Neutral Zone

by Amber Lynn

  “I’m thinking maybe you should ask me back to your place.”

  Nina had to laugh. The loud music probably muted most of it, but his idea was one of the better jokes she’d heard.

  “I think you should let go of me and walk away, unless you have a weird wish to be castrated.” Nina spoke loud enough to make sure he didn’t mishear her.

  Her words got a pair of women in front of her to spin around. They looked at Nina for a second before raising their eyes and focusing behind her. Whatever they saw made them quickly turn around and walk away.

  Evidently handsy didn’t take the threat seriously. His hand gripped her boob harder, which only put an exclamation point on how sucky the last twenty-four hours had been. She didn’t know why guys refused to believe the castration line. He clearly didn’t know who he was dealing with.

  “I suggest you take that hand off her breast and find another place to party tonight.”

  The demand would have been better if it came out of Nina’s mouth, or at the very least come from some tall, dark and handsome random guy in the crowd. The man doing the talking was tall, dark and handsome, but he was also a pain in Nina’s ass.

  “Buzz off. Me and the lady are just getting to know each other.”

  “Since said lady is here with me, that’s going to be an issue.”

  It was kind of cute that Brady thought she needed him to swoop in and help her, but the last time Nina needed a man’s help was, well, never. She’d learned from a young age that the male gender was only good for one thing. It was too bad none of the guys she met understood that.

  “Like hell I am, Brady. I don’t need you rushing in here pretending to save the day. This jackass obviously doesn’t know who I am, so I was just getting ready to introduce myself.”

  Nina grabbed the douchebag's hand on her chest as she spun around in a fluid motion. She only had a moment to register his face before her knee connected with his soft bits. No matter how big the man, and Handsy was larger than most, they didn’t stay vertical long when the nut crusher came out.

  From what she saw, the guy wasn’t a dog or anything, so why the other women ran off was beyond her. If she’d been in the mood, and he hadn’t immediately pissed her off, she might have taken him home to play with, as long as he could get it fully up before they left. Too bad for him, he was going to spend the night trying to extract his testicles from his throat.

  The man had doubled over to try to catch his breath. The hand that had groped her reached for her shoulder to try to steady himself. Rather than shrug away from the touch, Nina allowed it. It made it easier to lift her knee again and insure he got the message.

  Looking over the man’s shoulder, Nina noticed Brady’s eyes widened as he looked down to the man he’d been on the verge of fighting. She was surprised to see he didn’t cringe like most of the men who witnessed Nina’s efficient way of dealing with guys.

  The oaf dropped to his knees, allowing Nina to easily extract herself from his grip. Nina had mastered her moves over the years. She stopped counting how many times she’d had to use the technique. It was a little shocking that the men of New York hadn’t already passed around her picture to warn their brethren not to get on her bad side.

  With the distraction taken care of, Nina turned, flinging her long blonde hair over her shoulder, and made her way to her original destination. At least a few shots were in order. She would’ve left the club altogether, but she didn’t allow anyone to drive her from a place. Not a guy trying to take advantage of her, and definitely not the fact that Brady McDonald was wearing a t-shirt that molded to his torso like it was painted on him.

  Yes, she barely got a look at the guy who accosted her, but she sure as hell noticed what Brady was wearing. The guy had the nerve to not only show up for Nina’s night out, with a date nonetheless, but he had to look fucking hot as hell. He was lucky she didn’t knee him before she took off towards the bar.

  “Hold on, Nina.”

  She heard Brady following after her, or rather felt the fire coming off him right behind her. Nina had always thought there couldn’t be a more frustrating man than Curtis, but Brady was in a class by himself.

  Actually, the men vexed her for two very different reasons, so they probably ranked about the same as causes that made her want to rip her hair out. The more time she spent around them, the more likely her honey-colored curls would be nothing more than piles on the floor.

  Not bothering to acknowledge his presence, she squeezed between the bodies at the bar and held her hand up to get the bartender’s attention. There were two bartenders, but Nina made a point to make eye contact with the female of the pair. She’d had enough interactions with the male gender for one night that she didn’t feel like she could muster the strength to deal with another.

  There were times she wished she found women attractive. She’d tried to expand her options in college, but her competitive and jealous nature made anything more than a drunken tryst impossible. Even then, Nina loved the feeling of power she had making a huge, muscular guy bend to her will, so she didn’t enjoy it as much with a woman.

  “I need three shots of tequila, with salt and lime.”

  “You might as well make that six,” Brady said from behind her before her order was even out. “Or better yet, just leave the bottle.”

  Nina didn’t mind the idea of leaving the bottle, but she wasn’t excited about having to share it. She figured his suggestion meant he was buying, so she didn’t counter the order.

  The bartender nodded and moved to reach for a clear bottle. Nina wasn’t particular about what gave her a buzz, but evidently Brady was.

  “No offense to what everyone else is drinking, but we’ll take the most expensive bottle you have,” he said after clearing his throat.

  She felt his arm brush hers as he put a credit card on the bar. Nina looked down and saw a little of the tattoo that covered Brady’s right arm. It was something she’d seen many times, a mess of black tribal ink with some hockey stuff scattered around it. The bartender drew her arm back while glancing at the card and then behind Nina. Nina watched closely, wondering what reaction the woman would have once she got a good look at Brady.

  One of the reasons Nina hadn’t ever taken him up on his offer was the way pretty much every woman looked at him. Even if it was just a quick romp for them, Nina was territorial as long as a guy shared her bed. She’d had to deal with women staring at her guys before, and thankfully she had a great lawyer.

  “You sure? The bottle is three grand.”

  The bartender would make a great poker player, Nina decided. Her eyebrows originally went up a fraction at the request, but she didn’t show any sign whether she thought Brady could afford the price.

  Nina figured maybe five people in the room of about two hundred wouldn’t bat their eyelashes at the price tag, and four of them were at her table. She didn’t know about Brady’s little friend, but she’d done research on the two hockey players and knew Curtis, and therefore Hannah, was worth just a bit more than Nina was and Brady was quickly catching up.

  “One bottle is good enough to start, right, Nins?”

  Nina shook her head and let her eyes roll upwards. Only Hannah used the nickname. Why Brady thought he could use it was something to ponder another time.

  “Since I’m not the woman you came here with, don’t you think you should go check with her?”

  Pointing out that fact didn’t get Nina any closer to her tequila, but she thought she’d remind him that he had someone else he should probably clear the order with. Nina doubted the redhead was a permanent fixture, since Brady liked to spread his love around. That didn’t mean it was cool for him to just up and forget the woman.

  “You imagine she’s still sitting at the table after I ran across the room when I saw that guy put his hands on you?”

  Brady proved he had a pair when Nina felt his fingertips gently settle on her hips. He couldn’t have forgotten what happened to the last guy who tried th
at move. Unlike the last guy, when Brady stepped closer to her, Nina felt the appendage she’d never seen personally, but felt brush against her more than a couple times.

  A romp with Brady was exactly what Nina needed. She knew it. It didn’t mean it was going to happen, but spending a little time with him at the club would at least make the pictures she painted when she was alone in her bed later that night more realistic.

  “I hate to interrupt the conversation, but do you want the bottle or not? I can’t stand here all night waiting.”

  “We’ll take it, and if you can point us to somewhere in this place we can enjoy it in private, there’s a thousand-dollar tip in it for you.”

  The request made Nina raise her left eyebrow. She wanted to look over to the table Curtis and Hannah were at, supposedly with Brady’s date. He was too close to her to be able to see it from where she stood, so she didn’t bother.

  The bartender didn’t seem to care as she ran the card before handing over the alcohol. It was a smart move on her part, especially since it seemed Brady had lost his mind. Once it came back clear, she grabbed a blue bottle and set it down on a tray. Some shot glasses, a salt shaker and a bowl of lime wedges joined it.

  “There’s a private room in the back that isn’t in use tonight. Go down the hall by the bathrooms and just keep walking.”

  Nina’s pulse picked up a little from the news. She wasn’t sure what Brady’s motive was for making the request, but she was intrigued enough to let things play out for a few minutes.

  His hands on her hips disappeared as he reached around her to grab the tray. Nina wanted to ask him to wait so she could take a quick shot, but whatever he had in mind had him moving fast in the opposite direction with the alcohol.

  The bartender had moved on after the transaction was complete, making the immediate option of sticking around and drinking by herself, like she’d originally planned, a slower option than following Brady. He hadn’t gotten far, a fact proven when Nina finally looked over her shoulder in his direction. He was maybe three feet away with a come-hither grin plastered on his face.

  Between the gel he usually put in his hair and the dim lights, his short brown hair looked black. Nina wondered what it would feel like to run her fingers through it. It looked stiff, but for some reason it felt soft in her imagination.

  The man was trouble. Every inch of his slightly olive-colored skin screamed it. Something about him scared Nina, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. Maybe spending a little alone time with him would help her figure it out.

  Taking a deep breath, she shrugged and decided she might as well play along for a little while. If nothing else, he had to fill her in on what in the world made him decide she needed him to jump to her defense. He’d been sitting with Hannah and Curtis, both of whom were well aware she could take care of herself.

  Chapter 4

  Brady had no idea what he was doing. He hadn’t meant to bring Maggie along for the night, but the woman followed him. As the day had gone on, he’d begun to question her story of the cheating boyfriend. There were no tears ever and she was passionate and vibrant enough in bed that he had to wonder why someone who was into the boyfriend and girlfriend labeling would need to step out on her.

  It wasn’t until said boyfriend started pounding on the door that Brady had to concede he existed. Evidently, they lived right next door to each other and all the moaning and screaming was meant to be heard between the thin walls that separated their apartments.

  They yelled for a few minutes, while Brady got his clothes on. He was sure he’d be able to slip out the door without notice, but Maggie was on his heels like a baby duck following its mother. He’d told her he was going out to see another woman, and apparently that didn’t matter.

  He’d try to make sure she got home in one piece, but getting the bottle of tequila made that priority fade away. Curtis and Hanna would hopefully help out, at least making sure she got a cab.

  Brady had only been in the club a few times, but he knew where the bathrooms were. He wasn’t in the mood to get plastered, contrary to him buying a bottle of tequila. His goal was solely to get Nina away from anyone who could make him feel like ripping someone’s arms off them. He’d never been the jealous type, but seeing that goon pawing Nina lit a fire in him. Nothing else in the room mattered other than getting her away from the guy.

  There had to be at least a hundred other guys in the place, and more than a few of them had eyes for the blonde in the black dress with strategically placed see-through cutouts up the sides and across the tops of her breasts. If Brady was having trouble keeping his dick in his pants, he could only imagine how hard it was for the amateurs filling the club.

  Somehow, he had to make it through the night without getting his nuts kicked. If he’d known that was a possibility, he would’ve stopped by his place and grabbed a cup. Brady had heard tales of Nina’s deft way to deal with guys, but he’d never seen it in person. It gave him a new respect for the high-powered businesswoman.

  Looking over his shoulder, he made sure Nina was still behind him as they got to the hall with the bathrooms. The glare on her face didn’t give him a great sense of what she was thinking, but at least she was going along for the ride. Turning back around, he found the door they were looking for and stopped to wait for her to catch up.

  “I hope you don’t think taking me in a private room and getting me drunk is going to lead to you finally getting to fuck me. Four grand may buy you a bottle of tequila and a private room, but it doesn’t get you in my pants. You’d have better luck with your girlfriend out there.”

  Brady loved the tense hatred that was always in her voice. She was so full of anger that eventually it had to burst out of her. Even after knowing her for a while, Brady was still trying to decide if he wanted to be in the room when it finally happened.

  “I guess it’s a good thing you’re wearing a dress and not pants. And as far as using the G word, we met today and had a little fun. Girlfriends for me went out of style in the eighth grade.”

  He didn’t need to explain himself, but reiterating that he wasn’t into the dating scene was something that came out naturally. Some people understood it, which he was sure Nina would, but others thought he was crazy for not wanting to settle down.

  “I’m not wearing underwear either, but that still doesn’t mean you’re getting lucky.”

  She didn’t need to tell him that. He’d felt the smoothness of her dress on her hips that told him she was naked under it.

  “You could have left all your clothes at home and I wouldn’t try to fuck you, Nina. I got the message months ago that it wouldn’t happen, and I have enough other options that I’m not hard up for sex.”

  Brady hadn’t specifically told her he’d spent all afternoon in bed with Maggie, but having the redhead there at the club with him proved his claim. Wanting to move on from the conversation, Brady pushed open the door to see what kind of space they had to enjoy their drinks.

  Lights automatically flipped on, which were a stark contrast to the dimly lit dance floor they’d left. The lights weren’t exactly sunshine bright, but Brady found himself blinking a few times to get his eyes used to the change.

  “But you certainly are hard.”

  He heard Nina’s words mumbled under her breath and smiled. He wasn’t ashamed of that fact one bit.

  Taking inventory of their party room, it was pretty much what he expected. A long table with a white tablecloth filled the back of the room. There were a few seating clusters of black leather, square-looking chairs and a whole bunch of open space for mingling.

  He held the door open for Nina to walk through and let it slide closed behind her. She looked around the room, seemingly as unimpressed as he was. There wasn’t anything wrong with the room, but it was a little plain to sit around doing what were probably close to two-hundred-dollar shots.

  “I won’t lie,” Brady said as he walked over and put the tray on a table between a pair of chairs. “If I thoug
ht for a second you were game to play, I’d show you a damn good time.”

  “I’ll give you points for having a tool that could probably accomplish the task, but you’re still digging yourself out from the negative points you earned groping me on the way to Hannah and Curtis’ wedding reception.”

  Nina made her way over to the table and after a quick glance at the two chairs closest to it, she took a seat in the one on the right. Brady didn’t want to be “that guy,” but he had gotten a little handsy and Nina still hadn’t dished out any punishment for it, besides resisting his advances. That made him lean towards believing she liked the attention from him. When he’d pursued her, he always got the hard-t0-get vibe instead of the not interested one.

  He’d never run into anyone who gave him the not interested one, but he liked to think he’d be able to tell. Nina was all about her, and that created a challenge in reading exactly what was going on in her head.

  “Well, let’s see if this tequila helps add a few more points in my favor. Obviously, I’m not holding my breath, but the price tag has to mean it’s pretty good, right?”

  She’d already said it didn’t matter, but she could change her tune after a few shots. Brady wasn’t a tequila-drinker, so he didn’t know anything about the brand or quality. If it was a bottle of scotch, he would’ve had a better idea.

  While he opened the bottle, she set up one of the shot glasses for her and licked her hand to make sure the salt would stick. Watching her do so didn’t ease any of the pressure building up inside of Brady. Her ruby red tongue darting out only made him want to capture it more.

  Deciding on the private drink setting was definitely a mistake, but it was too late to back out. Brady’s phone made a noise, temporarily taking his attention away from the sexiest woman he’d ever met. He put the bottle down to take it out of his pocket and read the quick message from Curtis.

  “The redhead trying to find you?” Nina asked.

  Brady shook his head. Maggie didn’t have his number, so the chances of that were zip.