table, and an extra set of hands will be majorly appreciated.
It’s not Bret.
“Nadz! Hey!” I say, registering that my chain of emotions is something like panic, joy, and then confusion.
Confusion, because I know pretty much all of Nadine Lustre's expressions, but for the life of me, I don’t recognize the one on her face right now.
“Um, everything okay?” I ask.
Then I jolt forward as a candy-scented female comes careening into me from behind. Elisse's bra is still on, thank God. Her pants are not.
“Who’s this?” the surprise stripper chirps.
Nadine's smile is wide and friendly as she fixes her gaze on Elisse. Uh-oh. That face, I know.
Poor Elisse.
“Hi, I’m Alexis.” Her voice is friendly.
Elisse nose wrinkles. “That’s a boy’s name.”
“Mmm,” Nadine says in a considering tone as she comes in and sets her bag down by the front door. A big bag. I wonder where she’s headed. “Is it? What’s your name, darling?”
“Elisse!”
“Well, Elisse.” Nadine links her fingers together and gives Elisse a polite, professional look. “I’m really sorry to ruin your evening like this, but my brother…he’s not well.”
For the first time, Elisse's tireless smile wavers. “Your brother?”
Nadine gives a head nod in my direction and I hide a grin. “He’s supposed to be in rehab for sex addiction. Seems he got out.”
Elisse gives me a nervous look. “I like sex.”
“I’m sure you do, dear,” Nadine coos. “But see, James here, his tastes are a bit…singular.”
