Just One of the Good Guys. by Allie May (best mystery novels of all time txt) 📖

the morning, and that's never fun.

 

But despite the way I feel, wanting to spend more time with these people and seem cool, I told Carter and Gage that I'd come to the party with them. And I'm not saying that I regret it at all, or that I'm not having fun, because I am. I'm having the time of my life just watching Carter and Gage have fun. I thought they were a trip when sober, them tipsy is a whole new ball game.

 

Carter had tried to drag me into the living room where everyone was dancing, but I wasn't that big on dancing. As a white girl, I had no problem admitting that I had no rhythm. Carter, however, was as white as they come, and yet she looked incredibly sexy, swaying her hips back and forth to the beat of the music. She ran her small hands up and down the length of her body while thrashing her long hair in Gage's face. He didn't seem to mind, just continued to drink from his bottle of beer while grinding on Carter's ass.

 

After a while of cheering Carter on, Gage excused himself and weaved his way through the party to get to me, standing in the corner. By the time he got to me, Carter was grinding on some sexy blonde with crazy amazing curves.

 

"Wanna dance?" Gage asked as he approached me. He wrapped his big arms around my waist, and forced my body to sway from side to side along with his. I laughed, immediately feeling ridiculous. I pushed away from Gage in an attempt to get his beer breath away from my face. "I can't, I'm no good."

 

"Oh come on! I'm not talking Dancing with the Stars. Grinding is easy." Gage spoke in my ear, so I could hear him clearly over the obnoxiously loud music. He continued to rub my sides, as he walked behind me. I could feel the heat radiating off his stomach, the faint musky smell of his cologne filled my nose, and his hot breathe fanned across the back of my neck.  My heart immediately started to race, my breathes becoming shaky. On one hand I was thankful he was behind me so he couldn't tease me about how easy it was for him to make me blush. Then I felt him thrust his pelvis against my butt while his hands made my hips sway side to side. "See it's easy. Just like sex with clothes on."

 

I giggled nervously, and pushed him away. "Gage!"

 

"Alright, alright. If you can't handle me, that's fine." He rose his hands, as if to surrender. "You ready to go?"

 

"Are you?"

 

"Yeah. None of the ladies here catch my eye."

 

"You're only saying that cause the one girl that you want to dance with won't."

 

"You can't resist me forever, Cherry." I rolled my eyes to show my annoyance, but I wasn't actually annoyed at all. In fact, all this flattert, the constant teasing, and flirting? I liked it. He made me feel good. And as long as he didn't spontaneously turn into an asshole, I could easily see my self developing a crush on him and falling under his oddly charming spell. "I'm going to see if Carter's ready."

 

"Okay, I'll wait outside for you."

 

Gage nodded, and then was gone amongst the crowd of screaming teenage girls and handsy boys.

 

It took a solid ten minutes for me to shimmy my way through the crowd, but once I was outside I was content.

 

The sky was dark, almost pitch, with hints of purple. White stars, grey clouds, and a red moon adorned the sky. It was very beautiful, nothing like I was used to back home. The sky was so polluted from the city factories that the sky at night always seemed dead and foggy back home. Tonight's sky was clear and mystical.

 

I stood still, on the sidewalk outside the house, eyes closed. I felt the cool breeze tangle through my auburn curls, twirling them around my face and tickling my nose. There was a faint whistle from the wind, that you could barely hear over the blaring music and chaotic noise of screaming teenagers.

 

Now this. This was nice.

 

I sat down on the curb, and leaned my head back, allowing the breeze to further caress my cheeks, my turned up nose, my lips, my neck.

 

"Parties not your thing?"

 

I yelped when someone spoke, knocking me out of my trance.

 

"Sorry," the man chuckled, "I didn't mean to scare you."

 

When I say man, I mean man. Not like Gage who was a teenager, but could almost pass for twenty-one when he had a bit of stubble on his face. This man looked to be in his early, maybe even mid twenties. He had short jet black hair, that was styled in that oh so famous and sexy "bed-head" way that made any and all girls swoon. He had a slight tan, and dark blue eyes that were outlined in thick black lashes. What I'd do for lashes like that instead of my light blonde ones. He was very tall, almost a whole foot taller then me, and he was very muscular. His black t-shirt stretched perfectly over his chest muscles and biceps. He had a straight nose, and his pink lips gently surrounded a small white stick. A cigarette.

 

I had never been one to judge smokers. My mother smoked whenever she'd had a long stressful day at work along with a glass of expensive red wine. It always calmed her down, helped her relax, but I myself never cared for it. I thought it was a pointless habit, nothing but a waste of money And the shit it did to your lungs, don't even get me started.

 

But the way this man smoked? He made it look like it was the most beautiful and graceful thing to ever do.

 

His long fingers let go of the cigarette as he inhaled, the cherry at the end of it burning bright and orange. He pulled the cigarette from his lips and exhaled. He parted his lips, the slightest bit, allowing a cloud of white to slowly crawl up the sky. It was hypnotizing.

 

"No, um, you're fine. But no. I don't."

 

"You're hanging out with the wrong people then." His voice was low but gentle, almost calming. He smiled, and my stomach twisted into a bunch of knots. It must be illegal for a boy to look this pretty.

 

"I'm Dominic." he took another drag from his cigarette, then sat down next to me, and outstretched his hand.

 

I didn't hesitate. Just smiled, and allowed him to take my hand in his. He was really warm, despite the fact that he wasn't wearing a jacket, and his hands were strong and firm. "I'm Tatum."

 

"Tatum? That's a pretty name." I didn't say anything. Just quickly pulled my hand back when I realized I'd allowed him to hold my hand for an abnormally long amount of time. I averted my eyes from him and looked back at the sky.

 

"So, what's a pretty girl like you doing alone out here?"

 

I blushed, and tucked a fly away strand of hair over my ear. "Why are you asking?"

 

"Trying to find out whether or not I need to worry about a boyfriend."

 

My eyes snapped back to him. He was staring at me, a sly smirk on his lips. It kind of reminded me of Gage's only much, much more intimidating. This Dominic guy looked so mature, so grown up. What was he doing flirting with a naïve kid like me?

 

"T-that's awfully blunt of you." I struggled to speak, my heart was beating so fast. What was wrong with me? He's just a person! Stop stuttering.

 

Dominic shrugs, takes one last drag off his cigarette, than lets it drop from his hand onto the street and steps on it. "I don't like beating around the bush. It's a waste of time."

 

I nodded in understanding.

 

"You still didn't answer my question."

 

"What if I said I did?"

 

"I'd say you should dump him." he said matter of factually, folding his arms over his bent knees. I laughed. "Oh, would you now?"

 

"Yes."

 

"And why's that?"

 

"Because if you actually had a boyfriend, which I don't think you do, and if you actually cared about him you would've mentioned him already. And you wouldn't be stuttering and blushing like you are."

 

Fuck. I'm busted.

 

"I'm going to assume your silence means I hit the nail on the head."

 

A shiver went up my spine, but not because I was cold. His aura just had that affect on me, without even trying. He was so calm, confident, unwavering. Nothing like me. I wished I could be more like that.  "No, I don't have a boyfriend."

 

"Good."

 

I swallowed the wetness forming in the back of my throat and twiddled me thumbs. Now what?

 

"So. Partying isn't your thing. What is?"

 

I thought for a moment, head cocked to the side, and I realized. I had no idea. I wasn't a good dancer, I was only an average student. I wasn't good at drawing, or singing, or spelling. I was very clumsy, terrible at sports. What was I good at?

 

"I don't know. I guess photography. I love being outside and just enjoying my surroundings."

 

"Like you where, just a little bit ago before I rudely interrupted?"

 

I giggled, "Yeah, like that. It would be really cool to be able to capture the beauty of everyday life. People now a days don't take the time to see what's around them."

 

When I looked back at Dominic, he was watching me intently, overlooking my every move. It made me shiver again and my whole body grew hot. Oh God, did I say something stupid? Why's he studying me like that?

 

"I'm impressed. Most girls say makeup or fashion design or something like that." My nose wrinkled in disgust, "Not that there's anything wrong with that. I'm just tired of typical, predictable girls."

 

He said he was impressed with my answer. Is that him saying that I'm the type of girl he'd be interested in versus your typical pretty girly-girl? He did ask if I have a boyfriend. My heart fluttered.

 

"Nick! Let's go!"

 

Both of us looked over our shoulders to see a group of teenagers fooling around on the front lawn of the party. Two boys appeared to be circling eachother, like they were play wrestling. Another boy had a girl with long hair on his back. Her arms were wrapped around his neck tightly and she was giggling incessantly as he spun in circles. The last boy, the one that yelled for Dominic, was staring at us, waving. 

 

"I'll be there in a minute!" he hollered back before turning to me. "Do you want to have some real fun?"

 

My eyes went wide, surprised, scared. "Huh? What do you mean?"

 

"We were going to go to our chill spot once we were done here. Not a lot of people know about it. It's very discreet, but you get this really pretty view of the sky. Specially when the sun starts to rise. I think you'd really like it."

 

"Oh. Well…"

 

Go, go! Say yes! Go with him!

 

But what about Gage? Carter? You're supposed to be waiting for them!

 

Who cares? Text them, they'll understand!

 

"I don't know." was all I could manage to mumble.

 

Dominic offered a reassuring smile, making his eyes light up. God, he was so cute. And nice too. Why couldn't I just grow a pair of lady balls and say "yes"?

 

"I promise you'd be safe. I'm one of the good guys." 

 

Everything about him seemed so intense. I could barely think under the gaze of his wild eyes. His voice was husky but also like honey; warm, soft, even sticky, because in a way I felt trapped. He intrigued me, and I couldn't even tell you exactly why. He wasn't being super mysterious with the way he spoke or acted, but with one look at jim I could tell there was something different about him. He eminated this electric energy that I couldn't quite understand. But I wanted to. I need to. 

 

Who was this guy?

 

My heart was pounding and this annoying ringing was echoing in my