“Don’t apologize for what you do. You don’t have to explain your life to me.” She walks past me, knocking her shoulder into me.
“Sam,” Holly calls out to her, sounding worried.
“Don’t want to talk about it,” she replies as she picks up her tray and walks over to another table.
My life? She’s right, fucking different women has always been my life. Why do I feel the need to change that now? I shake my head. How do I continue to ruin shit with her?
I walk back toward our table. Amy is still standing there, talking to the guys. I don’t want to put up with that shit tonight. Once again, I want to go home and be alone. I look over and see Angel smiling and laughing as she waits on a table full of men, and it just pisses me off even more.
“For our tab,” I say to Holly, throwing down a hundred dollar bill. I walk out before anyone can stop me, or further piss me off.
*****
SAMANTHA
I lay awake in my bed as I think over my evening. What the hell is going on with Slade? I mean, my body can’t deny him. When he started touching my chest with those paper towels, I damn near lost it. And what really pissed me off was he thought it was funny. He thought he could put his hands on me while laughing. He probably drenched me on purpose.
When he touched my face and slipped his hand in my hair, I couldn't move. I wanted him to lean in and kiss me while picking me up and carrying me off to a private room. He seemed to want me just as much as I wanted him. When his body pressed against me, I could feel him, hard and huge!
What was up with the questions about Jax? Who the hell cares about Jax anymore? I sure don’t. That man is history in my book, but I was shocked to hear he knew what had happened. I was also kind of mad that he knew.
When that tattooed girl was all over him, I felt hurt. He had just told me I was special and that he wanted me. I knew that special speech was just a line, but it didn’t change the fact that I liked hearing him say it. Every time he’s out and about he’s all over some girl, or some girl is all over him. He told me he’s never had a relationship. Never? All he has ever done is sleep around? That thought alone should turn me off to him, but it doesn’t. I still want him, more than ever. I want him badly. I just need to keep my distance and stay away from him because I don’t know how much longer I can hold back.
*****
Wednesday and Thursday go by pretty fast, and before I know it, it’s Friday. The night we are supposed to go out with Holly, Micah, Josh and Slade. What the hell was I thinking when I said I would go out with everyone tonight? I need to stay as far away from Slade as I can. Yet here I am, standing in my kitchen downing a bottle of Barefoot Moscato while waiting for Holly to pick me up.
I’m on my third glass and my second outfit. The more I drink, the sexier my outfit gets. Right now I have on an extremely short pair of black shorts, a black spaghetti strap top that is so long it overlaps a little bit on my shorts, and a sleeveless white short crop vest on that has two black buttons down the front. And I’m wearing the highest pair of black high heels I could find in my closet. I keep telling myself I’m not dressing to impress anyone, but every time I put on an outfit, I ask myself if Slade will like it. Then I will get mad and start doing my hair or adding to my makeup. I have my bangs pinned back, and the rest of my dark hair is in their big curls down my back and teased real high at the crown. My makeup is done extra dark with black and grey eye shadow giving it that smoky look with thick eyeliner.
I’m filling my fourth glass when I hear a knock at the door.
“Come in!” I shout and start to down my drink.
“Hey, girl. You ready to…. Wow!” Holly stops in front of the kitchen looking me up and down with her mouth open.
“What?” I ask as I come up for some air after finishing off that glass.
“You look…hot.” She nods her head while a wide grin spreads across her face.
“Thanks.” I laugh turning around to place my drink in the sink.
“No, I mean really freaking hot. How am I going to keep the guys off of you tonight?” She gives me a smile. “Let’s go.” She starts to help me out to the car. “How many drinks have you had already?”
“Four glasses,” I giggle. “My plan is not to make it past midnight.” Then I won’t have to be around Slade’s sexiness for too long.
She walks around the car and gets into the driver seat. She pulls her phone out and texts someone. As soon as she sets her phone in her center console it goes off. She picks it up reading it, then places it back down.
“The guys are already there.”
“That’s wonderful.” I smile as I lay my head back against the seat and close my eyes.
The closer to the bar we get, the more excited I am to see Slade. Since I can’t stay away from him tonight, I guess I’ll just give in and be nice. It’s not his fault he is so damn sexy that it causes me to be a bitch.
“Sam,” I hear Holly say my name. I act like I don’t hear her, and keep my eyes closed.
“Sam.” She repeats.
I open my eyes and lean up to look at her. “What?”
“Does this smile have to do with Slade?”
I close my eyes. Why can’t people not talk about him?
“I won’t say anything. Come on, you can tell me. I’m your best friend.” She playfully slaps my leg.
“You are also his brother’s girlfriend,” I laugh.
“Ah ha!” She screams, making me jump. “It is about Slade. Spill.”
“I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’m trying to keep my distance, but it’s just not working.”
“Why do you want to keep your distance?”
I look at her. “I want him, Holly.” No reason to lie about it. “Just like every other girl in this town, but I don’t want to be that girl. I don’t want to be another one night stand to him.” I sigh. Well my body does, but my mind is saying hell no.
“Sam, I’ve never seen him treat a girl the way he’s treating you. Trust me. I can tell that he’s trying to be a different person when he’s around you. You are making it very hard on him, though.”
“That’s why he’s different around me Holly.” She just doesn’t get it.
“What are you talking about?”
“You just said I was making it difficult for him. That’s why he’s acting different with me. Because I didn’t hike up my dress and bend over in the bathroom the moment he asked me to have a threesome with him and Ginger.” I slap a hand over my drunken mouth. I hadn’t told her that.
“What?” She squeals. “He actually asked you to have a threesome with Ginger? She is such a bitch. I can’t stand her.”
“Yes,” I laugh. “He didn’t even know who I was, Holly. He just wanted to have sex with me.”
“And?” she asks slowly.
“And I wanted to,” I whisper. “Well, not the threesome. I didn’t want to get near Ginger.” I shudder at that thought. “But for once in my life, I wanted to be that girl with no attachments. No love involved, just sex.” I shake my head. How can I want to be that kind of person?
“Hey don’t be so hard on yourself, Sam. It’s okay to want that every now and then.”
“You sound like Courtney.” I laugh as I reapply my lipstick, wanting it to look fresh for Slade.
“Well she knows what she’s talking about.” She nods her head. “I’m not saying you have to give in and sleep with him. I’m just saying, take it easy on him. He treats you different because he thinks you’re different than all the others.” She slides a glance my way “And that’s something I’ve never seen Slade do.”
I nod my head in understanding and laugh. The alcohol is making me feel all warm inside. “You’re right. I’m really tired of being a bitch to him. I’m just going to go with the flow.” And hope that I can keep myself a float.
She laughs “That’s my girl.”
I see his black Cadillac CTS coupe as we pull into the back parking lot. I close my eyes and take a deep bre
ath before we enter Larry’s. Here goes nothing.
CHAPTER EIGHT
SLADE
Holly: She has already started drinking, just thought you should know. And just wait until you see what she’s wearing.
Earlier today, when I saw Holly up at the office during Micah’s lunch, I had asked how Angel was getting to the bar tonight. I was worried about her driving herself and then drinking like last time. Holly had said that she was going to bring her. I told her to text me as soon as she picked up Angel. I also wanted a heads up, I didn’t want some girl even talking to me when she arrived. I’m trying to stay clear of drama tonight, and I had no desire to be around any woman except her.
Now I stand here in the bar as I keep rereading Holly’s message. What is she wearing? It doesn’t matter, she could be bundled up like an Alaskan Eskimo, and I’d still be turned on.
I text her back.
Me: How far away are you guys?
While I wait for a reply, I turn to talk to Micah. “Hey, the girls are on their way, and Angel is already drunk, so I’ll probably take her home early.” No matter what happens, I will be the one to take her home tonight. I don’t want her leaving with anyone but me. I want to be the one who puts her in her bed, knowing she made it home safely.
Micah smiles at me and starts to shake his head.
“What?”
“You call her Angel. It’s so funny,” He laughs, then takes a drink of his beer.
“Whatever, man. I’m just giving you a heads up.” I feel my phone vibrate in my hands.
Holly: About to walk in the door
I look up from my phone and watch Holly walk in first, followed by Angel.
Fuck!
My body reacts the moment my eyes land on her. She looks sinful. Still looking like a gorgeous angel, but an angel who wants to devour someone. Well, that someone is going to be me.
“The girls are here.”
Micah nods his head and starts to walk over to the bar where the girls are standing.
I follow after him, and as I get closer I start to get nervous. My hands get a little sweaty and I have to take shallow breaths. I have never been nervous around a woman before.
I stand next to her and she turns, looking right at me. Shit, she looks so fucking good. Her hair is pulled back, showing off her small face, and her dark eye shadow makes her green eyes look brighter. I just want to take her in my arms and hold on tight and enjoy this crazy ride she has got me on.
“Hi Slade.” She gives me a big smile. “How is your night? You guys having fun? I’m ready to party.” She puts her hands up in the air. “And dance. Do you dance, Slade?” She finally stops talking. If she hadn’t said my name, I would have thought she misunderstood me for someone else. She is being overly friendly.
As I try to find my voice, Josh joins us. I look back at Angel. Her head is tilted to the side, and she still has that smile on her face; the smile that makes me feel something inside. Something I can’t explain.
“I...uh, yeah. I mean, no. No, I don’t dance.” I run a hand through my hair feeling somewhat confused. I hear my friends and brother start to laugh at me, so I give a little chuckle as well.
“That’s too bad.” She puts her hand on my chest and pats it while her eyes stay locked on mine. Then she turns back around to grab her drink from the bartender.
It’s the first time she’s touched me, other than the first night I helped her outside of the bar. It sends a sensation through my body.
She looks over to Holly, clearly not affected by her action. “Come on, let’s go find a table.”
“Man, you’ve got it bad,” Micah says as we follow the girls. He suddenly stops walking and turns to face me. "I'm happy for you, Slade, but don't fuck it up."
Fuck it up? Haven’t we established that she hates me? I’m sure she’s just being nice right now because she is drunk. She won’t give me the chance to fuck anything up.
“Come on, man. Let’s follow your woman,” Josh says as he passes me. My woman? My angel? Yeah, I like the sound of that.
“We’re going to go dance. You guys want to join us?” Holly asks as we come to the table.
“No, babe. You girls go ahead.” The three of us sit down as the girls walk off to the dance floor.
I sit down and watch Angel as she and Holly find their way to the back corner of the dance floor where they can dance alone. My eyes drink her in as her body moves to the music. Her hips move from side to side as her hands run over her body, then she slowly raises them above her head as she lets the music take over her movements. I have to scoot my chair closer to the table to hide my erection. I start to daydream as I continue watching her. Thinking how good that would feel; her pumping those hips up and down as she rides my cock. How soft her hair would be on my chest, calling out my name as her pussy tightens around me.
“Here,” Josh says, getting my attention as he sets the beer down in front of me.
I look over at Josh as he and Micah laugh at me. They must have been watching me watch Angel as she danced.
“Fuckers,” I mutter at them then turn back to watch Angel dance and continue my fantasy. Angel and Holly are standing in front of our table with smiles on their faces.
“Did you like what you saw?” Angel says, laughing.
I guess everyone saw me staring like a fucking idiot. She wouldn’t be laughing if she knew what I had for her in my pants. I lean back in my chair and try to act like I wasn’t daydreaming about her in my bed for the thousandth time. I’m getting desperate, so this is going to be my newest tactic to try. I’ve shown remorse, I’ve shown interest; nothing has fucking worked. So what is left? To act like I don’t give a fuck!
“You can dance.” I shrug. “But I wasn’t watching you, I was watching the blonde behind you.” I reach out grabbing my beer, and take a swallow of it. I stare into her eyes. She continues to smile, but her eyes narrow just a tad on me. She looks away first to pick up her shots that the waitress had brought for her and Holly before they turn and head back to the dance floor without saying another word.
“There was no blonde behind them,” Micah says, laughing out loud.
I shrug. “She doesn’t need to know that,” I say, picking the label on my beer bottle. Micah is right; there is no blonde.
For the next hour, I sit at our table with Micah and Josh while the girls drink and dance together. Yes, I realize I do have it bad for Samantha. I have it so bad that I want to fucking hit my head against a wall. Maybe that will help clear all the confusion, or make me pass out. Either one sounds better than trying to figure out what I have to do to get her.
What if she really believes me, now that I act like I’m unaffected? Is that the right move to make? Or should I continue to show my interest?
She’s so fucking special to me. Now I just have to figure out what my next move is. I don’t want to just take her home and fuck her. I mean I do, but I don’t. What the fuck am I even thinking? As if she would even give me the opportunity. I want to get to know her, shit I barely know her at all. She had told me the first time I called her that she wanted to be friends. Maybe that is where I need to start. Lay off on all the staring and making gestures about her naked.
I feel Micah’s elbow in my side, and I look up to see what he wants. He nods his head to the dance floor. Once I look where he is looking, I see red. Angel is dancing with some guy. Wait. No, not dancing, practically fucking him, on the dance floor. He has his hands all over her. Her back is to his front. She has her head back lying against his chest with her eyes closed. Every muscle in my body tenses up. I put my beer down and take off towards the dance floor.
“Be cool, Slade!” Josh yells.
Cool? I don’t think so. The guy looks up, and notices I’m coming right at him. He immediately lets go of Angel and stands back. Smart fucker.
When I get to her, she is still dancing, now by herself and her eyes remain closed. I grab her left wrist and growl. “We’re leaving.”
“What the
hell, Slade?” She tries to pull her arm away as I continue to pull her to the back exit where my car is parked. She struggles, trying to get her arm out of my hold, but I’m not going to let go. I am beyond pissed off.
“Let go! I’m not ready to leave!” She yells as we make it through the back door into the parking lot.
“Oh yes you are.” I start to dig in my pocket for my keys.
“No, I’m not! Let me go! I’m going back in there, and you can’t stop me!” She pulls her arm free, but I grab both her upper arms before she even had the chance to head back into the club.
“Why? Why would you want to go back in there? So you can allow any man to grab all over you? Like you’re some fucking cheap whore? Is that how you want to be treated?” I instantly regret my words. I’m just so mad and jealous. Jealous. I’ve never been jealous before, and I don’t know what to do about this rage inside of me.
She yanks her arms out of my hold and slaps me across the face so hard and fast I don’t see it coming.
Fuck! For someone so small, she can hit!
I take a step back, rubbing my cheek. “Guess I had that coming,” I mumble.
She takes a step towards me, matching my step. “Don’t you dare talk to me like that, you son of a bitch! You know nothing about me. I’m a grown ass woman and can do whatever, or whoever, the fuck I want!” she yells.
She is right. I was way out of line.
“Who the fuck are you to judge me?” She points a finger at me. “Every time I’ve seen or talked to you, you’re practically fucking someone….and it’s someone different every time!” She throws her hands in the air. “Don’t talk to me about being a whore.” She takes in a few deep breaths as her hands clench down at her side.
I raise my hands slowly, showing her I don’t want to fight. “Look, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I apologize. Please get in my car and let me take you home. It’s late, and I think you’ve had enough to drink.” I take small steps towards her.
She shakes her head no. “Go home, Slade. Just go home. I don’t need you to play the ‘daddy card’ and tell me when I’ve had enough to drink.” She stumbles backwards a bit, proving my point. I put an arm out to steady her, but she brushes it off.
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