Pulse Read online

  PULSE

  by Rhea Wilde

  Published by Rhea Wilde, 2014.

  This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

  PULSE

  First edition. March 2, 2014

  Copyright © 2014 Rhea Wilde.

  Written by Rhea Wilde.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Author’s Note

  Chapter 1

  My heart was racing. My mouth hung half-open as my lungs burned. I was failing miserably at trying to catch my breath. Tiny little jolts of electricity were shooting through my body. I was shaking and vibrating with anticipation.

  I had never been like this before. I never wanted it so bad. This wasn’t like me. I was always rational. It didn’t make any sense for me to do this. But the feelings and desires were taking over. I was becoming a victim to the instincts I thought I was capable of holding back. Logic had left me a long time ago and I didn’t mind.

  I didn’t know what it was about him. But he was unlike anybody I’d ever met. It wasn’t just who he was. None of that mattered to me. I had never met a man that was capable of treating me the way he did.

  Is this what I really want? Yes… Yes, this is what you want, Alice.

  I pressed my hands down to brace myself on the desk. My legs spread as I ached for him. I was calling out to him without saying a word. The tension in the room was palpable. I could feel it. And I was hoping that he could to. I stared into his eyes and realized this was the worst I had ever been with a man before. I was desperate. It was pathetic and I knew it. I didn’t care though. I wouldn’t leave this room until he took his position between my legs. I wanted him. All of him. And I didn’t care about the consequences…

  * * *

  Three weeks earlier

  “Is this the best you could come up with?”

  I smirked at my friend as she led me down the street. My hand tucked firmly in hers, we walked along the sidewalk toward our destination. The city was alive tonight. There were people occupying the streets on this Thursday night. With the clubs and bars lining the streets, there was more than enough room to accommodate everybody and help them find whatever it was they were looking for. That was as long as it involved alcohol. Despite the size of the city we lived in, there was a remarkable shortage of things to do.

  “Well, do you have a better idea, Alice?” my friend asked me. “Besides, this place is new. You know how it is when a new club opens up. Everybody is just dying to get in. Everybody dresses up and tries a little harder. It’s a little more fun than our normal events.”

  “Yeah,” I said. “I guess I shouldn’t be complaining. It just feels like we’ve done this before.”

  “We have, Alice. But I know you’re not tired of it. We’re just trying to have a little fun. We can have a little fun tonight, can’t we? It’s a celebration.”

  Summer was on the horizon. I had just finished all of my exams and graduation was just around the corner. I did a good job of balancing my social life along with my studies but my friend Danica was right. All of that was in the past now. I was no longer a college student. I was only a few days away from becoming a college graduate.

  “I can hardly believe it,” I said.

  “Believe what?”

  “College. It’s finally over. I…”

  “You what?”

  “I think I’m actually going to miss it?”

  “Miss it? Alice, you spend all of your time cooped up inside of your apartment.”

  “All of my time?”

  “Well, not all of your time but most of it. You’re either reading or writing or studying for an exam or going on a field-trip.”

  “Yeah but we still hang out on weekends.”

  “I know. Think about it, Alice. Now you could do everything you do on weekends and spread it out over the rest of the week. That’s a new hot guy for every night of the week.”

  “I don’t think so, Danica.”

  “No, just hear me out. Think about it. You’re not tied-down by your studies any longer. You don’t have to show up for class. You don’t have to spend your time doing any research or putting together some stupid paper.”

  “I’ll definitely have more time, that’s for sure.”

  “Exactly. And instead of being worn-out from studying, you can get worn-out from something else. Something a little more exciting.”

  Danica winked at me and I rolled my eyes at her, smiling and laughing at the same time. It was something that was always on my mind but I never really thought about it. During the week, I was always focused on school. I didn’t have time for anything else. More than anything, I didn’t have room for a relationship. Danica knew it better than anybody. We spent our weekends looking for a good time and we usually found it but it was never anything more than that. I would find a hot guy and that would be the end of it. That was how I liked it. That was how I wanted it. The thought of being tied-down in a relationship had crossed my mind for a moment now that I no longer had to worry about school but it was only for a moment. I could only enjoy my vacation for so long.

  “This isn’t going to be any different from our usual weekends,” I said.

  “But we have to celebrate. How often do you graduate from college?”

  “I know. I’m just saying. We’re just going to look for a good time. New club or not, tonight isn’t going to be any different. Besides… I’m probably going to start applying for a job pretty soon.”

  “Oh, Alice, you can take a little more time to yourself.”

  “No, I can’t. You would understand if you saw my student loans.”

  “Ah, the price you pay for an education. Was it worth it?”

  “Talk to me in six months and I’ll let you know if I have a job.”

  I sighed at the prospect of everything that laid ahead of me. Danica immediately noticed the new burden that was suddenly weighing down upon my shoulders and she laughed at me.

  “Listen, Alice. Now is not the time for that. Tonight, we’re just going to have some fun. I’m going to buy you a few drinks. You’ll catch the eye of some cute guy. And then you’ll celebrate no longer being in school with a mind-blowing orgasm.”

  “You have a way with words, Danica.”

  “I know. But that’s what’s going to happen tonight. I have no doubt about that. You should see yourself, Alice. You look great.”

  “Define great.”

  “I don’t know. But if I were a guy, I’d definitely want to put it in you.”

  “You do have a way with words…”

  We giggled with one another as we neared the entrance of the club she was taking me to. It was a nice relief to head somewhere for the sole purpose of having a good time. Even though Danica told me it was a new place, I didn’t bother doing anything special. I did my makeup as I usually did and left my brown hair down. I hopped into a pair of jeans and put on a loose black top that hung off of one of my shoulders. A pair of black pumps completed the ensemble. Danica made it more obvious that she was on the market. She was wearing a black miniskirt that barely covered her ass. She could pull it off because she had these long legs that I was always envious of. The red heels she was walking in made every inch of them look that much mo
re desirable. If that weren’t enough, her white top was so tight against her body that her breasts looked like they were being suffocated. She was a brunette with naturally curly hair. She looked picture perfect.

  There was a line outside of the club. I wrapped my arms around myself to brace for the cold, wishing that I had brought a jacket. Danica didn’t pay any attention to me, a man a few places ahead of us in line already grabbing her attention. He wasn’t much too look at. He wasn’t an ugly man but nothing else seemed to stick-out from every other man. Well, besides the fact that he was paying attention to her. That was all either one of us was looking for. It didn’t matter what kind of job he had or what kind of car he drove or what his personality was like. All Danica and I were looking for was a good time.

  Hook-ups and flings were the one thing I used to keep my sanity every time I was stressed-out because of an exam I had to study for or a paper I had to write. Sometimes all you needed was an orgasm to clear your head for a moment. Of course, it was never anything more than that. I would eventually return to the exams and papers because they were more important than anything. I wondered if my little adventures with Danica would change when all of my studying was replaced with work in the real world.

  Now wasn’t the time to think about that though. Now was the time to think about having a drink and forgetting about anything else outside of the club.

  “What do you think about this one?” Danica whispered to me as she continued to eyeball him, a sly grin on her face.

  “I don’t know,” I shrugged my shoulders.

  “Come on, Alice. You’ve got to have some kind of opinion about him.”

  I looked over at the guy who was staring back at my friend. He was still just as unimpressive the first time I looked at him. But there was also nothing to complain about. He was perfect if you weren’t asking too much of him.

  “I think you can do better,” I said. “But I think you can do worse, too.”

  “Hmm… You’re right. Maybe I’ll squeeze a few drinks out of him and if nothing better turns up…”

  While my friend contemplated ways to save money on alcohol, I looked up and down the line to see if there was anything more interesting. The line was growing longer. The club was certainly a hot spot because it was one of the new places in the city. But there was nothing intriguing enough for me to see things any differently from a usual trip. This was only the beginning though.

  I didn’t know what it was exactly. Maybe it was the bonus of not having to worry about school for a few days. But I had this feeling. Tonight was special. I just couldn’t figure out why…

  Chapter 2

  There was a feeling in the air that was palpable. It was one thing to enjoy a Thursday night with drinks and dancing. It was another to be at a club that was the latest talk of the town. If you looked close enough, the floor was a little more spotless. The lights seemed to be shining a little brighter. The music seemed to be playing a little louder. It was the little things that made everybody a little more excited to be out here tonight. The promise of a long weekend or not showing-up to work on Friday morning seemed to give the entire club the carefree vibe that Danica and I were looking for.

  Despite the new location, the scenery hadn’t changed much. I was in the same company of the men and women I’d seen in previous clubs and bars. They all had the same idea that I did. Still, it was a big city and there were a lot of people to meet.

  It didn’t take long for Danica to sink her claws into one of them. As soon as we got inside of the club, the man staring at her in line was now buying the two of us a drink. I didn’t know if Danica planned on doing anything with him. I was just glad I wouldn’t be the one that was going to pay for this.

  “So, what’s your name?” the nondescript man asked me.

  “Alice,” I shouted over the loud music.

  “Nice to meet you, Alice. My name’s George. Your friend Danica here says that you’re looking for a good time.”

  “Is that right?”

  I shifted my eyes toward Danica. She had a tight-lipped smile as she sucked on the straw of her drink. I knew that she was curious to hear my response. I was just as curious.

  “Maybe,” I replied. “I don’t know if I’m looking for a good time or if a good time is looking for me.”

  “That’s what I like to hear,” he smiled. “You know, I’ve got a friend of mine—”

  “Listen, George. I… I don’t want to make a promise I can’t keep. I’m just going to enjoy my time here for the moment. When the night gets old and the alcohol is in my bloodstream, maybe then we can talk about having some real fun.”

  I didn’t know how else to put it. Maybe George’s friend was gorgeous and exactly what I was looking for. That didn’t matter though. The night was still young and we had just stepped foot in the club. I had barely taken a sip of my drink. I didn’t know what it was but something told me that I could do better than George and his friend.

  I gave Danica a look to let her know what I was thinking. She nodded as casually as she could and took George off to the side.

  “Well, I don’t want to waste any time,” she said. “Come on, let’s have some fun. You’re not going anywhere now, are you?”

  “Where would I go?” I said to her.

  She smirked at me and pulled George onto the dance floor. If he were upset about what I said to him, I couldn’t tell. Danica had taken his attention and given him just a piece of what he wanted. Whether or not she was genuinely into him or paying him back for the drinks didn’t matter. She wasted no time in grinding up against him and getting lost on the dance floor.

  I leaned up against the bar and observed the spectacle in front of me. Men wearing their dress shirts and overpriced jeans did their best to stick-out from everybody else. Some looked more desperate than others as they tried to gain the attention of the women surrounding them. The females were game even if they weren’t making it as apparent as their male counterparts. Their hair was done-up and the makeup made all of them look like glamour models. Their outfits were sheer and sexy. There was so much skin on display and not a single one of them was ashamed of it. They didn’t have anything to hide. My friend Danica was one of them.

  As I watched her dance with the man on the floor, I took a moment to see just how beautiful she was. She writhed up against George, raising her arms up around his neck as she pushed her back up against him. Her eyes were closed and she seemed deep in the moment. The bass thumped through the speakers and the friendly conversations all around me were a perfect drunken chorus. I was alone but I wasn’t upset. It was only a matter of time until I found what I was looking for.

  After taking the time to observe my friend, I turned back to the bartender to order myself another drink. I could feel the rush of the alcohol running in my blood. There was a feeling rumbling in my stomach. My legs were beginning to loosen up. But I was still coherent. Coherent enough to notice the man standing at the other end of the bar.

  It was hard to describe him. He stuck out from all of the other men in the club but I couldn’t explain it exactly. He was a good-looking man, no question about that. But there was something else I couldn’t quite put my finger on. His brown hair was styled but nothing spectacular. I could only guess what was hiding underneath his shirt. As I stared at him—the alcohol giving me the courage to look back at him—everything else seemed to be moving in slow motion. He was the only thing that wasn’t moving. He was like a piece of art with everybody walking by and around him. I almost didn’t think he was real.

  Our eyes met across the bar.

  All right, Alice. He seems interesting enough…

  I raised my drink up to my lips and took a sip. I trailed my tongue ever so slightly across the rim of my glass before lapping up some of the liquor that was spilled across it. The corner of his lip twitched into the tiniest little grin. Now I knew that he was real.

  Now what?

  There was always two ways to play it. You could either play it cool
and act like a lady. Let him come to you. Any man who doesn’t have the confidence to say anything to you isn’t the kind of gentleman you want to waste your time with.

  But I knew better than anybody that it wasn’t like that any more. If there were something you wanted, there’s no reason not to take it. Why bother wasting your time?

  It didn’t matter in this case. Sometimes when you’re trying to make a decision, someone else will make it for you. The man pushed himself up away from the bar and slowly made his way toward me. I turned my attention away from him, keeping just in range from the corner of my eye. There was always this feeling of anticipation when you knew a man was interested. While most women were too busy worrying about what to say or what they looked like, I always reminded myself that he was just a man. I wasn’t some shy virgin still in high school. Hell, I wasn’t even in college at this point. I took the time he spent walking toward me to enjoy this brief little moment before we met.

  He took the spot right next to me. I turned my head away from him but I could feel him right there. I took another sip of my drink and waited to hear what he was going to say. But it never came. All I could hear was the sound of the music that I had grown numb to and the drunken conversation from all of the people surrounding me.

  Okay, Alice. Let’s see what this guy’s all about.

  I turned my head and looked at him. He was staring at me and I wasn’t prepared for it. I could tell he was good-looking from several meters away but up close, he was more striking. Even underneath the flashing lights of the club, his light brown eyes were piercing. He had the remnants of a few days without shaving upon his face but I didn’t mind. My eyes trailed down the rest of his face and noticed how muscular his arms were as they leaned up against the bar next to me.

  I was caught off-guard for only a second but that was all he needed. I held back a gasp as I saw him. The lack of expression on his face was quickly replaced by a devilish smirk. He still didn’t say anything though. He placed his drink on the counter then turned around with his back leaning up against the bar. I took another sip of my drink in the hopes that I could rid myself of an anxiety that I wasn’t used to feeling. I had blown-off George’s offer to meet his friend so easily and now I suddenly found myself captivated by a man who hadn’t spoken a single word.