by Amy Sumida
It was the eyes, this time, nearly breaking her resolve and spilling her guts. She thanked her lucky stars his special tone never made an appearance. With it, the whole story would be divulged. Wrenching her gaze away from his to keep from spilling, his hands became her whole focus. The movement up and down soothed her soul as well as her muscles.
“I’m sure,” she mumbled.
“Warm?” Doug walked in carrying a few wet facecloths, his body deliciously on display.
Aria licked her lips, thankful for the interruption. Her body started to heat as her eyes roamed his broad muscular body. With Chad touching her and Doug’s heated gaze on her, the inferno roared into life again.
Something is definitely up with my hormones!
“Very warm.” Chad’s hold of her arm kept her from fanning herself at the view in front of her.
Doug’s grin grew as her eyes remained locked on his body. He swaggered towards the bed until he could sit beside her. “Then these cool cloths should help.” He gently tilted her head forward to place one under her neck. The second, he laid across her forehead.
“Ahhh, that feels nice. Thank you.” Aria closed her eyes.
She tried to focus on her breathing to calm her body down, but her mind continued to churn. The words the women spoke played on repeat as she examined her actions during every encounter with the guys. Every time a woman approached any one of them, she remembered hot the guys glanced towards her before extricating themselves. Maybe she was cock blocking them.
Her heart fell at the thought. Without them, her vacation would not have been the success it currently was. They cared for her, looked after her, spent time with her, and were fun to be with. She didn’t want to give that up, but what were they giving up? She wanted them to have an enjoyable vacation instead of feeling like they had to take care of her. Her smile dropped from her face as she turned on her side.
Later. I’ll deal with this later.
Chapter Eleven
— Jason —
“What happened this morning while I was at the pool?” Jason peered at his friends as he buttoned up his short sleeve dress shirt for the fancier restaurant Doug booked them into for supper. When he returned after his class, Aria acted a little reserved. Her smiles, which he looked forward to seeing, became infrequent as the afternoon wore on.
Whenever she closed her eyes, she dropped her guard, allowing different emotions to play over her face. They ran the gamut from happiness, to sadness, including some where she appeared angelic. Each time a sad expression crossed her face, he clenched his muscles. Chad had cracked his knuckles while Doug rotated and massaged his neck, their unease clearly visible.
Doug finished zipping up his pants as he took a moment to think about how to answer. He slid his belt through the loops. “So, you saw it, too, huh? The sadness in her eyes that grew throughout the day?”
Jason finished buttoning his shirt leaving the top two buttons undone. He opened the top drawer of the dresser and reached for a watch. “Yes. It looked like she was going to cry by the end. Every time I tried to ask her what was wrong, she always managed to change the subject.” He did up the watch clasp on his wrist. Not paying attention to what he was doing, it pinched, too tight like the band around his chest when he remembered the sadness in Aria’s eyes.
Chad walked out the bathroom drying his hair with a towel while another one dangled precariously off his hips. “I noticed it as well. I kept taking her pulse which was a bit higher than normal, but nothing alarming.” He threw his hair towel on the bed and walked over to the dresser. Jason opened the drawer Chad required before heading to the couch to sit. Chad pulled out a pair of boxer briefs and started to get dressed.
“I guess we’ll just have to watch her closely tonight and trust she’ll tell us.” Doug picked up the room key and put it in his pocket. He headed over to the fridge for a bottle of water. “Besides, she can’t keep her distance or ignore us if she’s dancing with us.” He wiggled his eyebrows.
“You’re right. She told us she would let us know if anything was wrong. We’ll have to trust her.” Chad finished buttoning his shirt. He checked his watch. “I’m ready. Shall we head out?”
Jason stood knowing he needed to trust the words of his friends. The dance club next to the restaurant tended to be loud, but contained numerous quieter seating areas.
Doug pushed himself off the counter he leaned against, and they followed Chad to the door.
— Aria —
Aria sat on the edge of her bed watching her friends get ready. She crossed her legs and then uncrossed them. She tapped her foot and then stilled. She brought her fingers to her lips and started to bite her nails before ripping her fingers from her mouth. She bit her lip and went back to tapping her foot.
“Anxious?” Shona chuckled as she applied her eyeshadow.
“Not really.” Aria stilled her foot and sat on her hands. Her eyes roamed the room until she couldn’t stand the tension coiling in her anymore. She stood and started pacing the room.
The three girls stopped what they were doing and stared. She knew her actions were exposing her lie, but she couldn’t stop. The last time she acted this way, she defended her Master’s thesis the next day. Ryan, her ex, called the girls to come take care of her anxiety because he hated dealing with her when she was anxious. By the time the girls arrived, armed with movies and snacks, she paced and moved like now.
“Something’s up,” Trish said to the other two who nodded and then went back to applying their make-up.
Aria spun and marched over to them, stopping an arms distance away. “Do you think I’m a cock blocker?” She blurted before covering her mouth with her hand.
The three girls glanced at each, questions evident in their eyes.
“Um, I think we need more info.” Jennifer finished swiping on her mascara before turning to lean against the counter, facing Aria.
“I overheard some women talking today and they called me a cock blocker.” Aria smoothed down the skirt portion of her sun dress. “They said I was stopping the guys from having flings with the single women here.”
“And the married ones as well,” Shona muttered before Trish nudged her and shook her head.
“Well…” Jennifer started.
“The guys do seem to brush off other women when you’re around,” continued Trish. She put her brush down and picked up her earrings.
“And you’re almost always with at least one of the guys, if not all three,” finished Shona. Smacking her lipstick covered lips, she turned to face Aria. “You know we love you and wouldn’t lie. So yes, you are kind of cock blocking them.”
Aria’s head rocked back as if she’d been slapped. “B-b-but—” She cleared her throat and tried again. “I’ve never asked them to stay by me. That’s something they do all by themselves, so why am I the bad guy?”
Shona walked towards Aria and grasped her forearms. “You aren’t the bad guy. You just haven’t done anything to stop them. You flirt with all of them.”
Aria pulled her arms out of Shona’s grasp as her nose wrinkled and her eyes narrowed.
How can she lecture me on flirting with multiple guys?
She opened her mouth, but was cut off.
“Don’t worry about it, Aria.” Jennifer, picking up her room key, joined Shona and Aria. “Tomorrow’s our girl’s day, so the guys can find all the girls they want.”
Grreeeaaat. Aria turned, rubbing her chest as she picked up her key. Jennifer’s words were meant to console her. Instead, they ripped a hole in her chest.
“We should go,” she mumbled as she headed to the door with the rest of the girls following behind.
~
The girls arrived last at the restaurant lobby. The hostess guided them to the table where both groups of guys waited. The girls, except for Aria, sat in their normal seats as if someone assigned the seats. Aria and her guys rotated their seating with each meal. Each guy took a turn to sit next to Aria. The sides of the table switch
ed to try to keep Doug or Chad from sitting next to Shona, but tonight they failed.
Aria tried hard to remain talkative throughout the meal, not wanting the guys to know anything was wrong, but she couldn’t hide the look in her eyes or the tightness of her mouth. Sitting back, her heart lifted each time the boys took the time to explain the background behind their internal jokes. The fact they took the time to ensure she wasn’t left out should mean something, but each lift accompanied a stabbing pain. Her eyes travelled from Chad to Jason and then to Doug as her breath caught in the back of her throat. It had only been a few days, but the guys carved out their own pieces within her heart. The problem…the pieces felt like they always belonged to them. To give them up was to rip out parts of her heart.
Not wanting to borrow trouble, she tried not to wonder what tomorrow night’s supper would look like. Would they have found women they preferred to hang out with instead of her? Would they bring them to the dinner Doug already booked or would she come back tomorrow to a message cancelling their plans? She sucked in her bottom lip as she listened to them talk.
Enough with the pity party. She decided to soak in all they had to offer tonight in case it all ended tomorrow.
— Doug —
“Finished with your dessert?” Doug asked from across the table. His smile was a little strained and didn’t reach his eyes.
Between worrying about Aria’s evident sadness and trying to discreetly fend off Shona’s wandering hands under the table, he was ready to leave. He couldn’t wait to get Aria out on the dance floor. Maybe then she would confide in him.
Aria offered him a tight-lipped smile as she nodded. She glanced around at all of her friends still eating.
Standing, Doug walked around the table to her side. The corners of his lips turned up as confusion flashed across her face. “Come on then, my darling. Let’s go dancing. The rest can catch up when they’re done.” He held out his hand to her.
She set her palm in his, eyes lighting up, twinkling with delight as her first real smile of the evening graced her face. “Yes please.”
Shona narrowed her eyes at the pair as Aria stood with her hand in Doug’s. “Hey, where are you two going?”
“We’re finished so we’re heading next door to dance.” Aria grinned, her heart lighter.
“Please don’t rush on our account,” Doug added when he Shona started to push away her plate.
“Hey, Shona,” Chad called as he shot a wink over his shoulder at Doug. “What all do you girls have planned for tomorrow?”
Doug shot Chad a grateful smile and mouthed, “Thank you.” He wrapped his arm around Aria’s shoulder, leading her towards the door. Head tilting towards hers, his breath brushed her bare skin as he spoke. “Did I mention earlier how beautiful you look tonight?”
Goose bumps erupted across the skin on Aria’s arms and legs as a shiver passed through her spine. She briefly closed her eyes as she bit the side of her lip. “No, you didn’t.”
“Well, I’ve been thinking it all night.” He squeezed her shoulder before opening his hand and letting his palm slide down her arm. “I can’t tell who had it better tonight; myself and Jason, or Chad. While Chad got to sit next to you, Jason and I got to stare at you all evening.”
Aria’s breath stuttered.
Doug patted himself on the back when Aria’s body curled into his. His chest puffed as his ego grew. Aria responded to compliments as if she’d never received them before causing him and his friends to wonder about the type of people she ran into daily in Halifax. He knew if she crossed his path, staring and drooling would be the least of his reactions. As her body relaxed farther in his arms, he smiled. Leaning over, he placed a kiss on the top of her head, squeezing her closer before continuing their walk into the club.
Lights flashed as the sound reverberated throughout the crowded smoky room. Aria stopped, her chin hitting the ground. The room, crowded with people gyrating to the pulsing beat while others stood around the many bars surrounding the dance floor, didn’t feel stuffy. Various seating configurations, from groupings of couches around coffee tables to built in booths to tiny bar tables with or without stools, ringed the outer walls filling in the areas between the bars. This club could have easily been transported to any major western city and still been packed.
Doug wrapped his arms around her waist from behind as he pulled her flush with his chest. He bent until he could speak into her ear without yelling. “It’s something, isn’t it? I couldn’t believe it when Jason and I were here about four years ago.”
Aria nodded. The bass vibrating through her body setting her heart on fire and off at a gallop. She grinned even as a sliver of panic made itself known.
“Let’s go dance.” Doug removed his one hand from her waist, but dragged the other one around her back until he could hold her hand. He pulled her out into the middle of the dance floor.
Responding to the excitement in the air and the expression of sheer pleasure on Doug’s face, Aria turned to face Doug, pulling herself close enough to straddle his leg as she moved to the hypnotic beat of the music. Doug’s hands went to her waist and guided her in her movements. She slowly dragged her hands up the side of her body skirting the sides of her breasts until her arms stretched above her head.
Doug’s eyes darkened as he watched her move. His pants grew tighter as she ground herself against his thigh. One hand moved to the small of her back while his other hand moved to trace her abdominal muscles urging her to arch back. He licked his lips as she obeyed every move his body suggested. His hand started to drift up. He could feel her belly button and her scars move with her muscles as she arched farther.
Fuck! I need to get a grip. She means more than a quick grind or grope on the dance floor.
He lowered his hand slowly and pressed on her lower back to raise her. When she was back upright, he pulled his leg out from between hers and spun her around. He wrapped one arm around her waist as he pulled her tight.
Aria closed her eyes. She leaned her head back onto his chest. Her one hand she wrapped around his arm while she snaked her other arm around his neck leaving her side exposed.
Doug couldn’t resist. He slid his second hand slowly up her exposed side until it brushed the side of her breast. He closed his eyes and worked to keep his breathing steady. He slowly lowered his hand again as they swayed to the beat. He relaxed into the sensation of her fingers playing with the back of his neck, enjoying the feel of her hands on him.
Another hand brushed his ass before it returned to squeeze it.
What the fuck?
He shifted their bodies slightly and relaxed when he only felt Aria’s hands on him. A few seconds later, two more sets of hands ran across the back of his body. They travelled across his back and down to cup his ass again. Before he could do anything, breasts poked into his back as a hand slid between his body and Aria’s to grope his large erection.
He roughly shifted both their bodies away from the groping hand. Spinning Aria to face him, he cupped her cheeks with both hands and tipped her head as his lips slammed down on hers. The kiss, bold and fierce, made a statement to everyone who stood near them. He devoured her lips before shoving his tongue into her mouth and claiming her.
She shivered under his assault. Sliding her hands across his chest, she flicked his nipples on the way to his neck. Stepping closer, she tilted her head back, allowing her chest to rub up against his. Her moan at the loss of his tongue as he withdrew it from her mouth, quickly changed to a groan. His hands moved down to her shoulders before continuing lower brushing by each breast. Breathing became laboured as his mouth followed the path his hands took.
“Get a room!” someone shouted to the laughter and moans of disappointment that surrounded them. When they didn’t stop, a person near them lightly nudged Doug, breaking their kiss.
“What?” Doug snarled as he looked towards the spot the nudge came from.
“Dude, I was just trying to keep you from making a scene.”
As he started to turn, his mouth opened, “I’m sorry, Aria. I didn’t mean…”
Chapter Twelve
— Aria —
Aria’s mouth dropped and her eyes tightened at Doug’s words.
What does he mean he’s sorry, that he didn’t mean… What? To kiss me?
She dropped her hands from around his neck as she took a shaky step back. “What do you mean you’re sorry? I’m not sorry we kissed.” Trying to keep the hurt from colouring her voice, but not succeeding, her eyes shimmered and threatened to spill over with tears. She started to turn away determined not to let him see her cry.
Doug lifted his hand to rub his face and neck. “Shit. Aria.” Both hands reached out to snag her hips, holding her in place. “I didn’t mean it like that, darling.” He stepped closer to her. One hand moved to tip her chin up so she would meet his gaze as he tried to explain. “Fuck. I wanted to kiss you. I’ve wanted to from the moment you first bounced into me. I just didn’t want our first kiss to be a way to stop the women dancing behind us from groping me.”
Aria’s eyes widened, and her hurt started to transform into anger at the idea of other women groping her man. She tried to peer past Doug to figure out who the women were, but his wide frame—she hadn’t nicknamed him the Wall for nothing—took up her entire visual field. Her anger melted the longer she stared at him. The desire for her and the pleading look in his eyes burned her body from the inside. Her fingers traveled to her lips remembering the feel of his full lips on hers. The silky pressure.
She slowly lifted her lips into a sensual smile. “So why don’t you kiss me again?”