The Other C-Word (27 page)

I bit my lower lip, unsure of my response. I looked back and forth between Adam and Rick and if the climate weren’t so tense, it would almost be comical. It was dark, but I swear they both had the same vein throbbing in their neck and their faces were flushed with rage. They both even managed to unconsciously curl their fists. They were very alike in their mannerisms. I had thought for a moment that Rick had talked Adam into coming here because of his jealousy, but really, Adam was very similar. I could imagine them working in conjunction, convincing the rest of Adam’s buddies to leave the comforts of the strip club in favour of a dance club with an obscene cover charge.

“Marley, answer the question,” Rick said quietly. His voice was tight and controlled, but it was easy to see his blood had reached a boiling point.

I shrugged at him in response. Adam was having some similar non-verbal conversation with Stevie. Rick and Adam looked at each other—they didn’t even talk, they just nodded, before stalking back in the direction of the club.

“Where are you going?” Stevie yelled after them.

“He got kicked out too, he couldn’t have gotten far. We’re going to beat him up,” Adam announced, walking backwards so he could face Stevie. Adam did look more Superman than Clark
Kent
in that moment.

“But you already did,” Stevie said, and I knew she was now sorry she’d admitted the truth. Not that she shouldn’t have, but it was a story best saved for a few months from now when the anger and alcohol weren’t playing out.

Adam turned back. “We beat him up for calling Marley the C-word, but he has so much more coming. He needs to know he can’t grind against you or touch Marley’s boob.” Hearing Adam talk about my boob was weird.

Stevie clutched my arm, giving me a look of sheer panic. “I can’t handle this. What if Adam ends up in jail, or worse, the hospital? How am I going to explain it to his mom?”

I patted her arm. “I’ll handle it.”

They were about twenty feet away when I whistled loudly. They both turned and looked at me with annoyed expressions. “Are you boys really going to go beat up that idiot?” I gestured to Stevie and myself. “Are you going to leave two girls who look as hot as we do out here in bar town on bar night? I mean who will protect us?” It was a busy night and groups of people were walking around.

As if to cement my point, three frat-type guys stopped in front of Stevie and
I.
“We’ll keep you girls company,” one of them offered.

I smiled sweetly at Rick and Adam, a little triumphantly. “See what I mean?”

Adam and Rick exchanged glances before turning back to us. It was obvious their heads were spinning with dark thoughts. After a few more silent brooding looks between the two men, they directed their attention towards us. Rick’s eyes rolled over me then our surroundings. Adam had a similar non-verbal play with Stevie, before spinning back to gape at Rick. Adam held his hands out in resignation and Rick nodded in agreement. Our boys walked back to us. Geez, there were so many dramatic expressions being exchanged, I felt as though we were trapped in a Spanish soap opera!

Stevie pressed her hand into mine and I knew we were both feeling the same relief. My relief was soon replaced by pure desire though when Rick stepped under a street light. Rick was extremely handsome, but tonight he looked like a walking Polo add. How had I not noticed his incredible hotness? He was wearing jeans that hugged his hips in the most pleasing manner and a black fitted crew neck shirt, which revealed the outline of his muscles. The colour of his shirt contrasted with his sharp, green eyes and his hair was the perfect blend of messy precision that some guys could get away with, but girls never could.

Rick strutted straight over to me as if no one else was there and backed me against the limo, kissing me hard. His hot, minty breath mixed with the tangy taste of whisky and lemons made me even drunker. When he released me, he whispered in my ear, “You would tell me if you were really hurt, right?”

“Yes, I promise,” I replied.

“I can’t believe you punched him. Do you not realise how tiny you are? That guy could have hurt you. Hell, I question if Adam and I could even take him on together.”

I laughed. “That’s why I was helping you.”

“Oh, my silly, spunky, Garter Belt Girl, what am I going to do with you?”

“I have some ideas,” I replied seductively. Rick cocked his eyebrows, but Stevie cleared her throat and we remembered where we were.

I turned to Stevie, moving away from Rick, but holding his hand. “What do you want to do now, Stevie? This is your party. Do you want to ask everyone else to come out of the bar and go somewhere else? It’s still early.”

She pressed her lips together in thinking mode. “No, the cover in that place is so ridiculous. Let them enjoy themselves.”

“Well, we can’t exactly take the limos and leave them stranded,” Adam interjected.

I snapped my fingers. “Stevie, you know what is only two blocks from here?”

She only thought about it for a second before screaming out, “Ducksters!” I nodded excitedly and Adam groaned.

“What’s Ducksters?” Rick asked.

“It’s a total dive bar that Marley and Stevie used to go to,” Adam explained.

“Come on,” I urged, “it will be like old times.”

Stevie nodded anxiously. “Yeah, sounds like fun.” She pulled Adam along with her. I snaked my arm around Rick’s waist and we walked there. My heels started to hurt so Rick offered me a piggyback ride.

“Marley, my feet don’t hurt at all. It’s because you’re not used to wearing heels,” Stevie chided. I knew she was really showing off.

“It’s okay, I don’t mind. She’s light,” Rick interjected. I didn’t mind either. The truth was I could walk, but I liked being perched on his back with my arms wrapped around his broad shoulders. I think he liked me there too. I spent most of the time inhaling his delicious scent.

“Are you coming down with a cold, sweetheart? You keep sniffling.” Rick asked the question in jest, because he knew exactly what I was doing. I was sniffing not sniffling.

“No,” I replied simply.

Ducksters bar was a small place, frequented by retired, factory workers. It wasn’t a swanky or happening atmosphere, but it had a few things going for it. They didn’t card, so Stevie and I had been going there since high school. Drinks were cheap. The old men were decent for the most part—they liked to flirt with young girls, but unlike Mr Clean’s nephew, they never touched. The bar also had the amenities of a pool table and a jukebox. What else could you want in a bar?

You know that scene in
Cheers
when Norm walks in and everyone yells his name? That’s what it felt like when Stevie and I walked into Ducksters. We hadn’t been there in years, but the old men remembered our names, as if we were pseudo celebrities. Adam and Rick went to get us drinks while Stevie and I headed straight for the jukebox. It was all eighties music, not because that was the preference, but because they’d never updated the songs from when the machine had originally been purchased. Stevie selected
The Tide is High
by Blondie. I immediately joined her and we started dancing. After all, that’s what this evening was about, and although Ducksters didn’t have a dance floor, all you needed was music. This was the perfect girl-dance kind of song. I spun Stevie around under my arm and we did the whole gyrating our butts and heads so our hair swayed around us. That’s when I felt a pair of strong, familiar hands plant themselves on my hips. Stevie had a similar pair on hers.

Rick whispered in my ear, “As much as you’re turning me on right now, you’re also giving everyone a free show, and I really don’t like the looks you’re getting.” I surveyed the bar and sure enough, all the men were staring at us. Some were just looking amused, but others were actually leering illicitly. I decided Rick was right on this count. Adam must have said something similar to Stevie because we all walked to the table where the boys had set our drinks. Rick sat and pulled me into his lap. Adam did the same thing with Stevie. Stevie and I both looked at each other knowingly. We were both with cavemen. It was funny—I’d always thought Stevie and I were so different, but it was obvious we had very similar preferences in mates, because in that moment it all seemed too perfect. I was with my sister and the guy she loved, and the guy I loved.

Wow
!
Did I just say
…
love
?

“How much have you had to drink, Marley?” Rick asked, sliding the beer mug away from me.

“Rick, I’m not driving and I’m over twenty-one, you know,” I smirked at him, kissing his forehead.

He pulled me in closer so his mouth was next to my ear. This bar was much quieter and I could hear him fine, but he whispered so no one else would hear, “Baby, I know that. You just turned me on like crazy and I want to make sure you don’t pass out on me. I don’t mind holding your hair all night if you need to throw up, but I’d much rather be holding other things.”

A blush crept through my face and I knew I’d have to stop talking to him right now, because I was liable to drag him into a bathroom stall and have my way with him, probably not the most hygienic idea. “Let’s play pool,” I suggested. “Guys against girls…losers buy drinks.”

“I’m game,” Rick said.

Adam shook his head and looked at Rick. “If we’re playing against Marley and Stevie, we might as well get our money out now, bro.”

“Oh yeah? You girls are that good?” Rick mused, drawing an infinity symbol on my arm.

We were that good. The patrons at Ducksters had invested many hours teaching us the finer points of Billiards. We could pretty much clear the table in a few shots. “Yeah, I’m good with a stick,” I replied flirtatiously.

“I already know that. You’re tempting me, Marley,” he warned.

“Hey, those rules don’t apply anymore. I can tempt all I want now,” I said huskily.

“Well, if you don’t want me to drag you into the bathroom, bend you over the sink and have my way with you, you’ll stop,” he whispered against my ear. I laughed at the irony that we were having the same salacious thoughts.

Rick racked the balls and we all agreed to no slop, calling shots, classic eight ball. Stevie broke and managed to dunk in both a stripe and solid. We picked solids. The game went on and in about three turns, we were beating the boys by a large margin and enjoying every minute of it. Adam banked the cue ball, missing his shot and setting me up perfectly to pocket the eight ball. We’d already cleared the rest of the table. I lined up my stick, but straightened when Rick came behind me.

“Let’s make it more interesting, what do you say?” he asked me.

“In case you haven’t noticed, I’m about to whip your ass here.” I gestured to the table, which was void of any sold coloured balls, except the eight ball.

He embraced me and whispered in my ear, “Yes, so the bet would be in your favour then.”

“What did you have in mind?”

“You make this shot and I’ll take you sky diving tomorrow.” I hadn’t expected him to say that. I hadn’t brought it up since he told me about his parents’ death, because I knew that was why he didn’t want to jump out of a small plane.

“Rick, you don’t have to do that,” I said tersely.

“Marley, I want to do it with you. I’ve been thinking about it and I want to cross that item off our list.”

It touched me that he’d want to do that. “What if I don’t make the shot?”

“Then you spend the night with me tonight.” I gulped, glad he couldn’t see my face because it was against his chest.

“Come on, Marley, like you said it’s an easy shot. Do you think you’re going to choke now?” It was an easy shot, one I could probably make with my eyes closed. Ironically, Rick didn’t realise he had just bet his fear against mine. I didn’t know if it was the fine tea from Long Island, my naturally cocky attitude or the smell of Rick’s enticing cologne, but I agreed to his bet.

I backed away from him. “Deal,” I agreed, holding out my hand.