Tess
THERE’S NOWHERE LIKE home.
You can take the girl from one big city and put her in another, but it isn’t the same. Chicago is my home, and even though I’ve been gone for six years, it feels like I never left.
Arm in arm, Fiona and I traipse around the block. It’s a three-minute walk at most, but both of our feet are frozen before we see the black awning with the white letters spelling out the club’s name.
Studio Paris has been around for a long time, and Fiona and I came here often during college. It’s one of chicest nightclubs in River North. With bottle service and an outdoor lounge, it has always drawn a crowd.
Tonight DJ Jazzy Jeff is spinning, and the line is around the corner. He’s known for playing classics from the eighties, nineties, and two thousands, with a bit of techno mixed in. When I lived in New York, he’d come play at Cielo, and he’d always draw the biggest crowd. Luckily, we don’t have to wait in line. Nick knows the owner, and he left our names at the door.
Shivering, we push our way inside and check our coats. The pink hue of light casting on the white leather is new. It used to be purple. Still, the place is the same. We head for the stairs and pass a bunch of giggly girls here for a bachelorette party.
I point to them. “They remind me of us during your bachelorette party.”
She yells in my ear, and points to the girl with the tiara on her head. “Except I was pregnant and sober, unlike her.”
I laugh. “That’s so true.”
Upstairs, the dance floor is less crowded. There’s a lounge to the left, and the long, white leather sofas are mostly empty.
“Let’s get a drink,” Fiona says, heading toward the bar.
I follow her, looking around at how much things up here have changed compared to downstairs. It’s nicer than it used to be.
At the bar, Fiona orders two shots of tequila and two dirty martinis. “The dirtier, the better,” she calls to the bartender.
He turns around and gives her a wink. She always turned heads everywhere she goes, and married or not, she still does.
I shake my head. “Always the wild one.”
“Not anymore. I don’t get out that much, I might as well live it up. Ethan’s the designated caregiver, so I might as well get drunk.”
“Is that like a designated driver?”
The bartender sets the two shots down. “Yes, except he’s on Max duty tonight and in the morning.”
I lick my wrist and salt it. “How’d you swing that?”
She licks her wrist and salts it. “I promised him sex tonight and in the morning anyway he wanted it.”
I clink her glass. “I like your way of thinking. Here’s to having fun.”
She clinks back and shoots the shot, sets it down, and orders another.
Three shots and a drink later, we are both feeling more than a little tipsy.
“Don’t look now,” she whispers, “but the guy at the end of the bar is staring at you. And he’s really cute.”
“Fi, I have some—” I start to say.
Just then the DJ starts to spin “Umbrella” by Rihanna. It was our theme song as teens, and we both look at each other in remembrance. I’d say I was going to her house to sleep over, but the truth was her parents had left her home that summer while they went to the commune, so we went out and hit the clubs.
“Let’s dance,” Fiona says grabbing my hand. “You can flirt with that guy later. Sometimes it’s good to play hard to get. Besides, once he sees the way you move on the dance floor, he won’t be able to keep his eyes off you.”
To say anything would just be a waste of breath.
We make our way out to the dance floor and start to move. Bouncing and wiggling, hips shaking, it feels just like old times. We know how to dirty dance. We’ve done a lot of it. It isn’t long before people start watching us. I think that used to be the best part of going out to clubs with Fiona. Wondering what the men who stared at the two of us dancing and having fun were thinking. Except now, as men surround us and explode into a frenzy of catcalls, I didn’t think it was fun anymore. By the look on Fiona’s face, neither does she.
As soon as the song ends, she says, “Come on.” She takes my hand. “Let’s go sit down.”
Over on the leather sofa, she sits on the end and I sit beside her. She attempts to wave the waitress down, but she’s unsuccessful. Sighing, she pulls her phone out of her small purse.
I can see the text messages from Ethan lighting up her screen, and I cover them with my hand. “Fiona, I have something to tell you.”
She glances up. “What?”
“Nick and I are together,” I blurt out.
She fixes me with her stare, and then bursts out in laugher. “You and Nick? Are you joking? You despise him. You call him Ethan’s jerky friend.”
I move my hand away from her screen. “I did think he was a jerk, but that was before I got to know him.”
She sets her phone down on the table in front of us without looking at it. “And what? Now you think he’s a sexy jerk?”
“Well yes,” I tell her, “No, I mean I don’t he’s a jerk anymore. Now I like him.”
Her hands go up rather animatedly. “Whoa, back up. Did you two hook up while you were babysitting Max?”
Uneasiness moves through me. “Yes, we did, but only after Max was in bed. I swear.”
She stares at me dumbfounded. “Please tell me you didn’t do anything in my bed.”
I cross my fingers across my heart. “I swear we didn’t. We stayed in the spare room.”
She’s a little bit of a germ-a-phobe.
“Oh thank fuck,” she says, dragging her hand dramatically across her forehead and leaning back against the couch. The look in her eyes tells me she’s processing everything. The alcohol making her a little slow to the draw.
I wait for it.
First comes the hand gesture. “Let’s be clear,” she says, narrowing her eyes at me, and pointing her finger. “Are you telling me you had sex with Nick, and you’ve waited until now to tell me?”
I nod impishly. “I’ve been trying to tell you all night.”
Fiona continues to wave her finger at me. “Hold on. Let me get this straight. You and Nick are,” she air quotes, “together.”
I nod again.
“And by together, you mean fucking.”
I nod one more time.
She goes back to pointing, her words only mildly slurred now. “And you let me go on and on about how many times I fucked my husband in Fiji instead of telling me all the sordid details about how the hell you ended up fucking Ethan’s jerky friend, Nick Carrington?”
“For you,” the waitress says to me, setting a dirty martini down in front of both me and Fiona, “from the guy at the bar.”
I smile at her. “Thank you.”
The three shadows looming over us should have been the first sign that the waitress wasn’t our only company, but I was so engrossed in Fiona’s animated question, I never looked past her.
A husky male’s throat clears.
I look up to see Nick, Jace, and Ethan, but really all I see is Nick. He’s wearing a black long sleeve t-shirt that sculpts his body and black jeans that hang low on his hips in the most delicious way.
Don’t get me wrong, Jace and Ethan are also both very good looking men. Just not my type. They are dressed very much the same as Nick—t-shirts and jeans. I guess hitting a dive bar first hadn’t given them cause to dress up. Jace is a tall guy, maybe as tall as Nick. Maybe taller. He has dark hair and dark eyes. With his broad shoulders, he’s visibly fit. Ethan is a little shorter and slimmer, but his blond hair and strong profile make him look like an Abercrombie and Fitch model.
Before Fiona can say anything more, Ethan swoops down and kisses her. “Hey babe, I hope you told her what a stallion I was.”
Jace thumps Ethan on the back. “Sorry to disappoint you bro, but I think your wife would rather hear about what a stallion your jerky friend is.”
Fiona’s gaze lifts in horror, and she mouths, “I’m so sorry,” to Nick.
Nick circles around the table and while doing so, he waves her off. “Don’t worry about it Fi, I’m used to it by now,” and then his eyes flick to me and I can see amusement glittering in them. “Hi,” he mouths, coming toward me.
“Hi,” I wave, feeling a little flutter of nervous excitement in my chest. This is the first time we’ve been together out in public where we know people. I wonder if he’ll kiss me. I try to recall the different women I’ve seen him with over the years, and don’t recollect him ever holding hands or kissing any of them.
Ethan looks from Fiona to Jace and then back to Fiona. “Is that right?” he mutters.
While Fiona tries to pacify her husband, I focus on the tall, dark, and handsome specimen of a man sitting beside me.
“If you drink that drink, I might have to kill the guy at the bar,” he mutters.
His jealously sends a tiny thrill down my spine, and my breath catches. “I wouldn’t want his death on my conscience,” I practically purr.
“It won’t bother me,” Jace says, picking up the martini and taking a sip.
Ethan sits down and pulls Fiona onto his lap. I have to say, I haven’t seen him this affectionate with her since they got married. I think Fiji was just what they needed.
Nick shifts a little closer, studying me carefully. “You waited to tell her, why?”
I shrug. “I was worried, I guess.”
“What do you mean?”
I lean back on the sofa. “To be honest, I wasn’t certain how she’d take it. She’s really protective over me and doesn’t want to see me get hurt.”
He grins at my answer. “You mean because I’m such a manwhore and all, and I couldn’t possibly stay with you for long.”
I make a face at him. “Funny.”
“Well?”
I look at him.
“How did she take it?” He gives me a what are you waiting for to tell me look.
I shrug again. “I have no idea.”
“Then let’s find out.”
“How?”
“Kiss me.”
The pulse in my neck begins to throb. “Here?”
He nods.
“You’re serious?”
“Completely.”
My eyes drop to his mouth. He really does have a great mouth. It’s kind of perfect actually. “Now?”
He leans in. “Now!”
I push him away. “I thought you didn’t do PDA?”
I think I see a dimple flash. It’s rather adorable. “That’s the real issue, isn’t it? You have no idea how I’ll react to our friends knowing we’re together, and that makes you even more nervous than telling Fiona ever did.”
Feeling my skin warm, I shake my head resolutely. “You’re wrong.”
“Prove it to me then.”
“What exactly am I proving if I kiss you right now?”
That dimple is back. “Me. I suppose. That I’m not going to throw you on the floor and walk away, because isn’t that what you’re really worried about?”
I lean in really close to his mouth. “That’s being a little dramatic, don’t you think?”
“Perhaps, but I think you get the point.”
Pushing my silly worries away, I decide to call him on this PDA. “Fine,” I mutter, and then I press my quivering lips to his. But I’m not looking for chaste here, so I lean even closer, allowing my breasts to brush his chest. Then to amp things up, I press my mouth harder against his, my tongue running gently across the seam of his closed lips.
It doesn’t take long for his mouth to part, letting me in. I flick my tongue against his, and he does the same. Taking it a step further, I tighten my fingers in his hair and when I do, I swear I hear a slight growl.
This is fun.
Soon though, he takes control. He moves his lips against mine, slowing the pace by gently licking at my tongue and sucking on it to deepen the kiss.
Goose bumps rise all over my arms.
He puts an arm around me to pull me closer, and when he does, my chest presses against his. A growl rises from the back of Nick’s throat and suddenly I remember we’re not alone. Reluctantly, I push myself away.
Nick gives me a slow smile. “Did you lose yourself in my kiss?”
He’s so arrogant.
“No,” I answer trying to catch my breath, trying to remember where I am, and what I’m doing.
The song changes to a slow techno beat, and then I remember exactly why we just did that.
Slowly, I turn to see three shocked faces staring at Nick and I, wide-eyed with their mouths hanging open. And to make matters worse, they were all standing now.
“I thought you told them?” I whisper.
“I did.”
“And?”
“They said cool, and talked about the things we always do.”
“Baseball and business,” I mutter.
Not one of them has moved an inch.
“Haven’t you ever seen two people kiss before?” I shout over the music.
Ethan’s eyes are still the size of half dollars. “I can honestly say I have never seen Nick kiss a girl before.”
“Me either,” Jace says, downing the rest of my martini.
“Holy shit,” says Fiona, still staring at Nick. “You must really like her.”
They are all still staring at Nick, who seems to be at a loss of words.
Okay, he looks really adorable right now.
Ethan shakes his head and a wicked grin spreads across his lips. “Dude, what are your intentions?”
Jace chimes in. “I think this is the only woman he’s been out with that he actually knows her last name, so it should be safe to assume he plans on keeping her around for a while.”
Poor Fiona is still trying to comprehend the situation.
Slowly, Nick rises to his feet. He points his finger at Ethan. “You’re a dick,” he says, and shifts his finger a little to the left until he’s pointing it at Jace. “And you’re a dick.”
The two guys burst out laughing.
Nick shakes his head.
Just then, DJ Jazzy Jeff starts to spin, “Oops, I Did it Again,” and Fiona goes wild. “Oh, my God, I love this song,” she screams, and then offers one hand to Ethan and the other to Jace. “What do you say you two men dance with me?”
They each take her hand, like they’ve done this before. Ethan steps toward Nick though before leaving and thumps him on the shoulder. “Really dude, you know we’re just busting on you. I think it’s great. Just don’t fuck it up.”
Nick throws him the finger.
Ethan feigns a wounded a heart, and then trails behind Fiona, who is being led by Jace to the dance floor.
I sit down with a sigh and look up at Nick. “So, did I prove myself?”
Nick sits beside me. “I don’t know. Did I prove myself?”
I smile over at him and grin. “You did.”
His thigh presses mine. “So did you.”
Feeling like we just hit a milestone, I start to jiggle a little to the beat of the Britney Spears classic.
“Show me your dance moves, beautiful,” Nick whispers in my ear.
And maybe it’s the alcohol or the high on life, but I stand up and do just that. I’ve never danced for any one before like this. Sure, I’ve put on a show with Fiona, but this is different.
Nick watches me with his smile growing wider and wider. And then he claps his hands and starts to move a little too.
It’s heart-stoppingly sexy.
Just before the song ends, the lights start flickering pink and purple. And with the music pumping, and him staring at me the way he is, I can’t help but wonder if I’m not falling in love with him.
I want to dance like this forever. With him watching me and laughing, I never want this song to end. But it does, and when it does I slide onto the sofa beside him. He’s still laughing, and I struggle to find the air to laugh with him.
Before I have, he crushes his mouth over mine. With the scent of his cologne, the heat of skin, and the taste of him, hot and sharp—I know that I definitely am falling for him.
He slows the kiss, feather brushes of lip on lip, and the quick and furtive slip of his tongue inside my mouth.
Then he breaks the kiss, pulling back only an inch to gaze into my eyes. “Let’s go back to your place tonight.”
Nick hasn’t been to my place yet. Not because I didn’t want him there, but simply because it is a mess, and I have very little in terms of furniture. His place is much more comfortable. I place my palms flat on his chest. “Not tonight, tomorrow night, give me a day to get it cleaned up.”
His lashes are low-lidded with lust as he studies me. “Okay, we’ll go out on a date.”
I hold his heated gaze. “A real date?”
“Yeah,” he laughs, “I’ll pick you up at seven and we’ll have dinner at Alinea.
I lean in to place a chaste kiss on his mouth. “It sounds like fun.”
“It will be,” Nick winks.
I shake my head.
When the song changes to a slower one, Nick stands and offers me his hand. “Dance with me.”
I take his hand and our fingers lace. “I’d love to.”
Nick points to a small section of the floor that is a little less crowded. On the way, we pass Fiona, Ethan, and Jace, and I can’t help but stare. Jace is as tight against her back as Ethan is in the front. The three of them are bumping and grinding and laughing.
Nick calls out to me, obviously having noticed my head craned over my shoulder. I turn back, just as wide-eyed as they were when they saw Nick and I kissing. “Did you see that?” I ask him when he stops.
He draws me close and places a hand on my waist. “They’re just having fun.”
I put my palms on his shoulders. “How much fun?”
After a step, he slides his knee between my thighs. “It doesn’t mean anything, Tess. Leave it alone.”
I move along, following his lead, in this seductive dance he’s entangled us in. “I wouldn’t say anything to Fi. I’m just . . . I don’t know . . . curious.”
Nick put his other hand on my side, up high, just under my breast. “They did the same thing New Year’s Eve. Fiona just wants to make sure Jace has a good time. She knows he’s not looking for a woman, or to have sex. All he wants right now is to feel like he’s not alone.”
My hand slides from his shoulder to cup the back of his neck. The edges of his hair tickle my knuckles. The heat of his hand brands me through my top. And his words affect me. “I get that,” is all I say, and then I drop the subject.
It isn’t any of my business.
It has been a long time since I danced with a man and could see my own desire reflected back in his gaze. It steals my breath and I draw my tongue out to lick my lips.
Nick catches me, and slides his hand up my back to tangle in my hair, tip my head back, bare my throat to his mouth as he bends to slide his lips along my skin. “You look so fucking sexy tonight.”
I can feel myself gasp but I can’t hear it over the thumping of my heart.
The slow, sensual beat of the music has drawn a crowd, and the dance floor is packed.
Nick slides his other hand up to cup my breast through the silky fabric of my low-cut top.
Nobody is watching us.
No one cares.
His cock presses hard against my belly. The sensation parts my lips, and his gaze watches my mouth again. “The things you do to me,” he murmurs in my ear.
“Tell me,” I whisper back.
The crowd is all around us, and he splays his hand wide across my ass and presses his erection against me. “How about I show you.”
And feeling him against me, I lose myself.
In his eyes.
In his touch.
In the pounding of the music.
In him.
“I’d really like that,” I say.
His breath blows hot against my skin as he nuzzles my ear. “Let’s get out of here.”
I look up at him and nod.
Nick takes me by the elbow and steers me off the dance floor. We pass by Fiona, Ethan, and Jace who are still in the same place they were when we passed by them the first time.
Nick stops to whisper something into Ethan’s ear, and Ethan gives us a wave. Fiona is too caught up in the bump and grind to notice us. And Jace seems lost to the music.
Once we get our coats, we step out into the cold and start walking fast. Nick has to grab my hips to stop me from stepping into the street.
“My hero,” I tell him, as I turn and wrap my arms around him.
“I think you’ve had way too much to drink. No one has ever called me that.”
I stare into his eyes. “I’m drunk on you.”
He kisses the tip of my nose. “You’re just drunk.”
“Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Play yourself down.”
He shakes his head and then turns to hail a cab.
I watch him as he opens my door, waits for me to slide inside before he gets in after me, the way he presses his knee on mine, and just before the cab pulls in front of Nick’s building, I say it again. “I really am drunk on you.”
He leans close and kisses me, his reply too low for anyone to hear but me. “Sometimes I feel like I’m drunk on you, and I haven’t even had a drop of alcohol.”
The butterflies in my belly swarmed with delight.
Maybe . . . just maybe . . . I’m not the only one falling.