Read The Write Stuff for Free Online Page B

one in my group of friends who hadn't had sex yet. It didn't feel like a big deal at the time since there were plenty of girls in my graduating class who held the same status as me. All of that changed during my first year of college. Everyone seemed to be hooking up—except me.
    Alec laid out four shot glasses—after I nodded my consent—and filled them to the brim with whiskey. Everyone reached for a glass, leaving the last one for me. "Are you allowed to drink on the job?" I asked, stalling for time as I picked mine up tentatively.
    " I can now. I'm off the clock. It's sorta hard to be on a date while I'm working." He winked at me again.
    I gaped at him befo re turning to Olivia, who wore a feigned expression of innocence. And I was back to wanting to kill her. Throwing caution to the wind, I brought my glass to my lips, downing the contents in one gulp. The fiery liquid burned a path down my throat before settling in the pit of my stomach. A cough trickled up my throat, begging to be released, but I held it back as tears filled my eyes.
    I couldn 't believe Olivia pulled this shit on me. We had both decided after the disastrous blind date she set me up on two years ago that I would handle my own love life. The guy patted my ass so many times during our date it resembled a bruised eggplant. I finally ended the evening early, believing I was on the verge of drinking a roofie cocktail and not waking up until the next morning. The guy was a creep. Of course, the prospect of Alec touching my ass didn't sound like a bad idea.
    Alec refilled our glasses again before heading around the counter to join us. We all clinked them together in the air before downing the contents and slamming the shot glasses on the counter. Everyone except me seemed to be able to handle their liquor like old pros. I remained on the verge of coughing with each drink.
    After a couple shots I was already getting used to Alec's presence, which was good because the crowd around us left him no choice but to move in close. Meaning I could literally see the flecks of gold in his eyes and a small dimple in his chin I had previously missed. He stood with his arm draped casually across the back of my seat. With a little effort I could have leaned sideways into his embrace and we would have practically been hugging. The spicy dark aroma of his cologne tickled my senses. Closing my eyes briefly, I inhaled softly, imprinting the scent to my memory. I could definitely work a moment like this into my current book.
    " Here's to the loss of the crazy cat lady," Olivia announced, holding up her shot glass. I meant to kick her in the shin, but I missed and nearly fell off my stool before catching myself on the counter. "Whoa, easy, sister. We'll have to get you a seatbelt," she teased. I guess I was more of a lightweight drinker than I thought. My depth perception was a little off. Alec reached around from the back of my chair and handed me my shot glass that had magically been refilled. The move brought us intimately close, just like I had imagined.
    I emptied the glass again without hesitation, feeling an increased level of confidence I hadn't possessed when we arrived earlier. Pressed up against the hardness of Alec's body, I had a sudden desire to snuggle in closer. From there I only meant to take a quick whiff of his neck. It was supposed to be harmless. How my mouth became involved was beyond me.
    Somehow my lips found the soft warm hollow where his neck met his shoulders. Even my tongue decided to join the action, experiencing the subtle salty taste of his skin.
    At first I thought I had imagined the whole thing until Alec's sharp intake of air followed by a reflex tightening of his arm caused me to pull back. My eyes met his as he studied me intently.
    I wanted to drop dead. I couldn't believe I'd actually licked him. Olivia and Taylor sat giggling as I twirled away. I grabbed for the first glass I spotted on the counter and gulped it down. My hasty action caused