Page 3 of Devil Within

Vette held up her hand, cutting her off mid-sentence. “No ifs, ands, or buts. The front desk receptionist at my work, his name is Nick, said he’d meet us at the Tipsy Bison bar. I’ve been talking about you so much he wants to meet you.”

“This isn’t a setup, is it?”

“Not for you.”

“Ah,” Shiloh said with a smirk. “Getting your groove on?”

Vette fanned herself with her hand. “I’ve been wanting that groove for a long time.”

****

Nick didn’t come alone. Much to Shiloh’s consternation, he brought a friend named Paul to even out their threesome. She knew Vette meant well, but it put all her self-defenses on red alert. As she looked between Nick and Vette, she realized he was as into her as she was into him. Paul was there to make sure Shiloh wasn’t a third wheel, and that annoyed her a little. She didn’t like socializing all that much and could’ve easily stayed home, but Vette was excited, and she didn’t want to be a damper on her enthusiasm, so she smiled and followed along.

Nick was a nice enough guy. Paul seemed cool too, but she had moved to Cheyenne to make a new life, not fall back into old habits. To cope with the loss of her father, she drank a lot, smoked weed a lot, and had fucked a lot. None of it helped. Then that night happened, and it almost destroyed her all over again.

“Wow, Vette was right about you,” Paul said. “You’re beautiful. Are you a model?”

“Oh, thanks and no.”

She wasn’t stupid, and she had heard that type of flattery before. While nice, she knew she was fairly attractive, but there was nothing spectacular. Beauty was suggestive, and she’d fallen for a pretty phrase in the past. The last thing she wanted was another man giving praise in order to get into her pants.

“My friends are gonna be envious when I walk in with you on my arm,” Paul continued.

And now Paul was on her shit list.

“You know, I’m a little tired,” she said. “Why don’t you guys go have fun tonight without me?”

Vette stepped up and reached for her hand, then glanced at Nick. “You guys go start the car. We’ll be right there.”

Nick nodded, then looked at Shiloh like she was a problem. It was the same look she’d gotten her whole life from her stepfather. When he and Paul were gone, Vette gently squeezed her hand.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I don’t want you to feel pressured or awkward. That wasn’t my intention.”

Shiloh sighed. “No, it’s me. I don’t want to be on someone’s arm. That’s not why I moved to Cheyenne.”

“I know. I just thought a night of drinks and music would be fun.”

She knew it wasn’t Vette’s fault that she was an awkward mess.

“Thanks, Vette,” she whispered. “I don’t mean to be a downer. Let’s go.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yep. Once in a while, I’m going to need you to yank me out of my shell.”

Vette smiled. “Deal.”

She pulled her into her arms and hugged her tight. At first, Shiloh stiffened. Hugs meant harm, but she forced herself to remember this was her new life. A new beginning. Which meant she had to step outside her non-existent comfort zone, so she awkwardly hugged her back. It felt odd, and she didn’t know where to put her hands. Vette must have felt her uneasiness because he pulled back and let her go.

“All right,” Vette said with a smile and a decisive nod. “If at any time you want to leave, let me know and we’re out of there. Okay?”

“Okay.”

Nick offered to be the designated driver. Vette slid into the passenger seat, leaving her and Paul to sit in the back. Thank goodness Paul seemed to have gotten the message because he was now laid back and cool. Shiloh kept her distance and didn’t flirt at all. That was not her M.O. The last thing she needed or wanted was some guy thinking they had a claim on her.

Nick found a parking spot about a block away from the bar. While Nick and Vette talked and laughed, she followed, and Paul kept pace. Occasionally he interjected into their conversation. The night was cool, and the closer they got to the bar, the louder the music. Inside was noisy and crowded, and she loved that there was something besides her own thoughts pounding in her head.

It reminded her a little of a cattle pen trying to pack as many cows into a small space as possible. In some places, it was hard to maneuver past the bodies. Men wore either cowboy hats or baseball caps. Girls walked by with ass cheeks playing peek-a-boo with their hemlines.