Darkened (6 page)

“I could do that for days too,” he said then leaned forward and kissed me again.

When he pulled back this time, I looked away from him. My brain was feeling fuzzy. I don’t know if it’s because of the alcohol or his kisses, but I knew I needed a break. I saw that sometime while we were making out the server had brought our drinks so I picked mine up and took a drink.

“I should probably get back to Temmy. She’s already mad at me. I don’t want her to think I abandoned her.”

I didn’t think she would care if I abandoned her
, but she was supposed to be making sure I didn’t get so drunk that I go home with this guy. That would be disastrous.

“Why is she mad at you?”

Huh? Oh yeah, he’s talking about Temmy.

“Oh she decided to set me up with her boyfriend’s loser friend tonight. I instead invited Saundra knowing she would do anything with male parts
, and Temmy is mad. I don’t see what her problem is. I’m the one who has to ride home in the backseat with them while they play tonsil hockey.”

“I could take you home,” he offered.

Yeah, no.

“That’s alright. I’ll be fine.”

“I really don’t mind. Actually, I would feel better knowing you made it home safely without being molested by some guy in the back seat.”

“Oh
, you don’t have to worry about that. I’ll remove any part of his body that touches me. Plus, I already told Temmy I would ride home with them.”

“If you’re sure.”

I nodded.

“Well, let us join your friends then.”

I finished my drink and we left the VIP section.

I felt a little wobbly which is unusual. I haven’t actually been drunk in an extremely long time. Jared seemed fine with me hanging on to him. He wrapped his arm around me, and allowed me to lean against him on our trip over to the table Temmy had been at. They were just walking up to the table at the same time.

“Hey, there you two are. You were dancing for a long time,” Temmy said with a wink for me.

“We were talking,” I said.

“Uh huh. Where were you talking at? Did he take you back stage?” She waggled her brows.

“The VIP section actually.”

“You bitch. I hate you.”

I shrugged. “Hey, I’m living vicariously so your dreams come true.”

She narrowed her eyes at me. “Then what are you doing back here?”

“Actually I was going to see if you wanted me to drive you home tonight since you’ve been drinking. You could leave your car in the employee lot,” Jared said.

“That sounds good. I could get someone to bring me back to get it tomorrow. Do you have a car big enough for all of us?” she asked him.

Saundra and Ray were too busy making out to care about the conversation.

“Yes, I’ll borrow Luke’s SUV.”

“That sounds great. Thanks Jared,” she said.

Jared turned to look at me. “Will come with me to talk to Luke?”

“Sure.”

Alright. I’m definitely not drinking anymore. If I can’t put together more than one word sentences, then I was too drunk.

We went into the hallway that led behind the stage. Luke was hanging out in a large room with a big screen TV playing Xbox.

“Hey Luke, this is Avery. Avery, this is my friend Luke,” Jared said.

He paused the game to look at me. “Hey, Avery.”

“Hey,” I wittily replied.

“Can we borrow your truck?” Jared asked.

“Uh, yeah. Why?” He eyed me. I tried to pull away from Jared some so he wasn’t envisioning us using his SUV for a bedroom, but Jared didn’t loosen his grip on my side.

“I’m going to give Avery and her friends a ride home
, and my car’s not big enough,” Jared explained.

“Alright,” Luke said as he dug in his pocket for the keys.

“Thanks man,” Jared said as he took the keys and turned to leave.

“It was nice to meet you, Avery. I look forward to seeing you again,” Luke said.

“Thanks, Luke. You too,” I replied.

“He likes you,” Jared said once we had left the room.

“He seems nice enough.”

“Yeah, he is.”

We were almost to the door that led to the hall and the main club when Jared stopped and backed me up to the wall.
His gaze went from my lips to my eyes and back.

“You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. I have wanted you since the first time I saw you standing in the club. That reminds me. Who were you looking for?”

I didn’t want to get into my profession. Most thought the Human’s Rights task force were a bunch of freaks.

“I was looking for a friend,” was all I said.

“I wish you had stayed. I tried to ask Temmy about you, but she was more interested in talking about herself.”

He pushed a lock of hair behind my ear then pushed the rest of the hair behind my shoulder. He brought his lips to mine
, and my brain completely stopped working. After a few minutes, he left my lips for my neck and shoulder then moved up to my ear.

“We should go before I take you to the office and make love to you for the rest of the night,” he said.

“Good idea,” I said.

His eyebrows rose and he began to smile.

“I meant the going part,” I corrected.

He was still smiling w
hen he leaned forward and kissed me again. It didn’t last long this time. He pulled away from the wall taking me with him, and we made our way back into the club. We stopped to dance again since it wasn’t that late, and I really did want to have fun tonight. After a few songs I realized I was having a hard time staying upright without Jared’s assistance. He was totally fine with me being pressed against him as we danced, but I think it’s time to go. I need to go home and sleep it off.

“Let’s roll, Temmy,” I told her as we reached the table.
She and Kevin looked about as toasted as I was.

We all piled into Luke’s Denali and left Halo. He dropped Ray and Saundra off at Ray’s place just a little ways from the club then he took us to Temmy’s. I was originally going to just stay the night at her house, but I really didn’t feel like laying on the bed in the spare room listening to her and Kevin bumping uglies in the next room. So I asked Jared to drop me off at my apartment. When we were close, I told him he could just stop out front, and I would go in through the main doors.

“What kind of man would I be if I didn’t walk the lady to her door?” he asked.

The typical kind?

“T
hey won’t let you into the garage without a parking pass,” I said.

“Don’t worry. I
’ve got it.”

We pulled up to the guard shack outside the garage
, and Jared told the attendant that he was dropping me off and he would only be a few minutes. I was shaking my head because I knew they wouldn’t let him in regardless of how long he was staying. But, to my utter amazement, the attendant opened the gate and let him through.

“See. I told you I got it.”

I raised a brow. He seems to get his way an awful lot.

We took the elevator to my floor, and I pulled my key out of my pocket in anticipation of opening the door.

“Thanks, Jared. I had a good time tonight. A lot better than I thought I would have.”

“You are quite welcome, Avery.”

He leaned forward slightly and kissed me. One thing I noticed is that he is about two inches taller than me. At least in three inch heels. The kiss deepened and before I knew it
, I was pressed against my door while still pulling him closer. He was slowly grind himself against me and I moaned. He moved from my mouth to my neck. Then he pulled back enough to take the key from my hand.

“How about we move this inside your apartment before the neighbors call the cops,” he said as he unlocked my door.

Oh my Gods! What was I doing? I was acting like a total slut. He probably thought I was just like Saundra. I reached out and put my hand on his as he started to open the door.

“Jared, I’m sorry. I can’t do this. I really did have a good time
, but I don’t sleep with guys I just met.”

Wow! I actually sounded rational. Maybe I’m sobering up.

He smiled at me.

“
It’s okay, Avery. I had a good time too. I’ll tell you what. Do you have a pen?”

I nodded then reached inside my apartment to the table by the door and grabbed him a pen.
He took the pen and my hand before writing on it. I looked at it after he finished. It had his name and number.

“Call me, Avery, and we’ll go out on a real date.”

He kissed me again and when it started to get out of control, he pulled back and left. I watched him walk away. Temmy was right. That is one fine ass mofo. I walked into my apartment, went straight into my room, and proceeded to pass out on the bed.

I woke up the next morning with my shirt twisted under my arms and my bra twisted around toward my back. I readjusted myself then climbed out of bed and fell right back into it. Damn, my head hurt. Hangovers. Now, I remember why I don’t like to drink. I slowly made my way to the bathroom and turned on the water to heat while I disrobed. I always feel better after a long hot shower.

I took my time washing my hair and scrubbing myself down. I needed it after bumping into so many people last night, not to mention rubbing all over Jared. Oh crap! I forgot about him writing his number on my hand. I looked at it and the only number I could still make out was a two and the only letter was the “J”. Oh well, I wouldn’t have called him anyway.

After my shower, I dressed in some comfy clothes and went in search of pain relievers and coffee then I took up residence on my couch. This was the one day of the week that I tried to do as little as possible. Visiting grandmother is the only thing I usually do on Sunday, and she is supposed to be gone to Tallahassee for a White Witches of the Southeast convention. So my plan for the day is to veg out and not think about a certain singer who kisses like a madman.

I had alternated between catching up on the shows I had recorded and napping on the couch for several hours when Temmy called. I didn’t have a chance to even say hello.

“Please tell me you slept with him.”

“Sorry to disappoint.”

“Oh my Gods, Avery. The man was practically begging you to do him
, and you turned him down? I have never been more disappointed in you.”

“I don’t even know him
, Temmy. You know I don’t do casual sex.”

I have only slept with one man that I wasn’t in a relationship with and I had known him for several months before hand
. He had offered no strings attach, but even then, I haven’t slept with him again since.

“Well then, did you at least give him your number so that you can get to know him?”

“Uh, no. I didn’t think about it. He did give me his number though.”

“Well, at least he was thinking. You will call him as soon as we get off the phone and arrange a date.”

“You sure are demanding. Did you get your car or do you need a ride?”

I didn’t want to have to tell her that I washed his number off. She would just go into a tirade, and then give him my number the first time she sees him.

“Kevin took me to get it before he left.”

“That’s good.” There was a knock at my door. “Hey, hang on a second. Someone’s at the door.”

I opened the door to find a delivery man standing there. That was weird. The reason I chose this apartment building was for the security. Their rule is that no one who didn’t live here was to be allowed past the front desk without being accompanied by a tenant. Deliveries like this were to be brought up by a security guard.

“Hello. Can I help you?” I said.

“Are you Avery Tywella?” he asked.

“Yes.”

He handed me a vase with a large bouquet of flowers.

“I need you to sign for them,” he said.

“Who sent them?”

He shrugged.

I noticed he had a scar running from above his left brow to his chin. It actually bisected his lips at the corner making him appear to
be constantly grimacing on that side.

“I didn’t take the order. I’m just the delivery guy. There is a card. Maybe it says who they’re from.”

“Alright.”

I sat them on the side table and then took the clipboard from him. Tonight must be a slow night because my name was the only on the list.

“I’m sorry. I don’t think I’ve ever gotten flowers before. Do you usually get a tip?”

I wasn’t sure what etiquette dictated.

He smiled at me. “No, that’s alright. It’s been taken care of.”

“Oh, okay then. Have a good night.”

“You do as well.”

As he turned to leave
, I noticed there was a nick missing out of his ear, and he walked with a limp. Maybe he was in a car wreck or something. I shut the door and locked it.

“You still there?” I asked Temmy.

I had held onto the phone the whole time I was receiving the flowers so I wasn’t surprised when she said, “Hurry, check and see who they’re from. As if I don’t know.”

I pulled the card out of the small envelope.

Can’t wait to see you again.  - J

I told Temmy what it said.

“You have to be the luckiest bitch I know.”

“Yeah, that’s me. The lucky one.”

“In this instance
, I would have to say that you are. You have to call him and thank him, and tell him how much you want his body, and how you were a fool last night, and ask if he can come over now for some good lovin’.”

“That’s a lot of ‘and’
.”

“I’m hanging up now, Avy, so that you can call him. Bye.”

I hung up the phone and looked at the flowers. It really was a beautiful bouquet. I threw the note in the garbage. Sorry, but I really didn’t want to be a one night stand to a rock star. I don’t think I could play the role of groupie very well. The vindictive part of me pointed out that I played the role pretty well last night. I told it to stuff it, and went back to my TV shows.