The next day in the office, I found out that Saturday was Danielle's 27th birthday- and she was inviting Riley, Demarcus, Xander, Marie, Tim, and I to go out with her and a couple of her other friends that night. They were planning on doing a bar/club crawl in a town about a half hour away from me that was filled with places to go out on their Main Street.
Tim wasn't able to go, as he already had plans- but the rest of us were going, along with Marie's boyfriend, Nathan, and Xander's fiance, Alexandra.
And once again, I was excited to see Riley outside of work.
We all decided that we would carpool together based on where we lived. And I wound up with Xander and Alexandra, who I learned lived only 5 minutes away from me, and Riley. Xander would be driving us.
Stephanie and I got ready together- as she was hanging out with Johnny.
We stood in the bathroom together, doing our makeup in the mirror. The room smelled lightly of smoke from Stephanie's flatiron that was turned on.
"I don't know why I am getting so done up." Stephanie said, "I'm just going over to Johnny's apartment to watch movies."
"Ah, yes. To watch movies." I said to Stephanie, with a wink.
She laughed and said, "You get me. Hopefully it's much more than watching movies."
I hadn't told Stephanie yet about how Riley and I kissed. So far, I had only told Carmen. Telling more people made it so much more real, however I knew I couldn't- and shouldn't- keep it from Stephanie.
"Who knows?" Stephanie said, "Maybe you'll meet someone hot tonight as well."
I turned to Stephanie and said, "Yeah, about that..."
She faced me and said, "Let me guess. Something happened with you and Riley?"
I felt my cheeks get hot as I said, "How did you know?"
"Oh, please. It was beyond obvious you like her. What happened?"
"We kissed." I said, "Well, twice now. Once last weekend. And then this past week as well."
Stephanie's dark eyes widened, "And you're just telling me now?"
"I'm sorry!" I said, "Saying out loud makes it very...real? Not that I don't want it to be real, because I do, of course."
"I understand." Stephanie responded gently, "This isn't what you planned for or what you were expecting. But that's how life works sometimes. Embrace it."
"I'm definitely trying to." I said, "Riley makes it easier to do so."
"No wonder you're looking extra hot tonight." Stephanie said, "Don't think I didn't notice the extra cleavage showing."
"Hey, I have to dress to impress." I said to Stephanie, with a chuckle- and I sprayed some perfume on my neck and collarbones.
Xander and Polina picked me up before Riley. I had met Alexandra at the bowling event, and she was very sweet. She was a tall, slim woman with light blonde hair in a bob style.
"I am yours and Riley's chauffeur tonight." Xander said, jokingly when I got in the backseat.
"Jenny, good to see you! You look beautiful." Alexandra said to me.
"Thank you, Polina. So do you." I said to her. She did look very pretty- she wore a short, black dress and her makeup looked really bold- in a good way.
"Now we are en route to Riley." Xander said, "According to my GPS, she is 15 minutes away."
I realized that I hadn't seen yet where Riley lived- however when we pulled up to the apartment complex she lived in, I immediately recognized it, as I had friends that lived there growing up.
As Riley walked toward the car- I couldn't help but to stare. She had on a blue short sleeved button up, and a pair of fitted jeans- however her hair was down, which I wasn't used to. Her long, dark hair was shiny and straight- and I felt myself admiring how beautiful she looked.
When she slid into the seat next to me, she said hello to Xander and Polina- and then her gaze met mine.
"Hey, Jenny." she said.
"Hi." I said to her, not being able to help giving her a smile, "I love your hair down. It looks great."
"It does, Riley. Jenny is right." Alexandra said.
"Thank you, both." Riley said, and she gave me a knowing smile.
When we got to the first bar, Danielle was already drunk. She had three friends with her, including Janelle, who I had met before. The other two were named Alicia and Maya.
"You're here!" Danielle said, giving both Riley and I a hug at the same time, "This bar is playing amazing music, and there's even a dance floor on the basement level. You better believe we are going to be dancing."
Demarcus was looking at Danielle, and he shook his head and smiled.
Marie was also tipsy- and Nathan joked that she had gotten that way after half a drink.
"I'm a lightweight, what can I say?" Marie laughed, and took another sip of her rum and coke.
When no one was looking, Riley turned to me and said, "You look stunning, Jenny. What can I get for you to drink?"
"Oh, you're buying me my drink?" I said to Riley with a smile, "Thank you also, for the compliment."
"Of course I'm buying you a drink." Riley said.
"Well, in that case...I'll have a rum and coke, like Marie." I said, "Thank you."
"I'll be right back." Riley said, as Demarcus walked up to me.
"Having fun?" I asked, turning to him.
"I am, but I'm also nervous." Demarcus said, holding a Bud Light.
"What are you nervous about?" I asked Demarcus.
"I'm going to tell Danielle about my feelings for her." Demarcus said, "I like her. A lot. And I think she feels the same- but I have to take the risk. If she doesn't feel the same I'll try to make sure it doesn't affect our friendship- but I can't keep it back anymore."
"Demarcus, I definitely think she feels the same about you." I said to him, "I'd be really surprised if she didn't."
"I agree with you." Demarcus said, "I've honestly been into her from the moment I met her."
At that moment, Danielle turned and smiled at Demarcus and I from a few feet away- and her gaze lingered on him.
"Oh, you're so in there." I said to him, and he laughed.
A moment later, Riley came back with our drinks- and she had a beer in her hand.
"Thank you." I said to her as she handed me my drink, "I'll get you next time."
A few moments later, Danielle wanted to go to the dance floor in the basement level, so we all followed her down there. The room was crowded, almost too crowded for my liking, and there was a DJ playing throwback club music.
The song "Open Wide" by Big Sean came on, and Danielle let out a cheer and immediately started dancing.
Marie turned to me and practically yelled over the music, "There are way too many people in this room!"
"I agree." I said, "I might last about 20 minutes or so here."
Danielle and her friends had us all dancing though within minutes- as their energy was infectious.
I couldn't help but to notice that Riley was actually a good dancer. Unlike me, she had rhythm. She made her way over to me as the beat of "Bumpy Ride" by Mohombi played in the background.
"You're a good dancer." I said to her over the music, "You have more moves than I ever could."
Riley laughed, "I just go with the rhythm! Dance with me!"
Riley grabbed my hand and jokingly twirled me around as the music blared and the strobe lights illuminated the room. I started moving along with her- but I knew that we both wanted more. With every little glance she gave me- I knew she wished that we could be dancing closer to each other.
Finally, she leaned over and said in my ear, "What I would give to have you grinding against me right now..."
I looked into her eyes and said, "Maybe we can have our own little private party later."
She smiled at me and said, "You don't know how much I would love that, Jenny."
We kept dancing for a bit longer with the group- until I was starting to get very hot down in the basement.
Riley seemed to take notice as my dancing slowed, because she turned to me and said, "Hey, do you want to go outside for a few minutes and cool off?"
"That would be wonderful." I said to her.
"We'll be right back!" Riley called out to the group.
Instinctively to lead me through the crowd of people, she took my hand and led me behind her- until we got to the steps- and I immediately started to cool down a bit.
As we walked to the main level of the bar, Riley asked me, "Can I get you a water or anything?"
"Maybe when we come inside." I said, "Fresh air sounds like the best thing right now."
Riley and I walked outside- and I was extremely grateful that for a summer night in June, it was cooler out. We were surprisingly the only people standing out in front of the bar. There were people in front of the bars across the street, but no one else directly around us.
"Oh my god, this feels so good." I said, leaning against the building.
"That's what I want to have you saying to me later on." Riley said, in a joking tone.
I turned to her and smiled, "Not if I have you saying it to me first."
Riley raised her eyebrows and said, "Is that so? Well, Jenny...I've been thinking about the moment I get to fuck you for quite a bit now. And no pressure if that's not what you want tonight. But just know I've been thinking about it."
I felt myself heating up again- and this time not from the crowded basement.
I debated in my head for a moment as to if I should tell Riley about getting off to the thought of her-
But I then decided-
Fuck it. Why not?
"I've really thought about it." I said, "If you catch my drift here."
I looked at Riley as realization crept onto her face. She leaned in and said to me softly, "Well, I'll make sure the real thing certainly lives up to your expectations."
Riley and I locked eyes- and I couldn't help myself. Even though we were out in public, with people across the street- it was like we were the only two there in my mind.
I leaned in and kissed Riley- cupping my hand on her jaw. Instinctively, her hand landed on my waist.
We pulled away after one kiss- and I said, "I'm sorry. I just...I had to do that."
"I'm glad you did." Riley said, giving me a smile.
And that's when we heard a voice behind us say, "Riley, Jenny? What are you doing?"
Fuck.
A/N: Every so often, I'm going to add in a chapter that is in Riley's POV. That'll be the next chapter :) thank you so much for reading!!