She was right. I never got a break from work. I vowed then and there to go with the flow this weekend.
I picked up the glass. “Okay, but I warned you.”
“To Dani and Parker.” We clinked our shot glasses together before downing the Jack. The liquor burned as it went down my throat and we slammed our glasses onto the bar. She waved the bartender over to order another.
“Another one already?” I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. This girl could drink.
“I'm from the Midwest; I can drink. I would think you would be used to that being from Wisconsin. Can’t you keep up?” she teased and licked her lips. The bartender poured us two more shots.
“That sounds like a challenge, Vivian. I never turn down a challenge.” I snatched up the shot glass. “What do we drink to now?”
“New friends,” she said with a grin on her full lips.
I nodded in agreement and we downed our second shot. We set the glasses down and she grabbed my hand.
“Come on, I love this song. Now it’s time to dance!”
I pulled back. “No way, I don’t dance.” I shook my head. “I’m not drunk enough.”
She gave me a sly grin and came back to the bar. “Bartender!” She slapped her hand down. “Another round of shots please!” She put her hands on her hips. “We have to practice for Saturday night.”
After another shot, I let her drag me out onto the dance floor where Parker and Dani were still dancing the night away. There were enough people dancing so I didn’t feel too self-conscious and decided to let go and enjoy myself. Besides, who could say no to a sexy lady like Vivian?
She was smart and funny and so confident, unlike any girl I’d ever met before. Her and Dani started doing some silly routines from college and we were having a blast. A weekend I was sort of looking at as more of an obligation was starting to look like it was going to be a lot of fun.
I couldn’t help but notice there were plenty of guys in this bar who had their eyes on Vivian. If she really wanted to dance, she could grab one of them. I wasn’t about to let that happen so I sucked it up and danced with the girl. If nothing else, for the weekend, she was mine.
Chapter Three ~ Vivian
When Chip tried to get out of dancing with me, I assumed it was because he couldn’t dance. Well, after a few songs I realized I couldn’t be more wrong. The guy had moves. And that was a definite turn on...Because you know what they say...If they can dance, they’re probably good at sex.
Maybe it was the alcohol messing with my brain or the wedding vibes or the fact that Valentine’s Day was two days away and I recently broke up with Gabe. Or maybe it was the fact that I wanted to enjoy my best friend’s wedding.
A slow song came on and Parker immediately pulled Dani into his arms. Chip and I looked at each other awkwardly. Finally he leaned in, his lips near my ear. “Do you want to go get a drink?”
I nodded furiously in agreement. “Good idea! I need a cold beer.”
We made our way to the bar where Chip ordered us a couple of beers. Thankfully, they arrived quickly and we both took a long drink.
“You’re a great dancer,” he said, smiling down at me. He had a way of smiling with only one side of his mouth that made him look incredibly sexy. He’d turned his baseball cap so he was wearing it backward and pushed up the sleeves of his henley while on the dance floor, revealing tattoo sleeves.
I couldn’t help but check out his hands too. They weren’t soft like the guys I knew; they were rough and calloused from actually working for a living. Between the drinks, the tattoos, dancing, and now sexy hands, I was minutes away from taking him back to my place to have my way with him.
That would be a bad idea though, right?
“Thanks, you’re not so bad yourself.” I grinned shyly back at him. I suddenly felt like a fourteen-year-old girl hanging out with her first crush.
We sat down on bar stools and watched our friends dancing. Parker’s hands found their way to Dani’s ass and he clutched her against him while they kissed passionately. I cleared my throat and turned back to the bar.
“Well then…” I laughed. “I think they need to get a room.”
Chip turned around and chuckled. “Yeah….Are you hungry? I saw someone eating a plate of nachos and they looked amazing. One would probably be enough for all of us.”
“Sure, maybe it will soak up some of this alcohol.” If I drank too much more, I might make some decisions I would regret in the morning.
He ordered from the bartender and got us two more beers as well. We made small talk for a bit, talking about Dani and Parker. He was four years older than Parker. He went to college at UW-Platteville for agriculture and came back home to run the family farm.
He showed me a couple of pictures of it on his phone and I was shocked. Parker and Chip’s family farm was nothing like I expected. It was huge with multiple barns. I expected a tiny house with a red barn and a few cows. This was industrial size and Chip actually ran a small company. His parents had a house on the property and he had built a small cabin there as well. He was not the small town country farm guy I had expected at all.
Dani must have noticed from the dance floor when our nachos arrived and managed to untangle herself from Parker and join us at the bar.
“Thank goodness, you guys ordered some food. I’m starving, but I have to go to the bathroom first. Come with me, Vivian.” She grabbed my hand and pulled me from my bar stool, leaving me to stare at the heaping plate of nachos longingly.
When we got to the bathroom door, she stopped. “So you and Chip are hitting it off.”
I shrugged. “So what? He’s a nice guy and we’re having fun. What’s the big deal?” I pushed open the bathroom door to get away from my meddling friend.
She followed me inside, still talking. “I’m just asking. You don’t have to get mad.”
We did our business and while we were washing our hands, she smiled up at me in the mirror. “He’s hot though, isn’t he?”
I returned her smile and nodded. “He is. Very. It’s too bad we live so far away from each other.” Secretly, I was glad. My career was all that mattered right now. I wasn’t ready for another heartbreak after Gabe.
She rolled her eyes. “Love knows no distance.”
I snorted and grabbed some paper towel to dry my hands. “Let’s go before the guys eat all the nachos.”
When we got back to the table, the guys had ordered us a round of shots. I started to protest and then thought better of it. We drank to Dani and Parker’s pending nuptials and did another round. Thank goodness, we took a taxi.
We found our way back out on the dance floor after making quick work of the nachos, the four of us goofing off and dancing together. It was the most fun I’d had in months - maybe years. A slow song came on but this time, instead of Chip and I leaving the dance floor, he pulled me to him, pressing me against his hard body.
I took a deep breath as he gave me that panty-dropping smile. “Practice for the wedding.”
I licked my lips and nodded, trying to ignore the way my body seemed to mold against his. His arms were firmly wrapped around my waist. My heart pounded so fast, I’m pretty sure he could feel it against his chest. His hands found their way further down, almost touching my ass.
My arms were around his neck and he smiled down at me. Soon I was lost in his green eyes. Despite the dance floor being packed, it was almost as if we were the only two people there.
The dj played a couple of slow songs and we kept dancing. Even though we didn’t say anything, the mood between us seemed to have changed. At one point during the song, I looked up at him and he reached up to touch my face.
The slow songs ended and the loud music ended the moment. We broke apart quickly, and I wasn’t sure what had just happened between us.
“Let’s go back to our place,” Dani suggested, leaning over so we could hear her above the loud music. We both nodded and exited the dance floor. I was down with that. The dance floor
was getting more crowded and you could hardly move.
“Maybe I should just go back to my hotel. It’s getting late,” Chip said. I couldn’t help feel disappointed he didn’t want to stay out.
I glanced at my watch. It was nearing two a.m. “I’m going back to my place. It’s been fun, but I’m tired.”
“No way, man! The party is just getting started!” Parker protested and we laughed.
I shook my head. “No, I’m done.” I hated to end the party, but we had a long weekend ahead of us.
“Let me take you home and then I’ll take a cab back to the hotel,” Chip said. His eyes were dark as they looked down at me. “Don’t even say no. I know you’re perfectly capable of taking care of yourself, but I’m a gentleman and I want to make sure you get home okay.”
“Fine,” I agreed, too tired to argue.
We found our coats and purses and headed outside the bar to catch a cab. My mind was still swirling with the dance I’d just had with Chip. Maybe it was the alcohol. I wasn’t drunk, but had a good buzz going on.
As we stood outside waiting for a cab, Parker wrapped his arms around Dani to shield her from the wind. I shivered and noticed Chip watching me.
“Would you like my coat?” He came over and asked.
I shook my head. “I’m fine.” I shivered again and he laughed.
“My ass, you’re fine.” He took off his black jacket and threw it around my shoulders. He smelled like a combination of soap and some aftershave I couldn’t place. I looked up and our faces were just inches away from each other. If I went up on my tiptoes, we would be able to kiss. I glanced at his lips, tempted. I bet he was a great kisser.
“Hey, our cab!” Parker yelled, ending the moment between Chip and I. “You guys take this one first.”
“Thanks for the jacket,” I mumbled and we walked toward the cab, Chip’s hand on the small of my back.
I hugged Dani and Parker goodbye before getting into the cab. “See you tomorrow. Love you.” I gave the driver my address while Chip said his goodbyes. He slid into the cab, his thigh touching mine.
The driver took off like a bat out of hell and I laughed when Chip clutched the door handle. “Chicago cab drivers are a little crazy.”
“I don’t know how you guys deal with this. I guess they need to drive this way in traffic like this. I would hate it.” He shook his head and looked out his window.
We didn’t say anything the rest of the ride. His comment was another reminder of how different we were.
The cab pulled up to my apartment building and I turned to Chip. “Would you like to come up for a drink?” I don’t know what possessed me to even ask. It was late and we had enough to drink already. I wasn’t ready to say goodnight.
He grinned and nodded his head. “Sure, I’d love one.”
Chapter Four ~ Chip
This probably wasn’t the best decision I ever made and this country boy who was used to going to bed early and getting up with the sun was exhausted, but I was drawn to this city girl and wasn’t ready to say goodbye to her yet.
The doorman greeted her and gave me a nod and the side-eye. I didn’t have any experience with doormen but I hoped that meant she lived in a safe building and had someone looking out for her.
The lobby was sleek and modern with furniture that didn’t even seem comfortable to sit in. In my jeans, boots, and hat, I definitely felt out of my element. The apartments back home didn’t have a doorman or a fancy lobby. Just another reminder of how this girl was way out of my league.
Once in the elevator, I teased her. “A doorman, how fancy!”
“Not common in your neck of the woods?” She laughed.
“Not at all.” I took off my hat and ran my fingers through my hair.
“Nice hat head,” she snorted.
I shrugged. “I always wear a hat. If it’s not a baseball hat in the summer to keep the sun off my head, it’s a cap in the winter for the cold. My hair is in a constant state of mess.”
“I like it.”
The elevator dinged and the doors opened on the fifth floor. I followed her to her apartment, waiting while she unlocked it. “It’s kind of a mess. I was cleaning out some stuff from Gabe and have been busy.”
“Did you guys live together?” I asked the question casually, but I was curious. Surely they had if they were together five years.
“No.” She shook her head. “Thank God, although that should have been a red flag that he didn’t want to move in together. Whatever.” She shrugged and unlocked the door for us to go inside.
Her apartment wasn’t huge, but I imagined rent in downtown Chicago wasn’t cheap. It was smaller than Dani and Parker’s place, but not bad. She had a kitchen, small dining area, and a living room. There was a half-bath I could see off the kitchen and then a sliding door to the bedroom.
And she wasn’t kidding when she said it was a mess. There were boxes and bags on the table along with catalogs and mail scattered all over. Dirty dishes were on the counter and a pile of clothes strewn on the couch. I could see the unmade bed from the doorway and clothes all over the floor. This well put together city girl was a slob!
“I guess it’s a bigger mess than I thought.” She smiled sheepishly at me “Sorry.” She threw her purse down. “How about some wine? Or beer? I think I have some beer in the fridge.”
“Beer is good if you have it.” I slipped off my shoes and moved some of the clothes on the couch. I sat down and watched her rummage in the fridge for some beers. She pulled one out along with a bottle of wine and took off the top before handing me one. She went back and poured herself a glass of wine before coming back to me. She kicked off her boots and sat next to me, tucking her legs underneath her.
“Thanks for the beer.” I took a long drink, unsure of what to say next.
“You’re welcome.” She fiddled with her phone, and soon some soft music was playing in the background. She set it down and turned her attention back to me.
She put her elbow back on the couch and rested her head on her fist. A stray strand of hair was on her cheek and I resisted the urge to brush it away. What was I even doing here?
“So tell me, how is a nice guy like you still single?” she asked, the corners of her mouth upturned in a smile before taking a long sip of her wine.
I set my beer on the coffee table in front of me and shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s hard with the farm of course. I work all the time. We’re big enough now that I don’t have to do as much physical labor as I used to. I’ve hired enough guys for that, but there’s always something to do. It’s long hours and few days off.”
“Who’s watching the farm now since your family is all here for the wedding?” She set her glass next to my bottle and moved closer.
“We have a foreman that stayed back and luckily, we have a good crew. I also did a bunch of prep work before I left so three days away wouldn’t be so bad.” I patted the cell phone in my pocket. “I’m just a phone call away as well.”
“Right.” She nodded and I swallowed hard at her proximity. I wouldn’t have to go far to take her in my arms and kiss her. Her lilac scent was driving me insane. She tucked her hair behind her ear. “Have you ever had a serious girlfriend?”
I nodded. “Yeah, in college I dated a girl for a couple of years. I thought we were going to get married but when she realized I was serious about taking over the family farm, she lost interest really quick. She had zero desire to be a farmer’s wife.”
“That’s too bad.”
“Not really. I know now she wasn’t the one.”
“And there’s been no one since her?” She moved her leg so it was touching my thigh and my cock twitched in my jeans.
I shook my head. “Nope. No one has really caught my eye or been interesting enough.”
“I see.” She slid closer and I turned to look at her. She leaned in so her lips were touching mine and any resistance I had was instantly gone. I could taste a hint of wine on her lips. I reached up and cupped her
face in my hands, deepening our kiss.
I leaned into her and gently pushed her so she was on her back on the couch. I settled between her thighs, pressing my hips into hers so she could feel what she did to me.
She snaked her arms around my neck and arched into me. A soft sigh left her lips as my lips left hers and trailed down her neck. She turned her head, allowing me better access to kiss, nip, and lick there.
I lifted my head and pressed my forehead into hers, looking into her eyes hazy with lust. “I want you, Vivian. I’ve wanted you from the minute my brother introduced us and you took my hand tonight. I want to take off all of your clothes and make you cry out my name until you lose your voice.” My voice was husky with need and I pressed my cock harder against her.
Her fingers played in my hair. “I want you too, Chip.”
I growled and my lips attacked hers again. We kissed on her couch for what felt like hours. Eventually my hand found its way up her shirt and she moaned beneath me when I pinched her nipple lightly. She was so responsive beneath me with her soft moans and sighs.
“We should move this to the bedroom,” she whispered and I nodded in agreement. I slid off of her and gave her my hand, helping her up. “I have to use the bathroom and I’ll be right back.” She kissed my lips and walked away while I found my way to the bedroom.
I sat on the edge of the bed and noticed the time. It was after three a.m. I squeezed my cock through my jeans; I was so hard right now but I was having second thoughts. I wanted Vivian - there was no doubt about that. I was coming out of my alcohol induced haze and I realized I didn’t want our first time to be some drunken one-night stand. It probably wasn’t the best way to start out the weekend.
She came out of the bathroom in just a black bra and thong. “Fuck,” I muttered. “You’re so gorgeous.”
“Thank you.” She smiled and walked toward me. She straddled me, sitting on my lap with her arms around my neck. I cupped her ass in my hands and pulled her against me, causing her to moan softly.
I reached up to stroke her arm. “Vivian, you’re sexy and I want to fuck you so bad, but not like this. Not after we’ve been drinking and the sun will be up soon. I want us both clear headed and I want to take my time with you. Besides, you just got out of a relationship and I live far away. This probably isn’t a great idea.”
Suprise Valentine: Sexy Holidays Book 1 Page 2