“They put on their pants one leg at a time too, Gorgeous. You should stop caring about what others think of you so much.” I bit my lip knowing he was right, but still felt nervous. I nodded my head as he pulled me in for a hug, wrapping his strong arms around me.
“Mmm,” I sighed into his chest.
“Did you just moan?” I nodded into his chest as he kissed my head. “Is that all it takes? I guess I don’t need to work so hard next time we go at it.”
I pulled back and smacked his chest lightly as I smirked. He grabbed my hand and tugged me to start walking. “Come on, the gang is waiting.” I rolled my eyes as I let him lead me to the bar to meet all his friends.
The “gang” turned out to be just about the entire bar. I knew Matt had a lot of friends, but the entire place was filled with his friends. We walked in and it seemed like everyone yelled out, “MATT!” at the top of their lungs. People were running up hugging him, slapping his back and high-fiving him. Every thing guys do to say “hi” was done. And the women…There were a lot of them. More than I had even anticipated.
Even though Matt was pulled into a sea of people, his eyes continued darting around until his blue eyes landed on mine. He smiled bright and pushed his way back to me. He grabbed my hand and tugged me into the center of his friends. Introductions were flying and Matt stood behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. After awhile, when he felt I was comfortable, he stood at my side either holding my hand or held onto my waist. Either way, he was making sure I felt welcomed and secure as he continued to chat with his friends.
I was regaled with stories about Matt and Alex’s pranks on their friends, silly evenings they’ve had. There were even stories about women that turned them down, mostly by Alex and how he was slapped more than a few times. As the stories flew, I noticed that drinks were constantly being passed to him. A beer was given to me by someone, but since I really wasn’t in the mood for it, I politely sipped it.
Laughing at their stories, I broke away, squeezing Matt’s hand to let him know I was headed to the bathroom. With his eyes, he asked me if I were okay, pulling his blue eyes together and I nodded in reassurance with a smile.
After finding the bathroom and making my way back to the crowd, I decided to head to the bar for a drink. Kara had me hooked on Cosmos now after that first night at Allure and I felt like having one. I sat on an empty stool waiting for a bartender and turned to look at Matt and all his friends. He was definitely the life of the party and it warmed my heart for him.
A waitress walked up next to me and asked in the most beautiful southern drawl if my name was Vanessa. I nodded my head and she introduced herself as Cassie. Cassie with chin length, straight blonde hair and had the absolute most perfect body I’ve ever seen, aside from Aubrey’s. Normally, I would feel jealous or compare myself to someone like her, but Cassie’s smile was so endearing and welcoming, I felt anything but threatened.
She asked me what I’d like to drink and I went ahead and ordered a Cosmo. I watched as her blonde hair bobbed as she ran behind the bar, chatting with me the entire time. She told me how everyone missed Matt and he’s pretty much everyone’s brother and a close friend to them. She didn’t bother mentioning anything about the women surrounding him.
I glanced over and noticed him looking around for someone with a worried expression. My heart melted when his eyes landed on mine and he smiled so bright. Cassie touched my arm to let me know my drink was there as I smiled back at Matt. He mouthed, “You okay?” I nodded, knowing that he wanted to see his friends. I took my glass from the bar and held it up to show him I’d be all right. He nodded back as a friend pulled him into another discussion.
I turned around as Cassie came around the bar and sat on the bar stool next to me.
“So, how long have you two been together?” She asked, smiling. Her blue eyes were so bright and gorgeous that I had a hard time not getting lost in them.
As I quickly remembered she asked me a question, I swallowed unsure of how long to quantify our relationship. “Umm, a couple months, I think.”
She quirked her head the side questioning me with her eyes. “You think?”
“Well, we haven’t…I mean we’re not really…”
“Oh is he not saying anything to ya? About a relationship?” She asked, as if she knew him really well.
I wasn’t sure how much to say to her and I was pretty sure they’ve had sex. At least I think so. I can’t imagine him not at least trying to have sex with her. I mean, my God look at her…perfect facial features, perky little mouth, cute little nose. I took a long drink from my glass staring at the beautiful woman in front of me. I tried not to get jealous, but staring at this adorable woman, a sudden surge of it went through me.
“You’ve had sex with him, haven’t you?” I blurted out with a desperate voice and I wasn’t sure if my facial expression matched the sound in my voice.
Her teeth tugged at the corner of her mouth, her brows pulled in together with concern written all over her face as she gave me a brief nod. Her hand touched my arm as I was pulling my Cosmo back to my lips to take another drink. Okay, it was more of a gulp. I could have inhaled the drink the way I felt suddenly.
“It….he. Hmm,” She let out a deep breath as she seemed to try to figure out what to say to me. I looked over to Matt and noticed all the women surrounding him and closed my eyes, trying to keep the tears at bay. Cassie tried again with her sweet southern voice. “Matt…well, he’s always been a bit of a player here.” She stopped and looked around before she continued, “But, from what I understand, he really likes ya a lot. It seems. I mean…well, I…”
I looked back to her, waiting to hear what she was trying to say. She cringed as she continued, “He turned me down the other night and from what I saw, there was some other woman here that he also turned down. Alex wound up taking her home,” she informed me with a slight giggle. I wondered who that woman was and also questioned if he should have told me. Of course, I haven’t told him about Charles and all the gifts I’ve been receiving from him. I was keeping little lies like that from him also.
“Do ya want another Cosmo?” She asked, her expression was sympathetic as she touched my arm again and then stood to grab my glass. I gave her a brief nod, not that she waited for me to respond. She quickly made me another drink as I watched her pour the alcohol, noting that she was making it stronger than the last one. I needed it and she must have realized that.
As she set the glass in front of me again, she told me, “I didn’t mean to upset ya. I just…he doesn’t seem like he’s his old self that he was down here. I think he likes ya more than just one of his usual girls.” I took a drink not knowing if that was supposed to make me feel any better. She realized what me taking a drink meant, because she laughed as she told me, “Yes, that’s a good thang. He only turned me down once and that was because he had some girl visiting him.” She gave a thoughtful glance away as she told me, “I think she was a stripper.” I literally spit my drink out. Yep. Sprayed the front of her top. Lucky for me, Cassie has a great sense of humor and laughed as she wiped up her polo shirt with her cleaning rag.
After several more Cosmos, I don’t remember much more of our conversations. I will say that by the end of the night, I was calling her my new best friend.
******
I opened my eyes to two white pills and a glass of water on the nightstand. That seemed to be a recurring scene for me.
“Uh,” I moaned as my head throbbed just remembering that night. The bed kept shaking and I placed my hands flat on the mattress hoping it would stop moving. It didn’t. I rolled over feeling Matt’s body next to mine. I moaned hoping he would wrap his arms around me and stop making the bed move. He seemed to be laughing and I was getting upset. His laughter made the bed continue to move. Jiggle. The contents of my stomach were jiggling too. I reluctantly opened my eyes staring into a pair of the most amazing shade of jade eyes I’ve ever seen. Thick black hair covered the pillow as I stared at
an unfamiliar face. Although he looked familiar as he whispered, “Good morning, beautiful. How are you feeling?”
I jolted upright, freaked out by who was laying next to me. I looked around the room and suddenly realized I was naked. I held the sheet close to my body as I watched the guy next to me roll with laughter and start clapping his hands. Completely confused and feeling extremely queasy, I watched in horror as the man sat up and started to wrap his arms around me. I shoved him away as I grabbed the sheet even tighter and quickly stood up trying to figure out what was happening.
“Oh my God. I cheated on Matt. Oh my God!” I shrieked as I stared at the naked man in bed; the bed I was just laying in completely naked.
“Oh come on, Vanessa. It was fantastic. You’re fucking wild in bed. Man, you’re insatiable,” he exclaimed, smiling as if he wanted more.
I felt my stomach roll as I placed a hand to my mouth and darted into the bathroom. I made it just in time as I dry heaved and heard him laughing from the other room. He sounded like he was talking to someone in between laughs. Another man. Oh my God. I had two men. I stared into the mirror chastising myself.
I looked down and saw a toothbrush. I picked it up and started brushing my teeth knowing I could stall a little while I thought my “situation” through; and also get rid of that disgusting taste. Not to mention, if I just slept with two men and don’t remember it, I probably needed to cleanse any and all germs out of my mouth.
I stared into the mirror trying to take in what just happened. Oh God. I cheated on Matt. I really like him a lot and here I was a slut — at his own party — in his own town. I wonder what all those people must have thought of me.
I tried to remember the events of the evening. I remember talking to Cassie a lot. I remember hugging her constantly, telling her she was my best friend. I closed my eyes, cringing at what she probably thought of me. I had memories of talking to several of Matt’s friends. One was telling me how much Matt talks about me and not just in a sexual way and thought that was an odd thing to be told. Visions of dancing with Matt several times. Oh my god. I think I remember getting onto a table and shouting something.
My head began to pound harder as I tried to recall last night and how I could possibly wind up in bed with two men. Was that another man’s voice I heard laughing? What if it was a woman? What if I had a ménage à trois and don’t remember? I had so many fantasies of having one and here I didn’t remember finally doing it. Wait. That’s not the point. What if Matt wasn’t in there somewhere?
Matt. Where is he? Why isn’t he here? What if he watched me leave with two guys or a guy and a girl and is pissed off at me? Of course he’d be angry with me. Why wouldn’t he? His exclusive friends with benefits or whatever the hell we’re calling ourselves walked out with two other people.
I stared at my reflection begging myself to remember something from last night that would help me figure out who the hell was out there. Their laughter continued and I listened intently. It was definitely two men. God, you had two men last night Vanessa and you don’t remember a thing. I wonder where my cell phone is so I can call Matt and find out what happened.
I looked around the vanity and was relieved to figure out that I was in our hotel room and that I actually used my toothbrush a second ago.
“Vanessa?” I heard Matt’s voice call out.
“Matt?” I frantically whipped the door open to see Matt standing there dressed the same as last night, with tears in his eyes.
“Matt, I’m so sorry. I don’t think I cheated on you. I mean, I don’t remember what happened last night at all, but whatever I did, I’m so sorry!” I clutched the sheet to my body with one hand and threw my other arm around his neck holding on for dear life, praying that he would forgive me for whatever I did.
His whole body was shaking and I couldn’t figure out if he was laughing or crying. Crying. He had to be crying since I just broke his heart and cheated on him. I pulled back reluctantly, not wanting to see how badly I hurt him, only to find him laughing. Laughing so hard he pulled back and wiped tears from his eyes as he hit his thighs. “Oh man, that was so fucking funny. Vanessa, that was perfect.”
I glanced over to see the naked man still laying in bed laughing hysterically.
“What? What’s going on?” I asked still completely confused.
“Aw, you don’t remember our amazing night together? I’m crushed,” the man said as he flung the sheet off his body. I turned my head away, looking up at the ceiling, not wanting to see…him. Matt wrapped his arms around me again and kissed the top of my head.
I looked up at him and asked, “You’re not….you’re not mad at me?”
He rolled his eyes, still laughing. “Vanessa, you didn’t do anything. Alex was just playing one of his tricks on you. Turn around. He still has his underwear on. I wouldn’t let anyone touch you as drunk as you were last night.”
Irritated, I smacked him in the chest. “You…you played a trick on me?” Then I stalked over to Alex and hit him too. “You assholes!” I cried out.
Alex hugged me. “You’re so cool, Vanessa. That was the best prank ever.” I watched as Alex picked his jeans up off the floor and began to put them on. “Aw man. That was so funny. So are we getting breakfast or what?” Alex asked.
I was still so confused and thankfully Matt finally realized that and explained, “Alex stopped by this morning to see if we wanted to head out to eat. You were sound asleep and we couldn’t resist playing a trick on you. I told him he wasn’t allowed to touch you though.”
“Yeah, asshole.” Alex’s eyes fell to mine. “Vanessa, do you always sleep naked?” he asked me, grinning from ear to ear.
Matt smiled and wiggled his brows as he responded, “Oh yeah.”
“Man, I’m jealous. That’s awesome. You’re even cooler than I thought you’d be Vanessa,” Alex told me.
I just stood there listening to the two when my stomach started up again. I barely made it to the bathroom as I heard the two start to laugh again. Assholes.
******
I stood at the bar waiting for Cassie to make her rounds while I watched Matt. He was with his buddies laughing and joking. You could tell how much he really missed it here. And if last night didn’t prove how many friends he had, tonight’s turnout was just as many if not more than last night. I decided to try to keep my drinking to a minimum tonight so I could observe. Plus, my stomach was still recovering and I had yet to see Matt drunk.
A girl next to me turned around and bumped me accidentally. “Oh, I’m so sorry,” she apologized as she sucked on her tall glass of water. Her eyes were blood shot and she was stumbling slightly. I wondered if her friends told her she was cut off. I turned my head back to observe Matt and his friends, noting how funny it was that men smack each other a lot when they’re drunk and discussing sports.
“Oh God, thank you. He’s finally back in town,” the woman next to me mumbled. My heart froze knowing she had to be talking about Matt. At least I had to assume so, considering everyone else in the crowd she had her eyes pinned on lived here. I decided I wanted to try to find out more, if I could.
“Who are you talking about?” I asked the woman as I turned towards her. She was slightly shorter than me in my heels and had straight brown hair, reminding me of Kara’s. Her brown eyes, although still quite bloodshot, were dancing as if reminiscing her time with the guy she was thinking of.
She nodded her head in the direction of the gang. “The tall, hot one. Matt. He moved away a couple months ago. I used to see him at my bar across town.” She looked at me smiling, her eyes were barely slits as she proclaimed, “I love being with him. When you’re with him, he makes you feel like you’re the only woman in the world for him.” She shook her head and took a sip of her water as my stomach plummeted. Nausea swept through me, so I took a drink of my water determined to keep it down and find out more from this woman.
“Your bar across town? Do you own a bar?”
“No, I’m a waitress o
ver at Slacky’s. Matt and Alex come in there once in awhile. It was part of the rotation of bars they’d hit while looking for women. It was nice though because Matt and I would usually hook up on those nights.” She swayed her head side to side, rolling her eyes. “Well, unless he hooked up with another woman for the night.” She turned to me and started giggling. “If I noticed he had his eyes on one woman in particular, I’d really spike her drink so she’d be too drunk for him to take home.” She shrugged her shoulders, smiling. “He’s got some personal code that he won’t fuck a woman if she’s too drunk.” She gave a studious gaze as she pursed her lips, “It’s kind of chilrasy I think.” I believed she meant chivalrous, but I didn’t feel like correcting her.
I glanced back to the crowd and watched all the women entwined with their group. Some were placing their hand on Matt at some point as if staking their claim. Some would try to enter their conversation while flipping their hair and batting their eyelashes.
All these girls confirmed what I already knew deep in my heart. I was nothing more than just another one of his “girls.” Just another “friends with benefits” that he’s added to his collection.
The way he treats me, the way he talks to me, the easy-going fun relationship that we had, led me to believe there was something more to “us.” As I observed Matt and his entourage, I realized he obviously does that with all his girls.
The realization that this is just how he is saddened me and I needed to accept that. Whatever “fun” we were having together was just that. Maybe we were more of an “exclusive” fun, but we were nothing more than that. Feeling slightly defeated, it helped me realize that this relationship we were having, or whatever it was called, could also help me over the “hump” of getting over Charles. Or the breakup that I’m still trying to get handled; Charles’ antics were making it a lot tougher lately.
I was trying to leave Charles and went straight into a quick fling with Matt. Maybe I could call him my transitional man. Aubrey would like that or at least think it was funny.
Romantic Promises (Alluring Promises Series, #2) Page 41