Kiss a Stranger by R.J. Lewis Read Free Book Online

was glad for it now. Who knew one day it’d be used against her?
                  “Is your mum gone?” she then asked. “Or is she doing another late shift?”
                  “She’s gone to see Kevin,” I answered. “Took two weeks holiday off.”
                  “How’s that relationship going?”
                  “On and off.” All thanks to me. After I’d been attacked, she’d withdrawn from her relationship with Kevin to be there for me. They’d been a solid couple for two years at that point, and to say he was shocked was an understatement. He’d always been an all-around good guy. An engineer by trade with kids of his own, he and Mom got along right from the start. Around the time she broke things off, he’d been offered a job in Melbourne. Angry at her, he took it. Needless to say, they mended their relationship after a few months and he regretted the move. I was glad to see Mom smiling again.
                  When Emily finished my make-up, I stared at my face for a few beats. She’d done well toning down the extremities of my scars, but they were still there plain as day. I swallowed and looked away. I had to forget about them for the next few hours. I just wanted this night over with so I’d never regret not going out.
                  “Let’s get out of here, huh?” I said in as much of an upbeat tone I could muster.
                  Emily squealed. “Yeah, boys! Watch out because the bitches are coming to town!”
                  I laughed and we each grabbed our clutch and headed out.
    *****
    The club was dark. The atmosphere was far from tame. The spectrum lights flashed and the music thumped its party mix throughout the large, crowded room. I’d completely forgotten how loud it could be. My personal space was invaded every few seconds by other bodies as Emily led me to the dance floor.
                  Once upon a time this was my haven. I’d get drunk and spin like a top under the flashing lights. The second I’d feel the warmth of a man behind me, I’d sag into him and bathe in his attention, feeling like the world was right again. I had been desperate for affection. Desperate for some kind of touching. Being with a guy was a good distraction. It made the wounds of a lifetime ago dull.
                  At the moment, remembering who I used to be was difficult. When a guy got near to me I squirmed away. Now the last thing I wanted was to be touched. I had new wounds I was recovering from, and none of them dulled in the warmth of some drunk who wanted to rub his boner into me. Yeah, no thank you.
                  Despite the groping males, I felt oddly comfortable. Nobody looked at my scars. Maybe it was because they were all drunk, or maybe it was too dark for them to notice. Whatever was the reason, I managed to relax. I blended in for once, and the feeling of relief might have made me cry if I thought about it for long.
                  Emily forced me to dance, and when I finally started to, she drifted off from me to join the men who batted their lustful eyes at her. I cringed at the feel of a man’s chest against my back, but I didn’t push him away or move elsewhere. I pushed the feeling of panic away, knowing nothing was going to happen to me. I shut my eyes and pretended to be that girl again. The one that was confident and beautiful.
    I rocked to the music, ignoring the scent of alcohol wafting from the unknown man’s mouth. His thick hands wandered my body, settling against my hips. I felt his soft chest against my back and his hard length against my ass.
                  I opened my eyes and saw his grey sleeves while he moved all around me. His blonde thick hair brushed against my forehead as he tried to put his lips against mine. I turned away before he could. I didn’t want that, but the old me might not have