Not the Only One (Book 1 in the Four of Us Trilogy)

Forty-Five

Rachel

"Did your parents give you a curfew?" Brooke asked me, and I grinned at her. We were in the back together and Luke was riding shotgun.

"They think I'm staying with you." I leaned over and whispered, "Miles' dad is out of town again."

"You sneaky little mongrel. What if I told Katherine I was staying with you?" she asked, and my eyes widened.

"Did you?!" I asked in horror.

She laughed. "No. Luke's parents are home anyway, so that wouldn't work. I'm just saying – next time, let a sister know what you're doing!"

"Fair enough."

We cruised down the street, getting all the green lights. "Y'all ready to get up in this club?" Luke said suddenly, and we all stared at him in silence. "What? Is that not what you say?"

The three of us exchanged glances and burst into laughter. Luke snorted. "I guess I'm not really a clubber... I don't know! Jesus, just trying to be cool!" he complained good-naturedly.

The light turned green and Miles proceeded down Thomas Drive, turning into Club La Vela on the right.

"Damn. I thought I would be able to say I got through high school in PCB without going to this place," Miles grumbled.

"Hey, hey. At least you got to see your woman get all slutted up," Brooke said, shoving his shoulder over the back of his seat.

"Yeah!" I piped up, unnecessarily.

"True, true," he said, getting out of the Jeep and helping Brooke down. Luke offered his hand to me and I took it, smoothing my dress as I stepped out.

We could already hear the Top 40 music bumping from inside, and Brooke was dancing all the way to the door, dragging Luke with her.

Miles slipped his hand low around my waist, his hand reaching my upper thigh. "I mean it; don't go far when we get in here... I hate places like this, and you look damn fine this evening," he breathed into my ear.

I blushed. "I won't... I don't really like places like this either, but let's try to have a good time, okay?"

He nodded. "Anywhere with you is a good time."

I bumped him with my hip. Brooke and Luke had already reached the door and Brooke was waving at us frantically. "COME ON!" she shouted, practically jumping up and down.

"If she keeps jumping like that, her boobs are going to pop right out of that jumpsuit," I muttered, and Miles laughed.

"Luke would like that," he said.

"Oh come on, you don't think he's seen them already?" I asked.

"Nope. That's what he was telling me on the way over here; they've done nothing more than kiss. I think ol' boy's ready to pop," he replied.

I snorted. When we reached them at the door and showed our IDs, I was still laughing.

Brooke looked at me questioningly. "What's funny?"

I shook my head. "Nothing. Let's dance."

***

An hour later, Miles and I were in the 2000s Hip-Hop room, dancing to such classic tunes as "Party Up" and "Get Low." The music was so loud, and there were so many people around, but we literally only saw each other. I didn't even know where Luke and Brooke had gone.

"Rachel, I hate to admit it, but I'm actually having a pretty good time," he said as we danced, our hips as close as they could get.

I looked up at him and grinned. "Me too. We can't admit it to Brooke, though. She'll never let us forget that she was actually right for once."