Page 5 of Torch

She nodded, handing my phone back. “Well, since it was a misunderstanding, all is forgiven.” She turned to walk away, but I grabbed her hand.

As soon as I did, tingles shot up my arm. I knew I wasn’t the only one who felt it because I heard the sharp breath she took. I felt a pull to this girl. I don’t know what it was about her, but I wasn’t ready to be away from her.

“What’s your name, beautiful?” I tucked my lip between my teeth.

She blushed, moving a piece of hair behind her ear. “Brittney.”

“Nice to meet you, Brittney. I’m Christian.” I didn’t even hesitate to tell her my given name, which is so unlike me, but the thought of her calling me Torch didn’t feel right.

“Nice to meet—” she said before someone bumped into her, knocking her against me.

Our bodies pressed tightly together. My hand found its way to her lower back as I held her. She fit perfectly in my arms. I didn’t understand what was happening to me.

Brittney cleared her throat before pulling away. “I think I’m going to get out of here. It’s a little too crowded for me.”

“What?!” her friend shouted. “Come on, Brit. It’s our last night. We’re supposed to be going out with a bang.”

“I didn’t say we’re going back to the hotel. I just want to go somewhere less crowded.”

Before I could even think about it, the words were out of my mouth. “How about you and your friends come up to my section? It has plenty of room.”

A girl who looked a little like her stepped forward. “You got any single friends up there?”

I chuckled at her brazenness. “Plenty.”

“Sounds like my kind of party. Let’s go.”

I turned my attention back to Brittney and stretched my hand out to her. “You coming, beautiful?”

She nibbled on that plump bottom lip I wanted in my mouth, thinking it over. Finally, after a few seconds, she grabbed my hand. “Lead the way.”

Chapter Two

BRITTNEY

My impromptu trip to Vegas was proving to be everything I needed. When I left Julian at the restaurant, I knew I couldn’t stay home that night. As soon as my parents came home from the charity ball they were attending, I wouldn’t have gotten any sleep.

Once I was in my car, I called my best friend, Kira. She was so happy when I told her I had ended things. She had been advocating for it since the very beginning. But she knew just as much as I did that I needed to stay away from home for a while until things cooled off. So, she told me to pack a bag and come to stay at her apartment.

It was only one bedroom, but her couch was pretty comfortable, so I didn’t hesitate to agree. When I got home to pack my bag, my sister, Morgan, was there with her two friends, Emily and Tammy. Morgan shot off the couch to question me about breaking things off with Julian.

Apparently, he had already called my parents and told them, and they were on the way home. I had my bags packed in ten minutes and got the hell out of there. Morgan, wanting to be nosy and get all the details, decided to follow me to Kira’s apartment.

I was a bit annoyed that she came. It didn’t help that she brought Emily and Tammy along as well. Don’t get me wrong, I love my baby sister, but sometimes I felt like she hated me. She would always make underhanded comments about the way I dressed and looked. Sometimes, she would even basically call me fat because I wasn’t a size two like her.

In no way was I ashamed of my curvy figure. Everyone had their own preferences, which is what she failed to realize. Just like there were men who wanted their women tiny, there were also men who desired curvy women. It didn’t make either woman less beautiful than the next.

Once we got to Kira’s, I told them everything that happened.

“Are you sure you really want to blow up your entire life like this?” Morgan asked, rolling her eyes. “You act like Julian is a scrub or something. He’s worth millions, Brittney!”

I scoffed, shaking my head. “So? Money doesn’t bring happiness, Morgan. I don’t care if the man I marry is a janitor. As long as he loves me the way I want to be loved, that’s all that matters.”

“A janitor?!” Tammy parroted. “Girl, you sound crazy. Couldn’t be me. I need a man who can shell out the cash.” She laughed. Morgan and Emily joined in high-fiving each other.

This is exactly why I didn’t like hanging out with them. They had no morals. They would literally sell their souls for the right price.

“We know what kind of men you prefer,” Kira spat with a look of disgust.