Catching Avery

by M. E. Clayton

  Julian stood up off the couch and walked over to stand next to me. He made no bones about being obvious in his perusal of the girls. “I don’t know, but is it worth risking?” He turned back to face Chase. “You….we have more than enough money lure any female we want to act out whatever sick pleasures we need satisfied. Why would we even entertain the idea of messing with a couple of our employees? It’s unethical, immoral, unprofessional and a whole host of other words that can get thrown at us in court.”

  “Julez, you need to lighten the fuck up, dude.” Chase walked over to the bar to push the request button. All night, Becky and Rhonda had been serving us well, and I guess Chase figured this conversation was going to need extra shots to go with it.

  “Not to mention,” Julian continued, “for all we know, they could be married or have boyfriends and just be having themselves an innocent girls’ night out, while you two perverts are up here turning their innocent night into a porn free for all.”

  I looked back out the glass wall and saw Becky by the bar, looking up at us. I twirled my finger in a circle motion to let her know we wanted our regular round of drinks and shots. I was not a shots person, but ever since we noticed the girls, I have been on edge and needed the relaxation that only tequila can bring. “They’re not married or have boyfriends.”

  Julian looked at me like I was high, “How can you possibly fucking know that, Nick?”

  “If any of those three were your wife or girlfriend, would she be out in a place like this, drinking like that without you?” I challenged.

  Julian folded his large arms over his chest. “Yes, Nick…it’s quite possible my wife/girlfriend would be out with her friends without me. It’s called trust, and you’d better believe if I ever did get serious, I’d trust her like I trust you guys or else she wouldn’t be my wife or girlfriend.”

  I laughed, flat out laughed at him. “Bullshit Julez. You need to sell that shit to someone who doesn’t know the difference between chicken and steak. I’ve known you since we were sharing crayons motherfucker and if you ever got a girlfriend, men would be lucky to be able to look at her without getting their eyes ripped out of their heads.”

  Julian unfolded his arms and flipped me off. “Okay. Give me one good, genuine reason why it has to be these girls and I will follow you two imbeciles to our doom,” he budged.

  Chase and I glanced at each other. The only justifiable answer here was love at first sight, indicating the desire to start a relationship and throw ourselves into the pitfalls of being someone’s boyfriend. Neither of us was looking past tonight and we both knew it. Julian knew it too.

  “Exactly,” Julian smirked as he sat his smug ass down.

  Of course, Chase was no fool. There was a reason he handled the clients. “So that hot little number in the white isn’t catching your attention at all?” I saw Julian tighten a little. It had been barely noticeable, but it was there.

  “No,” he denied. “And even if she did, she doesn’t work for us.”

  Chase pounced. “So then you’re cool if Sav and I rock, paper, scissors for her?”

  While I got what Chase was trying to do, I was a little disturbed by his methods. I have never, nor would I ever, rock, paper, scissors for a woman…ever.

  “Actually, now that I think about it, she should go to me automatically. You two were the ones claiming you were just tagging along while I found someone to get under me.” Chase came back from behind the water bar and made a pretense of heading towards the entry door. “You two can just stay up here. “He winked at us both. “I might be back.”

  Julian stood up so quickly, he almost upended the chair he was sitting in. “Stop trying to manipulate me, Chase. I’m not one of your marks.” But we could both see Julian relenting and we knew he was only trying to be reasonable, too bad reason was no match for Avery’s hot little body and my unabashed attraction towards her.

  Chase hooted and hawed. “Say yes, say yes, say yes,” he chanted.

  Julian’s sigh was so deep that I was surprised it didn’t tip over the vase with the fake flowers, “Fine. But I want both you cocksuckers to know, that when this blows up in our faces, I am going to buy fifty cans of spray paint and graffiti the fuck out of your offices with ‘I told you so’ all over the fucking place. Your homes too.”

  “I’ll risk it,” Chase quickly acquiesced. There was no way he wasn’t going to give Julian a chance to change his mind. I hadn’t seen Chase this worked up over a woman in…well, never.

  “And,” Julian continued, “they will be transferred to your departments. I am not going to deal with the aftermath of your guys’ bullshit.”

  We couldn’t transfer them without a lawsuit to accompany that transfer, so I refuted, “No. I’ll agree to the vandalism, but no transfer. We can’t do that legally.”

  “Then it’s settled. I get Quinn.” Chase assigned the girls. “You get Avery and Julian gets Mystery Girl,” he finished as he walked back to the glass wall to glance back at the girls.

  Julian started laughing. “We have got to be the most arrogant pricks on the planet. We’re up here planning all this shit out like it’s a given they’ll even want to be with us. I hope they turn us the fuck down and send us packing.”

  It wasn’t that I disagreed with Julian. He had a valid point. This could completely blow up in our faces and it wasn’t like we struggled for female company that we didn’t have other options. I couldn’t speak on what had Chase captivated by Quinn, but I knew why Avery had me wanting to break the rules. There was just something about the way she moved. Her friends were beautiful and they didn’t dim standing next to her, but for me, Avery was who kept my attention. Watching her dance, I wondered if she was that fluid when she was naked. It was a wonder my dick wasn’t at full mast with the thoughts that were running through my mind as I my eyes silently stalked her all night.

  I looked away from the girls as I heard Becky entering the room with our newest round of shots, but I noticed instead of three shots, there were six. “Hey, fellas, the ladies in the gray booth next to the DJ sent over some extras, “she explained, with a wink.

  As she placed the shots on the table, Chase reached for his wallet and pulled out a hundred. “Tell those lovely ladies thank you and their next round is on us.” He handed Becky the hundred.

  “That’s all you want me to tell them? I think they’re hoping for an invitation to join you guys up here.” She placed the bill on her cocktail tray.

  “Let them know that we appreciate the gesture, but our wives are here and we’re very happily married.” Chase was already reaching for his shot.

  “Married?” Becky looked confused as hell and I didn’t blame her. Plus it didn’t help that Julian had started coughing on his beer and was not doing a good job of getting himself under control.

  I had to think quickly, so I stuck as close to the truth as possible. “Uh, yeah…our wives wanted a girls’ night out, but because we’re insecure, controlling bastards, we made a deal that they could go out as long as we could still keep an eye on them. So we’re up here keeping watch while they’re down there having a good time.” I smiled, hoping she believed me.

  “Oh,” she drew her brows inward. “That’s sweet, if not a bit fatal attraction-ish, but I’ll let the ladies know you guys are off limits.” She took the hundred and headed back downstairs.

  Julian finally got himself righted. “Jesus…wives, Chase? Now we’re married?”

  Chase took his shot. “Yeah, you have to have a wife when dealing with chicks that forward.”

  “Do tell, oh wise one.” Finishing the whiskey I had in my hand, I set it down on the table and grabbed the fresh one Becky just brought. I was going to hold off on the shots until I was ready to approach Avery. I normally didn’t need liquid courage to get a woman, but when doing shit that may be less than ethical….shots couldn’t hurt.

  “Girlfriends are a challenge to aggressive women. Wives are in a whole other league. Most women hesitate at being full blo
wn home wreckers.” Chase started on his fresh Seven & Seven, while Julian finally took his shot.

  I took my JWB and walked back towards the wall, that’s when I saw Quinn and Mystery Girl leaving their table.” I think they may be getting ready to take off.”

  Chase walked over to stand next to me. “Nah, looks like they’re heading to the restrooms back behind the bar.” After a couple of seconds, it was obvious that’s exactly where they were headed.

  Julian stood to walk over and stand next to us to see for himself. “So, are we going to do this or what, assholes?”

  Looking at Chase, you would have thought it was Christmas morning. “Fuck yeah, we are.” He drowned his drink and went to get his second shot. He looked back at us holding up his shot for a toast.

  Julian and I walked over to join him. I set my half full drink down and reached for a shot. Julian grabbed one too. Chase clinked our glasses. “Here’s to God.”

  I looked over at Julez to see if he was as confused as I was. “God?” I asked.

  “Yes. God…because without God, women would not have been created and there is nothing in this world more beautiful to look at than a woman.” He threw back his shot.

  Fuck it. “To God,” and I took my shot along with Julian.

  “Okay, Julian and I will cut Quinn and Mystery Girl off by the restrooms where no one can really see-”

  “Whoa, wait, where no one can really see? Are we upping this from unethical conduct to flat out felony kidnapping?” I was going to leave my other shot of tequila on the table, but if we were moving on to kidnapping the girls, I was definitely going to need that second shot.

  “That’s Plan B, right now we’re just going to casually bump into them and hopefully get an invite back to their table. You go work your magic on Avery and you better work it quick,” he said, gesturing with his head toward the glass wall.

  I looked back over to see what he was talking about and that’s when I saw a guy walking up to the table to approach Avery.

  Oh hell no.

  Leaving a hundred dollar bill from each of us on the table next to the left over shot and unfinished drinks, we walked out and headed downstairs to follow through with our unethical, and maybe, felonious plan. Hopefully we’d be heading to the nearest hotel with each lady and not returning back to the VIP section alone…or to prison, if Chase was serious about his Plan B.

  Chapter 5

  Gluttony: Because the more I drink, the braver I become…and the more stupid.

  Avery~

  “Excuse me.” I turned away from looking into my purse to find a very cute guy holding a Coors Light standing next to our table. He looked to be taller than me (but that wasn’t saying much), and had blonde hair that waved a little at the ends. He had nice, soft blue eyes with a straight nose and a sweet smile outlined with thin lips. He was dressed in a green polo shirt with dark black jeans.

  I smiled back at him. “Hi.”

  “I’ve been looking over here at you all night, but approaching a table full of beautiful women can be kind of intimidating. So, when I saw your friends head on back to the restroom, I figured now was my opportunity to meet you.” He stuck out his hand. “I’m Jeremy.”

  I took his hand and shook it. “I’m Avery. It’s nice to meet you, Jeremy.”

  “Well, I’m hoping this is the part where you tell me you’re single and you would love my number so that we can have dinner next weekend,” he sheepishly suggested.

  He didn’t waste any time and he really was cute, too bad he wasn’t what I was looking for tonight. If we were serious about acting out our fantasies tonight, my fantasy didn’t include a sweet guy who wanted to treat me to dinner. How did one go about getting one guy’s number, but walking out with another? And what the hell was taking Q and Izzy so long? Quinn would totally know how to handle this. Do I just tell him dinner wasn’t necessary and let’s find a hotel? Before I could come up with a strategy, a deep, smooth, velvety voice came from behind and answered for me.

  “No, this is the part where she tells you, that while she is very flattered, she’s married and very much in love with her husband.” I felt a hand being placed on my right shoulder and knew immediately that some poor guy was mistaking me for his wife from behind.

  I turned my body so the poor man could see that I wasn’t his wife when I was struck mute by who I saw standing here.

  Nicholas Fucking Savage.

  My boss.

  Nicholas Savage-my goddamn boss-was standing there telling my new friend Jeremy here, that I was his wife. What in the ever loving fuck?

  Jeremy looked a little stunned.

  Join the club, Jeremy. Join the club.

  “Really? Because I don’t see-”

  Nicholas put his left hand up in a halting motion to stop whatever Jeremy was about to say. “If you’re wondering why she isn’t wearing her wedding ring, it’s because the stone was loose and it’s at the jewelers being repaired.” He peered down at me with the most sincere look on his face, that…hell, I almost believed I was married to him. “Right, baby?”

  Again, what in the ever loving fuck?

  “Uh….” In my defense, this was Nicholas Savage; hot, sexy, billionaire CEO. This would have been my same exact response had this happened without the beers and tequila.

  What in the hell was going on? I didn’t see Ashton Kutcher, so I wasn’t been Punk’d, but that still didn’t mean I wasn’t on the receiving end of a bet or something equally embarrassing.

  Looking back to face Jeremy, Nicholas continued on with his obviously drug induced imaginings. “And before you start wondering where the hell have I been all night while she’s been sitting here drinking with her friends,” he took a step closer to Jeremy, almost blocking him off completely from me, “I was hanging out upstairs out of her way, so that she could have a good time. But I draw the line at random strangers actually approaching her.” As he was talking, Nicholas moved to position himself to the point where I was staring at his back and I couldn’t get a glimpse of Jeremy at all. He leaned down and inclined his head just enough where there was no way Jeremy could mistake his intent. “Find someone else. Trust me, you’ll be healthier for it.”

  I peek around Nicholas’ back and saw Jeremy take a small step back. “Yeah, man. Sorry, I didn’t know she was taken.” He noticed me from behind Nicholas. “It was nice to meet you, Avery.” Looking back at Nicholas, he said, “You guys have a nice night.”

  I knew this was getting repetitious, but what in the ever loving fuck?

  Once it was clear Jeremy was leaving for good, Nicholas turned back around to face me. He nodded. “Ms. Ellis.”

  “Uh…” I know…not the most articulate reply I’ve ever had.

  Nicholas smirked as he made himself at home in Q’s seat. I looked back over towards the back of the bar to see if Quinn and Isabella were making their way back from the restrooms, because I didn’t know what the hell to do and I was seriously starting to panic. Not to mention his presence was starting to kill my buzz.

  “Having a good time?” I turned to face him again and I saw that he was still wearing that goddamn smirk. He knew I was flustered. He knew he was the reason why I was flustered. I wanted to smack that smirk off his unbelievably gorgeous face.

  But, Sweet Jesus, the man was hot and I couldn’t help but stare. This was the first time I’ve ever seen him up close and in person and the magazine covers didn’t do him justice.

  I snapped out of my daze and looked around the table on the off chance that a shot had been neglected, because I really needed a shot right now. Nope. No shots left. “Uh, Mr. Sav-”

  “We’re off the clock, Ms. Ellis. You may call me Nicholas,” he graciously allowed.

  Don’t think so. “Uh, Mr. Savage….why…what…uh, what are you doing here?” Was that rude? Was I being rude? I didn’t think I was being rude, but right now, what the hell did I know?

  Nicholas chuckled. “Chase, Julian and I were having a night out up in the VIP area w
hen we happened to notice you ladies hanging out down here.” He made a point to glance around the table top to all our empty shot glasses.

  “Oh.”

  His brows shot up with an expectation of more. “Actually, what I meant was….what are you doing here? At our table? Talking to me?” I know that sounded self-depreciating and a little pathetic, but what the fuck, Chuck? This man employed thousands of people, how the hell did he even know who I was? I mean, they were sitting up in VIP, why weren’t they drunk, naked and carrying on with as many woman as they could cram into that room?

  He full out laughed at me then. “Am I not welcomed to sit with you?”

  Okay, now I was getting irritated. He was acting like I was being ridiculous when he knew damn well this was an out of the norm situation. Where the hell was Rhonda? If Quinn and Izzy weren’t going to get back soon, I needed Rhonda. I pointed a finger at him. “That’s not what I mean and you know it. I’ll admit, I may have had a bit to drink, but I’m not that far gone. Why are you talking to me like this is a casual everyday occurrence, Mr. Savage?”

  He leaned into me. “I’ve already told you, call me Nicholas.”

  I closed the gap between us even more. “And as you so graciously pointed out, we are off the clock. That means your authority over me ended hours ago, Mr. Savage.”

  Had I not been all up in his face, I would have missed the slight tightening of his jaw. “You think so, Ms. Ellis?”

  Whoa, wait. Was that a trick question? Did Izzy lie to me? Could he fire me even if I was off the clock? I was an hourly employee, so I knew my employment wasn’t as secured as the salary folks, but he couldn’t just fire me for being rude…could he?

  To hell with it. In for a drunk penny, in for a drunk pound. “Yes. You can’t just order me around on my own time. While I grant you, during office hours, you are my boss and have the right to dictate my life. However, after hours you are neither my husband-regardless of what my new friend Jeremy believes-my father, my brother nor even a distant cousin. And without any of those titles, you’re just another random guy at the club, Boss.”