The Perfect First (Fulton U, #1)(32)

“You’ve got to sell it, that’s all.”

“You’re a bullshit artist to the extreme.” Her compliment hit me square on the chin like an accidental elbow that wasn’t meant to hurt but stung.

We walked inside, and she unbuttoned her coat.

I should have known there would be tweed under there.

She pulled it off and draped it over her arm like she’d just walked into a restaurant looking for the coat check. Berk hopped up and waved his arms from the far end. Being over six foot three had its advantages.

“You made it.” He punched my shoulder. “And this must be the elusive Seph. Reece has told us a lot about you.”

Seph’s gaze bounced from his to mine.

“All good things, of course. I ordered a few beers, and there’s a round of shots coming.”

“Didn’t you learn your lesson after last weekend?”

“Do I ever?” He grinned and handed out the drinks when the bartender slid them onto the bar beside him.

Seph held the glass between two fingers like it was a dirty diaper. She leaned against my shoulder. “It smells terrible.”

“It’s booze—most of it doesn’t taste too good either.” I lifted the shot glass. “Have you never had any alcohol before?”

She licked her full, pink lips. “I’ve had some wine at a couple of math department mixers. The bartenders just assume everyone there is a graduate student.”

“I can assure you this is nothing like that wine.”

Berk spun around with two shots in his hand then handed one over to LJ. “Bottoms up.” We clinked glasses and everyone downed their drink in one gulp. The strong sting of the alcohol shot straight down my throat. One was more than enough for me tonight. We’d be traveling the next day for our next game, and I wasn’t sitting on a bus for five hours with my head in a plastic bag.

Seph stared at her empty glass, inspecting it. Not a bark or a cough from her.

“You okay?” I said into her ear.

She stared back at me and licked her lips like she was still trying to make up her mind, testing the punch of it in her stomach and the flavor on her lips. “Can we do another one? Or maybe something with cherries?”

“Hell yeah.” Berk dropped another shot into her hand and turned to order a drink from the bartender.

LJ and I hung back and watched the two of them go drink for drink. “What’s her deal? She’s not still pissed after you almost let her drown?”

I shoved my elbow into his stomach. “She’s here, isn’t she?”

After she had two more shots and half of a bright red drink, I took the next one out of her hand and put it back on the bar.

“Wait,” she called out, grabbing the cherry floating in her glass and popping it into her mouth.

Berkley spun around with a pink and red drink in his hand, holding it out to her. “Don’t spoil her fun!”

“Pretty.” She grabbed at the frosty, sweet concoction with the stem from the cherry sticking out between her lips.

I plucked it out of her reach and slammed it into his chest. The frozen blended mixture sloshed out onto his shirt.

“Come on, man,” he grumbled, wiping at the mess.

“Let’s not send her to the hospital on the first night she starts drinking.”

She laughed at our back and forth and plucked the now knotted stem out from between her teeth.

Berk, LJ, and I exchanged a look.

LJs mouth hung open. “Did you just do that with your tongue?”

Seph’s eyes got wide and she nodded. “It took me a little longer than usual because the stem was so short. Why?”

Berk wrapped his arms around her shoulders. “You’re a freaking legend, Seph.”

My brain sputtered and sparks were probably flying within my skull. Grabbing a mental blanket, I smothered the growing flames generated by me picturing what else she could do with her tongue.

The music kicked up a level, and she spun around toward the people on the dance floor. “I’ve heard this song before.” Happiness radiated off her as she mouthed some of the words.

“Do you want to dance?” I pointed at the sea of bodies beyond the bar area.

“Dance.” She said the word like she was testing it out, something in a foreign language she hadn’t heard before. Staring up at me, she nodded. “Let me take this off though.”

Her fingers dropped to the buttons of her blazer, which had to be insanely hot in the packed club. Leather elbow patches and all, she shrugged the thing off and held it out to LJ. She smiled and thanked him when he took it. LJ dropped it onto the bar stool at his side.

Glancing over her shoulder, her fingers went straight to the buttons of her blouse. Berk and LJ’s eyes bugged out and my hand flew to hers.

“What are you doing?”

She stared at me and back down at my hand. “Taking my shirt off.” She said it like it was totally obvious that someone like her would be stripping down in the middle of a bar. When she opened it completely, there was a collective whoosh of relief that she was wearing one more layer and hadn’t lost her mind. She probably had on another tweed blazer underneath her shirt at the rate we were going.

“Let’s go.” She grabbed my hand, propelled by liquid courage, and pulled me out behind her. She popped up on her toes, trying to peer over the crowd. She looked like a curious meerkat until she actually jumped a couple times; then she just looked adorable. She searched for the perfect spot. There wasn’t much room, but she eventually found something she was happy with. Recognition lit up people’s eyes as I walked past. More than a few hands brushed against my back. Is this a meat market or a club? One and the same, I guess.