The strobing lights made her stomach churn, and the booze she'd downed wasn't helping. Her coffee-brown hair stuck to her sweaty forehead as she tried to smooth it back. She felt super uncomfortable - her black mini skirt was riding up, showing way too much skin. And to make matters worse, she was at a local club in LA, where her dad would kill her if he found out.
"Gabi, come dance!" her friend Juvani yelled, noticing Gabi's untouched vodka. "Drink up, girl! You can't party sober!" Gabi downed the rest of her drink in one gulp, and Juvani dragged her onto the dance floor.
Gabi's night was a blur of pulsating lights and thumping music. She'd danced with a string of strangers, but the booze had finally caught up with her. As she spun around, the room tilted, and she stumbled face-to-face into the one person she'd never expected to see again.
Matthew's chiseled features and piercing green eyes were just as gorgeous as she remembered. That killer smile still had the power to make her knees weak. But what was he doing here? Didn't they have a history of heartbreak and hurt feelings?
As Gabi's eyes locked onto Matthew's, a single tear rolled down her cheek. "You okay?" a low, smooth voice asked, sending shivers down her spine. "Didn't mean to make you cry." But as she looked into Matthew's eyes, Gabi realized that something was off. That voice, those eyes...
"What are you doing here, you whatever?" She spun around, fleeing the club. The staircase seemed endless, its length shifting and morphing like a funhouse illusion. Finally, she stumbled out into the cool night air.
She sprinted to the parking lot, her mini skirt riding up her thighs, her stilettos wobbling precariously. "Let me drop you off," a voice said, but Gabi's vision blurred. She saw multiple faces - a stranger, Matthew, even her dad.
The 2 a.m. streets were deserted, except for the streetlights casting an eerie glow. As they drove, Gabi shattered the silence. "Why are you here? Can't you leave me alone? Are you going to tell my dad on me?"
"Stop the car," she demanded.
"We're in the middle of nowhere," the stranger replied, his voice low and smooth.
Gabi's patience snapped. "I said stop the car, or I'll do something I'll regret!" She grabbed his collar, forcing him to stop, once more she was slapped by beauty, Mathew this guy was her all. As she leaned in, her hands pushed back her hair, and she kissed his lips. The scent of sweat and alcohol mingled in their mouths. She knew she could stop herself but even if she couldn't, she could accuse everything on alcohol.
The stranger's eyes locked onto hers, his expression unreadable. Gabi clearly mistook him for someone else. But as their lips touched again, he hesitated, unsure whether to reveal the truth or let the moment unfold.
Though he had good intentions, his body had other plans. His lower features weren't responding to the situation, and he was beyond reason. Gabi slipped off her black leather cropped top and tossed it out the window. Her thin bra followed, leaving them with no barriers between their skin.
As the car rocked up and down, its black-tinted windows concealed the steamy scene inside. But to anyone outside, the bouncing car might have sparked some curious - and mischievous - thoughts.