by Anthology
It takes only a few songs for his silky, brown hair to appear sweaty. He’s in khakis and a crisp, white button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up his forearms.
God bless America, I need to get a grip over this guy. Finally, I’m able to free my gaze from Wade’s sexy aura when a piece of heaven is placed in front of me.
Cake.
It’s chocolate with a matching shade of icing. It glistens with swirls of fluffy clouds-no waves. Yes, like the waves of the Pacific Ocean at moonlight. Damn, I miss the view from Cali.
“Are you going to eat it or keep staring at it?” His voice accelerates my heartbeat, but I don’t move. The next thing I feel is Wade’s scorching exhale of oxygen against my ear.
“Contrary to what you might believe, it’s not better than sex. Not when it’s with me, anyway.”
He can’t suspect that I’m affected by him, so I slowly turn my head in his direction to shoot the cocky guy a glare. Damn him and the grin that could burst panties into an inferno.
“Not interested.”
“Ah, come on now. I could work some of that tension and anger of yours loose.”
“I only have anger toward you for stealing my car.” Wicked Wade grabs the nape of his neck and rubs it as if he’s trying to ease his frustration.
“I’m going to say this one last time. I didn’t steal your precious car, but if you’re hell bent on thinking that, let me make it up to you. I promise I’ll take you on the ride of your life.”
That totally calls for an eye roll.
As he leans in, our mouths balance close to each other’s. His eyes flit to my lips, examining them, and I wonder if he’s searching to uncover a secret.
Have they been kissed a lot? Are they kissable? Hell, I have my own doubts at this point. More than likely, he’s thinking about something dirtier he would like for me to do with them.
Involuntarily, I lick my lips.
I have a hunch the smirk and twinkle in his magnetic blue eyes are the opening act to his charisma.
“Sex with me will be better than any damn cake or little red convertible.”
“Please remove yourself from my personal space.” My hand waves toward the dance floor where Stephanie is grinding up against a different groomsman.
“Go try your slick moves on Stephanie. She seems eager to let you dip your stick into her well-oiled tank.”
His head slings back as he chuckles, and I admire his pronounced Adam’s apple. Standing upright, a sly grin sprouts from each corner of his lips.
“First, that statement tells me you’re more than daddy’s sweet purity girl. Second, you’re jealous.”
My mouth opens and snaps shut.
“I am not jealous.”
“Mmm hmm… Fine. I’ll take your advice about Stephanie. My dipstick is in need of a good oiling. I don’t know, though. I think I need a tighter tank, and my gut tells me hers is the furthest from that.”
Stabbing my fork into the cake, I shoot him a look of disgust.
Wade
Hot damn, the women in the wedding party are attractive as hell. I have my pick between a few of them.
Stephanie is making it way too easy for me, meaning her sacred place likely ain’t so holy and is loose as shit.
I at least like a bit of a challenge, so after the hoity toity Laney rejected me, I went to the next most challenging girl, Katie.
She’s more sober, too. This way I’m less likely to end another night with puke on my shoes. Shane is as trashed as Stephanie, so they can share their vomit.
Neither girl possess Laney’s stunning features, though. Her hair is down, occasionally giving a peek of her smooth shoulders.
She’s naturally tanned, but the sun has given a shimmering glow to her youthful skin.
Damn, that’s chick-shit talk right there. Fuck, she’s having an effect on me, but obviously she thinks I’m beneath her. I’ll get my easy lay elsewhere.
Laney
Someone slides into the chair next to me as I savor my last bite of cake.
“Go away. And by the way, this cake actually is better than sex.” The sound of a throat being cleared has me taking a glimpse to my left.
Oh. My. Word.
Nick, Baxter’s brother, is chuckling in the chair next to me. There is a flush to his handsome face, but it could never compare to the cherry color of my skin.
“Nick, I thought you were someone else.”
He’s smirking. “Sorry, but that cake would have to be laced with cocaine to even come close to being better than sex.”
His expression changes from flirty to intense, and he gazes at me with his rich brown eyes for far too long. The pad of his thumb grazes along my jawline until it makes contact with the corner of my mouth.
It smears across the delicate skin ever so lightly before he slides his tongue up the pad of his thumb, taking the leftover chocolate with it.
“I’m guessing it’s made with something awesome like Ghirardelli chocolate, but I’m doubtful Bax and Jess are crackheads,” I say softly.
Nick places his hand over mine.
“I have a proposition for you. Let’s go grab a bag of chocolates and a bottle of wine. We can bring it back to the hotel.”
My eyebrows pinch together from uncertainty.
“I don’t know if I’m ready to spend time in a hotel room with you.”
“I know the perfect place to sit outside at this very hotel. It’s a nice night.” His head cocks to the side, and an impish smile leans with it, portraying a look of innocence. “You can trust me” is what he wants me to believe.
“Sure, sounds fun, but I’m driving your vehicle. I think you’ve had more to drink than I have.”
“Deal.” He grants me a wink as his keys are tossed onto the white linen of the table.
I’m not sleeping with Nick tonight, but I don’t mind an impromptu date. Then, we’ll see if it could go anywhere else from there.
I definitely had a crush on him before he graduated college, but since I only saw him dating girls his age, I didn’t think he noticed me.
The only times I ever spoke to him were when he was hanging out with Jessica and his brother. It’s flattering that Nick is showing an interest in me now.
We temporarily part ways to say our farewells to the wedding party. Wade is at a table with my friend Katie, and it surprises me since I figured he would be taking full advantage of Stephanie’s slutty ways.
I hate to approach their table, but I want to tell Katie bye. Wade’s eyes dart up to mine, and he stops speaking mid-sentence.
“Katie, I’m heading out. See you at the salon in the morning.”
Smiling, she outstretches her hand to squeeze mine. “Laney, don’t go to your room yet. Can’t you ever have fun?” Her eyes are sincere but hazy from drinking.
“Oh, I’m not calling it a night yet.” I’m unsure why, but I glance to Wade, and he’s staring back at me. A hand suddenly slips around my waist, so I look up.
“Laney, are you ready?” Nick asks.
Wade’s gaze drifts to Nick’s before his eyes flit back to mine.
“Laney,” Katie says drawn out and almost in a whisper, but her mischievous grin is giving away her thoughts.
Wade slowly drags his bottom lip beneath his top one. His eyes pierce mine, and this is the most somber I’ve seen him.
“Wade, I’ll see you at the wedding tomorrow,” Nick says.
“I wasn’t aware you and Laney were an item.” As Wade’s words leave his lips, his eyes never leave mine.
“Uh, we’re not,” I quip. Nick pulls my petite body to his waist.
“It doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy the finer things in life tonight.”
Pulling my eyes away from Wade, I look up at Nick. He winks and sports a devilish grin over our inside joke about chocolate and crack.
“Well then, have a fun night, you two,” Katie says, wiggling her fingers bye at me. Her grin is as about as bright as her hot pink cocktail dress.
Withou
t another glance at the handsome Wade, I utter, “Goodnight” and stroll away with Nick, who is now holding my hand in his.
Chapter Five
Wade
KATIE AND I have several things in common. She’s a country girl, and she informed me her father’s job is to operate heavy machinery. That means he has likely completed some excavating work for my father’s company.
She’s into country and southern rock music, which is cool, so after that conversation, I ask her to dance. On the dance floor, I can’t stop thinking about Laney. With Katie against me, I notice how much taller she is than Goldilocks.
I’m six feet three inches, and Katie has to be at least five feet nine. Laney is a petite little thing I could love on if she didn’t act so full of piss.
Speaking of piss, I was pissed to see her leave with Nick. Maybe she doesn’t wear a chastity belt after all. As I suspected, she wants a man of a higher social class. She only sees me as the repo man, and I guess I haven’t given her a reason to see me as anyone else.
My mind drifts back to Katie as her backside moves against me. Her pelvis is rockin’ to the throbbing of my dick, and her long, brunette hair is swaying to the beat of her hips.
The more I think of Laney walking hand in hand with Nick, the more I think it’s time to take Katie back to her hotel room.
“Girl Crush” by Little Big Town begins to play, and Katie spins around to face me. Her hands slide up the front of my shirt, and I swear it’s as if a lantern is shining brightly in her dark eyes, the flickering a striptease of her lust for me.
“Come on, sweetheart. Let’s go to your room,” I say near her ear. Hands slip into my brown hair, and she grins.
“I thought you were never going to ask me.”
I smirk. “Oh, baby, I never ask.”
Laney
“Thank you for this lovely evening, even if we settled on another brand of chocolate,” I say with a giggle.
“Don’t forget the addition of the wine cork remnants floating in our plastic cups.”
I hold up mine as I admire his charming smile.
“Well, let’s still toast to making the best of what we had to work with and to this beautiful night.” Nick taps his cup against mine and leans in to my ear.
“Laney, you’re beautiful.”
A puff of air rushes into my lungs.
“Well, you’re sweet.” I don’t know if it’s the moonlight and wine or the enchanting courtyard of flowers at this hotel, but I can’t stop myself from kissing his cheek.
We eat dark chocolates, drink cheap drugstore wine, and talk about his career as a CEO. Water trickles in a fountain center to the flowers, and I think of the cool May night. My shoulders are feeling a chill above my green, strapless dress.
“I should probably get back to my room. We have a long day tomorrow, and I have to be Jessica’s shadow for a lot of it.”
Nick’s finger wraps around one of my blonde ringlets. “I’ve had a fun night, Laney. I always wanted to hang out with you in college, but you seemed shy.” He begins laughing.
“What’s so funny?”
“I remember the first time I saw you at a frat party. I asked Jessica about you, and she told me you were a man-hater.”
I gasp. “She didn’t!”
“In her defense, she was pretty trashed at the time.”
“Well, in all honesty, that was an accurate statement about me back in the day, but I imagine you and I could’ve been friends.”
Nick’s cool hand pulls my chin close to his.
“Or more… You know, Laney, we’re not as young now. I’m all for another female friend, but I’ve been thinking lately about finding more, so I’d like to get to know you better. Please tell me you’ve found a fondness for the male species.”
I laugh nervously, relieved he ended that serious confession with some humor.
“Your kindness and attentiveness is making a strong case.”
Nick’s brown eyes zoom in on my lips as he brings my chin closer. His mouth meets mine cautiously, and I find I don’t mind.
Two faint kisses is all I get before he smiles at me and lets me go. This isn’t the partying Nick I remember from college. It appears he has matured.
We stand, and with my hand in his, he walks me toward the hotel doors. We’re quiet in the elevator, and the closer we get to my room, the more nervous I become.
“This is my room.” After popping the lock with the hotel card and opening it, I turn and smile.
Before I have the opportunity to resist, Nick has my cheeks framed in his hands. His lips still cool from the night crash to mine, and his tongue thrusts inside my mouth.
No sooner than our tongues begin to get acquainted, loud voices and laughing are heard from the elevator that just opened near my room. I pull free and look that direction. Shit. Wicked Wade.
He has Katie in front of him, walking her forward with his hands on her hips. His mouth is at her bare neck, and his laughter and her giggling are in a decibel contest.
They continue to move toward us, staggering the entire way, and my eyes can’t help but stay glued on them.
“It appears they’ve had more to drink,” Nick says, chuckling. Katie spots me first and reaches out her hands as if she has the urge to hug me.
“Laney, damn, you two finished already?”
Great, she thinks Nick and I have been in my room fucking. It probably doesn’t help since Nick’s shirt is pulled free from his dress pants and his tie is off.
Wade locks eyes with me, and I could swear I see a fleeting look of jealousy as his laughter lightens.
“Wow, Nick popped the cherry,” he says.
Katie swats his hand that is still gripping the silk dress covering her hip. “Wade,” she scolds before giggling again. “Laney’s had sex before.”
I. Might. Die.
Nick turns back to me as Katie unlocks the door straight across from mine.
“Don’t mind Wade. He’s so trashed that he won’t even remember seeing us tonight.”
Katie disappears into her room, but Wade turns back before he crosses the threshold.
“And to think I thought you were a stuck-up prude, Laney,” he spouts.
Nick spins around. “Shut the fuck up, Wade.” Nick’s body is blocking my view of Wade, and I’m relieved. I don’t want to see his face again before that door closes and he fucks my friend.
At least she’s not one of my closest friends, but for some reason, the whole idea of it still stings.
Nick faces me and grabs hold of a couple of my dangling fingers. “I’m sorry. He’s one of the greatest sober guys I know, but the most assholish drunk.”
I attempt a genuine smile. Nick deserves one, but I fear I’m failing miserably. I point inside my room. “I should get some sleep. Thank you for a great evening.”
He only kisses my cheek before stepping back.
“It was my pleasure, Laney.”
Chapter Six
Wade
WAKING UP ALONE, I begin to wonder if I went back to my own hotel room sometime throughout the night, but once I stand to go take a piss, I spot a note on a desk in the room.
Lucky you to be a dude. You get to sleep off your hangover. I had to leave for the salon at eight for hair and makeup.
What? Is she attending the Country Music Awards or something? Hair and makeup?
I’m sure you can find your way out. Last night was fun. Maybe we can have a repeat tonight.
Katie, xxoo
Oh, shit, kisses and hugs. Those type of women get attached. After I’ve taken a leak, I put back on my dress clothes from the night before. I’ll be wearing a tux by the afternoon, and the thought dampens my already shitty mood.
I have a hangover, which I’m used to. What I’m not used to is thinking about Laney while I’m hooking up with another woman.
Actually, I wasn’t thinking about her as much as I was thinking about how I wanted to punch Nick. It pissed me off to see them together. It confirmed that sh
e thinks she’s too good for me.
After grabbing my wallet and keys, I step into the hallway, and shit, the little spitfire is coming toward me.
“Aren’t you supposed to be at the spa or whatever you women call it?”
“I forgot the barrette for my hair, but you don’t get to speak to me again.”
“What the hell is your problem?”
“Nick said you wouldn’t remember.”
“Well, now you have to tell me.”
Her hand lands on her hip, and she glares at me.
“You called me a stuck-up prude.”
My eyes widen, and I fight a smile.
“Damn, I’m sorry about that.”
“Yeah, you look real sorry.” Laney steps up to the door of her room, placing her back to me. Her lock pops open, and she marches inside.
“Hey, spitfire, are you still blaming me for your car?”
“I don’t know why you’re still talking to me. It seems you have plenty of other females to keep you company.”
“Whoa, I sense some hostility here.”
Laney whips around, and as her left hand grips the door, her right one plants firmly on her hip again.
“I’m just sick of watching guys get shitfaced and sleep with any girl who will open her legs.”
I’m across the hall in two seconds flat.
“Listen hear, sweetheart. Your friend was more than willing to open her legs, and are you really one to pass judgment? I saw Nick leaving your room.”
“He was walking me to my room, asshole.” Before I can reply, she’s slamming the door in my face. That went well.
Laney
The reception is as fabulous as the wedding. Jessica’s family went all out on making this day perfect for her.
I by no means think Nick and I are going to marry and have babies, but the attention he has shown me is the first glimmer of hope I’ve had in years that I might one day experience my own perfect day.
Nick and I have danced twice and are now sitting together at a table. I hate sitting still. If I’m not distracted, I’m thinking about the mess with my car, or I should say “father.” He still won’t answer my calls.