Chapter 10

Tank

I’d had some interesting reactions from women when I hit on them in the past. There was that one chick who screamed Hell yeah, then jumped onto my back like I was a bronco—if memory serves I rode her in a similar way later that night. Or that lawyer bitch who’d apparently only been giving lip service to her need for a walk on the wild side, given how she ran away like the hounds of hell were nipping on her heels when I asked her to go home with me.

Nicole had ’em all beat.

I stared at my damp boots, confused as to what her spewing beer all over me meant. It wasn’t a slap to the face, but it was fucking close. I patted Nicole on the back as she was still bent over hacking a lung.

“You okay, baby girl?”

“I thought I told you to—” Nicole started to say weakly before she broke off to cough some more. After a moment she cleared her throat and began again. “I thought I told you to stop calling me that.”

“Turns out I’m not so good at following orders,” I said before my brain caught up to my mouth. An image of the Wastani Gate in Baghdad rose in my mind—or at least the fuzzy version that I could recall right before all the gunfire started. I flinched and shook my head, bringing the room around me back into focus. And Nicole.

“Sounds like someone needs another math lesson.” Nicole raised an eyebrow at me and subtly scratched at her cheek with her middle finger before taking another pull from her beer.

“Sounds like someone else is obsessed with the number one.” I gave Nicole an appraising look. Christ, the way she filled out the top of that slinky pink dress…I muffled a groan behind my beer bottle. “There’s nothing wrong with going another round as long as everyone involved knows the score.”

“Oh, really? And what is the score? Because I thought it was one and done. So what does that make two?”

“Two and shoo?”

Nicole snorted while suppressing her laughter.

I thought for a second, then tried again. “Two and then you do you?”

“Two, then boo-hoo. Because this is when it gets awkward. It’s impossible to keep emotions out of the bedroom when you repeat. This way lies madness.”

I nodded slowly. “I see. You wouldn’t be the first. This is why I have these conversations. It’s important that everyone knows the score. If you can’t keep it casual, then it’s not gonna—”

“Me? I’m talking about you!”

“Wait. What?” I scratched the back of my head.

“You. You’re the one pushing for more time. You’re the one who wouldn’t leave me alone this morning, then stranded me first at my house and now up here in Tahoe without a car. Thank you very much. And now you’re trailing me at the wedding. You have all the hallmarks of a stalker. I half expect to wake up to you sniffing my panties or something equally creepy in the morning.”

My booming laughter had everyone at the reception turning to look at our corner of the room. Not that I gave a shit. Nicole thought I would get too attached? Holy shit. I didn’t know whether to be annoyed, flattered, or amused.

I settled on amused. My laughter was softer now, but still it was just so fucking funny. Me, too attached. Christ.

Meanwhile Nicole looked pissed. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at me. Her brow lowered in anger, either at my laughter or the attention it’d drawn. She tossed me one more dirty look, then turned to go.

“Baby girl.”

Nicole didn’t break stride as she flipped me the bird over her shoulder.

I closed the distance between us and grabbed her by the arm. She still faced away from me, but I could feel the warmth of her delectable body. “I wasn’t laughing at you. It’s just…I don’t do commitment. But I can do tonight.”

Nicole turned slightly toward me, but I noticed that her eyes followed Jessica and Zag on the dance floor. Jessica’s head rested on Zag’s shoulder while they slowly moved to “Heaven” by Warrant. The longing in Nicole’s eyes was unmistakable. I should’ve run like hell. Clearly this was a forever girl wondering when her forever was gonna happen. I wasn’t the guy a girl like her should ever be spending time with. I didn’t have anything inside me to offer someone like her. And yet…the tinge of pain in Nicole’s eyes pulled at me. I might not be able to give her forever, but I sure as hell could give her one tiny moment. I grabbed Nicole’s hand and pulled her around until I could wrap my arms around her.

We stood on the edge of the dance floor and swayed together.

Holding Nicole in my arms was profound and painful all at once. It was moments like this that made me want to know the woman inside. She was so hard and prickly most of the time. And I was fascinated by that about her. Nothing got me hotter than her take-no-prisoners sass and her smart mouth. She had the tough-girl exterior down pat. But now, in the face of all the love and nostalgia going on around us, she was vulnerable. The fact that none of her friends noticed or cared obviously wounded her. And angered me. They, more than anyone else, should be able to see her pain.

The lyrics to the love song washed over us. He sang about being so close, he could feel her breathe. And that was what we were doing. Just two lonely people taking comfort in each other. Breathing.

Because that was all it could be. Temporary.

Despite the heartfelt lyrics inspiring the couples all around us, Nicole and I wouldn’t be forever.

This wasn’t about finding a way. This was about two people finding temporary solace with each other. I needed to keep telling myself that. Temporary.

As the song drew to an end, Nicole rested her head on my shoulder and gave a shuddering breath. “Thank you,” she whispered.

My lips passed over the top of her head in a silent kiss. “No problem, baby girl.”

Nicole took a step back and wouldn’t meet my eyes. She was clearly uncomfortable and awkward, which I couldn’t stand.

“So, where’d we land on hooking up tonight?”

Her head jerked up, and she leveled a look on me that would’ve probably shriveled the balls of a lesser man. I just smiled back at her.

After a beat Nicole looked over at Jessica and Zag still on the dance floor, then turned back to me. “We can’t leave before the bride and groom. That’d be rude. Uncouth.”

“Well, shit. We all know I’m the most couth guy around. Obviously I meant after they left.”

“Obviously.” A small smile curved Nicole’s lips. “Is couth even a word?”

“Fuck if I know. I barely skated by in high school. Aren’t you the college grad-u-ate?” I drew out the last word in an exaggerated hick accent.

“Who took the bare minimum of English credits required for a computer science degree. I know jack shit about language. How’d you know I went to college?”

I shrugged. “I dunno. Heard it somewhere.”

“Did you go through my trash? I knew it. You are a stalker!”

“Fuck. You’re suspicious. I’ve never gone through your trash. I don’t know how I heard it. Maybe from Jessica? She’s always bragging about you and your fancy job writing code for casino slot machines. Stands to reason someone with a job like that went to college.”

Nicole bit her lip to fight her growing smile. “Jessica brags about me?”

“Hell, they all do. Even Reb. I heard him telling Tucker that if he wanted to go anywhere in life he’d have to study and go to college like you and Emily did.”

“Wow.” Nicole’s cheeks turned a light red. “Well, still it’s not right that you know so much about me, and I know practically nothing about you.”

“You know plenty.”

“Dick piercings aside, I don’t know anything about you. Unless you count kissing and boxer shorts preferences.”

“I do count those, so obviously you know enough.”

Nicole’s head tilted. “What do you do for a living?”

“What the fuck does that matter? We’re two and shoo, right? You don’t need to know what I do for a living to hook up for the night.”

“Come on. Tell me. You’re not ashamed of it, are you? Oh God, you’re a member of the new Magic Mike revue at the Mother Lode Casino, aren’t you?”

“What? No.”

“You are! I knew it. That body. Those moves. Your piercing. You’re a male stripper!”

Fuck, she got under my skin like no one else. I could feel a wave of heat spreading across my face at the thought of bumping and grinding in front of a bunch of horny women screaming my fake stage name. Hell. No. “I’m a bouncer at Lux. Okay? That’s what I do. It’s my job to make sure that the drugs stay out and the hot girls get in. I man the fucking door at a nightclub.”

Nicole deflated slightly. “So, you’re not a male stripper?”

I shook my head while rolling my eyes. She looked let down at my choice of profession. Or the fact that I wasn’t some cheesy male stripper. Was that a fantasy of hers or something? Fuck. No way in hell I was gonna help her act out that little wish.

“Damn. That’s…disappointing.”

I grumbled under my breath. Like I needed this girl to tell me that my life hadn’t turned out the way I’d hoped.

“I was hoping to get a preview of your…talent. But maybe you just need practice. Tell me, do you own a thong?”

“Oh my fucking god.” My shoulders shook with my silent laughter. Just when I thought I knew which way she was going, she zagged. “No, I don’t own a fucking thong.”

“Too bad. Maybe I’ll get you one for Christmas. In the meantime I’ll help you work on your basic stripping routine. Do you have any tear-away pants?”

For the first time in my life, I was laughing while sporting an erection. What was it about this woman? She was smart, funny, sexy as hell, and too fucking good for an asshole like me.

Just then the DJ asked for everyone’s attention in sending the bride and groom off. We silently watched Jessica and Zag leave the dance floor. Then, after a quiet moment with their baby, Harley, and Jessica’s parents, Zag and Jessica left the ballroom to the sound of catcalls, whistles, and cheers.

Then Nicole turned to me with a light in her eyes that hadn’t been there minutes ago. A light I realized with a sinking heart that I put there. Fuck. Me.

She smiled up at me. “You ready to get out of here?”