Two hours go by with little incident. They keep trying to get me out on the dance floor, but I really don’t understand club dancing. At least unless I’m wasted and that’s not happening tonight. I know how to dance every Latin American dance there is. This isn’t that crowd. The only time I do this kind of dancing is after at least three tequila shots. As I have stated, that’s not happening now, but Gran and I have had a lot of fun watching them and laughing.
“Hunk alert,” Gran says. I look behind me and see Travis, Syd’s brother, making his way through the VIP section. He’s with three other men. Travis is in a pair of jeans, boots, and button-down shirt. Two of the men he’s with are a little more dressed up, wearing ties and dress pants. They look as if they could be twins, but not identical. The third is dressed in worn jeans and a Captain America shirt. He’s got a pair of black frame nerd glasses and a ball cap on. Their focus is on the group too.
“Be right back,” I say.
“Hey, you know them?” Gran asks.
“Syd’s brother is the giant with the short hair and the light blue shirt.”
“Ah, okay. I will man the table.”
I smile as she sips on her whiskey. Gran doesn’t like any of those fruity drinks. She goes for the hard stuff.
I approach the table, garnering the attention of one of the tie-wearing guys. He has dark hair and brown eyes, but it’s hard to tell much more than that. Travis sees me and smiles as he rises out of his chair.
“Hey, Savannah,” he says, wrapping his arms around me and lifting me off the ground. He is an old friend of EJ’s, and I’ve met him at a few of her wine nights. He reminds me of Ed in a way. Large, like a big ol teddy bear.
“Hey, Travis.”
“Why aren’t you out there?” he asks, as he sets me down on the ground.
“I’m the sober one tonight.”
“That’s good because it doesn’t look like there’s much of that going on out there,” one of the tie-wearing guys says.
“Pay attention, Hawthornes,” Travis says. “This is Savannah Martinez. That,” he says pointing at the last one who spoke, “is Grady Hawthorne. Sitting beside him is Gavin. Then, the loser who looks like he’s going to ComicCon is Quinn.”
“Savannah Martinez?” Gavin asks.
I nod and look at Travis.
“Of the Martinez family restaurants? The chef who oversees everything?”
I nod again.
“No. You’re too young.”
He rises and walks over to me. I notice the ring on his finger and his smile is just welcoming. “As he said, I’m Gavin. Grady was keen on meeting you.”
We look over at Grady, who is scowling at the dance floor. I follow his line of interest. Syd. His attention is completely focused on her. I know she works for him in some capacity, the main reason we got into the VIP section at the club. A man approaches Syd, and Grady partially rises out of the chair, but Syd waves the guy away. Grady drops back into the chair. Oh, well, that’s interesting.
“Grady!” Gavin yells, which seems very out of character. Grady tears his gaze away from the dance floor.
“What?”
“Weren’t you bothering Syd for an introduction to Ms. Martinez?”
“He was,” Quinn says.
“You’re Savannah Martinez.”
It’s like he knows who I am but he seems to confirm it. He definitely hadn’t been paying attention. I nod.
Gavin takes my hand and puts it into the crook of his arm. “Is it any wonder I’m the only one who is married? One dresses, well…you see Quinn. The other is scatterbrained and has no manners.”
“You only met Oliver because he’s my agent,” Quinn says, a smile gracing his pretty face. And they all are. Pretty, in their own ways.
“The last of my brothers is not here, thankfully because, well, Carter is a force of nature and would probably be out there with your friends dancing.”
Grady rises out of his chair and pulls out a business card. “I would like to talk to you, Ms. Martinez.”
I take the card and then look up at him. “What about?”
“I’d rather not shout about it. Call me and we can set up a meeting.”
I open my mouth to decline but Sexy Bitch starts up, and Syd and Nancy screaming their happiness. His head whips around to where they are.
“Oh, God, Syd loves this song,” Travis says.
“Yeah, she’s had them play it a lot,” I say. Grady mutters, moving back to his seat, and I think now is a good time to make my escape. “I’m on drink watch, so I am going to get back to it. Just wanted to say hi.”
I get another hug from Travis before heading back to Gran. “Why didn’t you take on the big guy?”
“Not my type.” And he isn’t. He’s a sweetie, but just doesn’t do anything for me.
“He seems to like you.”
“Oh, the hug? He does that to everyone.”
She opens her mouth and I shake my head. “Let it go, Gran. I’ll find someone for my purpose but for tonight, it’s about the girls.”
She smiles and tips her glass in my direction. “Smart woman.”
Another hour goes by before we stumble out of the club. All of us are laughing and having fun as we get into the limo. Syd orders our driver to just drive around San Antonio. Now that we’re out of the club, I figure I can let loose a little bit. Add in the fact that my buzz has worn off, I decide to drink again.
“So, we need to find you someone coming to the wedding,” EJ says. “Guys always want to score at weddings, so we need to set up Savannah.”
And yes, they haven’t given up the idea that I must lose my virginity right now. It’s so damned stupid, but since I’ve done a couple shots of tequila, I’m mellow and just smile.
“Are you serious?” Nancy asks.
“Yeah. My brothers always want to go it alone to weddings if they aren’t in a relationship,” I say.
“Bastards!” Nancy yells loud enough to make my ears ring. From what I could figure out, Nancy just went through a breakup.
“No. That’s good for us. We need to get Savannah de-virgined,” EJ says.
“Oh, yeah. Did you say there were some dudes coming in just for the wedding?” Nancy asks as she takes another shot of tequila.
“Yes. That’s it,” EJ says, trying to snap her fingers and failing. I don’t know how long it’s been since I’ve seen her this drunk.
“EJ, let it go. I don’t need to lose my virginity this weekend. My main focus is not to fall down while walking down the aisle.” She opens her mouth to argue with me, but I plow ahead. “Listen. I will let you come up with a list of men you think I should bang, but after the wedding.”
“Yay!” she says, clapping. It’s then that I realize this was her goal all along. This is why I don’t drink to excess that much anymore. You need to keep your wits sharp around EJ. But, since I’ve already promised her, I figure another drink won’t hurt and hold my glass up for another shot of tequila. Might as well enjoy it.
This shot burns less as it slides down my throat and I hum as my head starts to spin. I haven’t been drinking lately, so it doesn’t take many shots to get me hammered. This week has been a bitch, and even though I had planned on staying completely sober, the need to let completely loose takes over. I hold up my shot glass again.
“Hit me again, Gran.”
She watches me with a smile, then she fills the tequila up to the rim. I toss it back and push my problems to the back of my mind. Like my virginity, it will be waiting for me after the wedding.
Chapter Twelve
Fritz
The guys left over an hour ago, but I’m still up roaming the house. Contrary to what you might think, we did not make a mess. Basically because I warned all of them I would give Savannah their names if they fucked things up. Our three friends hadn’t met her, but they all knew that she was scary when Ed was scared of her. I chuckle at the memory of his expression when I made the threat. Ed kind of hero worships her because of her cooking abilities, b
ut he’s also seen her make grown men cry.
I glance at the clock. It’s after two in the morning. I thought the girls would be done by now. When I saw the way Savannah had dressed, I had lost the ability to think, so I forgot to ask what time she would be home. She’s a pretty woman, gorgeous, in fact. But made up…damn. The hint of cleavage, the skintight jeans, and those damned heels…
I had to keep reminding my body that I’m her friend. Just a friend. Friends don’t think those kinds of thoughts about each other, no matter how hot they might be. And Savannah is fucking hot. Scorching. It had taken every bit of my control not to touch her. I wanted to smear that lip gloss with my mouth, thread my hands through her silky strands. My dick hardens, and I have to close why eyes and count down from ten again. I’ve had to play this game more than once tonight whenever I thought about her.
To get my mind out of the gutter, I finish loading the dishwasher and turn it on. I jump when the front door bangs open.
“Fritzy!” Savannah yells out. “I’m home.”
I step around the counter and laugh at Savannah. She still looks hot, those jeans fitting her like a goddamn second skin, but her hair is a little messy, and she has definitely been drinking. Most of her makeup is gone, and her face is now flushed.
The door is still open, and I hear someone talking from out front. I walk over and see EJ’s Gran standing at the end of the walkway. I wave to let her know that Savannah is safe inside of her house, then shut the door and lock it.
I turn around and realize that Savannah has wandered off, but I can hear her talking to McLovin. I follow the sound of her voice and find her in her office. She’s holding the cat in her arms like a baby, and the asshole looks like he’s in heaven. Why not? He’s pressed up against Savannah’s breasts. What guy wouldn’t like that?
Dammit. I need to quit thinking about her breasts, or her full, round ass. I had no idea she had one until I saw her in those jeans and now I can’t help but think about it.
“I thought you weren’t drinking.”
“I didn’t. Not until we got back into the limo. We’ve been driving around and drinking.”
“Is that legal?”
“Shhh. We won’t tell anyone, will we, McLovin?” she coos at the asshole cat.
She leans over to set the cat down and I can see straight down her shirt. Fuck me. She’s wearing a black bra, because I see a wisp of lace before she straightens. I follow her as she stumbles down the hall back into the kitchen. She tosses her purse, and it lands on the floor about three feet from the table she was aiming for. She doesn’t notice because she’s already wandered off.
I pick it up and toss it onto the table, then follow her. I remember Savannah this drunk, just not since we’ve lived together. “Hey, Savannah.”
“That’s me.”
I chuckle as she settles onto the bar stool.
“Yeah. So, you had a good time?”
“Yes. Ate food, went dancing, then drinking.”
“Sounds like fun,” I say, sitting on the stool beside her. She lays her head down on the counter using her arms as a pillow. Her mascara is now smudged under her eyes and, well, she’s kind of a hot mess.
“It was. I met the Hawthornes. You know, the ones Syd works for?”
“Yeah. Were they nice?”
She nods as her eyes drift closed. “The brothers were there. I think one of them has a crush on Syd.”
“Understandable.”
Her eyes open into slits. “What do you mean by that? Oh, I know what you mean. You’re gonna try to get her into bed this weekend.”
I shake my head. Syd is a gorgeous woman, but I find myself partial to light hazel eyes these days. Plus, Syd is…well Syd. Funny, sarcastic…kind of scary.
“Well, that’s okay because EJ’s Gran was trying to get me to sleep with Travis.”
I blink. “What?”
“She suggested it, but I said that he hugs everyone.”
“Why were you talking about Travis?” And was I going to have to hurt the man? The home improvement star was huge, but I could definitely take him—thanks to my Army training.
“He was there with the Hawthornes.”
The Hawthornes? “You mean the ones who own his network?”
“Yep.”
Then I connect the dots of Syd being at the bachelorette party and them going to a Hawthorne club.
“So, they were just hanging out?”
She doesn’t answer.
“Savannah?”
“Yep.”
“Come on, we need to get you to your room.”
“Yep.”
I roll my eyes. “How much did you drink tonight? Did you eat anything?”
The woman hardly ate, which I found so odd given her profession. She hadn’t always been like that. When I first met her a couple years ago, she’d eaten like a normal person. She always cooked for everyone too. But as the months moved on, I didn’t realize how little she was cooking for her friends. When I moved in, it surprised me that she barely ate at all. It wasn’t until that moment that I realized just how much weight she had lost.
“I had some appetizers with dinner.”
“And for dinner.”
“I had appetizers.”
Another eye roll from me. “How about you eat a little something? You need some protein to fight that sugar rush from the alcohol.”
“Yep.”
I’d ordered some pizza for the guys, along with some other little things to snack on. I look in the fridge and see the pigs in a blanket. Perfect. Not the healthiest, but it will do in a pinch, which is right now. I pull them out and throw them on a plate. After I nuke them, I set the plate in front of her.
“Savannah.”
She raises her head and opens her eyes. We’re within inches of each other. Even with the mess of her makeup, she’s gorgeous. I have always thought of her as a knockout, but I think I had put her in the category of friend/sister like I had for EJ and Allison. Now, though, I feel my body react, the slow churn of arousal lighting through me.
“Savannah,” I repeat. “Eat.”
She looks at the plate and smiles. “SNACKS!”
She gobbles them down as I draw in a deep breath and take a step back from her. Damn, I should have gotten a date for the wedding. I don’t normally do that, and I thought Savannah and I could hang out during the reception. Instead, I’m thinking I should have gotten myself a distraction. I still could. I know a few women who would want to go to the wedding, but it would probably send the wrong message. Also, then it would keep me from keeping an eye on Savannah. And yes, I know that I just made absolutely no sense whatsoever.
I just don’t know what to do. This attraction is growing by the day. If she was the same person she showed the world, I definitely wouldn’t be this attracted to her. I would respect her, but I would have definitely stayed away from her. But knowing this woman, seeing how sweet she truly can be, well, that is fucking with my head.
“You know, I love EJ’s Gran. My abuela was a hoot, but nothing compared to her. Did you know I know all the Latin dances thanks to my abuela? Gran was trying to get me laid tonight.” She snorts.
“What?” I ask, my brain still trying to follow the path of her drunken ramblings.
“Yeah, she was trying to get me to go to bed with Travis, and then she mentioned Quinn, who was totally hot in his Captain America t-shirt. It takes a certain set of balls to show up at a club dressed like that. But then they own it. Yeah, he was cute.”
“EJ’s gran was trying to get you laid?” I don’t mean to shout the question. Not sure why I’m so irritated, but for some reason, Gran acting like her wing woman is a little irritating.
“Yeah.” She smacks her lips. “I need water.”
Then she moves to stand up, and I stop her by setting my hand on her arm. “I’ll get it.”
She nods as she pushes the plate away. I grab a bottle of water thinking that I’ll herd her upstairs and a bottle is better than a glass tha
t could get spilled. She has her head on her arms again and lets out a little snore. I laugh. If I was an asshole, I would definitely record this, but my phone is in my room and, well, she scares me when she gets mad. She’s kind of sweet, and a lot of people don’t know that. But she tends to Hulk out when she gets angry.
I look down at McLovin, who meows at me.
“What should we do?”
He picks up a paw and starts licking it.
“Thanks for the input, asshole.”
I need to at least get her somewhere so she can lay down. I think about the living room, but the closest bathroom is off the kitchen. If I take her upstairs, she might try and walk downstairs, and she is pretty wasted. I look at McLovin again.
With a shake of my head, I turn the barstool around and bend down to pick her up, slinging her over my shoulder in a fireman’s hold. I secure the backs of her legs with one arm, then grab the water with the other. She really owes me for this, but then, I still owe her for the low rent. Once I’m in my room, I walk through the living space into the actual bedroom. I set her on the bed and the water on the table. I have a big bed, so there should be space enough for both of us.
She stirs on the bed. “Hot.”
Then she sits up, pulls off her red filmy shirt and tosses it on the floor.
“Ugh,” she says, rising from the bed and wandering into the bathroom, shutting the door.
I can hear her peeing in there, so I know she’s not getting sick at least. The toilet flushes, I hear water running and I roll my eyes. She’s so drunk but she remembers to wash her hands. The water shuts off and the door flies open and I gulp. Oh, God, she left her jeans in the bathroom. She’s wearing nothing but her black tank top, and—fuck me—a pair of cheeky black panties. I look past her and see her bra laying on the floor. The woman is trying to kill me.
“Hey, Fritz. What are you doing in my room?”
“You’re in my room.”
“Oh. Okay. Don’t tell EJ’s Gran about it.”
“Why not?” I ask as she starts to sway. I slip my arm around her and instantly go from a little aroused to full-fledged aroused, with a hard-on to end all hard-ons. I get that magical whiff of her natural scent, and I have to fight the need to sniff at her neck.
Scrumptious: A Friends to Lovers Romantic Comedy (Camos and Cupcakes Book 3) Page 11