Platinum (All That Glitters #3)(6)

She nearly made it across the room before Maya caught up to her. “Hey. What the hell happened back there?”

“Nothing.”

But something had happened.

She felt ridiculous. Damon and she had been having a good time. It was just dancing, nothing out of the ordinary. Then, she had thought about kissing him, and she couldn’t believe herself. She wasn’t upset with Damon but with herself. That was not the person she was. It wasn’t the person she ever wanted to be. She would never put anyone in the position she had been in herself.

“That sure as hell didn’t look like nothing.”

“Well, it’s nothing. I just want to go,” she said softly. She wasn’t even sure if Maya had heard her.

When she looked back up, she saw Damon running after her.

“Hey,” he called.

“Oh God…”

Maya looked between them and then shook her head. “You’re right. We should just go.” She put her hand on Damon’s chest before he could get any closer and gave him the best don’t-f*ck-with-the-bartender look. “Back off, buddy!”

He looked at her quizzically. “I didn’t mean to upset your friend. I don’t even know why she left.”

“She’s not interested, so just back off,” Maya spat.

“Maya!” Trihn was freaking out, but Maya didn’t need to lie. Trihn was interested. That was the problem.

“Sorry. I just…” He pulled his hat off and started self-consciously flipping it between his fingers. “I don’t even know your name.”

Trihn pushed past Maya and smiled hesitantly. “I’m Trihn, but I have a boyfriend so…” She trailed off. What more do I need to say?

“Oh.” He nodded his head and took a step back. Already, his eyes were searching elsewhere. All of that confidence that had been in his dancing fled him at the first sign of her rejection. “I’ll see you around then,” he said. He took one last look at her and then left the floor.

She hated the way her stomach plummeted in his absence and the way doing something right felt so wrong.

“What the hell?” Maya demanded, swiveling to face Trihn. “He was totally into you!”

“Yeah, that’s the problem,” Trihn said. She chewed on her lip and averted her gaze from where Damon had just disappeared. “Thanks for having my back though.”

“I only did it because you had given me that terrified look. I immediately went into bartender mode, but maybe I shouldn’t have.” Maya placed her hands on her hips. She leveled Trihn with a knowing look. “I think you were into him, too.”

Trihn shrugged. “He’s cute.”

“He’s cute? That’s all you have?”

“Really cute?”

“Hot. Smoking hot. And he can move.”

“And I still have a boyfriend,” Trihn said.

It really didn’t matter how hot Damon was or how he could move because she was taken. If she had learned anything from the bullshit with Preston, it was that dating two people at once was never a viable option.

“I’m not Bryna or Stacia. I’m not going to tell you to break up with Neal or that he’s an *. I know the things they say about him.”

“Thanks.”

“But,” Maya said, “I want you to know, we’re all just looking out for you. We want you to be happy.”

“I am happy,” Trihn said. “I just want to go home to my boyfriend. That’s all.”

“Okay.” Maya held her hands up, but she looked sad. “Are you sure you want to leave already? We haven’t been out that long, and I don’t get many nights off.”

“I just haven’t seen Neal in a while, and I miss him,” Trihn told her. “There will be plenty of other nights like this.”

Maya frowned but nodded. “All right. Well, catch a cab, and be safe. I’ll tell the girls that you headed out.”

Trihn pulled Maya into a hug. “Thank you for being such a good friend.”

“You know I’d do anything for you, Trihni. Call me if you need anything.”

“I will,” Trihn said. Then, she turned and walked out of the crowded club.

Her head was fuzzy, and for some reason that she couldn’t quite pinpoint, she felt disoriented.

Walking away was the right choice. Finding a guy attractive was one thing. Fantasizing about kissing him was an entirely different matter.

Maybe Neal was right after all, and she shouldn’t have come out to the club tonight. She had thought The Kiln was bad, but she had been in a world of temptation all on her own.

Trihn flagged down a cab, and on the way to her place, she pulled her phone out and dialed Neal’s number. It rang four times before going to his voice mail.

She sighed but waited for the beep. “Hey. I’m leaving the club now. You were right. I probably should have just stayed in with you tonight. I miss you. I’d love for you to stay the night with me. Call me back. Love you. Bye.”

She slumped back in the seat and stared out the window as the Las Vegas Strip disappeared behind them. She lived in an apartment with Bryna and Stacia. It was just off the LV State campus, which was only a couple of miles from the Strip.

The cab dropped her off outside her building, and to clear her head, she trudged up the steps to the top floor instead of taking the elevator to clear her head.