The Consequences of Sin

by K. A. Robinson

  Instead of finally giving in, Reid had called one of his girlfriends and asked her to take me shopping. I’d started to plot his murder by that point. Instead of strangling him like I wanted, I’d grudgingly gone out with his friend to find a dress to wear.

  With the exception of the maids I’d grown up with, I’d never been around another woman. I was nervous to say the least, but Cali, Reid’s friend, quickly soothed my nerves. She was a twenty-seven-year-old bartender with bright blue eyes and hair the color of corn silk.

  I had been in awe of her when Reid introduced us, but after only a few minutes in her presence, I’d started to relax. Looking at Cali, I never would’ve guessed that she was so easygoing. Despite the blonde hair and blue eyes, which usually equaled an innocent look in my book, Cali was covered in tattoos. Two full sleeves ran up her arms, and I could see more ink on her back and chest.

  We spent a few hours at the mall. Cali found a few dresses she thought I would look good in and forced me to try them on. I lost count of how many she’d forced on me before she finally found the one. It was a pale-blue strapless number that stopped several inches above my knees. It was a lot more reserved than some of the dresses I’d tried on, and I was glad. I wasn’t comfortable with showing a lot of skin. It displayed a fair amount of cleavage, but it wasn’t backless like practically every other one. We found a matching pair of heels before stopping in the mall food court to find something to eat.

  “So, Bree, tell me how you ended up in Dallas,” Cali said as we settled into a small table with our burgers and sodas.

  I shrugged. “I just wanted a change. Dallas seemed like a good place to find it.”

  That was a lie, but I doubted she’d find it amusing if I told her I’d picked it off a list of cities in an airport.

  “Do you like it here so far?”

  I nodded. “Yeah, I do actually. It’s different from London but in a good way. The people are friendly, and I love the weather. London will always be my home, but I’m glad to be free from it.”

  Cali smiled. “I’ve lived here for almost three years. I followed my military boyfriend to Texas four years ago. After our relationship ended, I couldn’t bring myself to go back home, so I decided to stick around. I moved around a lot for about six months before finally settling in Dallas. I haven’t looked back since.”

  “Where did you move from?”

  “Idaho.”

  I scrunched my face as I tried to remember where Idaho was located. “That’s up north, isn’t it?”

  She nodded.

  “I couldn’t imagine moving that far for a boyfriend.”

  She shrugged. “You’ve obviously never been in love before. Just wait until it hits you. It’ll knock you on your ass.”

  I raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Love wasn’t something that I was looking for. And the way Cali had explained it, it made me want it even less. I wouldn’t be foolish enough to set myself up for heartache.

  Cali and I ended up spending the rest of the afternoon sitting at our table and talking. It was nice to have another woman around, and we seemed to hit it off.

  When we parted ways, we exchanged cell numbers and promised to meet up soon. I took a cab home, happier than I had been in a long time.

  I had my first official friend in Dallas. Things were starting to feel almost normal.

  Monday evening, I stood in front of the full-length mirror in my room and carefully inspected myself. I had to admit, Cali was a genius. The light-blue dress went well with my light complexion and dark hair.

  My hair hung in gentle waves around my shoulders. I’d kept my makeup light, like always. I’d thought about overdoing it, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I wasn’t the type of girl to wear dresses and pile on pounds of makeup. Wearing an honest-to-God dress was hard enough. I wouldn’t change myself anymore, not even for a night out with Reid.

  Speaking of Reid, he should be knocking on my door at any minute. I felt a mix of anxiety and excitement over spending the evening with him. Since our kitchen discussion, things had been calm between the two of us, and I wanted to keep it that way. Reid seemed like a genuinely nice guy, and I liked talking to him. He could make me laugh almost as much as Wesley had. Reid was also extremely nice to look at. But I couldn’t let myself fall for his charm any more than I already had. I was just settling into my new life, and if something happened between the two of us, it would ruin everything.

  I was tucking my handgun and newly acquired mace into my purse when I heard a knock on my door. I looked up to see Reid opening the door. He pushed it all the way open and stepped inside, an easy grin on his face. I looked him over, taking in the dark blue jeans and tight black shirt he wore. He seemed to gravitate toward dark colors, not that I could blame him. Black looked good on him.

  The easy grin on his face disappeared almost instantly as his eyes roamed over my body.

  My elation went right down the drain. “What? Is something wrong?” I asked as I glanced down at my dress.

  Surely, I didn’t look horrible in his eyes. Cali had promised that I looked good, and even I’d thought so.

  He swallowed roughly and looked away. “No, you look great. Perfect. Are you ready to go?”

  Relieved that he didn’t want me to change, I nodded. “Yeah, let’s get this over with.”

  He chuckled as he followed me to the front door. “Don’t sound so excited. You know, most people love to go out and party. They consider it fun, not a task they can’t wait to finish.”

  I sighed. “I’m sorry, Reid. I am kind of excited to go, but I’m not sure what to expect. I’ve never done this before.”

  Reid raised an eyebrow. “Done what exactly?”

  The tone of his voice caught my attention. I turned to look at him and caught him staring at my ass. It was my turn to smirk at him, but I said nothing about what I’d just caught him doing. My smirk was enough though. He looked away, his cheeks a pale pink again. That had to be the most adorable thing ever. I hadn’t even realized that men could blush.

  “Go out partying. And we’re breaking me in by going to a club. It’s nerve-racking.”

  He grinned. “Don’t be silly. I promise, I’m going to show you the time of your life.”

  Less than ten minutes later, we were slipping into a club. I’d groaned when I saw the line outside of the building, but Reid had ignored the people waiting and walked right up to the bouncer. Without a word, the bouncer had opened the door and let us in.

  That was rather impressive. Even I knew it took skill or someone important to get right into a club.

  I looked around, my mouth agape. The club was dark with laser lights flashing every few seconds. Brilliant reds, greens, blues, and purples cut through the darkness, giving the club an otherworldly look. A bar lined the entire far wall with people surrounding it from every angle possible. The dance floor wasn’t far away. I watched as people moved with the rhythm of a rap song, the floor tiles lighting up under their feet in sync with the song.

  Reid grabbed my hand and led me to an empty booth. I sat down in it without taking my eyes off of the dance floor. A DJ booth sat above the floor. The DJ was inside, dancing and laughing, as he kept the music going.

  I’d expected the club to be a bit quieter since it was a Monday, but I was dead wrong. This place was obviously very popular to be this packed. Most of the club goers seemed to be in their early twenties. Men and women alike gyrated their hips in a seductive way as they danced along or clung to their partners. I watched in fascination as a man grabbed a woman and deeply kissed her right on the floor for everyone to see.

  “So, what do you think?” Reid yelled in my ear.

  “It’s…it’s bloody insane in here!” I shouted back.

  He laughed. “Do you like it though?”

  I nodded. “Yes, it’s different, but I like it. There’s just so much energy!”

  A waitress appeared next to our booth, and Reid ordered two drinks. I couldn’t make out what he’d ordered
though. The music was much too loud. My stomach dropped because I was sure they would both have alcohol. I’d never once in my eighteen years tried alcohol. I’d probably sniff my drink and end up drunk off my ass.

  Reid turned back to me. He seemed to notice my worried expression. “What’s wrong?”

  “I don’t drink!” I shouted back, feeling positively idiotic.

  He shook his head. “I didn’t figure you did, so I ordered you something you can handle. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of you tonight.”

  I mouthed, Thank you, to him.

  I was touched by his thoughtfulness. It seemed that Reid just kept giving me reasons to trust him. He’d never once tried to cross any boundaries—with the exception of a few times of harmless flirting. He planned to look after me tonight, so I could have fun.

  I was starting to think Reid was pretty damn perfect.

  Our drinks arrived shortly after, and I took a tentative sip of mine. I was surprised when I tasted my fruity drink. If there was alcohol in it, I couldn’t taste it.

  “You like?” Reid shouted.

  I nodded. “Very much. Thank you.”

  He winked at me before sipping his own drink. I would put money on a bet that it was very strong. At least one of us could handle alcohol.

  Neither of us spoke. It was much too loud to carry on a conversation anyway. I sipped my drink and watched the people on the dance floor, entranced by their movements. They were all so…free. Just like Reid and his friends, these people didn’t have a care in the world. They just wanted to dance and, judging from the way a few couples were dancing, get lucky. I watched as hands roamed over bodies—sometimes innocently, other times not so innocently. A woman only a few feet away from us cupped her partner’s pants before flicking his button open and slipping her hand inside his pants. I blushed and looked away, feeling like a pervert for watching them.

  “What’s wrong?” Reid yelled in my ear, obviously noticing my discomfort.

  I picked up my second drink that Reid had ordered for me and took a healthy swig before answering. I motioned over to the couple I’d been watching. “They’re really going to…”

  Reid looked over to where I’d pointed and smirked as he watched whatever was happening now. “Yeah, they really are. Don’t act so shocked. Stuff like that happens all the time.”

  My eyes widened in surprise. “Really?”

  He nodded. “Clubs are a place where most people come to forget. They drink and dance themselves into an oblivion, and then do things they wouldn’t normally do.”

  “It didn’t look like they were trying to forget anything,” I said. “It looks like they were just having fun.”

  Reid frowned. “Everyone has something that they’re trying to hide from, Bree. Some are just better than others at hiding it.”

  I didn’t respond. Instead, I took another drink. There was nothing I could say to that. I had more to hide than most. If only Reid knew…he’d never look at me again with that smirk I was starting to love on his face.

  The night passed quickly. Before I knew it, I was finishing off my third drink, and my head was starting to feel woozy. I’d always wondered what it would feel like to be drunk. If this was what it was like, I could understand why people became alcoholics so easily. I felt so light and happy, so free. I moved my body with the music as we sat in our booth. I’d bumped into Reid a few times, not bothering to apologize. I doubted if he’d cared. I even swore I’d heard him chuckle a few times.

  “You doing all right over there, lightweight?” he yelled.

  I nodded. “I’m great!”

  He chuckled before grabbing my hand and tugging me out of the booth. “Come on!”

  “Where are we going?” I asked, worried that he wanted to leave already.

  “You seem to want to dance so badly, so I’m going to make you dance!” Reid yelled as he tugged me along.

  I stopped dead, forcing him to stop as well. “What? No! I can’t dance, especially not like that!” I motioned to the dance floor.

  He grinned. “My job is to dance. I’ll help you. Come on!”

  He pulled me into the crowd, shoving through people without apology. He found a small space big enough for us to fit into, and he stopped. I gulped as he pulled me closer to him. I was surrounded by heat from the other dancers, but they were nothing compared to him. I felt like I was standing next to a furnace. The heat from his body seeped through my dress until I felt a bead of sweat form and slide down the side of my face.

  He rested his hands on my waist to hold me in place as he slowly started grinding his hips against mine in such a seductive way that I gasped. He laughed at the expression on my face as he pulled me closer.

  He leaned down and whispered in my ear, “Just move your body. I’ll guide you.”

  This was going to be a disaster. Between the alcohol and Reid’s hands all over me, I couldn’t think straight. I was going to embarrass myself so bad that I’d never be able to look at him again. I needed to get out of here and go back to my safe booth.

  I tried to break free, but Reid’s grip on my waist tightened.

  “Where do you think you’re going?”

  I shook my head as I struggled. “I can’t do this.”

  He rolled his eyes, refusing to let me go. “Yes, you can. Just start moving your body.”

  I sighed, defeated. Fine. If he wanted to look like an ass right along with me, then so be it.

  I slowly started moving my hips in a circle, praying that I didn’t look like a complete fool. Reid gave me an encouraging smile as he started moving in sync with me. His hands stayed firmly planted on my hips, moving me so that it actually felt like we were dancing together.

  My body felt like cement, but with Reid’s help, I slowly started to relax. All I had to do was let him lead me, and I’d be fine. I smiled up at him, suddenly excited over the prospect of dancing. Again, Reid was giving me one of my firsts. He had no idea that I’d never danced, never felt another man’s hands on me like this. Sure, Wesley had touched me before but never like this. Wesley’s touch had never made my body melt the way Reid’s did. Even though we were only dancing in a roomful of people, it still felt more intimate than anything I’d ever experienced.

  As the beat increased, I felt my body moving faster—my hips swaying in time with the music, my head moving from side to side. I lifted my arms above my head as I laughed loudly. This was incredible.

  Reid watched my every move, a silly grin on his face. He surprised me when he pulled me closer and pressed his hips against mine. I felt myself blush at how close together we were. I would have frozen if it weren’t for his hands constantly guiding me. He slowly ran his hands from my waist up to my ribs and then down again. My eyes widened in surprise when he cupped my bottom and then slowly slid down the bare skin on the backs of my thighs. His hands were so warm and inviting that I closed my eyes and leaned into him.

  My head rested against his chest as he continued to rub his thumbs in circling motions on my thighs. The song had changed to a slow number, and I hadn’t even realized. Reid held me tightly as he swayed us, our bodies still pressed tightly together. I felt like we were crossing some kind of invisible line, but I couldn’t bring myself to care at the moment.

  If Reid felt awkward about the way I clung to him, he didn’t let on. Instead, he hummed along with the song, the vibrations tickling my cheek where it was pressed against him. I felt like this moment was a tiny piece of heaven meant just for us. None of my worries mattered as long as he held me like this.

  I now knew what total and complete peace felt like.

  Reid kept his arm around me as we walked back to our apartment. I was in no condition to walk. I blamed my heels and the alcohol I’d consumed, but I knew it wasn’t true. The way Reid had held me while we danced threw me completely off-balance. To him, I was sure that it was nothing more than a casual night of dancing with a friend, but to me, it meant so much more. I was being silly, acting like a love-struck teenager.
>
  Neither of us said much as we walked to our building and then up the stairs to our apartment. Reid didn’t release me until we were safely in our living room. I kicked off my heels, glad to be rid of them. I had no idea why women would wear those things on a daily basis. Walking on stilts would be more comfortable. My feet were killing me from keeping them on for only a few hours.

  When I turned back to Reid, he was leaning against our front door with his hands in his pockets. An unreadable expression crossed his face as he watched me.

  “You okay?” I asked, unsure of what to expect, especially with him looking at me like that.

  “I’m fine. Just tired,” he said. “So, was tonight everything you expected? Or did you actually have fun?”

  I grinned, unable to stop myself. “It was way better than I thought it would be. Thank you for taking me out. I’ve never been out just to have fun since…well, ever.”

  He pushed away from the door and walked over to me. The smile slipped from my face when I saw the serious expression on his face. He stopped just inches away and peered down at me through his dark lashes.

  Finally, after a minute of thick silence, he spoke, “You deserve to have fun.” He hesitated for a moment.

  I held my breath as he raised his hand to cup my cheek.

  “You looked beautiful tonight.”

  Neither of us moved. I wasn’t even sure either of us was breathing. He slowly lowered his head. I closed my eyes and waited. After reading so many romance books in the last few days, I knew what was coming next. He was about to kiss me. I was going to have my first kiss with Reid right here in the middle of my living room.

  I exhaled roughly when I felt his lips finally. They weren’t on my lips though. Instead, he softly kissed my forehead. Before I could process what was happening, he released me and walked away. I opened my eyes in time to see him just before he disappeared into his bedroom. He closed the door behind him. I got the message loud and clear—don’t follow me.

  It terrified me as I realized how much I wanted to do just that.