From Gods (Descendant Prophecies Book 1)(10)

"I think so. I mean . . . my cousin really wants me to go, but-"

He arched his brows. "But not your crowd?"

"No, not really. I've never been."

"How do you know you won't like it if you've never been?" He smiled.

"That's true. I guess I'll know Friday. Will you be there?" She couldn't believe she'd asked. Be bolder.

"Yes. See you then." He winked.

Was that a direct invitation from him? She didn't know, but he'd said,  "see you then" and even winked. Must mean something, right? Just from  the perceived invitation, she felt as though her whole essence levitated  to the ceiling, and her eyes followed his stride back to his brothers.  Then the brothers stood up at once. On their way out the door, Mason  gave her a sideways quick smile. Nick waved, looking directly at her.  Remus raked his eyes over her, and Everett didn't even bother to look  her way. Strange but good-looking family.

Skylar jerked, startled by her phone vibrating. Ahhh! She hated when  that happened. If anyone had seen her she probably looked like someone  who had just been smacked on the rear.



It was a text from Kayla.

Did he ask you out?

I don't know.

What do you mean?

Kayla raised her brows in confusion. She could have just walked over,  but they were getting busy and she didn't want Mona reprimanding her  again.



Like I said, I don't know.

What did he say?

He asked me if I was going Friday & then said see you then.

Ahhh! That's a date!

Don't be silly. Gotta go. I'm working you know.





"You're not seriously going to wear that, are you?" Skylar asked,  stunned to see her cousin dressed in a short skintight black dress that  had a cowl loop in front and showed major cleavage. Kayla did look sexy  and alluring, but it was not the type of dress Skylar would wear.

"Why not? All the girls will be dressed like this. I want him to see  only me. Here." She pulled a similar dress out of her closet and handed  it to Skylar.         

     



 

Skylar gasped, shaking her head. "I don't think so. I won't be able to breathe."

"Just try it on. It's not as low or as short as mine, I promise."

After Skylar slipped it on, she stood in front of the mirror. It didn't  look as bad as she'd thought it would. She felt older, more attractive.

"See? It looks great on you." Kayla tugged Skylar to the bathroom and fussed with her hair and face.

"Natural-I like it natural. Light on the makeup. Don't make me look like a clown."

Kayla giggled. "A clown? Are you serious? Please, don't insult my  expertise or I will make you look like one. Now turn around, Miss  America."

"Miss America? Yeah, right." Skylar turned to see herself. "Wow. I like it. I look . . . different."

"I told ya so, beautiful clown. He'd better ask you on a real date, or else he is either blind or gay."

Skylar laughed out loud. "Thanks."

After slipping on black high heels they both grabbed their purses, got into Kayla's car, and drove away.

The live music blasted as they entered. Skylar felt overwhelmed by the  ambiance, but Kayla radiated with excitement. It was dark but the  fixtures above the bar and the candles in the middle of the tables gave  off enough light. From the way she was being tugged to the other side of  the club, Skylar knew Kayla had spotted Nick.

Skylar observed the bar while they zipped along. All the stools were  taken except for one. As they zigzagged through booths and tables, she  saw the empty dance floor. Standing tall toward the back and waving, was  Nick. With a hug, he gave each of the girls a kiss on their cheeks.  Disappointingly, he was the only one at the table.

As the girls scooted into the booth, Skylar saw Nick was dressed in  black slacks and a lavender dress shirt. Not only did he smell nice, but  he looked dashing, and part of her felt guilty for thinking he was hot.  Sitting there, she wondered if Mason was around, but she didn't want to  ask Nick. Her question was answered when she saw Mason across the dance  floor looking straight at her, but he was with a girl.

Skylar's heart sank and her face stung as if she had been slapped. She  tried to justify his actions. He hadn't asked her out directly. It was  her fault for not thinking straight and for jumping to the conclusion  that he had asked her out-sort of.

Kayla followed Skylar's gaze. "Oh no, he didn't," she mouthed, turning  to get her cousin's attention. "Hey, Skylar. Want a drink?"

"What?" Skylar's eyes were already on the bar, trying desperately not to  look toward Mason and his date. It was difficult when they were right  across from her. And it was totally not fair that he looked so debonair  with dark slacks and a gray dress shirt.

"Nick will get us drinks," Kayla suggested, looking at Nick.

"No," Skylar snapped, taking her anger out on her cousin. She didn't  mean to. Upset for allowing Mason to crawl under her skin the way he  had, she was determined to prove to herself that she was strong. "I  mean, I'll get them." Her tone was softer. "What can I get for the both  of you?" She smiled. She wasn't going to let him get the best of her.  Jerk. He wasn't worth her time. She was here to have fun with her cousin  and fun she would have, even if it meant faking it.

"Get me any beer. I drink all kinds," Nick said.

"Get me the same." Kayla looked at Skylar with concern.

Skylar ignored Kayla and grabbed her purse, walked over to the bar, and  sat on the open seat. "I'll take two beers. No-make that three," she  said to the bartender who acknowledged her with a nod and a smile.

"What kind?" he asked. He was tall, slim, and attractive but needed a shave.

"The best you have."

"I'll need to see your ID, miss."

Shoot! She'd forgotten she couldn't buy beer because she'd never bought  one before. Skylar looked over her shoulder to get her cousin's  attention, but froze when a body brushed against hers. Then she heard  his voice-the voice that called to her, the voice that made her go crazy  inside-the voice that could probably make her do just about anything if  he asked nicely.

"It's okay. She's with me."

The bartender nodded and walked away.

Skylar's breath caught in her throat and she couldn't move. She didn't  know what to do. On one hand she was furious with him, but on the other  she had no right to be. He hadn't asked her out. She kept repeating  those words in her head to make herself feel better. With no other  option, she had to be polite.         

     



 

"Thanks." She didn't look at him. Looking at him would be dangerous. In  fact, she kept her eyes rooted on the bartender, but she could smell his  musky scent and wanted to get lost in his eyes.

"You know you can't buy beer. You're only eighteen," he scolded lightly.

How did he know my age? Then she recalled Kayla telling Nick they were  eighteen. Either that, or he really was the cop he denied being and had  seen her driver's license. "I'm almost nineteen. I don't even drink  beer. I was getting it for your brother. It's my first time buying it,  and I forgot I couldn't."

"Well, that explains it."

Frowning at his remark, she kept her vision straight ahead.

"But you bought three."

She paused, trying to think of something clever to say, but failed. "I thought I would try it tonight."

"So no fake ID?"

"What? No. I'm not that kind of girl." She scoffed. From the corner of  her eye, she could see Mason wearing an amused smile. Then she swiftly  shifted her eyes to his left, thinking she'd seen the same  dirty-blond-haired guy she'd seen at the mall. After doing a double take  and catching no sign of him, she gazed to Mason's strong ripped chest,  unwilling to look him in the eye. Though he had a shirt on, she could  clearly see the firmness of his muscles, making her blush.

"Looking for someone?"

"No. I thought I saw . . ." She paused, looking dismayed. "Never mind."

"Do you have a habit of conversing with shirts?"

"What?" She knew why he had made that comment. She hadn't looked him in  the eye once since the conversation started, and now she was staring at  his chest. For goodness sake, she hadn't meant to make it obvious.

"If you prefer, I can take off my shirt and give it to you, since you seem to like it so much."

That wouldn't be such a bad idea. No! What was she thinking? "I don't think so."

Thankfully, the bartender came back at that moment with the beers, breaking their conversation. "That will be eighteen."

Eighteen bucks for three beers? What do they put in it, gold? Skylar  reached into her purse to get her wallet out, but when she reached to  give the bartender a twenty, her hand collided with Mason's. Clearly, he  was trying to pay. Once again, exhilaration sparked down her spine.

"Ouch. You shocked me again. What are you, like the static king?" Her hand jolted back to her side with the bill.

"Sorry," he mumbled, cursing under his breath.

"That's okay," she replied without making eye contact. Then she turned  her attention to the bartender before he could walk away with Mason's  twenty and placed her bill in front of him. "Wait. I can pay for it. I'm  treating them."