Cuffing Season

by Danielle Allen

  “Serena!” She threw her arms around me and then whispered, “Marcus is here.”

  “Marcus who?” I snarled, making her laugh.

  “True, true.”

  I slipped off my jacket, and her jaw dropped.

  “I love that so fucking much!” She screamed as she read my shirt with the sentence, Define “Slut”, emblazoned in black.

  The DJ played three hits back to back and we danced hard and really let loose.

  “This is exactly what I needed,” I yelled to Vanessa over the throbbing beat of the music.

  “I hate this song!” Vanessa shouted back as a new song pumped through the speakers.

  I shook my ass and swayed my body as we moved away from a couple of men who were trying to dance with us and toward a cocktail table.

  Vanessa dropped her body into the chair with a dramatic flair, crossing her legs as she landed. Running her hand through her long, black hair, she looked around.

  “I know you said you’re taking a break, but”—she winked— “I see some good-looking men in here tonight! Have you seen anyone who caught your eye?”

  “I can’t hear you,” I replied in a sing-song voice.

  She laughed, lifting her arms in surrender. “Fine, fine. But you and I both know that once you start filling all those orders you’re going to get, you’re going to need a way to relieve your stress.”

  “I’m going to take up knitting.”

  With a grin, she rolled her eyes.

  As an annoying song with a catchy beat started pumping through the speakers, I started shaking my shoulders and bobbing my head. “We love this song! Let’s go back out!”

  “I hate this song!”

  I grinned at her. “You’re missing out,” I teased as I started shimmying my way backward toward the dance floor.

  She chuckled and reached her hand out. “But give me your jacket. I’m going to go give it to Derrick to hold and then get us some drinks. What do you want?” Her eyes lit up. “Unless you want to come with me. He’s at the bar with Trey and some of the other guys.”

  I handed over my jacket. “Tell him I said thank you and that I’ll come say hi in a minute. Right now, I need to dance!”

  Feeling the music run through me, I lifted my arms in the air and swayed my hips. It wasn’t long before I felt the heat of someone taller than me pressing up against me from behind. Glancing over my shoulder, I caught the eye of my dance partner. He had dark eyes, a bright smile, and smooth dance moves.

  It’s just a dance, I thought with a shrug.

  I turned my body to face him and kept dancing.

  Why does he look familiar? I wondered as I checked him out.

  He moved closer so that our bodies were flush against one another. With his hands on my hips, he started rolling his body, grinding into me.

  I like the way Luca’s hands felt on my hips.

  The thought popped in my head out of nowhere, surprising me.

  Focusing on the guy in front of me, I created a bit of space between us as I continued to dance. He was staring at me shyly which endeared me to him as one song ended and the next one began. Grabbing my hand, he spun me in a circle and then pulled me back into him.

  “Hi.” He leaned down so his mouth was right next to my ear. The bass in his voice caught me off guard. “I’m Rich.”

  “Hi,” I returned. “I’m a starving artist.”

  He chuckled. “What’s your name?”

  “Serena.”

  “Nice to meet you, Serena.” He looked me up and down. “You really know how to dance!”

  I smiled. “Thanks, Rich!”

  For the next couple of songs, we danced and laughed at each other’s over-the-top moves. When the music slowed, Rich took that opportunity to speak. “I want to get a drink. Can I buy you a drink, too?”

  I nodded, realizing how parched I was all of a sudden.

  Vanessa never came back with my drink, I realized as he led me through the crowd to the bar.

  The music wasn’t as loud near the bar, but it was still a club. We just didn’t have to yell at each other anymore.

  “Rum and Coke,” he called to the bartender. Looking at me, his eyebrows raised. “What would you like, Serena?”

  “Just a bottle of water, please.”

  He gave me a look. “You sure? That’s all?”

  I smiled. “I’m sure.”

  He grinned before turning back to the bartender. “Bottle of water for the lady, please.”

  Two minutes later, Rich had his drink and I had my water.

  “Thank you.” I twisted the cap and took a gulp.

  For five minutes, we had a loud conversation about the music.

  Leaning against the bar, Rich finished his drink in what seemed like seconds. Putting the glass on the bar, he pointed at it, signaling for another. Once his order was filled, he turned his attention back to me. “Do you not drink?”

  “I do. I just realized that I hadn’t eaten all day, so I’m good with water right now.”

  “Cool, cool.” His eyes glanced down at my chest. “So… are we going to talk about this or am I supposed to just throw my definition your way?”

  I laughed. “Either or.”

  Rich’s hands were up, fingers outstretched, save for the two holding the refilled glass of brown liquor. “I feel like it’s a trap.” He took a sip. “So, I’m going to decline to define for the moment.” He took another sip. “But I’m going to turn the tables on you and ask you to define slut.”

  “Ok.” I smirked. “The word slut is a construct directed primarily at women and used to control their actions and bodies.”

  “Wow.”

  I sipped my water. “I know.”

  “You are…” He grinned. “I want to get to know you better.”

  “Well, I’m not interested in dating right now, but what would you like to know?”

  He looked down into his glass. “Anything you want to tell me.”

  I had to resist the urge to roll my eyes. “Do you not know what you want to ask?”

  “I do, but… You’re nothing like I expected you to be.”

  My eyebrows flew up. “You had expectations? What did you expect?”

  He shook his head. “Don’t worry about it.” He brushed it off as he finished his drink. “I just thought…never mind. It’s not important.”

  I shrugged. “Okay.”

  He let out a small chuckle. “I just thought you were going to be… different. The way you wouldn’t let me grind on you for very long, you didn’t want me to buy you anything, your definition of slut...” His sentence trailed off, but I was still confused by what he meant. “You’re just different.”

  I made a face. “I’ll take that as a compliment… I think.”

  “It is! When you hear that someone is a… you know…”—he pointed at my shirt—“you don’t necessarily think…”

  He seemed to read the expression on my face, and his sentence trailed off.

  “Sorry…” He gave me a look. “You are Serena Brooks, right? The one The Lost Boys were talking about, right?”

  My mouth was agape. “Oh. My. God.”

  “Listen, I’m cool with it. I like a woman with experience.”

  I rolled my eyes and walked off. “Goodbye.”

  “Whatever, slut,” he yelled at my back. “I wouldn’t want somebody who was used up by everybody anyway.”

  I stopped.

  Everyone around us stopped and stared. The music was still thumping through the club, but everyone within ten feet of where we were heard Rich try to embarrass me. I looked around. Some people looked shocked and horrified. Some people snickered and whispered. Some people had their phones up, waiting for my reaction.

  I can walk away and salvage my night, or I can confront him.

  I spun around to face him.

  “The Lost Boys said it best—you have to treat a ho like the ho she is,” he barked, clearly emboldened by the attention people were paying him.

&n
bsp; “Get the fuck out of here,” I cackled. “I’m a slut because I don’t want you? What kind of backwards logic is that?”

  “No, you’re a slut because I know you fucked my boy Marcus even though he has a girl. And don’t try to deny it. I saw you.”

  “Ooohh,” everyone around us seemed to say in unison.

  This motherfucker is Marcus’s roommate! Shit! I thought he looked familiar.

  “You didn’t see me do shit,” I snapped, rolling my eyes. “But whoever I do decide to sleep with is my business and has nothing to do with you. So, fuck you and your attempt to call me a slut because I wouldn’t go home with your ass.”

  Rich looked over my head and instantly looked nervous. I glanced over my shoulder and saw Derrick, Trey, and their two friends rushing toward me.

  “What happened?” Derrick asked me, glaring at Rich. “Are you okay?”

  I nodded. “I’m fine.”

  One of the men I didn’t know spoke up. “Say the word and I’d break his face for you.”

  With a laugh, I shook my head. “No, I’m fine. But I do appreciate it.”

  “You owe the lady an apology,” Trey demanded.

  Rich dropped his empty glass against the bar. “I’m out of here.” And then loudly adding, “That ho isn’t worth it.”

  “Are you okay?” Vanessa asked, pulling my arm and attention. “I’m so sorry I didn’t come over there sooner. I saw you two dancing and thought—shit, I’m sorry. Did he put his hands on you?”

  I didn’t even see her due to the size of Derrick and his friends. “No, not at all. I was having a conversation with him and he called me a slut because I wasn’t interested in him.”

  Trey whipped around. “He shouldn’t have called you a slut. He was wrong for that. But you shouldn’t have on those short ass shorts and a shirt with the word slut on it.”

  My long-standing crush on Trey died in that moment.

  Tilting my head to the side, I feigned confusion. “So, I was asking for it?”

  “Yes. No, no, no,” he corrected, seeming to realize what he was saying. “He should’ve never disrespected you. You didn’t ask for it. You didn’t deserve it. I’m just saying your outfit is probably not helping the perception.”

  I put my hands on my hips. “Opposed to popular belief, he didn’t call me a slut because of my outfit, Trey. He called me a slut because of rumors he heard.” My lip curled in disgust and I snatched my leather jacket from his hands. “But good job jumping to conclusions and placing the blame on me.”

  “I heard the podcast,” Trey argued. “It was fucked up, but you’re not helping the situation”—he gestured to my outfit—“dressed like this. Look at you!”

  “Wow, Trey,” Vanessa uttered with a repulsed look. “Derrick, we’re going to VIP. I can’t even look at him right now.” Grabbing my arm, she marched me across the room to the staircase. “I can’t believe he would try to put that on you. That’s-that’s victim shaming!”

  “For the record, I no longer have a crush on Trey.”

  She looked over at me. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure the ‘you were asking for it’ comment eliminated him from contention.”

  As we were climbing the steps, I stopped walking and burst out laughing. She looked at me as if I had lost my mind and then, as usual, my amusement triggered hers. Both of us were gripping each other’s arms, holding each other up, as laughter ripped through us.

  Vanessa’s question came between giggles. “Are you sure you’re okay? That whole situation was pretty fucked up.”

  “Yeah, it was.” I wiped the tears from my eyes as the last chuckle erupted from me. “But I’m fine. It’s just…” I shook my head. “It’s just ironic. I haven’t even been here for forty-five minutes and the only man I let dance with me ends up calling me a slut. He believed what he heard about me because of Marcus.”

  Her eyebrows flew up. “What?”

  I made a face. “That dude is Marcus’s roommate.”

  Her mouth fell open. “Wooooooooooooooow.”

  I nodded, trying not to smile. “Yeah.”

  “So, he knows that you slept with him for real.” She tried to stifle a laugh as she added, “He didn’t just hear the rumors; he heard the headboard.”

  And with that, we laughed our way up the rest of the stairs.

  The DJ stopped the music. “Savor is wishing a happy birthday to Denise, Heywood, and Liza!” He blared a horn as the three other VIP spaces erupted in cheers. “Savor is also saying congratulations to Serena!” He blared another horn as all the people who worked with me on the show cheered. “This song goes out to all of you.”

  “Well, we have to dance to this,” Vanessa pointed out, shaking her shoulders. “It’s a celebration!”

  I lifted my arms in the air and moved my hips to the beat.

  Everyone in my section followed our lead and got to their feet, celebrating my accomplishment. While I was dancing, the encounter with Rich faded away. He didn’t matter. His opinion of me didn’t matter. Trey’s judgment of my outfit didn’t matter. The rumors didn’t even matter. I was at peace.

  I noticed a few people had stopped dancing and were grinning, so I danced harder. I popped my booty. Twisting in a circle, I was about to dip it low, but I stopped abruptly.

  My eyes pinged around Luca’s perfectly handsome face to the large bouquet of red roses in his hand. My breathing hitched, loudly. I was completely caught off guard.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked him as he approached.

  “Congratulations, Serena.”

  “What are you doing here?” I repeated, the knot in my belly tightening.

  “I’m on my way up to Pittsburgh now. But I remembered you said you’d be here tonight, and I wanted to give you this.” He handed me the bouquet.

  My mouth went dry as his hand grazed mine. The electricity that coursed between us caused my skin to heat.

  “Thank you. These are beautiful.” My voice came out shakily. I cleared my throat and shifted my gaze to the beautiful flowers in my hands. “What’s this?”

  “A gift. It’s part of what I was working on earlier this week. The other part I’ll have to give to you when I get back.”

  “You didn’t have to get me anything. I appreciate this though. Wow.”

  His lips pulled into a smile. “I’m glad you like it.”

  “I love it.” My heart ricocheted around my chest as our eyes connected again. The way he looked at me stirred something within my soul. I walked to the cocktail table a couple of feet away and set the flowers atop it. I noticed everyone pretending not to be watching intently. I widened my eyes at Vanessa before turning back to face him. “Um, feel free to stay and hang out,” I offered, keeping the couple of steps of space between us. “I know you have to get on the road, but if you want to stay, you can.”

  He took a step closer. “I have to go. It’s a four-hour drive, and the shoot is in the morning.”

  I nodded. “Okay, well… it was nice of you to stop by. And for bringing me flowers.”

  His eyes swept down my body. “Define slut, huh?” He smiled. “It’s a bold statement.”

  I put my hands on my hips defiantly. “Yes, it is.” I cocked my head to the side. “Do you have a problem with it?”

  Closing the gap between us, he searched my face with a mischievous look in his eyes. “Not at all.”

  I was hyperaware of everyone watching, but I didn’t know what to do. My mouth opened, but I was in a trance. His body was so close, and the heat that radiated off him warmed me to my core. I took slow shallow breaths as the thought of him kissing me made my skin hum in anticipation.

  “Do you know what else is a bold statement?” he whispered intoxicatingly.

  I heard the question, but I couldn’t speak. My gaze drifted down to his full lips just as his tongue leisurely brushed across them. Realizing that I was staring, I jerked my eyes back to meet his. I swallowed hard. “What?”

  “This.”

  All the air left m
y body when his lips brushed gently against mine. His hands moved to my hips and pulled me into him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and allowed myself the pleasure of sinking into the decadence of kissing him. His mouth moved over mine, and then he pulled away slightly, leaving my lips to tingle.

  He put his forehead against mine and we just held each other’s gaze. I barely heard the screaming and catcalling of everyone in my section because of how lost I was in the moment. The electricity between us crackled, and I wanted to be sucked in to feel every watt.

  I licked my lips. “I thought you didn’t want anyone to know that there was something here. You said you were trying to protect me. Why are you risking it now?”

  “Because I’m a selfish bastard, and I’d rather fight against whatever you’re dealing with with you, than to deny us the chance to see what this is,” he uttered sexily. “I was trying to protect you. But hearing what you said on that runway tonight made me realize that you don’t need me to protect you from what other people think. Fuck other people. It’s about what you think. And when you think about how I feel about you, I don’t want any doubt in your mind about where I stand and what I want.”

  The sincerity in his eyes coupled with the sweetness of his words took my breath away.

  Dipping his head, his soft, warm lips moved effortlessly over mine. His kiss created a sensation that coursed through my body and slowly intensified. His hands moved until they found a home on my hips, gripping them tightly, pulling my body flush against his. Just as I moaned, he pulled away.

  I whimpered, and it took me a few extra seconds to open my eyes.

  That first kiss felt like Luca wanted me to know that he wasn’t embarrassed by the rumors. That second kiss felt like Luca wanted me to know that he was claiming me as his.

  Luca’s voice was low and soft when he spoke. “I have to go. I’ll be back Monday night.”

  I did my best not to purse my lips. “Am I going to hear from you?”

  “Honestly?”

  “Always.”

  “I’ll do my best. I don’t talk much while I’m working. But we’ll figure something out.” He gave me a peck. “But I can promise you that there won’t be a day that goes by that you don’t hear something from me.”

  Nodding, I stared into his eyes. “Okay.”