Chapter Eight
Carly
“Damn,” I whisper, taking a sip of my vodka cranberry as Dalton, our regular bartender, looks on. Satisfied with my reaction, he smiles and leaves to go help other customers as I turn and scan the bar. Izzy, Ali, and I have been coming here for years and it’s our favorite place. A large circular bar sits right in the middle of the room and tables line the walls on three sides of the large space. The lights are low tonight and a remix of Sex by Cheat Codes blasts through the speakers on the little stage in the corner. Beneath that, the dance floor is packed, just a massive blob of writhing bodies as the beat directs their movements.
Taking a deep breath, I lean back in my barstool and take another sip of my drink as the music seeps into my system and carries my stress away. You’d think after getting laid, I would be relaxed but having the best sex of my life with Chance has done the complete opposite. I am a wreck and coming out tonight is exactly what I need to let it all go.
“There you are!” Izzy exclaims from behind me and I almost spill my drink down my top as I spin around to look at her. “I thought you stood me up.”
“Excuse me, lady. I was here on time.”
“So was I. I just got…distracted.” She glances away and I follow her gaze through the crowd to the door where a large man is checking IDs. Almost as if he feels her watching him, he looks up and smiles, flashing her a wink. Of course, she found a man on her way into the club. Only Izzy. “Did you know they hired a new bouncer?”
“I can’t take you anywhere,” I tease, rolling my eyes at the way she keeps glancing over at him. The truth is Izzy and I are much more alike than anyone would ever guess but I’m discreet about my affairs. Sometimes, I envy the way Izzy just totally owns who she is. She doesn’t worry about what anyone thinks of her and if it doesn’t make her happy, she doesn’t do it. I can’t even imagine the fit my mother would throw if she ever heard me explaining my sex life to someone. Although, if I did tell anyone, I would have to explain why I prefer to keep my relationships casual and it’s something I avoid at all costs.
“Did you get his number?”
Her mouth drops open and she plasters her hand over her heart. “Who the hell do you think you’re talking to?”
“You’re right. I lost my head for a moment. My apologies.” I finish my drink and just as I set my glass down, Dalton appears again as if summoned by magic.
“Ladies,” he purrs, flashing us a naughty smile as his eyes twinkle.
“Dalton!” Izzy all but squeals and I roll my eyes again, but a smile stretches across my face. God, she’s such a flirt.
“What can I get for you, gorgeous?”
“What would you recommend?” She props her chin up in her hand and bats her eyelashes at him. I can’t help but laugh as I turn to look out at the dance floor, my mind wandering to Chance. Normally, I would be seeing two or three guys at a time but as I stare out at the crowd, I don’t see a single option. And it has nothing to do with the rule Chance threw down. The truth is each guy I land on gets compared to Chance in my head and inevitably, they come up short. Since when did this happen?
This is exactly why I’ve spent the last three days putting some distance between us. When he was in my house and in my bed, it was so easy to forget my rules and things got a little too intense. Our chemistry and the amazing sex blurred the boundaries of our relationship and we both lost sight of the fact that our arrangement is casual. We let our feelings run wild when we shouldn’t have. I just didn’t expect it to be so hard to ignore his texts and not call him back. And even worse, I actually feel bad about ignoring him. I’ve spent the last few days stressing over whether or not this is bothering him. I have to put a stop to it.
“Would you like another?” Dalton asks, pointing to my empty glass and I nod as he grabs it off the bar and turns to mix our drinks. Izzy spins to look out at the dance floor before turning back to me.
“You want to go dance?” she asks, wiggling in her seat and I nod.
“Yeah,” I tell her before turning to Dalton. “Hey, can you put a hold on those drinks? We’re going to go dance.”
He nods, offering me an easy smile and we slip off the barstools and start making our way to the dance floor, our bodies already moving to the beat. Just as we reach the edge of the group, Baby Got Back by Sir Mix-A-Lot comes on and Izzy spins to face me with an excited expression.
“I haven’t heard this song in forever,” she practically squeals as she starts dancing and mouthing the words to me. I laugh and when the beat drops, I get swept up, too – dancing and singing along with her. She gets really into it, moving closer to me and pressing up against me as she shimmies. Throwing my head back, I laugh and she starts singing the words out loud.
“Shake that healthy butt. Baby got back.” She smacks my ass and I shake my head. Izzy keeps singing the words as we dance and I completely forget anyone else is here. It’s almost like we’re at my apartment instead of this crowded club and I feel more of my stress melt away. Everything from my mother to Dottie and Ivy’s fight to the recent anniversary I tried so hard to forget and the check that came in the mail, I let it all go. Closing my eyes, a smile forms on my face and I feel lighter than I have in a while.
The song bleeds into another remix – this one of Ignition by R. Kelly and Izzy squeals. “What is this? Throwback night?”
“You don’t seem like you mind!” I yell to her and she shakes her head with a big grin on her face. Folding her arms on top of her head, she rolls her body as she closes her eyes for a moment and lets loose.
“Oh my God, do you remember the time we had a sleepover at Ali’s and danced to this song?” she asks, opening her eyes and I nod.
“Yeah, you guys got so freaking drunk.”
“That’s just cause you didn’t pull your weight. You had like one glass and that was it. Everyone knows once you open the bottle of wine, you have to finish it.” She reaches out and grabs my hand, pulling me closer as we dance and I let her lead me for a moment before a feeling of uneasiness washes over me. Opening my eyes, I scan the crowd, but nothing seems out of place.
“Hey, I’m going to go get a drink now. You staying here?” I ask Izzy and she peels her eyes open just as a man steps up behind her and starts dancing with her. She peeks over her shoulder before meeting my eyes with a grin on her face.
“I’m going to keep dancing.”
I laugh and nod. “Okay.”
She spins in his arms and rubs her hips against him, effectively putting him in a trance and I laugh as I walk off the dance floor. Slipping onto the same barstool I was in before, I look out at Izzy as she puts the moves on her mystery man. Even from here, I can see the lust in his eyes and I know she’ll be having a good time tonight.
“You ready for that drink?” Dalton asks and I turn to him, nodding.
“Yes, please.”
He taps his knuckles on the bar and nods. “Coming right up.”
Despacito comes on and I tap the toe of my heel against the barstool as I scan the dance floor for Izzy. She’s managed to move the two of them into a quiet corner and she spins in his arms before dropping down as she swings her hips from side to side. When she sees me watching her, she winks and I grin as she spins back to face her dance partner.
“One vodka cranberry,” Dalton says, setting my drink in front of me and I smile at him.
“Thank you.”
“Not a problem, gorgeous,” he says, wiping down the bar in front of him. “Why aren’t you out there dancing with her?”
I chuckle and glance out at the dance floor as Izzy starts kissing her mystery man. “Oh, she found someone to occupy her.”
As I turn to face the bar again, I catch sight of someone watching me from one of the tables pushed up against the wall. He’s in the back corner so most of his face is hidden in shadow and maybe that’s why his attention sends a shiver up my spine. When he catches me watching him, he grins and my pulse spikes. Just as I start to turn away, he leans forward and I recognize him instantly.
Damian.
A violent reaction I don’t quite understand rocks through my body, telling me to run. But why? He’s annoying and seeing him definitely makes me want to bitch out my mother but he doesn’t seem all that dangerous. Sucking in a breath, I turn back to the bar and as I grab my drink, my hand shakes.
“You okay?” Dalton asks, his brow furrowed in concern and I force a smile to my face. I’m overreacting.
“Yeah, I’m fine, Dalton.”
He lays his hand on mine and arches a brow when he realizes I’m trembling. “You sure about that, sweetheart?”
“Yes,” I whisper, my words weaker and I swear I can feel Damian’s gaze boring into the side of my face.
“Carly, if someone bothered you, we will deal with it. I can go get the bouncer.”
“No, that’s not necessary. It’s just… there is a man staring at me from one of the tables.”
Dalton lifts his head and scans the crowd, his face hardening. “Yeah, I got him.”
“He’s still looking at me?”
“Yeah, he is. Let me get someone to throw him out, okay?”
Hearing the concern in his voice, I feel stupid. Nothing about Damian suggests he’s a danger to me and my mother would be horrified if I had someone she knew thrown out of a club.
“No, you don’t have to do that. I’m being ridiculous. Sorry.”
He studies me, not buying what I’m saying at all, but he finally sighs. “I’m staying right here so you just yell if you need anything.”
I nod. “Thank you, Dalton.”
As Dalton walks off to help someone further down the bar, I casually glance in Damian’s direction again and when our eyes meet, he stands. A predatory smile stretches across his face as he starts moving toward me, almost stalking across the sleek wood floors as my phone rings from my bag. My heart races for some unknown reason as I dig the phone out of my purse and when I see Chance’s name on the screen, butterflies dance in my stomach. Damian weaves through the crowd and I stand up, throwing a twenty down on the bar as I accept the call.
“Fucking finally, woman!” Chance yells down the line and just the sound of his voice is enough to soothe me. I start working my way toward the door and glance back to see Damian standing next to the barstool I just vacated, searching the crowd for me. “Carly, are you there?”
“Chance,” I say into the phone, my voice shaky since I’m on the verge of tears. I’m annoyed with how weak I’m being lately – how weak Chance is making me.
“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
Hearing how concerned he is, I shake my head as the exit comes into view. Sweet freedom. Glancing behind me one more time, I sigh when I find Damian at the bar. He smiles and waves at me before I whip my head forward again just as I reach the door.
“Carly!” Chance yells from the phone in my hand and I suck in a breath.
“I’m fine. I’m sorry.”
Hanging up, I slip out into the warm night feeling weaker than I have in years and completely disgusted with myself. My cell rings again as I walk down the sidewalk to where I parked my car and when Chance’s name pops up on the screen, I silence it.
God, how could I be so stupid?
Once I reach my car, I climb in and lock the doors twice before finally releasing a breath. It’s never been like this before. Sure, that night has haunted me for twelve years, but I’ve always been able to deal with it. And while I’m more careful than other girls my age, I’ve never freaked out because a guy was looking at me. Maybe I’m finally losing my mind. Shaking my head, I start the car and turn up the music to try and drown out my thoughts but it’s not as successful as I had hoped. Add in the fact that Chance is calling me every two minutes and it’s a small miracle when I finally pull into the designated parking space at my apartment.
I quickly get inside and in the elevator, dreaming about falling into my bed and pulling the covers up to my chin. Lord knows I need a good night’s sleep tonight if I’m going to deal with my mother tomorrow. A groan slips out of my mouth and I press my fingers to my temple at the thought of seeing her. Maybe I should feel bad. I mean, she is my mother after all but she’s never done much to deserve the title. She has two modes – the first is when she’s more interested in her new man and his fortune. That’s when Ivy and I might as well be invisible. And then there are the times she’s trying to set Ivy and I up with men who match her qualifications. I spent most of my life missing the idea of the woman my mother could be or desperately trying to avoid her. There is no in between. I sigh just as the elevator doors open and it’s only then I notice the yelling coming from the hallway.
“Don’t tell me you don’t have anything!”
“Chance?” I call, stepping off the elevator and stopping to stare at him as he paces back and forth in front of my door, yanking at his hair like he might rip it right out. At the sound of my voice, he stops and jerks his head up. His eyes lock onto me and the relief on his face overwhelms me.
“Never mind. I’ve got her,” he says into the phone and hangs up, slipping the phone into his pocket as he storms down the hall. When he reaches me, he crushes me to his body and I breathe him in for a moment, feeling more at ease than I have since I left the club.
“Why are you here?” I whisper into his neck and he pulls back sharply, an intensity in his eyes that is just as exciting as it is scary.
“What the fuck do you mean why am I here? I call you and you’re God knows where, freaked out, and then just hang up on me and I’m supposed to sit my ass at home and wait to see if I hear from you? Think again, Princess.”
I shake my head and try to pry myself from his grip, but he grunts and holds me closer. “It was nothing, Chance. I’m sorry I worried you.”
“Bullshit,” he growls, still refusing to let me go. I swear, as he looks down at me, I can feel him breaking down my walls piece by piece and I’m desperately trying to reconstruct them before he worms his way into my heart but he’s making it difficult.
“Don’t y’all know what time it is?” someone hisses behind him and I peek over his shoulder at Ms. Cheryl standing at her doorway with a stern look on her face.
“I’m so sorry. He was just leaving.”
His mouth hovers by my ear and I shiver when he lets out a small growl. “I’m not going anywhere, Princess.”
“Well, I don’t care if he leaves or not but shut the hell up. Some of us are actually trying to sleep.”
I nod. “Yes, ma’am.”
She huffs before turning back into her apartment and slamming the door. Turning to Chance, I give him a determined look that he just grins at. “You can leave now.”
“That’s not going to fucking happen.” He grabs my keys out of my hand and tucks his arm around my waist before leading me to my door and unlocking it. After ushering me inside, he locks the deadbolt and tosses my keys on the entry table.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
He arches a brow. “That’s funny. I was just about to ask you the same thing.”
“Meaning?”
Smirking, he steps toward me slowly, almost like an animal stalking its prey and it takes every ounce of restraint I have to not back up. “Meaning Tuesday was one of the best nights of my life and you’ve been avoiding me ever since.”
“Well, I’m glad it was so good for you but maybe it wasn’t for me.”
He presses his body against mine as his arms wrap around my back, keeping me from escaping as his eyes burn. “New rule. Stop lying to me.”
“I don’t agree to that.”
“Tough shit. Not that it matters much if you agree or not. Every time a lie slips past these gorgeous lips,” he says, trailing his finger over my bottom lip. “I know it. Maybe you can hide from the rest of the world, but I see you.”
My heart pounds and tears burn my eyes as I stare up into his and in a moment, from one simple look, I know he’s telling the truth. He can see me, all the broken misshaped parts I hide from everyone else are visible to him. It’s fucking terrifying. Looking away, I try to pull back and while he loosens his hold, he doesn’t release me. After sucking in a few breaths, I feel more in control and meet his eyes again.
“You need to leave.”
His eyes soften and he shakes his head, stroking his thumb over my cheek. “I’m not leaving you. Now, why don’t you tell me what happened tonight?”
“You know what? I’m really exhausted and I just want to crawl into bed right now.”
He nods and spins me in his arms so my back is pressed to his front and his arm is securely around my belly. “Sounds good. Let’s go.”
“You’re not invited,” I huff and he presses a kiss just behind my ear but says nothing else as he guides me to my bedroom. As soon as we walk in, a sense of calm descends over me and my king-sized bed calls my name. The lights of Baton Rouge twinkle from the large windows and I sigh as Chance releases me.
I turn to face him and he smiles, his dimple popping out. “What are you doing?”
“Waiting for you to get in bed,” he whispers as he leans back against the wall and crosses his arms over his chest.
“And where are you going to be?”
He looks down to his boots before looking back up at me. “Right here.”
“All night?”
He nods and I roll my eyes with a dramatic sigh.
“For fuck’s sake, get in bed.”
“Naw, baby. I’m good here.”
I shake my head as I push my jeans down my legs and kick off my heels. “Don’t act like this wasn’t your plan all along. Just get in bed.”
“I have no plan,” he says, pushing off the wall. “Just can’t stand the thought of leaving you right now so if you don’t want me in your bed, I’ll stay right here.”
Another brick in my wall is demolished and tears sting my eyes for a second time tonight. “Please sleep with me, Chance.”
He studies me for a second before approaching me slowly and sliding his hand into my hair. My eyes flutter closed and I take a deep breath as a feeling of calm overtakes me again.
“Look at me, Princess,” he whispers and I open my eyes, immediately swallowed up by the warm glow in his gaze. One corner of his mouth ticks up in a soft smile as he slowly lowers his head to mine and kisses me. It’s a soft sweet kiss that melts me to the core and as he pulls me into his body, I wonder how I’m even still standing. When he pulls back, his smile is even bigger and he brushes his thumb over my cheek once before pulling away from me and kicking his boots off.
“You gonna finish getting ready for bed or you gonna stare at me all night?” he asks, teasing me, and I shake my head as I reach down and pull my shirt over my head. He does the same and I barely hold back a grin. It almost feels like a game as I let my bra slide down my arms and he pushes his jeans down his legs. When we’re both in our underwear, we just stare at each other for a second before he marches over to me and lifts me into his arms.
“What are you doing?” I squeal, gripping his shoulders and he grins.
“Taking you to bed.”
I shiver and he turns out the lights before carrying me to bed, wrapping his arms tightly around me. I bury my face in his neck and let out a contented sigh. I may never admit it out loud as long as I live but I’m glad he’s here with me tonight.
“So,” he prompts, pulling back to look me in the eye as he trails his thumb down my cheek. “You going to tell me what happened tonight?”
I shake my head. “No.”
“Wrong answer.”
I lift my chin in defiance and meet his stern look. “Just because you don’t like it doesn’t mean it’s the wrong answer. It was stupid and I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”
“Fine. Tell me something about you, then.”
I grimace and his lips pull back into a grin. “Can’t we just go to bed?”
“Nope. I’m wide awake.”
I groan, trying to roll away from him but he keeps me locked securely in his arms. “You’re so annoying.”
“Aw, you don’t mean that, Princess.”
“Yes, actually, I do,” I say, turning back to him and he pouts at me. “Okay, fine. I don’t mean it.”
“See? Now, what are we going to do? It’s barely eleven on a Friday and I refuse to let you become an old lady at twenty-eight.”
I watch him for a moment, losing myself in the eager look on his face, before sighing and sitting up in bed.
“All right. I have something we can do. Wait here.”
His eyes flash with excitement and I laugh under my breath as I slip out of bed and walk into the kitchen. Slipping the bag of popcorn into the microwave, I press cook before going to the cupboard and uncovering my secret stash of sweets I keep for occasions like this one. I sort through some of it before deciding to just take everything back with me and the microwave beeps as the smell of popcorn fills the kitchen. After grabbing the bag of popcorn and scooping my candy up in my arms, I slowly walk back to the bedroom, trying not to drop anything.
“What the hell?” Chance laughs as soon as he sees me and I grin as I drop everything on the bed with a thump.
“Well, you wanted to do something and get to know me so I’m going to show you my number one guilty pleasure.”
He eyes the food warily before glancing up at the TV on the wall. “You’re not going to make me watch chick flicks, are you?”
“Oh, hell no. It’s way better than that.”
He lifts a brow, fighting back a smile. “Porn?”
“Ew!” I yell, throwing a chocolate bar at him and hitting him square in the chest. “Not porn. Besides, I thought what we did was way better than any porn I’ve ever seen.”
He grins, flashing me a dimple as he nods his head. My cheeks burn. I can’t believe I said that.
“Yeah, there’s an idea. Let me go melt this,” he says, holding up the chocolate bar, “and I’ll lick it off your body.”
“Do you want to learn something about me or not?” I ask, propping my hand on my hip and he nods, patting the bed next to him. With a smile, I crawl up and sit next to him before grabbing the remote and turning the TV on. It takes me a few seconds to find my favorite ghost hunter show but when I do, he laughs.
“This is your guilty pleasure?”
I nod. “Uh-huh.”
I press play and he wraps an arm around my shoulder, pulling me into him as he kisses my forehead.
“Thank you,” he whispers and I feel it right in my chest because I’m giving him a tiny little piece of me and I like that he recognizes that. Tossing another piece of candy at him, I nod and pull away slightly.
“Just don’t eat all the chocolate and we won’t have any problems.”
He wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me closer as the episode begins playing in front of us. “I’ll remember that.”