Scott flashed his ID at the guard and waited while it was checked. He was mildly annoyed, for his brother’s presence would have gotten him passed right in. Briefly, he had considered inviting Thad to join him. He had decided, though, that it was not yet time, not until he was a little more sure where this relationship—if that was what it was—was heading. Instead, he had left the house without telling his brother where he was going. Thad might fret over that, Scott considered, as his brother had the night he had unintentionally spent with Jenna. Scott also knew that it was equally likely that Thad might not notice until morning.
The security guard stared at Scott’s face for a moment and then studied his ID. He tapped the ID card against his palm thoughtfully.
“Hey,” the guard said. “Do you have a brother?”
Scott wanted to sink his face into his hands. What remained of his earlier good mood was vanishing rapidly. He had finished at the lab a bit earlier than expected, so had been looking forward to surprising Jenna by being earlier than he had first told her. Now this . . .
Oh crap. Which one’s brother or boyfriend is this?
Looking at the man’s face, Scott of course had no idea. He was tempted to deny any association with Thad. However, having information to be able to warn with his brother of (yet another) death threat could be valuable. As long as it was not like—what was her name? Danielle?—whose big brother decided to take a swing at Scott since Thad had not been available.
“Yeah,” Scott admitted reluctantly, prepared for a major hassle over one of his brother’s recent conquests.
The guard surprised Scott by grinning broadly. He rapped Scott against his shoulder, nearly shoving Scott back a few feet.
“That dude really knows how to party.” The guard whistled appreciatively. “Tell him ‘Moose’ says ‘Hi’.”
“I’ll do that,” Scott responded evenly. “Moose”?
The guard handed Scott back his ID card and thumped him against the shoulder again, showing a bit more restraint this time.
“Have a good time inside.”
He gave Scott a wink and thumbs up before turning to the next person in line. Scott shook his head slowly and entered the club.
Damn It, bro. Even when you’re not with me, you’re with me.
Once inside, Scott paused and looked around. A trio of barely-legal girls in tight leather skirts (and Scott was not convinced that there were truly legal) brushed past him, a little too belligerently for his taste. He watched them for a moment as they passed. Two of them regarded for only a moment before deciding that he was either a little too staid or too old to be of use to them. The third paused and ran the tip of her tongue along her glistening lips. Her eyes moved meaningfully down below his waist before her eyebrows bobbed slightly. A moment later she was gone, swallowed by the crowd as she moved after her friends.
Scott was ashamed to discover that his body had reacted to the girl’s coy little come-on. Even if he had slightest notion of pursuing her, he knew that it would be over before it started. Once she discovered that he would be unwilling to supply her with the alcohol or drugs she had been seeking in exchange for that sexual act, it could get ugly.
He continued into the club, searching the roaming clots of people, hoping to spy a glimpse of Jenna. He realized then that they had not agreed on a specific place to meet inside the club. He had not expected her to wait for him outside and, having not seen her out there, assumed that she was in here . . . somewhere.
Craning his neck, he could not find her among the flashing lights and shifting shadows.
It would probably help, he realized, if I knew what she was wearing . . .
He allowed himself a sigh, acknowledging that he had not set out the evening’s plans quite as well as he should have. Spying the silvery reflected lights of the bar, he started to make his way there, hoping that a different vantage point might help. If not, it was a good central location from which to try to message her to find out where she was.
A knot of people parted ahead of him, giving him a clear view of the bar. He noticed an exotic-looking, dark-skinned girl talking to someone. Scott’s face stretched into a grin as he saw her companion. The dark dress that she was wearing unfamiliar—and she looked damned good in it—but Scott immediately recognized the body language and face that went with it.
He took one step forward and then stopped abruptly as a superbly-muscled man approached Jenna. Scott could see them talking for a moment, but he was too far away to read Jenna’s expression. They exchanged a few words. Jenna’s reaction to the young man appeared cool.
Scott started to relax. He began to move forward again and then froze as the young man embraced Jenna, engaging her in what appeared to be a very deep and thorough kiss. Scott tried to rationalize it, but that failed him completely as he watched his hands slide possessively along her body.
The world swayed around Scott and he forced himself to remain steady. He caught a few curious glances from people around him.
No, I’m not drugged out! he wanted to scream in explanation. Even if he had been willing to blurt that aloud, he doubted that he could have forced breath past the sudden constriction in his chest.
Need . . . air . . .
Turning around, he pushed his way clumsily back the way he came.
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