Shapiro
It’s been a hell of a night. Sometimes being a bouncer in the VIP section isn’t so bad. Most of the time the patrons keep it classy especially since we have the occasional celebrity stop by when they are visiting the big city on press tours. They could pick any club downtown, but they travel the distance just to feel like the average Joe.
But tonight, we had a couple actors stop in and apparently some locals got all fancied up and decided they wanted to play with the spotlights, which are in the VIP section. The problem, this time it wasn’t the locals. It was Hollywood. Most surprise guests come in to relax, but these two, they were buying round after round and too drunk to care, they had their eyes on the girls next door.
All was well and good until one of the girls, the blonde, punched one of the guys in the balls and demanded he be escorted out. I had no choice. Things got rough and a scene was made, and lights were flashing everywhere. Gavin and Jake had my back, but man, it won’t be good if it shows up on social media or the gossip mags.
Now, I’m standing outside of my door, ready to fight another battle. Penny was furious I locked her in and even though she’s had plenty of time to cool down, I’m willing to bet she’s not.
Punching in the code, I deactivate the alarm and dig for my keys …
What the fuck?
“Where in the hell are my keys?” I’m looking around the hallway.
Nothing.
I have no choice. I’m going to have to wake up Penny.
I knock and I wait. I pound harder and I wait.
Shit!
Resting my forehead against the door, I notice the deadbolt has a key snapped off inside.
“Fuck!” I pound on the door harder, wiggling the door knob. “Penny! Answer the God damn door!”
If anything has happened to her, I’ll never forgive myself. I did this. I let this happen.
The door swings open and the noise comes barreling out.
“It’s about time.” Niki stands there, in my apartment. My locked apartment that was supposed to be secure.
“Do you care to tell me what the fuck is going on here?” I push past her.
Holy shit!
I stumble back. The one thing I least expected was a house party and Penny on top of the island dancing like all eyes are on her.
And they are. My eyes. I have to pry them away to access the situation.
Scanning the room. Nina is on the couch singing at the top of her lungs and Nikki has since plopped down in the love seat, feet kicked up, recording it all.
“First off,” I yell out. Trying hard to keep my cool. “Turn that thing off and second, how in the hell did you fucking get in here?”
“Shapiro, buddy, you need to calm your tits and guard your pockets.” She stands, wiggling her fingers.
“That’s why you came up there? To pick pocket me?” I close the distance between us. Making sure I keep my eyes on Penny who still hasn’t noticed me yet. “You fucking stole my keys. What if something would have happened. Then what?”
“You shouldn’t keep a pretty-pretty princess held up in your apartment like she’s Rapunzel or something.” Niki stands and meets me half way. I’m sure ready to go toe to toe. Niki isn’t one to back down. Ever.
“I didn’t keep her locked—”
“Oh, you didn’t?” she snaps back.
“Well only for her safety. And …”
“Hey, Francis,” Penny calls out finally noticing me.
“Francis?” Nina and Nikki singsong in unison. Both giggling.
“Don’t.” I hold out a finger.
“Well, lookee there …” Nina looks down at her watch that isn’t there. “It’s getting late and I have an exam to study for.” She hops down off the couch and tugs Niki’s shirt. “We better go.” She winks one too many times. Obviously a little tipsy herself.
“Oh, really? At two o’clock in the morning?”
“Yep, I’m gonna pull an all-night cram session.” Nina gives her head one firm shake. “Let’s go, Niki.” She pulls open the door and waits for her sister.
“Frances … come dance with me.” Penny juts out her bottom lip. “Please.” She pouts.
“How much has she had to drink?” I glare at the person who I know is responsible for this.
“Oh …” Niki squints her eyes and teeter-tots her head. “Just a little bit.”
Penny begins to lose her balance.
“How much is a little?” I call out as I rush over to catch her as she falls.
“Or maybe a whole bottle.” Nikki walks over to the island and looks over my shoulder at Penny. “You can thank me later, big guy.” She winks and pats me on the back as she heads to the door.
“Don’t count on it.”
Niki slams the door.
“Something’s wrong with my head. I hear voices,” Penny slurs. “And they’re beating on things.”
“That’s the music.” I reach for the little device to turn it off, but it automatically shut off.
“Hey!” Penny slaps at my hand. “I was listening to that. Niki my new bestest fren forever …” She drags out trying to reach for the speaker. “She said I could keep it.”
“Some friend to put you at risk.”
“Niki was my knight,” Penny slurs. “I wanted you to be.”
She wraps her arms around my neck and lets her body collapse against mine. Her front sliding down. Her legs wrapping around my waist before she hits the floor.
“I didn’t like you locking me in here.”
“I didn’t like locking you in here either. I didn’t know what else to do. If you would have left and something happened to you …”
“I wouldn’t have left.”
I know she’s drunk, but this conversation has sobered up fast.
“No?”
“No.” She nods slowly. A small grin creeps up on her face.
Penny looking at me like this has me losing all resolve. It’s all I can do to keep from slamming her against this wall, but she deserves better.
“Why don’t we lock up and get you to bed.”
I reach to pull her arms off and set her down, but she resists. For being drunk she sure does have a lot of strength.
“Don’t put me down. I’m dizzy.”
“That drunk, huh?”
“Drunk on you.” She reaches up to tap my nose.
Okay so maybe drunk Penny is kind of cute.
“Is that a smile, Frances.”
I can’t help it. This girl, she makes me feel things I have never wanted to feel before. So I smile.
“There it is.” She reaches between us to trace my lips with her finger.
I’m sure in her head she is being soft and sensual, but in real life, she keeps jabbing her finger against my teeth.
“Time to lock the door.”
I walk us over and prop her up against the wall with one knee as I free a hand to lock up.
“Oh!” Her eyes go wide. “That feels so good.”
“What does?” I ask as I stretch up to slide the lock into place then set the alarm.
“This.” She puts all her weight onto my leg and grinds.
Fuck Me!
“You’re killing me.” I glance down and see Penny’s eyes hooded and filled with lust. “I think it’s time I take you to bed.”
“Hey! Remember that movie? Oh, what was it?” She taps my temple. I guess to help her think. “You know that one where they sing that song about fire balls or balls of fire.”
“No clue.”
I bounce her up to shift her weight. Wrong move. With all her grinding I’m hard as a rock.
“Oh yes!” she shouts as she flings her head back.
I lose balance, and she slams it against the wall. “Ouch!”
“You okay?”
I snake my arm up the base of her neck and into her hair. Massaging her scalp.
She leans into my touch. Closing her eyes for a brief second before they spring open.
“Take me to bed or lose me forever.”
I know it’s a movie quote, but damn, don’t I want those words to mean something. Standing there with her body wrapped around mine I would give anything to push her up against that wall and take—
Her mouth crushing to mine interrupts my thoughts. My mind is telling me to pull away, but my body is screaming for me to stay.
Kissing her back? Nothing good could come from it. My guard would drop, and she would become even more vulnerable. I can’t do that.
“Shapiro.” Penny moans my name against my lips. Begging me to kiss her back the way she is kissing me.
I can’t. I won’t.
I try to keep repeating those words in my head.
“Please.”
“Fuck,” I growl
I don’t know what comes over me, in that brief moment, but the tension that had been building since I met her became unbearable. I had to let go.
Grasping her cheeks, I take control of the kiss. Owning it. Fusing our mouths together while our tongues intertwine I turn her around and pin her against the wall.
Her body stiffens, and I freeze.
“I’m sorry.”
“No. It’s totally me.” She breathes out an excuse. “I just … I don’t know. I guess I …”
“Let’s go to bed.” I swing her legs around and hold her in my arms.
“Ohh!” She giggles.
She’s so drunk.
“I’m a princess.” Her smile crooked, yet bright.
I kissed a drunk girl breathless. Great. Maybe she will be so out of it she doesn’t remember.
“Yes, you are,” I agree as we walk into the bedroom and I lay her down gently. The mattress barely dipping. “Here, lift up.”
“Why? Ohhhhh,” she coos staring at me with her doe eyes.
I know what she wants, but it can’t happen. The kiss was a mistake. Maybe if it happened another time. After this was all over with it could be more, but right now. It just can’t be.
Yanking the covers down, I let her get adjusted before I pull them back up.
“Get some rest.”
“I don’t want rest. I just want you.” She untucks her arms and makes grabby hands like you see in those memes.
Shaking my head. “You are something else. You know it?”
“I know it.” Her smile sleepy.
“Night.” I turn to leave the bedroom to get as much distance between us as possible, but Penny? She has other thoughts.
“You didn’t tuck me in. Tuck me in, Shapiro. Tuck me in real good.” Penny turns over onto her side, throwing the covers off.
“What are you doing to me?” I moan, rubbing my face.
I swear this girl is going to be the death of me.
“Don’t make me beg,” she whines.
“Fine.”
Closing the distance, I reach for the blankets and pull them up as I go. Tucking them under her chin. Stepping back, I admire her from a distance.
Distance is safe. It’s needed.
“More?”
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
“Okay then.”
I start from the bottom and tuck the blankets under her like she’s a burrito. “Snug as a bug in a rug,” I whisper.
Her lips pucker and I walk out.
Tonight is definitely a moment to remember. I’m just hoping she forgets.