by Carly White
When I could finally go to a slow walk, I moved back towards the barracks with a small towel in my hand. I wiped sweat from the back of my neck and my face before I made my way to the showers. I still wasn’t sure who won or where I even placed. I had been too worried about making it to the finish line, wishing I hadn’t smoked those few cigarettes at the bar last night. Better yet, wishing I hadn’t let Cassandra drag me anywhere , knowing I shouldn’t anymore. She never cheered me up, no matter how many times she claimed that it was the reason we went out, every time ended with a killer headache.
As I soaped up and washed my hair, I thought about Tony. He was my first real love and my first real heartbreak. It had been a couple of months since we had split up and I missed him. I didn’t know what happened. I just knew that all of a sudden he was gone. I figured it was another woman, but in truth I had no idea. So I was stuck in this sort of limbo, keeping me from moving on and my friends trying to get me back in the metaphorical saddle.
I got back in my training sweats and went out to the mess hall for lunch. The place with swamped with people, but it wasn’t hard to spot Cass’ platinum blonde hair in the mass. She waved me over and let me cut in front of her in the line.
“Great, tater tot casserole again. I don’t even want to guess what it is in it.”
Cass crinkled up her nose. She was waif thin and always on a diet. By the end of the line, she had an apple and a bottled water on her plate. I of course had to eat the vegetable glob mixture because nothing else looked any better. “So how did you do?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. I was in the front, but I didn’t really pay attention. I thought I was going to die. It’s my own fault for letting you talk me into going drinking last night. I got a side stitch that was too much. How did you do?”
“I made it Laney. That is all I can say.”
“It wasn’t that bad, but I am glad we get to go back to work come Monday. I hate these little training weeks.”
“All part of the job. You can’t tell me you didn’t have fun last night.”
Picking at the greasy mess in front of me, I was noncommittal. It had been a pretty good night, but the place was some dark hole in the wall that she had read in a paper somewhere that claimed it was the place to be in Houston. It didn’t seem like more than a dirty bar, but I had given her the benefit of the doubt. In the end, it was exactly as it appeared and the patrons were exactly what could have been expected. To top it off, she had also brought a friend that she was determined to hook me up with.
“Yes, I was doing okay until Ethan just happened to show up. You are literally the worse liar, so I hope you never do anything wrong.”
She tried to look innocent, but as the fourth or fifth guy that we had happened to bump into in the last month, I had long since found her game. I knew that she was trying to help me, but it was driving me crazy.
“I thought you would really like Ethan.”
“I know, but he was not my type.”
“Well what is your type? I always hear what isn’t your type, but I have yet to hear what is.”
It was a simple question, but there were so many answers. After each breakup, I had found another thing I didn’t like, another type that wasn’t for me, but I was still looking for what fit. After Tony, I didn’t want to think about a type, I just wanted to take a break, but Cassandra was determined to make me move on.
“I am not quite sure yet, but I know that it wasn’t Ethan. He was way too hands on for me.”
“You were looking hot, that’s why. I told you what happens when you set the goods out.”
Sighing, I pushed the plate aside and looked back at her. “I looked like a slut and he pawed me half the night. It wasn’t quite what I had in mind.”
“So where would you like to go?”
Anywhere but there, I thought to myself. “How about the Red Room? It is supposed to be nice. I haven’t had a chance to get over there yet, but I hear good things.”
“Sounds good. Are you driving or am I?”
“How about we get a cab and then we can both drink?”
She laughed, “And you say that I am the bad influence.”
“Just promise no more pop-ins.”
“I swear, you are on your own. Ethan was my plan E, so I give up. Your picky ass can find your own man.”
Chapter 2: Grady
“Grady. What are you doing tonight?”
I shrugged, not really sure. Freddy wanted to go into the city and see if we could scare up some tail, but I was just as happy with Jesse. I didn’t have to buy her a few drinks to spread her legs. She was easy and most of the time, and it was nights likes these, when I wasn’t looking for a challenge.
“I was thinking of staying here. Every time we all go the city, someone winds up in jail. I don’t feel like being the one tonight.”
Freddy shook his head. “It’s not like that. I am not even bringing my jacket. No Black Angel business, just going out for a few drinks.”
I didn’t believe him. Someone always got in a fight, then a brawl and then cops. He had been on me about getting out of the biker’s bar that was like a second home to us. I liked the familiarity, but he wanted something new. After breaking up with his girlfriend, I figured he just needed a little strange to right him.
Giving the blonde next to me a pat on the ass, I sent her away with my eyes. She was not happy to be told to go, but she wouldn’t say anything about it. Jesse knew her place and she was always there when I needed something. The rest of the time, I stuck with mainly one night stands. She was the only one I went back to on occasion. As the waitress at Angel’s Death bar, she was just too convenient to pass up and pass around when I was done.
“Fine Grady. I have my own plans for the night. You two go find you a couple of stuck up bitches from the city if that is what you need.”
Grady chuckled. “See you done pissed Jesse off.”
“So what? Stick something in her mouth and I am sure she will be sucking on it soon enough. I don’t know how you can keep going back to that chick. She is tired and worn out.”
“They are all tired and worn out. At least Jesse knows to be gone by morning.”
Freddy nodded and then looked out at the same sea of people that were there every night. “Come on. I just got to get out of her. If I see Zoie again tonight I am going to lose it.”
I looked over to where he was just looking and saw that his girlfriend or ex, I could never keep up, was moving on with a stranger to the bar. I didn’t know the man, but I knew if I didn’t get my friend out of there, there were going to be cops in the bar. “Come on man, she is just trying to make you jealous. I’ve told you before, if you ignore them, you will never get rid of them. It doesn’t make sense, but that is how women are.”
He looked dubious and I could see the fire in his dark eyes. He had to get over her or something, but the man was embarrassing himself one way or another every time he saw her lately. I grabbed his arm and jerked him out of the bar stool. Nothing good was going to come of staying there, so I was more or less forced to go out with him.
It took us about an hour to get to the city and Freddy was already half lit on a fifth of bourbon that he had swiped from the bar. I was driving, but was feeling no pain by the time we got there either. It was just as Jesse had said, a bunch of stuck up girls that weren’t going to give Freddy the time of day. He was a bit rough around the edges and biker girls were about the only ones that could handle him.
Sighing to myself, we ordered a couple while looking out into the sea of moving bodies. Freddy was already eying a redhead and I had to stop myself from calling him on it. The girl looked about as close to the ex that he was supposed to be forgetting as possible. The two of them made no sense at all and I had to let it go. I was really just there to keep him out of jail. I knew that.
“Why don’t you wait a few minutes before you pick one? There are a lot of girls here Freddy. You don’t have to go immediately to the redhead.”
Freddy nodded, but I could see where his eyes were looking. “There is just something about them Grady. You will know when you try one.”
“I have, I wasn’t that impressed.”
Freddy wasn’t hearing me. He downed the drink and started towards the tall, thin girl that’s face was framed in fiery red curls. She was cute by any stretch of the imagination, but she was not my type. I liked a bit more ass and curves, something more to grab onto. I ordered a couple more, leaving one sitting for when he was turned down. Even without his jacket, both of our arms were covered in tattoos and Freddy especially just looked rough. There was no mistaking us for gentlemen.
“Can I get a couple of shots of tequila and a couple of beers please?”
I looked to the voice and stopped. The blonde met my gaze and smiled at me for a minute. I could see her interest sparked in her blue eyes, but then she looked at my arms and the smile faded. “Let me get that for you.”
I laid some money down, but she pushed it back. “I got it, thanks though.”
She turned back away from me and my eyes studied the bottom profile that was so close. I itched to rub her round ass, but the interest seemed to be gone on her side as soon as she saw my tattoos. “You can’t turn down a drink.”
Turning back around, she smiled and took my money off the bar. “Fine, but you aren’t my type and I didn’t want to lead you on. Since you insist though, me and my friend thank you.”
I could tell I wasn’t her type, but I knew that all women wanted a little bad boy in their life. I didn’t say anything when she turned back around. The drinks came and I saw her struggling with one of the shots and offered to take it to her table. She shook her head, again refusing my help and drank the shot down instead.
I watched her walk away and shivered a little. Why was I so drawn to a woman I didn’t know and who obviously didn’t want anything to do with me? I didn’t know that answer, but after another drink, I was like Freddy, moving into the direction of what I desired. I had about the same chance as Freddy, remembering the way the woman’s ice cold eyes looked through me.
The woman was sitting down at one of the tables in the back with another blonde that was not as pretty. She was thinner and had too much guile in her face when I stopped in front of the table. “Do you want to dance?”
She shook her head. The other girl piped in that she would, but it wasn’t her that I wanted. “I thought I told you that you weren’t my type?”
I sat down next to her in the chair and smiled at her friend. “I am everyone’s type.”
“I don’t know about Laney, but you are certainly my type. What’s your name?”
I smiled at the friend, but I didn’t give her my attention. Laney. The name sounded good in my mind and when I said it, it rolled off my tongue just right. “I’m Grady and it is good to meet you ladies.”
“Cassandra. My name is Cassandra.”
I looked over at thin blonde and smiled. She melted and I knew that she would be as easy to spread as Jesse. But I didn’t want her, I wanted the one that looked at me like I were some kind of thug. She didn’t even know the truth that I really was, she had already decided that I was bad news. “So why am I not your type Laney?”
Once again, Cassandra piped in for her. “She doesn’t like the whole bad boy thing. She likes her men tame and well to do.”
Laney gave her friend a dirty look and I raised my eyebrows. “Well since there are not many of those tonight, why don’t you come and dance with me instead of waiting around for your Prince Charming?”
“I don’t settle.”
“It’s just a dance Laney.”
Chapter 3: Laney
I knew he was trouble when I first seen him at the bar. It was hard for a guy like that to be anything else but trouble. It wasn’t the full sleeves on both arms that I am sure was paired with chest and back pieces. It wasn’t the earring in his ear or the way he smiled like he was used to getting what he wanted. It was those dark brown eyes that told me that he was bad news. Those eyes had already undressed me ten times since he had been sitting there. It had to be some kind of a record.
“If I give you one dance, will you let us drink in peace?”
He looked around at the loud throng of people, “This is where you go for peace?”
“Fine, will you stop harassing me if I dance with you?”
Grady nodded and his eyes lit up with victory, the smile on his face a little brighter. Cassandra was not happy to be ignored. She was usually the one that got all of the attention and I knew it was because of her agreeable nature. I wasn’t the sort that was able to shut my mouth when I was supposed to.
I got up and waited for him to stand. He took my hand and led me towards the moving bodies people all seeming to move to the same motion. I wasn’t much on dancing to that kind of music. It was dirty words and when he grabbed me around my waist and pull me against him, I knew that I shouldn’t have agreed to a dance. One dance with him was too dangerous.
My back was to him as he ground up against me, his hands and waist moving against mine. I could feel his breath on my neck and earlobe as he bent down to whisper in my ear. “You definitely feel like my type Laney.”
The music started to slow down, moving into another song. I started to pull away from him, but he pulled me back and then turned me so we were looking at each other. His dark eyes were like the sky after a storm, almost black and unpredictable. I waited for his lips, sure that he would kiss me, but he didn’t. I opened my eyes, unaware that I had closed him, wanting to ask him why he didn’t take the kiss. I was right there, dying for it.
When the music from the second song started to slow down and end, I pulled away from him. It had seemed like an eternity and only a moment at the same time. He stopped me from going too far and then finally leaned down and kissed me. It was like I had been waiting forever for it. There was something about him that made me forget the rough exterior. Or maybe it as the fact that he wasn’t my type that made him so safe. I would never see him again and for once, I was thinking about how good it would feel to be like everyone else and take my pleasure for the moment when I could get it.
His lips were softer than they should have been. Grady’s grip was hard on my hips, but the way he kissed me so softly, had me melting against his hard form. I forgot that I was in front of all those people, forgot everything but the way he felt pressing into my body in that moment. Another fast song came on and the movement around me finally made me realize what I was doing.
Pushing away from him, our lips moved apart and I finally looked up at him. “Am I still not your type?”
I bit my lower lip. He had to know what he was doing to me and by the way he was eying me like I was his next meal, I couldn’t deny it. The way his hands and lips felt on me had to be right. And if it was wrong, I was okay with that.
“Do you want to get out of here?”
I did, but I couldn’t just leave with him. My eyes went to the table and Cassandra. She was gone in the mass of people and I sighed to myself. “I was riding with my friend and now I can’t find her.”
“There was a hotel close by. Why don’t we take a walk over there? It’s just a block away. See what else happens when our body collides.”
My mind was screaming no as he asked, but my body was not so sure I should pass up such a nice offer. He could tell that I was fighting with the idea and he made it easier for me, moving down to kiss me again. It was like he knew I couldn’t think when he was touching me.
He finally pulled away and grabbed my hand, pulling me out of the busy club. The fresh air woke me up a little, but we were already moving towards the hotel that he had been talking about before. I wasn’t this type of girl though. I never had a one night stand, no matter how badly I wanted to. It went against everything I stood for, but if he kissed me again, I was not going to be able to stop him. I was already to the point I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to.
“Maybe we should talk or something Grady. This is all
just happening a bit too fast for me.”
He stopped and pushed me up against the building we were passing. His lips moved to mine and then his body was pressing in against me, pinning me to the bricks. I felt them dig into my back as his body overwhelmed mine and I was left gasping by the touch of his hands. The feel of his hardness pressing into my stomach made me realize that we were too far to go back. I didn’t want to even if I could have.
“I thought we were going to a hotel?”
His mouth left my neck and he pulled me along towards the Villa Suites. It looked like a pretty nice place, but the last thing I was worried about was how many stars the place had. Grady paid cash, refusing to give ID and half-dragged me to the elevator. His body was on mine as soon as the doors closed. It was too fast. Still my mind was reeling with the speed of his need. He was lifting my skirt up and massaging me through my panties by the time the bell rang for the third floor.
I pushed his hands away and waited for him to get in front of me, so he couldn’t mess with me from behind. His hands seemed to stay on my ass and as soon as we were inside the room, it was right back there, pulling me against his hardness.
My clothes were a puddle on the floor before I knew it and my front was pushed up against the mattress, as his body pushed me deeper in the cushions. There were no more words, just moans and whimpers as his tongue and teeth teased my back and legs. He pulled me up to my knees, biting my cheeks before licking my center from behind. My face buried into the mattress, hiding the screams that he pulled from my body. I had never felt so needy, my core rubbing against his face as I moved back to give him more. Feeling a hard smack on my ass, I felt him leaving me. I went to move and he stopped me with his voice.