“I’m here with a few of my colleagues from the firm. Why don’t you ladies join us at our booth?” he suggests, flashing us his ultra-white veneers and Leigh giggles.
“Hello? I’m standing right here,” Matty says.
“Sorry dude - no dudes,” the guy answers and I snort.
“Then no us,” I shrug and Leigh gives me a pouty face.
“Go if you want to,” I say, “but I’m staying right here.”
“Matty?” She whines and he throws up his hands.
“Keep me out of it. If Carm wants to stay with me then I’m not going to tell her no.” He leans down to kiss my cheek. “I’ll go and get us a drink. Beer for you?” he asks and I tilt my head thoughtfully.
“I’m feeling naughty. Double vodka soda with lime.”
“That’s a girl.” He winks before disappearing into the crowd.
“So you’re sure you don’t mind if I head to their table for a drink?” Leigh shouts to me over the thumping bass and I notice that her eyes look a little glassy.
“I’m sure. Knock yourself out.” I cross my arms over my chest as I survey the room. I’m relieved that my hands are free and I have no purse tonight - one of the perks of having a guy best friend with pockets.
“If you change your mind sweetie we’re sitting over there,” the suit guy gestures and I follow his arm to the booth across the room that he’s pointing at. “I really hope you change your mind,” he adds in a low voice as he skims his palm down my bare arm. The gesture makes me shiver but not in a good way.
My eyes wander from the suit guys VIP table to the next one over and I recognize the striker, Marco, from the soccer team right away. When he moves aside my mouth drops as my gaze lands on Shane who’s sitting at the center of the leather booth. He has a couple of girls on either side of him but his attention isn’t on them - instead he’s looking straight at me. His eyes flick to the suit guy beside me who still has his hand on my arm and I notice his jaw tighten.
“What is he doing here?” I whirl around back around to yell at Leigh.
“Who do you mean?” She says in an innocent voice but she’s not fooling me.
“You know exactly who I mean. First my phone number and now this? It’s hardly a coincidence that out of all the clubs in Austin he would be here at the one you and Matty practically blackmailed me into coming to!”
“What’s this about blackmail?” Matty says, returning with our drinks. He hands me mine while not-so-subtly shoving business suit guy out of the way. I hold the drink away from my body and glare at him.
“You manipulated me into coming here with your guilt trip all the while knowing that Shane would be here!” I wail and he looks around confused.
“Shane is here?”
“Matt didn’t know,” Leigh pipes up.
“But you did?” I say, confirming my suspicions.
“He called and asked me where you’d be tonight. I told him probably at home knitting or doing whatever boring shit you usually do. He offered me five hundred bucks to get you to come out tonight,” she explains unapologetically.
“What am I a hooker?” I scream at her and business suit guy takes that as his cue to leave. “You sold me out for five hundred dollars?”
“Drinks are on you tonight, bitch,” Matty adds, giving her a disapproving look.
“Fine: drinks, your cabs, it’s all on me. I get it - I’m a bad friend. But you’re here and you look smoking hot so you might as well have fun!” she smiles, hopping off her stool to give me a quick hug. “I’m sorry, Caramel, but he seems really into you so I don’t see what the problem is. Why not give him a chance?” She squeezes my hand before walking away in the direction of the VIP booths.
I watch her retreating back and decide that I have two choices: I can turn around and walk right out of here and let them win or I can shake off my anger at her ridiculous plan and try to enjoy myself. I look down at my tight white dress and figure that I might as well make the most of it. And since Leigh’s agreed to spring for a free ride home for us we might as well let loose so I grab Matty’s hand and pull him along with me. We weave our way through the maze of bodies and back to the bar where we down two shots each before asking the bartender to put them on Leigh’s tab. I don’t often drink hard alcohol so it hits me quickly and I start to feel lightheaded as the warmth spreads through my body. I’m always so afraid of the stuff and what it might mean for me because of the way my mother is but tonight I decide to turn off that little voice in my head and just have fun.
Matty dances a few up-tempo songs with me but house music isn’t his favorite so he quickly loses interest and heads back to the bar. As I keep dancing I start to lose myself in the beat which switches to a slower, sexier vibe. Dancing is something that I know how to do and I’ve never met a rhythm I couldn’t match. I know how to move my hips and shake my ass even in six inch heels. I bump and grind and take it down low and when I pop back up a pair of arms slide around my waist and I feel a damp shirt press against my back. I look over my shoulder at the preppy guy who’s currently moving his hips with mine and laugh. He’s definitely younger than me but he seems harmless so I give him a sultry smile before leaning my hips into him. I note with some amusement that he’s wearing a polo shirt with a popped collar and he looks genuinely surprised that I haven’t pushed him away.
“What’s your name?” he yells over the music but I just shake my head and keep dancing. I just want this incredible tingly feeling that’s part alcohol and part adrenaline to last as long as it can.
He takes my silence for what it is and tries out a different tactic, sliding his hands around my waist and down so they are resting on the top of my thighs. My eyes pop open and travel over to the VIP booth where Shane still sits. He’s staring at me with a tight expression on his face that leaves me confused. I mean, he paid my friend five hundred bucks so he could come to a club and ignore me all night? Who does that? Clearly I don’t understand him at all. Preppy guy spins me around and his hands move up to my shoulders, then travel up my neck into my hair.
“You are seriously hot,” he says, pulling my body flush against his as we continue to dance. “My boys are never going to believe that you are real. Come home with me?” he begs and I let out a surprised yelp when his teeth graze my ear. I am about to tell him to take a hike when all of the sudden he’s being dragged away from me by two guys I recognize from Shane’s party. Each of them have a hold of one of the preppy guy’s arms and I try to follow but a big wall of a body steps in front of me and blocks my path. I look up into Shane’s chocolate-colored eyes and give him the dirtiest look I can muster.
“You sent your teammates to do your dirty work?” I say accusingly.
“They’re my offense and that guy needed to be shut down. Maybe even carded for misconduct - keeper interference,” he says, his dark eyes flaring and from the set of his jaw I can tell that he’s angry. Very angry.
“I’m going to assume that’s some kind of cute soccer reference but what you just did was totally unnecessary. We were only dancing!”
“Oh I saw you dancing, babe.” He grabs my hand and places it on his fly so I can feel the solid length straining against his black dress pants. “Do you feel how hard you make me? And that’s just from watching you move your hips,” his says and his voice comes out in a low rumble.
I should be so offended that he has me touching his erection in public but instead a tingling starts building between my legs.
“I let you have your fun, Carmelina, but I’m afraid you’ve used up all of my patience.”
“I can dance with whoever I want,” I say and he raises an eyebrow in challenge.
“Not anymore you can’t,” he counters, moving my hand back up and placing is against his muscled chest. He’s wearing a fitted black dress shirt that’s open at the neck and I can see the tops of his sculpted pecks beneath it. His blond hair is styled and spiked and he looks so delicious that the sight of him makes my mouth involuntarily water.
“Yes, I can!” I spit back. “I can dance with and go home with whoever I want.”
I watch as anger sparks in his eyes at my words. “Are you deliberately trying to make me mad?” he asks in a gruff voice and I turn to leave but he’s too quick for me. He hauls me back into his arms. “You’re not going anywhere, babe.”
To emphasize his point he thrusts his erection against my back as his teeth clamp down on my ear. “This has gone way past fun and games. I want you and I’m not giving up,” he breathes into my ear. “If I have to fight every man on this dance floor I will do just that before I see you in anyone else’s arms.”
His words make my whole body spasm and the only response I can muster is a whimper.
“I know you’re freaked out but don’t be. I’ve got you,” he says, letting go of my earlobe. “Now get your ass over to my table. The guys will grab Matt.”
And I don’t know why I do but I let him lead me back to the booth. It’s probably because his words seem to have reduced my brain to a pile of mush. He sits me down at the table and hands me a clear drink. I take a sip and my eyes burn at the strong taste of vodka.
“If you’re going to get drunk I need to be able to watch you,” he explains as he sits down beside me and presses his large thigh against my smaller one.
Marco returns with Matty and both of them are holding shot glasses in their hands. I glare at Matty who looks like he’s having the time of his life. Leigh wanders over from the next table where she’s been sitting with the suits. Her hair is mussed and her lipstick smudged and all of the sudden I don’t feel much like drinking anymore. I set the glass down and lean back against the seat. Leigh plops down on Marco’s lap and he doesn’t seem to mind but I can tell that she’s getting sloppy. Matty’s bright, unfocused eyes tell me he’s not far behind her and Shane is talking to a pretty girl sitting on his left. Seeing him leaned over and nodding at her words makes an unfamiliar feeling flare up in my stomach and I have the sudden urge to pick my drink back up and dump it all over her head. I close my eyes and all at once the cacophony of voices and stench of sweat and liquor hit me and I want to be anywhere but here. I let me head fall back and squeeze my eyes shut as I try to block it all out. I don’t open my eyes again until I feel a hand caress my cheek and when I do I find Shane’s mouth mere inches from mine.
“Do you want to get out of here?” he asks in a low voice.
“More than anything,” I whisper back. Without pause he takes my hands and lifts me off the leather couch before setting me on to my feet. “But I should tell my friends that I’m leaving,” I add.
“Let them be; they are having fun. Marco and the boys will make sure they get home safely,” he answers, his eyes never leaving mine.
I find myself trusting his word as I let him lead me through the crowd that’s twice as thick as when we first arrived. When we get outside I take a deep breath and raise my arm to signal a taxi but he tugs it back down and kisses my knuckles. “I’m driving,” he says and I shake my head no. “I’m fine, Carmelina. I haven’t had a drop. I’m in training.”
I laugh and give him a look but then I realize he’s serious. “Then why come to a club?” I ask, genuinely curious.
“Why is standing right in front of me. Do you even own a mirror, babe?” His eyes roam over my face and down the length of my body as he speaks. “It’s taking every ounce of my restraint not to throw you in the back of my car and tear that dress off of you.”
“Oh,” I say, a little breathlessly.
“I told you once before that you’re playing with fire when you wear little things like that around me.” He places a strong hand on my lower back in a claiming gesture and walks me down the block to his truck, which happens to be a huge midnight black Ford F150 Crew Cab. It just screams Texas boy and I giggle.
“What’s funny?” he asks, a smile playing on his lips.
“I just kind of figured you for a fancy foreign car kind of guy.”
“No self-respecting Texan would drive that shit. Trucks all the way, babe - the bigger the better.”
“I agree, bigger is definitely better,” I say, biting my bottom lip teasingly and he releases a surprised grunt. I know I’m flirting but I can’t help myself. As he opens the passenger door and helps me in his fingers linger a little too long on my ass. I swat his hand away, earning me a groan.
“Yours is the kind of ass men dream about.”
“You are so crass sometimes,” I pout but I’m secretly flattered since it’s the one part of my body no amount of time at the gym can change. He walks around to the driver’s seat and hops in. Once inside he checks to see if I’m belted in which I find kind of cute.
“You hungry?” he asks and as if on cue my stomach rumbles.
“Actually I am since I skipped dinner.”
He gives me a look and places a hand on the back of my headrest as he throws the truck into reverse. “Where to?”
“There’s a great place right around the corner from my house that’s open late,” I suggest and he quickly agrees. “Can I ask you something though?”
“Shoot,” he says, nodding.
“Why did you drive to the club if you live downtown? Your place is probably a five minute walk from Terminal,” I ask and his lips twitch.
“Thought you might need a ride.”
“Hmm,” I say, noncommittally. It’s actually pretty thoughtful of him but also a bit presumptuous so I don’t know what to make of it. The car is silent as he merges on to the interstate and I think I surprise myself with my next words.
“That was sweet,” I say and he looks at me strangely.
“Well, I’m a sweet guy.”
“Really?” I squint at him and he laughs.
“No, not usually.”
He switches on a country station and we ride the rest of the way in a comfortable silence. When we get close I give him directions to El Guapos. The restaurant is in a poorly-lit industrial area but it’s still packed even at this time of night. He finds a parking spot at the back of the building and looks around like he’s a little sketched out by the place so I take the lead and open my door.
“Come on, pretty boy. They have hamburgers too, I promise.”
“Pretty boy?” he repeats, shaking his head.
We walk inside and I wave hello to the head waitress Ronnie as I lead him to my booth at the back. I let out a little cheer when I see that it’s free and slide across the ripped vinyl to pick up one of the menus that’s been left on the table.
“I wasn’t kidding about the burgers. They are world class here,” I add in an attempt to put him at ease.
“You come here alone?” he asks, flipping over the menu to read the other side.
“With Matty mostly. I love this place,” I sigh.
“You walk or drive?”
“Why?”
“Just curious.” He rests his elbows on the table and stares at me.
“My place isn’t that close so I drive.”
“Good,” he says, sounding relieved. Ronnie comes over to take our orders and Shane goes for a chicken burger with no sauce and a side salad while I opt for the street tacos. She returns with two glasses of water and I start to almost salivate at the thought of food. I didn’t realize until we walked in how hungry I am. Shane takes a big sip of his water before speaking.
“So tell me about Matty - you two seem close. Is he like your cousin or something?” he asks, clearing his throat.
“No, he’s not my cousin. Matty is my best friend and he’s been there through all of the good and the bad,” I explain.
“What bad, babe?”
“You don’t need a sob story,” I force a laugh.
“Maybe I want one.” He’s looking at me carefully - like he can see right through me - and I doubt that he’s going to let it go so I relent.
“I like to remind myself regularly that I am where I am today because of the life I had not in spite of it and that someone, somewhere always has it worse.”
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br /> “That doesn’t make your bad any less important,” he says seriously. The sincerity in his voice and the depth of his comment both surprise me and just like that I’m opening up to him.
“My mother is…troubled. My dad left us when I was just a baby and she never let me forget it. She blames me I guess but in a way I think she blames herself more which is probably why she drinks so much.” I take a breath and continue.
“I don’t remember much about the first years of my life but I met Matty in kindergarten when we learned we lived next door to one another. My mother would have these all-night parties with music so loud my walls would shake. I remember all the voices and noises and strange smells. It would scare me so much that I’d cry myself to sleep most nights. I guess one night he heard me and climbed in through my window. He hugged me all night until I fell asleep. As we got older and the parties continued the same ‘friends’ who used to ignore me started paying more attention to me. A few of them started being too friendly - bringing me candy and stuffed animals and asking me to sit on their knee. When Matty saw what was happening he did everything he could to take care of me. He climbed through my window almost every night until we graduated and could finally move out on our own.”
As I speak I watch his hands clench and unclench on the table top like he’s itching to hit something.
“I guess I owe him a thank you then.”
“You don’t but I do. That’s the thing about Matty - his home situation was so much worse than mine yet he made it his mission to let me sleep soundly night after night. I often wonder how much sleep he ever got watching the door and worrying about those men,” I say, staring at the table unable to meet his eyes.
“Your mom should have protected you,” he says vehemently.
“No argument here. My mother should have done a lot of things…and now she’s my burden to carry,” I say shortly, thinking that this conversation has gotten a little too personal.
“A mother should never be a burden,” he says.
“Maybe so, but it is what it is.”
Our meals arrive and we both dig in, barely coming up for air. When I finish my tacos I lean back and he lets his fork clatter to the plate, signaling that he’s also done.
On His Turf Page 6