Page 10 of Out of Control

“I think this is the part where I bow out to get another drink.”

“Make him buy it for you,” she suggests and nudges me with her elbow.

“I can buy my own drink, thank you very much.”

“Where’s the fun in that, Sof?” she whines.

“I’m not helpless.”

“No one said you were,” she states, but that unsettled feeling, that twist of my stomach in fear from last night returns briefly, causing me to roll my shoulders. His hands on me. That forced kiss. The shakiness after . . .

“Look, the man is used to women falling at his feet. Can’t say I wouldn’t exactly fault any of them for it . . . but I will not be one of them.”

“Ahhh, so you are interested then,” she states.

“Whatever.” I roll my eyes. What would it be like to be with a man like him?

No, Sofia. He’s as off limits as off limits can be.

“You are. Admit it.”

“Interested would be fine if we left here and never saw each other again. But that’s not possible. He’s my brother’s teammate. He’s—”

“He’s who you’re going to sleep with before this weekend’s over.”

I bark out a laugh despite the slow simmering ache forming at the apex of my thighs. “You’re crazy.”

“Exactly. And you would be if you didn’t.” She taps her plastic cocktail cup against mine. “You’re about to jump off the deep end—at least that’s what you’re saying.”

“I am. This time, I’m going to do it.” A dozen false starts and losses of bravado don’t mean I won’t stick to it this time.

Lilith eyes me and nods. “I believe you.” She smiles in encouragement. “And since I believe you, since I know you’re about to jump feet first into making your gallery a reality, I also know that this weekend, this festival, is supposed to be your time to have a moment . . . so have one.”

“How about I sleep with anybody but him?”

“You can.” She smirks and looks over my shoulder, no doubt at Rossi. “But you won’t. He’s so your type. And you’ve never been big on the whole taking a stranger home for the night thing so he’s perfect. Kind of a stranger. Kind of not. And if he really is a fuckboy, then at least you know he knows how to do it right.”

“Glad you have it all planned out.” She’s crazy. And so damn right it’s ridiculous.

“I do. You can thank me later for the mind-blowing sex.”

“You’re being ridiculous.”

“On that note . . .” Lilith looks to the left of us and smiles. I follow her gaze and spot the guy she’s been talking with online. The one who came to the festival more for her than for the music.

“Go,” I say.

“I’m not leaving you. I’d rather hang with—”

“I don’t need a babysitter, Lil. Besides, you want to watch Stella Ferguson perform, and I want to watch DJ Skillz. I’m fine being on my own. You know me.”

“Yes. The wanderer.” She eyes me.

I didn’t say anything to her about last night. About what happened with the jerk and why I met Rossi. If I had, Momma Lilith wouldn’t leave my side for the rest of the weekend. She’d forgo her fun for my sake and say something about how we only get to hang out a few times a year, so she doesn’t mind.

“I can stay,” she says. “We only get to see each other a few times every—”

“Go.” I laugh at my mind reading skills. “I’m fine. I promise.”