by A. C. Bextor
“Are you asking me to dance with you?”
“Maybe.”
Taking his eyes off the road, he turns to me and says, “Then yes, I dance.”
“Do you dirty dance?”
“Are you asking me to dirty dance with you?”
“Maybe,” I repeat my previous answer.
“Then yes, for you I’ll dance dirty.”
Once we get to the bar, Ace’s red and black Harley is parked outside the entrance, and Trav’s Jeep is in the closest spot available. They’ve been here a while already if the traffic in the parking lot is anything to go by. No one scores good parking spots in a place like this at this time in the evening.
“Gang’s all here,” Hayden informs while opening the door for me.
As soon as the door opens, we’re assaulted by a very animated but exasperated Marlee who looks absolutely adorable in her black mini dress and red high heels. Even pregnant, Marlee’s gorgeous in a youthful cheerleader kind of way. She’s glowing.
“Rae’s drinking more than Ace would prefer. Travis is losing patience with her thirty questions about what he got her for her birthday, and Toby is already wanting to turn in for the night. I married an old man.” She announces all of this without a single stutter.
Hayden bends to kiss Marlee’s head. “Well, hello to you, too, sweetheart.” She smiles against his chest as he offers her a sweet, reassuring hug. He winks at me as she sighs and hugs him back with care. “Let’s go find the others.”
Marlee leads us to a table toward the back of the overcrowded bar where everything is just as she said it was. Ace is standing over Raegan from behind, holding her shoulders in his large hands. From the looks of it, he’s trying to keep her seated.
Travis is on one side of her; two empty beer bottles sit in front of him and he’s working on his third that was just delivered. Toby opens his arms for Marlee to fall into his lap, and she does immediately and kisses his lips quick with a hard “mwah.”
“Who’s designated tonight?” Hayden asks, looking for the waitress’s attention. She ignores him and plows forward to her next table where a group of young women are giggling hysterically at each other.
The bar is loud and I find Hayden was right about the music. Billy Joel is blasting through the speakers. People old enough to be our parents mingle throughout the dance floor, and the wait staff is just as aged.
Marlee speaks to everyone over the table. “Toby and I aren’t staying. This baby is already wearing me down and I have seven months yet to go. Toby’s tired, too, although I have no idea why. He’s not carrying a small peanut of a human inside his body.”
“I’ve got the already drunken birthday girl.” Ace looks down at Raegan as she looks up, smiling without remorse to her obviously tipsy state.
“I’ll get Travis,” Hayden returns. Travis nods, acting as though this is Hell for him, but it’s not. I’ve found that if he’s doing something for Raegan, it’s done with sentiment and without a second thought.
“We’re going to Trav’s after?” Ace asks Hayden, already knowing the answer.
Hayden nods after ensuring Raegan didn’t catch it.
“My dad can’t make the surprise party you all have planned.” Raegan downs the rest of her vodka cranberry with little effort. “He’s taking that woman to the airport. Some family emergency. Convenient it’s on my birthday, but whaaaatever.”
“What the fuck?” Trav snaps beside her.
She raises her eyebrows in response and turns to him. “Was that for news of my surprise party or the overly dramatic much younger woman my dad is probably fucking as we speak?”
Travis ignores the visual about her dad. Joseph has been seeing a woman closer to Rae’s age than his own and she hates it, no matter if he’s happy or not. “How the fuck did you know about the party?”
“You guys don’t have any idea about six-year-olds, do you?” She chastises each of us in play. “You can’t plan anything within earshot of Deck. He spills everything.”
“That little shit!” Ace exclaims.
“Fuck me,” Trav sneers.
Marlee bounces on Toby’s lap, smiling. “If you don’t have kids, you don’t get it. Madd would do the same. He tells on Toby for putting his feet on the table when I’m not home.”
Toby nods confirmation then confesses, “I used to try to bribe him to keep quiet. Doesn’t do any good, though. He’s a mama’s boy.”
Hayden looks down at me with exasperation as I stand beside him and offer wide eyes. We worked our asses off all damn day for the surprise party to find out she knew about it the whole time.
“Oh, well, let’s drink,” Raegan says, looking around frantically for the exact same waitress who just walked away. Even with four shots lined up in front of her, she’s searching for her next vodka.
Raegan hands me a shot and I down it quickly, readying for its effect. She hands me another one, smiling with pride, and I down it just as fast, now readying to be sick. Thankfully, I’m not.
Needing something to chase the shot, which I assume was tequila, I ask the others for help. “When the waitress comes by again, can you guys grab me a beer?”
Hayden looks down at me standing by his side with narrowed eyes. “Thought you didn’t drink beer cause it goes to your head?”
“It does,” I confirm, not saying anything more but offering a two-shot tequila-induced smirk.
“Lacey needs a beer,” he tells Raegan with urgency, accepting the invitation to get me drunk.
After further conversation and more drinks, I feel myself start to sway. Leaning on Hayden for support while standing at the crowded table, he accepts my tipsy state and holds me up with his arm around my shoulder. Trav’s eyes narrow at me, but I send him a warning glare that keeps him quiet.
“Lace is feelin’ it already,” Ace announces to the group after catching the stare-down between my brother and me.
“See that,” Trav replies as he grabs his beer, takes a drink, and then sets it back down waiting for an explanation from me.
“I’m not much of a drinker,” I admit.
“Cheers to that!” Rae exclaims, lifting her drink to those at the table.
Trav’s attention is sent to Raegan first, then he looks up to Ace standing behind her while muttering, “Jesus.”
“I know her,” Hayden breaks in while pulling out a chair for me. His focus is on a woman at another table.
“Who?” Ace asks, looking in the same direction.
When I look over at Travis, I see he’s being mauled by Raegan, who has her arm wrapped around his neck in a vise and is running her knuckles through his hair. He’s almost laughing. I’ve never heard him really laugh and I wish he would.
“That girl. Her name’s Kate,” Hayden finishes.
Over at the next table, I see a cute brunette dressed conservatively and I watch Hayden stare at her. I don’t like how careful he’s watching, but I’m not oblivious to what Travis had mentioned about Hayden being a male whore; I just hadn’t seen him look at any woman specifically before.
“Who is she?” I ask, with an impatience I shouldn’t feel.
“I met her last week when I was at The Ward.”
“Are you gonna go say hi or just keep staring until she answers your mating call?” Trav asks.
“Fuck off, dick. I don’t know her, know her. We just had a conversation. To be honest, she asked about you. I forgot about it ’til just now.”
“Me?” Trav says, his voice rising with surprise.
“Yeah. She thought you were gay,” Hayden casually says while grabbing Travis’s new beer over the table and taking a swig, then handing it to me for one.
“Gay!” Raegan answers, slamming her hand on the table.
“Gay?” Marlee laughs with her question.
“I’m not fucking gay.” Trav’s temple vein is making its usual moody appearance.
“If you are, her cousin is interested,” Hayden finishes.
“Oh, God!” Raegan can’t c
ontrol her laughter.
Ace slaps the back of Trav’s shoulder while giving him sound advice. “Go show her you’re not gay, little brother. She’s lookin’ over here and she’s aiming her eyes right at you.”
“Fuck you, guys. I’m going for another drink. You owe me for this, Hayden.”
“Get your sister another beer, too,” Hayden tells Travis.
“Get me another cranberry vodka,” Rae demands, but no one listens. Our collective understanding is that she’s had enough.
“This is going to be a short night. Don’t get too comfortable,” Ace explains, still holding Rae’s shoulders to keep her seated.
“See that.” Hayden smiles at Rae as she rolls her eyes, knowing Ace can’t see it.
“How long have you guys been here?” I ask Ace as Raegan plays with her napkin on the table.
“Early. When her dad called to cancel meeting us here, she was pissed so she asked to start her party early. She’s been drinking for a while.”
No one says anything, we all just watch Raegan closing her eyes and swaying to her God-awful music. I don’t see Travis through the crowd of people, but when I look to Kate and follow her line of sight, I see him standing near the hallway exit waiting for drinks. She should talk to him. He needs someone.
“Ready for that dance?” Hayden’s arm strengthens around my shoulders and I catch the Ace’s wince as he does. Rae’s smiling up at us and Toby and Marlee are lost in their own personal conversation.
“You would dance to this?”
“You got all dressed up for Drunky’s party.” His finger signals to Rae. “I wouldn’t let it go to waste. C’mon.” He pulls me out into the crowd and I offer a small nod to Ace who is watching closely.
“Willie Nelson.” He states the obvious. Although I like rap and pop, I still know Willie Nelson.
“Yeah . . . you sure about this dance?”
He grabs my waist and lines my body against his without any space between us. I’m just tall enough to stare at his throat and pendant. I study it to avoid admitting how good he smells and feels against me. Bending down, he whispers against my ear, “I’m sure.”
His hands run over my lower back, his chest warm against mine, and the alcohol on his breath makes me want to reach up and taste his lips. He looks down on me with a satisfied grin as though he’s able to read my thoughts.
With a depressed tone, I voice my near-drunken thought out loud. “You don’t dance like I thought you would.”
He looks down at me with contemplation. “Oh, yeah?”
I nod, gripping his shoulders and pulling myself closer to him. “Yeah, I thought you’d at least make a play.”
“Right here on the dance floor?” he asks, looking around at the crowd among us.
“Yes, I’m kind of disappointed. Am I not the type you’d usually make a play for?”
His eyes dance with mischief. Bending so his height is slightly lower, he digs his hips into mine, thrusting slowly but gently. I don’t react, waiting to see how far he’ll take this charade. His hand makes its way to my ass and pushes me against him, grinding harder.
“Better, I guess,” I state, still with a hint of feigned disappointment. I’m pushing.
“Jesus, would you rather I take you out back so we can be alone?”
“Would that make a difference?”
“Don’t test me, Lacey. It’s fucked and you know it. We can’t . . .”
“Right. That’s okay. If you can’t, you can’t.”
“I didn’t say I can’t. We can’t.”
“Why not?” This is a bold conversation to be having; I recognize that, but the drinks are loosening my usually controlled mood.
“I’m not sure,” he answers, “but I’m sure it’s not a good idea.”
“I like your flirting and seducing better than your denial.”
“If you like my flirting, you’d love my hands and tongue.”
Just as I’m about to retort to his sexual comment, the high-pitched voice of the redhead behind us interrupts our conversation. “Hayden, is that you?”
Hayden releases me to turn around and when he does, I catch all of her. Sleek shiny hair, makeup to perfection, tall, model-thin, and she’s smiling her perfect white teeth at Hayden. I start to step back to give him a private moment but he grabs my wrist, pinning me in place.
Without emotion, he greets her by name, “Michelle.”
“Am I interrupting?” she asks, knowing she full well is.
At the same time, I say, “No,” and Hayden says, “Yes.”
Tugging my wrist from his hold, I pull away and make myself invisible through the crowd to find our table. I don’t look back; my humiliation pushes me forward. Marlee and Toby are gone. Travis isn’t around and Ace is now sitting next to Raegan, so close he appears to be holding her up.
“Where’s everyone? I was only gone for five minutes.”
“Toby and Marlee left already. She felt sick.” He nods toward the direction of the bar. “Travis manned up and is buying that Kate girl a drink.”
I look where Ace’s eyes are concentrating and see Travis holding up the bar with the brunette looking at him shyly, not touching him at all. Even from here, he appears to have used liquid courage to do it; he’s swaying in place.
“We’re about to head out.” Ace’s eye-roll in Raegan’s direction answers the question of why. She’s leaning on him entirely with her eyes completely closed.
I point to her and whisper the best I can through the crowd around us, “Sorry about her dad canceling.”
“Yeah, thanks. Can you guys give her a ride in Hayden’s car? I’ll meet you at Trav’s house on my bike.”
“Yeah, no problem.”
“Sit with her. I’ll grab Travis now before he gets too friendly with that Kate and we have to pull them apart.”
“Okay,” I answer, helping him shift our positions so he’s away from Rae and I’m securing her in the chair.
A few minutes later, Hayden makes his way back to our table with an angry stance. Rae is now resting comfortably in a seated position, leaning against me. “We weren’t finished dancing,” he states.
“We were when your friend showed up. We can dance another time.”
“You bolted.” His voice rises with accusation.
“I didn’t.” Mine rises with refusal, even though I did run.
Rae shifts slightly, jarring me and moving me off-balance. Hayden grabs my arm. “Move, I’ll get her.”
“You’re pissed?”
Dismissing my question, he answers, “Let’s get her up. Where’s Ace?”
“Getting Travis.”
*****
Hayden
I had her. I fucking had her against me and that one-night-mistake, Michelle, ruined it. All fucking day I held my animalistic thoughts of Lacey at bay. Every time she moved in my car, her scent surrounded me. When she’d laugh at something ridiculous at the party store, I’d hold my breath wanting to be the reason she was smiling. When she asked me what position I liked, it took every ounce of self-control not to ask her to let me show her what I could make her feel with the lights on.
I had her in my arms, she was intoxicated, and she was coming on to me.
When we finally had the whole group outside and situated in the cars, it was determined by Raegan that Ace wasn’t riding home on his bike without her on the back of it. It took us fifteen minutes to convince Ace to leave it there and come back for it tomorrow. Ace ended up driving drunken Rae and a well-buzzed Travis back to the apartment in Trav’s Jeep. Lacey and I followed behind them.
“Still pouting?” she asks, looking at me as she speaks.
“Nope.” I am. I wanted to finish that fucking dance.
“All talk,” I hear her mumble over the radio.
“Keep talking, Lacey. You’re pushing and you don’t know what you’re pushing for,” I snap at her, tiring of this sexual frustration and tension.
“Maybe later,” she tells me casually as we pul
l up next to Trav’s Jeep.
The woman has me in fucking knots and she knows it.
Once outside Trav’s, we all hang in the driveway for Ace to settle Rae. She’s tipsy, or so I thought. Raegan Simmons drunk is a rare sight to see. She’s funny and even more challenging in her behavior while in Ace’s presence.
“Where’s Travis?” I ask with curiosity, helping Lacey out of my SUV and putting my keys in my pocket. I hold on to her hand longer than needed to see if she allows it without pulling away and I find she does.
I know Travis caught a ride with Ace and Rae; I watched him head to his Jeep but I can’t find him. Raegan points to the door she just drunkenly slammed shut. “Oh, shit,” she says with a small slur and a giggle. She reopens the door and moves the front seat up for Trav to make his way out of the backseat with his large frame and angered scowl. “I called shotgun before he could. He whined like a sissy all the way home.” She continues to giggle even after she catches him glaring at her furiously.
“She called shotgun, she says.” Ace repeats her words with a mock grin while trying not to laugh at Travis as his back foot gets caught on the seat belt behind him. It throws him off-balance and sends him flying into Rae. She stumbles in her intoxication, so Trav makes a quick recovery and grabs her before they both fall to the ground.
“Jesus Christ!” Trav exclaims. “Have another fuckin’ drink, Raegan,” he barks and her happy face falls at his aggressive tone. Travis recognizes this immediately and grabs her in a huge, over-exaggerated embrace while apologizing profusely.
I give an eye-roll to Ace in response. He returns it with his own.
Travis would never hurt his sweet, little Raegan.
“Shit, sorry,” he says while holding her head to his chest. “But you can’t call shotgun with me in the car and especially when we’re all drinking, you loon.” He roughs her hair and she giggles, again, in response. “I’m too big to fit back there.”
Once he sets her free from his hold, she walks back to Ace and grabs his waist for support.
“Travis whined,” she tells on him to whoever will listen.
“I didn’t.”
“Oh, you definitely did. I liked it. It makes you cute, like a puppy. Sarah would . . .”