The Do Over

by A. L. Zaun

  As giddy as I was, I had to state the obvious. "Hey, I'm as excited as you guys are. I think maybe even more. But let's keep it real. He doesn't have my number, and it's highly unlikely that I'll ever see him again."

  "Why are you so negative?" Macy asked, raising an eyebrow. "Two words: Google stalk." She pulled out her laptop.

  "Candace, help me here. I don't want to stalk this guy. Stop her, please," I begged. "Let's just say that I'm very happy that I met him. He's given me a sense of hope. It probably has absolutely nothing to do with him. It's more about the possibility of what's out there. He's just the catalyst to opening my eyes."

  "You're so cute. Is that what you read in your books?" Macy said. She brought up the browser. "Now, tell me his full name."

  "I'm not telling you anything. Let me have my moment," I said, withholding that vital piece of information and made my way to the bathroom to get ready for our night out.

  Our girl talk continued as Macy pulled out her makeup bag and curling iron. The two of them went all out. I'd arrived at Macy's house in a pair of shorts, a T-shirt that hung off one shoulder, and a pair of Toms with my hair pulled up in a top bun.

  When I stepped out into the living room, Candace's mouth fell to the floor. I was wearing a plum minidress with thin spaghetti straps and a low back. Showing off cleavage, it barely covered anything. From her arsenal, Candace pulled out a pair of strappy black platform sandals and a matching clutch. Macy gave me smoky eyes while Candace twirled the curling iron around my hair, leaving long brown ringlets to cascade down my back. I had a hard time describing how I felt when I looked in the mirror. It was pure magic, like Cinderella.

  The three of us walked out the door as Macy texted Chris to let him know we were on our way. Leaving my Kindle behind, I climbed into the backseat of Candace's car.

  I loved the feel and energy of the club scene. I never got enough of it. The grand opening of Breathe was fucking out of this world. Located right on the beach on Collins Avenue, the club appealed to the rich and famous. With floor-to-ceiling windows along the back wall, the black marble floors and sleek stainless steel accents with modern fixtures gave the place a South Beach Chic feel. It was the type of club where a person could only get in if he or she knew someone.

  I knew people. I was in sales, recently promoted to Regional Director, but my connections came from my family who were well-known builders in South Florida and very active in the community. I had a few more years before I'd be forced into the family business. It didn't matter that I loved my job and that I was fucking fantastic at it. As my parents told me, I had responsibilities, and I was expected to carry on my father's legacy. Until that day came, I was riding the wave and partying hard. I had to admit that there were times when it got old, but I would quickly shake off those feelings.

  The last time I was promoted, I had the sweetest girl on my arm and in my bed. Damn, she was amazing. I'd never been with someone who could drive me crazy in bed the way she did. No one came close. Her ass and tits were every man's fucking dream come true. I loved hearing her moan when I'd suck on her nipples, making them hard. With enough prepping, she would have given me just about anything I wanted. In fact, she would've begged me for it. Damn, could she beg. It was fucking hot. She was the perfect little package. She was a good girl on the outside, but she had a wild streak a mile wide when she was turned on. Shit. My dick was getting hard just thinking about her.

  I hadn't seen her since that night at my apartment. There'd been a couple times when I'd wanted to call her, but something had always stopped me. God, I hated breaking her heart. I'd never liked messy drama, but I'd done what I'd needed to do. And that shit had been messy drama. I'd tried to give her an out, but she'd made me pull the trigger instead.

  She was such a sweet girl, but she'd wanted that white-picket fence shit. I just wasn't there. I'd wanted to be. I could've had a good life with her. I could've dragged it out longer. She had already been living with me, and that was something I'd never done. I'd been with her for a fucking year. That was another no-no in my book. I hadn't gotten tired or bored with her, which had surprised me. I'd been fine with the way things were, but then I'd started getting that vibe that she wanted more. Hell no. I was not going down that road anytime soon.

  That night, she had been on cloud fucking nine. We'd just fucked, and damn, I couldn't wait to get back home to fuck her some more. She had the most delicious little pussy. At dinner, she had told me how proud she was about my promotion and how excited she was about our plans to go away for New Year's. Everything about her was just so damn perfect. It had driven me crazy and not in the way I'd wanted.

  My mother had even liked her. That was nearly impossible. When we'd broken up, my mother had gone into a tirade, swinging her arms in the air. "What did you do? Get me the phone. I'm going to fix this."

  The truth was that everyone had loved her, and maybe I did, too. I just couldn't let myself go there. I wasn't ready.

  So, when I'd seen Ely at the club, my smile had reached ear to ear. Ely had fucked up with me when we were together, so I couldn't have given a rat's ass about that bitch. She was a liar, and she liked her occasional cocaine hit. Disgusting. I hadn't seen her around for the longest time, but her timing couldn't have been more perfect.

  When Ely had smiled back, I'd known exactly how to piss the shit out of Daniela. Yeah, she'd put up with a lot from me, but she had her limits, and I knew how to push them. Her and her damn little rule. I rolled my eyes when I thought about her advising me of her rule, but it was the ammunition I'd needed to end this playing-house fantasy she'd had going on.

  I thought back to the way those women had sized each other up. I had to admit that it had turned me on. For a minute there, I'd wondered what it would be like to have both of them at the same time. Fuck, that would've been hot. Daniela wouldn't have gone for that, but Ely, on the other hand, liked to experiment. She would've been game.

  Daniela had looked just-fucked hot as she sat on her stool, sipping her drink. And that was when I'd made my move. Grabbing Ely's hand, I'd pulled her onto the dance floor. Ely had eaten it up like she'd won some fucking prize. Damn. I remembered smiling and laughing because I'd felt free. I'd just cut loose.

  Seeing the look on Daniela's face when I got back, I'd known what was coming. My little spitfire had been just as passionate in the sack as she'd been the few times she'd argued. We'd barely fought. I was more a lover than a fighter, and she was this hopeless romantic with her head in her books. Lying next to her on the couch, while she read and I watched Band of Brothers, had actually been nice. I was a World War II junkie. Of course, I'd really liked it when she was reading one of her porn books because she would get so turned on, and I got to reap the benefits of some imaginary dude's foreplay. Shit, that was some hot sex.

  I hadn't seen her since that night. I still couldn't believe that she'd thought we would talk and work it out. I'd honestly felt bad for her when she'd put together the lie I'd wanted her to believe. Not expecting me to end her little fantasy, she'd been crushed. I'd reached out to touch her, knowing I had gone too far. She hadn't deserved that shit, but I'd panicked. Then, I'd practically kicked her out. That was low, even for me. She'd always been so damn good to me. No one had ever, past or present, taken such good care of me, and I'd been a selfish asshole and thrown it all away. When she'd yanked her arm from me, put all her shit in garbage bags, and stormed out the front door, I'd known we were over.

  That was then, and this was now. She'd been right. This scene did get old. I'd had my fair share of women, and now, I compared all of them to her. She was one of a kind, and no one could touch her.

  I leaned back against the high top table. I came here with Lise. I suppose I could say she was my girlfriend in the sense that I fucked her exclusively. She was typical South Beach model material. Lise had a hot body but nothing between her ears. There was no point in having a meaningful conversation with her. With her French accent, I didn't understand half the shit she
said anyway, but she could suck my dick all night long, so I wasn't complaining.

  Lise was hanging on me, and I hated it when she did that. "You're wrinkling my shirt. You need to back off," I said, shaking her off of me. I needed some personal space.

  Shifting, I noticed three women, a blonde and two brunettes, strutting their stuff. I loved looking at women. I didn't have to touch them to appreciate their beauty and sensuality. At that moment, my stomach dropped. I almost fucking spilled my drink on my hundred-dollar Hugo Boss shirt. Holy fucking shit! Speak of the fucking devil. There she was. Hot damn.

  I couldn't believe how fucking hot she looked. Her long legs were on display in that little dress. My dick started getting hard as I thought about how good she felt. I licked my lips, wanting to taste her. I pictured bending her over the railing and sliding my hands through the back of that dress. Playing with her tits, her nipples would stand at attention, and she would start to whimper. I love the sounds she made. Her pussy would be soaking wet, and I'd slide my dick right into her. Her hair was curled and longer, reaching the middle of her back. I wanted to pull on it and listen to her moan while I trailed my tongue down her neck, licking her slowly. Shit. I was rock hard and about to explode in my pants.

  Staring at her, I felt like a fucking voyeur. I'd go over to her if she wasn't surrounded by her posse. Those girls would probably cut off my dick if I got near her. If they knew I had a raging hard-on, they would castrate me with a smile. I need to be smart about this.

  I couldn't take my eyes off of her. She was so beautiful. There was something different about her though. It was her smile. I wanted her to smile for me. I had to talk to her. I couldn't stay away.

  As I was about to go to her, I saw her face light up like the sun, her smile touching her eyes. Putting my drink down, I stood up to get a better view.

  Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Who the fuck is that?

  We walked into the club, and I couldn't get over how impressive the place was. I'd been to clubs before, but this one was on a whole new level. The club was state of the art, and everything was top of the line.

  "This place is amazing. I've never seen so many beautiful people in one room," I told Macy.

  She was texting Chris to let him know we had arrived. "Dani, you're one of those beautiful people. Relax and enjoy yourself," she responded. She moved around like she owned the place.

  "How can you tell I'm not relaxed?" I asked, worried that my nagging anxiety was obvious.

  "I know you. Your shoulders are a little tense right now, and you're sticking to me like a lost little puppy. No worries though. After a Cosmo, you'll be fine."

  Cosmos and sex were always Macy's solution to most problems in life.

  "What if he's here? You know, this is his scene," I said, putting it out there.

  "Are you really going to let that asshole ruin your glow and evening? Girl, we have your back. So what if he's here? He wouldn't dare come near you."

  "You're right! I'm not going to let him ruin our evening," I said with conviction.

  She's right. I shook off the awkwardness and embraced the empowerment. After I let go of my fear, I felt energized.

  Chris texted her with instructions to go to the VIP lounge and said he'd meet up with her soon. We made our way through the crowd and headed up to the lounge. The music was pumping, and the dance floor was packed. The last time I'd been at a club was with Rick, and it'd been the worst night of my life. Tonight, there was an entirely different energy. I couldn't help but smile. I felt alive.

  I looked around, appreciating the wonder of everything, as we made our way to the private area. The music was muted up here, so we could actually hear one another talk.

  "Candace, can you go get our table? I want Dani to meet someone," Macy said, grabbing my hand and yanking me away with her.

  "Macy, slow down. I haven't walked in four-inch platforms in a long time. I don't want to fall and break my neck," I complained as she led me through the thick maze of bodies. "What's the rush? Where are we going?"

  "I'm taking you to Chris. I want you to meet him. Be cool about it, and then tell me what you think."

  "Be cool? Really?" I stopped her and put a hand on my hip. "How am I going to be cool if I'm out of breath? Or worse, what if I fall on my ass, break a heel, and have a wardrobe malfunction? Slow down. Wait a second...oh my god…you're nervous."

  Macy looked at me with an impish grin on her face. "Welcome back, Dani. We're going to take care of your condition tonight. Let's go strut our stuff."

  Macy was in her element, and she owned it. She cocked her head and smiled as we passed several guys that would most certainly qualify for book-boyfriend casting material. I had to admit that I was enjoying the attention. Macy was on a mission. While she cast her winks and side glances, she had her eye on one man in particular, Chris Giordano. He was definitely easy on the eyes. He was tall with dark hair and light, maybe green, eyes.

  Macy had been secretly, or not so secretly, crushing on Chris. When she spotted him through the crowd, her body language completely changed. Softening, she glided toward him. The look in her eyes went from search and seize to capture and devour. It was fascinating to watch.

  As she led me over to meet him, it happened. When I turned my head ever so slightly, my eyes locked with the most beautiful blue eyes I'd ever seen. Standing next to Chris was a six-foot-two man wearing a nicely tailored charcoal jacket over a black button-down shirt with low-slung jeans. He still hadn't shaved. It was a contrasting look—GQ mixed with I don't give a shit—and it was blazing hot.

  My smile touched my eyes. Pulling Macy back, I whispered, "That's him."

  She glanced at me and gave me a dirty grin.

  "Hey, Macy. Don't you look edible tonight?" Chris said with a devilish grin, licking his lips.

  I quickly realized that these two were cut from the same cloth.

  "I'll take that as a compliment…only if you tell me you're hungry," she responded with a wink.

  As I shook my head, giggling, I noticed he was looking straight at me. When our eyes met, my smile widened. I tried to shift my eyes to the side to contain my smile, but I couldn't look away. I'd never smiled like that, and it was making it very hard to feign indifference. What are the chances that I'd run into him here? Suddenly, all the sounds around me became quiet, and it seemed like no one else existed.

  I didn't want to make a fool of myself. I needed to keep my feet on the ground and my head out of the clouds. Play it cool. He just kept looking at me with a sexy grin. Play it cool! He wouldn't take his eyes off of me.

  I was about to go book-boyfriend crazy here, but I couldn't do that. It had a long time since I'd allowed myself to be attracted to a man that wasn't the figment of some amazing author's imagination. I needed to pace myself before I gave humiliation a new name.

  "Um, excuse me, do you two know each other?" Chris asked, his eyes shifting between us.

  "As a matter of fact, I met this beautiful lady this afternoon." Liam smiled. "It's great to see you again, Ms. Ruiz." Looking straight into my eyes, he extended his hand to me.

  I was a goner. It would take everything in me to keep it together. I wasn't sure I had it in me. Damn Macy for not coming to my rescue! Although I didn't really want her to, she should have tried. I was flustered. He called me beautiful. I had to remind myself yet again to be cool. What is it about this man?

  I needed to find my calm, cool, and collected voice. I reached out my hand to his. "Hello, Lieutenant Lucas, it's so nice to see you again."

  When our hands touched, a tingle traveled up my arm. He held my hand a little longer than necessary. Never breaking eye contact, he raised it as he leaned his head down just a bit. He softly kissed the back of my hand with his eyes still fixed on mine. I was sure he heard my breath hitch, but at least he didn't know about the heat pooling between my legs.

  As he straightened up, he let go of my hand. "The pleasure is all mine. Make sure to save a dance for me." He smiled and winked.
<
br />   I'd been holding my breath. When he let go, I let out a small moan. I tried to play it off by making it sound as though I had something in my throat, but the only thing in my throat was my pounding heart. Of course, his smile got even bigger. Ugh! I stroked his ego. I needed to pace myself and be careful with this man.

  As Liam leaned in, his hand came around my waist. He whispered, "I'm not letting you get away this time." His hand slid across my lower back before he walked away with Chris.

  "Oh my god, Dani. What the hell was that?" Macy asked.

  "Give me a minute. I think I'm about to pass out," I said, standing there in a daze.

  "You know, he's seriously hot, and he's definitely into you. What do you think about Chris?"

  "Chris? I didn't notice."

  Grabbing my arm, Macy led me back to the VIP section. "Next time, I'm bringing Candace. You suck."

  Pouting, I found myself disappointed that he wasn't staying. On the bright side, drinks were on the house, thanks to Macy's hopeful hook up with Chris. Next time, I'd thank him for the drinks and maybe do some recon work for Macy.

  We met up with Candace and then ordered our traditional Cosmos. We had a ritual of ordering Cosmos, a la Sex in the City, and toasting to new beginnings and happy endings.

  Without even trying or knowing, Chris came through for me tonight. I wanted to high five him. I would even go so far as to say I wanted to hug him. As we were walking toward the bar, I smacked him on the back. Yes, this is good. This cleaned Chris's shit slate. Although he was always inviting me to these openings, I hardly came, but he was insistent on this one. Since I kept blowing him off, I figured that I owed him. At first, my plan was to make an appearance and take off early, but that changed. Plan B was in place. I was sticking around, and this time I wasn't letting her get away.

  What are the odds that she'd be here? She looked drop-dead gorgeous. Her face lit up, and her smile touched her eyes, which were her best feature by far. I wanted to take her in my arms, steal her away, and get to know her. Yeah, chicks before dicks. I laughed, remembering her face when she'd said that. I was biding my time. I'd give her time with her friends, and then it would be my turn. There was no way I was leaving without her number and plans to see her again.