Tomcats_Book One

by Honey Palomino

  “Big dreams,” she laughed. “It’s so cliché, isn’t it? I wanted to be an actress.”

  “So what happened?”

  “I went on a ton of auditions, but I was never offered any parts. I waitressed to make ends meet. It was easy back then, it wasn’t as expensive as it is now. I met Reggie — my ex — at an audition. He was charming and handsome and older than me. I thought he was the classiest guy I’d ever met. He swept me off my feet and we got married pretty quickly. I gave up on my dream just as quickly. Thought I’d fill the house with kids and happiness. It didn’t really work out that way.”

  “So, what went wrong?”

  “I lost myself, honestly,” she replied, looking away, sadness filling her eyes. “I was happy at first. I really wanted a house full of kids and the whole thing, you know? But after many failed attempts, we figured out I was infertile. Reggie wasn’t interested in adopting, so that was that. He immersed himself in his work and I just became an accessory to him. After many years of struggling to make it work, the spark was just gone. And so was he. I was alone long before the divorce was final.”

  “Damn, I’m so sorry to hear that,” I said, and I was. A woman like that didn’t deserve to be put on a shelf to collect dust. She was smart, funny, dynamic and beautiful, and she’d thrown it all away waiting on a man. It wasn’t fair.

  “Thanks,” she shrugged. “I guess it’s all over now. My divorce was just made final last week. And now, here I am, trying to jump-start my life.”

  “I’m glad you’re here, Tillie,” I said quietly, my gaze lingering on her beauty. I reached out and put my hand over hers on the table and squeezed lightly. “I’m glad we met.”

  “Me, too,” she said. “You’ve already made this trip much better than it started out to be. Oh! I didn’t tell you. I ran into Daniel this morning.”

  “Who’s Daniel?”

  “The guy you punched, at the MGM, remember?”

  “That douche?” I asked, my anger rising. “Did he try to mess with you again?”

  “No, no! Nothing like that,” she said, smiling mischievously. “In fact, I punched him again, but not with my fists.”

  “What did you do?”

  “He was with his wife. So, I went up and introduced myself and told her what he’d done to me.”

  “You didn’t!”

  “I did!” She exclaimed. “It felt damned good, too!”

  “Wow! I’m impressed.”

  “I was quite impressed myself. Fuck that guy!” she said. My eyebrows shot up to hear her swear for the first time.

  “Yeah, fuck that guy,” I said, laughing. “Good for you!”

  “So tell me about how you’re planning to buy the club? Do you have everything in motion?”

  I paused, wishing I’d not mentioned it now. It was never going to work, I knew that, but I’d only told her about it because I wanted to impress her. Now, I was just going to show her what a pathetic loser I was.

  “Well, about that —.”

  “Richie!” I looked up to see my roommates hovering over our table.

  “What the hell?” I said, looking up in confusion.

  “We took the night off!” Blaze said.

  “Sorry, brother, we didn’t know you were coming here,” Fox said, glancing over at Tillie.

  “These are my roommates and co-workers — Daine, Fox and Blaze.”

  “Oh, how wonderful! I’m Tillie Thorne, it’s nice to meet you all!” she said, flashing them a smile that I’d quickly grown fond of. Without asking, they slid into the booth beside us.

  “We just had dinner, are you guys finished?” Fox asked.

  “Yes, it was wonderful,” Tillie said.

  “Wait — what do you mean you took the night off? Who’s dancing at Cowboys?” I asked.

  “Nobody!” Daine said, laughing.

  “What! Barry’s going to have a heart attack!”

  “Let his ugly ass get up there and entertain everyone. He deserves it.”

  “I can’t believe you guys did that,” I said.

  “Who’s Barry?” Tillie asked.

  “The owner of the club we work at,” Fox said. “Did Richie tell you he’s closing the club? He’s going to fire us in six months anyway, we might as well take advantage of our sick pay that’s been accumulating.”

  “It’s his own fault, we’ve been telling him to hire new dancers for years,” Blaze said.

  I shook my head in disbelief, not only at the fact they’d all called in together, but the fact that they also crashed my date so effortlessly.

  “You’re beautiful, darlin’,” Daine said, flashing his thousand-watt smile at Tillie. “Wait, did you say your name is Tillie Thorne?”

  “That’s right,” she nodded.

  “As in the wife of Reginald Thorne, the most successful film producer in Hollywood?”

  “Ex-wife, actually,” she said, demurring.

  “Wow,” Daine said, nodding slowly as he looked her over like he was inspecting an expensive piece of jewelry. “Nice, nice…”

  “Daine, stop being so fucking creepy,” I said.

  “I’m not being creepy, I’m impressed!” he insisted. “It’s very nice to meet you, Tillie.”

  “Oh, thank you,” she said, blushing again.

  “I fucking love Hollywood! I grew up there and I’d move back in a heartbeat if I could,” Fox said.

  “Me, too. We need to take a long weekend and go for a visit,” Blaze said. “It’s been too long.”

  “Well, you can visit me anytime,” Tillie said.

  “I can’t believe you’re going out with this guy,” Daine teased. “You’re too classy for him.”

  “Hey!” I cried.

  “Richie’s wonderful, he’s been nothing but a complete gentleman. And he even punched a guy out for me the other night.”

  “He did?” Fox asked, with surprise. “He didn’t tell us about that.”

  “I don’t tell you guys everything,” I protested.

  “Like hell you don’t,” Daine said. “He told us about you, Tillie.”

  “Did he?” she asked, raising her eyebrows curiously. “What did he say?”

  “Okay, that’s enough,” I replied, stopping them before they could embarrass me any further.

  “Spoil sport!” Daine said, laughing. “So, where are you two off to now?”

  “We haven’t talked about it,” Tillie said.

  “Do you like to dance, Tillie?” Daine asked.

  “What kind of dancing?” she asked, squinting her eyes.

  “Booty-dancing, babe,” he winked.

  “I — um — I don’t think I — I mean, I’ve never —,” she stammered.

  “Come with us! We’re going to 1 OAK in the Mirage,” Fox said. “It’ll be a blast.”

  I looked over at her and shrugged. “I’m down if you are. But feel free to say no.”

  “No, you know what? Dancing sounds fun, let’s do it!” she said, her eyes sparkling.

  “Okay,” I replied, shaking my head. “But be warned, these guys get a little wild when they’re all together.”

  “And you fucking love it,” Daine laughed.

  “I used to love it,” I said.

  “Well, get over yourself and let’s get this party started! Garcón!” he gestured for the waiter. “Tequila shots for everyone! Line ‘em up!”

  Tillie looked over at me and winked, completely at ease. I sighed in submission. As long as she was happy, then I was happy, even if these jerks had just performed the biggest cock block ever.

  CHAPTER 23

  TILLIE

  Richie’s friends were as handsome as he was. As soon as they sat down, I knew they were nice guys.

  Fox was just as his name described him, with lush blonde hair and a deep tan that highlighted his bright blue eyes. Blaze was dark and mysterious, with a mischievous grin that never left his face. And Daine was the most adorable of all. When he told me he was gay, I couldn’t help but think how much Mario would lov
e him, which made me think I should have just brought him with me. He would have loved all of them.

  The tequila shots sent a warm glow through my chest that was quite pleasant, and much different than the beer, wine, champagne and margaritas I’d been consuming since my divorce papers had arrived. Before then, I’d hardly touched alcohol, because Reggie didn’t approve.

  Well, fuck Reggie, I thought.

  Reggie was over.

  Reggie was long gone.

  I could do whatever the hell I wanted now and he couldn’t say a word about it. It was such a freeing feeling and sitting here with these jubilant fellows who seemed to not have a care in the world was freeing, too.

  What had I been fretting over all my life? Why had I allowed Reggie to take my joy away? I’d spent all those years trying to please him that I’d never stopped to please myself.

  A wave of regret washed over me, but I put it aside, smiling at Richie and his friends, as I realized that now was the time for me to truly put my needs and desires first.

  It was Tillie Time!

  The tequila, and the constant, hilarious, good-natured ribbing that the four men did to each other, sent giggles rippling from me throughout the rest of the night.

  After a wild limousine ride, where Daine pulled me up through the sunroof and we danced together with champagne glasses in our hands, the breeze blowing in our hair as we passed by the neon lights of the strip, we arrived at the Mirage.

  We walked through the hotel, past two huge bronze mermaid statues and then entered the club around the corner, which was complete and utter mayhem.

  Red and blue lights flashed throughout while a DJ spun records from a stage in the middle, surrounded by scantily clad women dancing on poles on each of the corners. The dance floor below was packed to the gills with people grinding on each other in groups, smiling, drinking and laughing.

  Lining three of the walls were throngs of people lounging on low-slung, brown suede couches. Spread along the fourth wall was a luxurious mirrored bar that had a line that was five people deep along the length of it. Behind it, several bartenders worked quickly, their hands flying through the air as they slung drinks to the customers.

  The music was deafening and Daine turned to us with a smile, said something I couldn’t hear, and disappeared into the crowd towards the bar. Richie looked at me and grabbed my hand with a smile, leading me towards a nearby sofa.

  He sat close. So close that his thigh brushed against mine, the heat enough to make me forget about the chaos around us. He leaned into my ear and whispered, his breath hot against my skin and sending shivers of electricity through me.

  “Sorry about all this,” he said. I shook my head in protest.

  “No, it’s great,” I said, leaning in and talking in his ear, the only way we could hear each other. “I never would have come to a place like this on my own.”

  “My friends can be pushy,” he said, bending his head towards mine. It was such an intimate move, in the midst of all these people, us whispering in each other’s ears, forced to be so close together just to interact. My body reacted to his closeness immediately, the desire I felt for him growing like a fire inside of me.

  “I like them,” I smiled, nodding. “A lot.”

  “They like you, too,” he said. “I can tell.”

  “I’m glad.”

  A woman in a glittery cocktail dress and a tray walked over and took our order, a beer for Richie and water for me. The thought of drinking anything else was impossible at this moment. Fox and Blaze sat on the other side of me, bouncing to the beat of the music after they ordered more shots.

  I spotted Daine out on the dance floor, surrounded by a group of equally gorgeous guys as they danced together with huge smiles on their sweaty faces.

  Richie and I sat there smiling at each other, his hand holding mine, as he started rubbing my palm with his thumb. My insides ignited as the tip of his thumb scraped across my palm. I bit my lip and looked away from him, his heat leaving me breathless.

  “Let’s dance,” he whispered hotly in my ear, pulling me to my feet before I could begin to protest. He led me to the dance floor, walking in front of me, allowing me the most perfect view — the fabric of his Levi’s stretched tightly across his muscular ass. When we hit the floor, he turned towards me, pulling me into his arms as he began moving against me. The song was fast, but he moved slowly, each movement deliberate and precise, his hands resting on my waist.

  I knew I was blushing. I tried desperately not to. But this was just not something I’d ever done before, let alone the closest Richie and I had been to each other so far. The fact that I could feel the ridges of his thigh muscles rubbing through the soft cotton of my dress was sending every nerve I had into a frenzy. I did my best to play it cool, but I was increasingly flustered, and increasingly aroused.

  I mean, I guess that’s the point, right? But I looked around quickly, watching everyone else that was coupled up pressed so tightly together, and I had no idea how they refrained from just ripping each other’s clothes off and having sex right there.

  They practically were, of course. Absent the thin barrier of cloth that was preventing multiple penetrations, I was basically in the middle of an orgy — and I loved it.

  The beat of the music.

  The lights.

  The crowd, rhythmically undulating as one.

  The energy as I leaned into Richie…

  Allowing my inhibitions to fall away, helped by the strong buzz I’d acquired in the last few hours, I moved my hips in time with his, following his lead and letting my head fall back in laughter.

  And then just as I was getting used to being so close to him, another shock. He turned me around, snaking his arms around my waist and pulling my backside close to his front, allowing me an opportunity to feel exactly how aroused he was, too. I gasped at his hardness as it rubbed against my cheeks, my mouth open in shock as he moved against me. I swallowed hard, blinking in surprise as he lowered his head, his hot lips pressing softly against my neck.

  I leaned back into him, into his hardness, feeling him throb against me, feeling the heat of his desire. After a moment, he turned me around again to face him and his lips crashed into mine, his tongue sliding past my lips and searching deeply. His kiss was so hot, so intense, the passion washing over me like I’d been struck down by a giant wave. Breathless, I kissed him back, the pleasure ripping through me like a bomb.

  Everything disappeared.

  The pounding music.

  The undulating crowd.

  The flashing lights…

  I closed my eyes and melted into his arms. His hands pressed into the small of my back, pulling me closer into his body. He was warm, so warm, so welcoming and inviting that I never wanted to pull away.

  His mouth moved from mine and he peered into my eyes, the lights reflecting in his bright blue ocean gaze, engulfing me with lust. I shuddered at the sight, a desire I’d not witnessed pointed my way in so very long.

  “There’s something about you, Tillie,” he said, his voice husky and low.

  A slow smile spread across my face and I bit my lip, his arms still holding me close. He bent his head to kiss me again and I closed my eyes, so ready to receive it, so willing, so much need for human touch rising to the surface…

  “Get a room!” Daine yelled, breaking the trance as he sidled up to us, his hips moving in circles. He let me go, taking a step back and blinking hard, as Daine danced in between us, playfully grinding on Richie.

  Richie laughed and pushed him away, shaking his head as he looked over at me and winked.

  “This isn’t a bedroom,” Daine shouted over the music, those hips of his never missing a beat. “It’s a dance floor, babies!”

  He cleared the space between us and began an elaborate dance routine, the crowd drifting back and forming a circle to give him room while he ate up all the attention.

  “He’s such a ham,” Richie said, throwing his arm around my shoulder.

&n
bsp; “He’s awesome,” I laughed, enjoying every second. Blaze and Fox walked up and Daine pulled them into his space and they all began dancing together, teasing the crowd and pulling off their shirts. The lights flashed against their bare skin as the beat poured through the speakers.

  Richie stayed by my side the whole time, laughing and shaking his head.

  “I told you they get a little wild,” he said, leaning down, his lips against my ear again. “Daine can’t resist the attention. You’d think they’d get enough of that at work.”

  “They look like they’re enjoying themselves,” I said.

  “They are.”

  “So am I,” I said to him, beaming up at him. “Thank you for such a wonderful night.”

  “I’m glad to hear that, and it’s my pleasure, Tillie,” he said, brushing his lips across mine quickly. The song ended and the boys danced off in different directions, Fox and Blaze quickly pairing up with a couple of girls and Daine disappearing completely back into the crowd. Richie and I faced each other and I smiled up at him, remembering the passion of our kiss.

  It’d been so damned long…and it was so worth the wait.

  Raking my gaze over his amazing body, I couldn’t believe my luck, that a man like him would be attracted to a woman like me, but by the hardness he’d so willingly pressed against me just a few moments ago, it was apparent he was.

  The crowd filled in around us once more and we began dancing again, his arms wrapping around me, his hips moving against mine to the endless stream of music for what seemed like hours.

  Soon, we were sweaty and breathless, and it almost felt as if we’d actually had sex, I felt so close to him already. Dancing like this was so intimate, so electric, so arousing that by the time we decided to leave, the urge to rip his clothes off and mount him had become so intense I could barely breathe.

  I’d never felt this kind of desire with anyone, certainly not Reggie.

  Something inside of me had awoken, my libido had crawled out of its cage and roared back to life with a vengeance.