Chapter Twelve
I could barely contain my excitement as I turned to my best friend. “Ave! Club 42?”
“I know, right?” A mischievous smile danced on her lips. “And it was Liam’s suggestion. I think you might whip him into shape yet.”
I told her about his sweet compliment, and she squealed. He really did seem to be trying harder than ever. I couldn’t stop grinning. Derek came out in a dark gray fitted dress shirt and black pants, his curly black hair beautifully styled. Avery nearly swooned when he winked at her.
“Hey, Captain.”
“Cupcake.” His nickname for her was almost a growl as he pulled her to him.
I cleared my throat. “Still here, guys.”
They both jumped, and Derek ducked his head. “Let’s go grab Liam.” We rode the elevator down, then Derek pounded on Liam’s door. “Yo, you ready?”
Liam stepped out, and I was thankful to be leaning against the wall. His outfit was the reverse of Derek’s, a fitted black dress shirt that molded perfectly to his broad shoulders.
The top few buttons were undone, showing me a glimpse of his marvelous chest that I still hadn’t seen enough of. His pants were dark gray, accentuating his trim hips. He moved to lock the door, and I got to check out his amazing ass as well. He turned around, and a furrow appeared in his brow as I continued to openly stare at him, letting my desire show.
A smug grin spread over his face. “You approve?”
I nodded, linking my arm through his. We trailed behind Derek and Avery as they summoned the elevator and I asked, “Club 42, huh?”
“Yeah, ever been?”
“Oh, all the time.” I sniffed, raised my nose high in the air. “They know my name. As soon as I walk in the door, everyone stops what they’re doing to say hi to me.”
“Har har.”
We piled into the roomy elevator. Avery leaned against Derek, and a wave of envy washed over me at how casually comfortable they were with one another. Liam’s hand gripped the bar behind me, heat radiating from his arm, so hot it wafted along my bare back. I wanted him, wanted this, but wasn’t bold enough to claim him.
Yet.
Derek’s driver waited for us outside, next to the limo.
“How come you don’t have a driver?” I asked Liam curiously as we waited our turn to get in.
“I like driving myself. Derek always used the time to study or work or something, but I’ve never seen the point.”
We climbed in, and I was grateful Avery left us the front facing seat. Riding backward always threw me off. Liam slid in beside me, too close as usual, but I was prepared, having already planted myself closer to the middle than I normally would. Once he’d smooshed completely against me, I simply shifted, creating enough space for myself, and he chuckled.
“Touché, Red.”
And Avery pounced. “I knew it! I knew you had a nickname for her! I told you so.” She jabbed Derek in the arm, making him wince.
Liam turned to me in a desperate plea for help, but I shook my head to tell him he was on his own.
Avery simply laughed. “I recall a certain conversation where a certain someone whose initials start with Liam and end with Davenport, made fun of Greg and Derek for using ridiculous nicknames for their girlfriends.” She crossed her arms smugly. “Explain yourself, Mister.”
“Um, well, her favorite candy is Red Hots. And she’s got that red-hot temper. But red hot sounded stupid so…” His cheeks were adorably pink.
I bumped him with my shoulder. “It’s still better than Cupcake.”
Avery stuck out her tongue, while Liam leaned against me. I could practically feel his gratitude as he shifted so our arms were touching, lacing his fingers through mine. Avery glanced at our hands then to me with a grin. I smiled back, but it hardly did justice to the amount of happiness bubbling inside me. We stayed that way for the rest of the ride.
Club 42 employed a person just to open our door as we drove up. I’d never been anywhere so swanky. Avery and I exchanged excited squeals as the guys took everything in stride.
The sleek black building was understated, with sharp, clean lines and metallic accents. Behind it sprawled the seemingly endless Lake Michigan. A string of people snaked to the right of the door, looping red ropes strung between golden posts corralling them.
I stepped out of the car, Liam’s hand keeping me steady in my heels. I assumed we’d be heading to the back of the line, but I should have known better. Derek and Liam strode right for the doors, giving their names, and we were ushered in.
The inside was pristine, all bathed in a warm yellow light perfect for a romantic dinner, but not exactly how I expected a popular club to feel. Every surface was marble or metal or glass, each one polished and gleaming.
The hostess led us up to a roped off section. A VIP area in a VIP club. I shook my head at the ridiculous lengths people went so they could feel important.
Despite the big and roomy booths, Liam still slid over so he was right against me. But his teasing smirk had me realizing it was his way of putting me at ease, reminding me who I was with. The tension in my chest loosened, and, instead of my normal elbow to his side, I reached over to touch his shoulder, letting him know I understood. And appreciated it.
His playfulness softened into something tender, the grin fading slightly to hold a hint of hope and promise. Anticipation rose within me, a different sort of tension gathering in a much lower place.
“You guys hungry?” Derek interrupted my thoughts.
We both nodded.
“Good, ’cause they have amazing food.”
I hadn’t even noticed the thick menus tucked against the wall until Avery passed them out. The amount of choices was slightly overwhelming.
Liam leaned over. “Should I get one of everything?”
I chuckled. “That’d be enough to feed you for a month.” I quietly scanned the next page. “Do you have any favorites here?”
“Well, there’s always the burger.” He winked, making me laugh again. “For real, though, my favorite thing to do is binge order a bunch of appetizers. Then I don’t have to decide on just one thing.”
“That sounds great.”
“Really?”
I grinned and nodded, slapping my menu closed. Happy to have that decision over with, I turned to Avery. “What are you guys getting?”
“Prime rib, for sure. It comes with garlic mashed potatoes and asparagus, mmm.” She glanced at Derek. “Although I’m sure it’s not as good as Bin’s.”
Derek’s friend, Bin, ran a restaurant called Maria’s, but I hadn’t eaten there yet.
Derek chuckled. “That goes without saying, but it’s still good. I’m getting the Mahi Mahi. Their fish is amazing.”
Our waitress showed up, taking our drinks, whiskey for Derek and Avery, as always. I ordered a mai tai, and Liam surprised me by following suit. Derek nearly choked on his water, then stared at Liam like he’d grown three heads.
“What? I wanna see if they’re as good as the ones Gina makes.”
His knee bumped mine under the table. I nudged him back, then left my thigh pressed against him, savoring the contact. He shifted so our legs aligned all the way to our hips. I wondered if he’d duct tape me to his side if he could. The idea didn’t bother me at all, in fact it spurred my imagination down a path I really didn’t want to explore while surrounded by people.
I reined in my thoughts and blurted out the first thing that came to mind in an effort to distract myself. “Don’t they play music here? Or is that too passé for you rich folk?” The moment the words left my mouth I wondered if they were too much.
Derek just chuckled, used to my snark by now. “It’s still early. But yes, they definitely play music.”
Our drinks came, and the mai tais were perfect. I let Liam order our food, as long as he promised to get the spinach artichoke dip. The four of us chatted, laughing and telling stories in that easy, comfortable way friends did when they’d been together a long time.
“You guys realize it’s been almost a year since the first time we all met?” I met the others’ blank stares, watching their minds race backward, comprehension washing over them. “I can’t believe it.”
Avery leaned her head on Derek’s shoulder, her strawberry blonde hair cascading over his arm like a waterfall. “So much has happened. Like you two.”
I glanced at Liam. “It’s taken a while.”
He winked, squeezing my thigh under the table.
Derek sighed. “And don’t forget Rhonda and Greg.”
“My dad is finally in a good place, with people who take care of him.” Avery beamed. “Do you know he actually remembers me now? I have to wear my hair in a ponytail, but the staff figured out what decade he relates to most and put stuff from that era around his room. He feels comfortable enough to be social, even plays cards with some of the other residents.”
Her eyes held a hint of tears, so I reached over to squeeze her hand. Avery’s dad had Alzheimer’s, and it had been a long battle with her mother to win the rights to his care. I was so grateful she was finally seeing the payout after all that strife.
“I’d read about stuff like this, knew that if I could just find the right place, the right doctors, he’d have a much better life.” She swiped at her cheeks as Derek put his arm around her, kissing the top of her head. “I’m just glad Mother finally let him go.”
“That’s so great, Ave,” I said, meaning every word. “I’m beyond happy for you, and him.”
Our waitress appeared with our food, another man behind her with a second tray. I gave Liam a pointed look, but he just shrugged as she slid plate after plate in front of us.
“It all sounded good.”
Derek’s fish smelled amazing, and Avery’s prime rib made my mouth water. But I was happy having my own mini buffet to share with Liam. He’d ordered spin dip, oven-fried Brussel sprouts, chicken wings, quesadillas, potato wedges wrapped in bacon with a cheese dipping sauce, and fried pickle rounds.
His lips brushed my ear as he whispered, “I guess you’ll have to come over to help me eat it all.”
Oh darn.
Our food was so delicious that conversation halted as we ate. At seven p.m. sharp, the mood changed. The lights flicked from the romantic yellow to an electric blue, and music started. A heavy beat pulsed below, then voices—lots of voices—poured in.
A DJ yelled, “Let’s get this party started!”
The crowd of people streaming in cheered. Our upper balcony overlooked the pulsing mass below, and it unsettled me how abruptly the atmosphere changed from sedate, romantic dinner to chaos. The bar was already five people deep in all directions. All the tables I could see were already full.
Liam bumped me with his elbow. “It’s something, huh?”
“Yeah…something.”
The music left little hope for conversation, so I just people-watched while my friends finished eating. I kept my thigh pressed to Liam’s, reminding myself who I was here with whenever the feeling I didn’t belong crept over me. My mai tai went down way too easy, and I made sure to drink my water while waiting for my next one. I knew once I got on the dance floor I’d be fine.
I loved dancing, especially to club music, the pulsing beat already thrumming through my chest, and I was anxious to see what Liam could do. I’d seen him dance at Derek’s birthday, but that had mostly been country. The thought of him grinding against me with those big hands gripping my hips nearly had me moaning. I turned toward him, only to find him focused on me.
He tipped his head close to mine, his voice on the husky side. “What are you thinking about?”
I kept the fantasy in my mind, letting the desire spill into my voice as my lips parted. “Dancing with you. I hope you can keep up.”
Emerald changed to forest green before Avery’s cheery voice cut in. “Good luck, Liam. She’s a firestorm on the dance floor, all hips and ass.”
I waited for Liam to respond, but he just smirked. I cocked my head, disappointed he didn’t challenge me. “No comment?”
“I know better than to get roped into some sucker bet with you. You’ll just have to wait to see what my moves are.”
His deep voice held a promise that had goosebumps rising all over me. As Derek and Avery finished their food, the waitress came back with another round of drinks.
“I’m stuffed,” Liam declared, leaning back against the booth with a groan. We still had way too much food leftover, but he gave me a delicious grin. “The best thing about appetizers is we can pick at them all night.”
The music switched to an irresistible beat, a song I knew well. My shoulders started moving, my foot tapping even as I mouthed the words.
Avery laughed. “Liam, you better get her out there before she starts dancing on the table.”
“Can’t have her ruining all our leftovers.” Liam slid out of the booth, offering me a hand. “Care to dance?”
I practically bounced to a standing position. Derek and Avery followed us down the stairs to the huge dance floor. I stared in awe at the wide-open ceiling, lined with strings of lights that twinkled like stars.
The front of the bar glowed a bright neon blue, with a fleur de leis design scattered about. The floor itself lit up in multicolored panes that changed with the music. It was a lot, but somehow it added to the atmosphere instead of being too overwhelming. Everything else was muted and understated—the booths, the bar’s backdrop, the high-top tables lining the perimeter.
The area around the DJ used the same pulsing lights as the floor, making it easy to find. When we established our dancing space, Liam quickly caught the rhythm, moving his hips to the beat. His easy confidence had me raising my eyebrows in surprise.
The song I knew ended. I didn’t recognize the next one, but the heavy beat underlined the singer’s sultry voice. As I watched Liam, the familiar jolt of electricity flowed through us, startling me since we weren’t even touching yet. His smile dimmed, replaced with an intensity I felt right to my toes. Everyone else disappeared as we reached for each other.
I gripped his broad shoulder, as much to ground myself as to keep the same rhythm. His opposite hand rested firmly on my hip, pulling me close so I straddled one of his muscular thighs. I inhaled deeply, letting his heady scent fill me completely.
We swayed together, completely in sync. The pulsing beat echoed in our chests, our movements and our grinding. My every nerve was on high alert as desire pulsed low in me. He didn’t take his eyes off mine.
I’d danced with a lot of guys, and most couldn’t handle me, even when doing something as simple as this. They were usually awkward and off beat, or overly cocky to start but unable to do more than a basic shuffle. Liam’s innate rhythm was so hard to find. He not only matched my movements, he added to them, using his shoulders and hands to round out the dance.
I had never been more turned on in my life.
Another song came on, slower, almost a salsa, and I stepped off him, trailing my fingers down his abdomen. The ridges of his six pack rippled beneath his shirt. I teased my way along his hip then danced a circle around him, making sure my breasts brushed his taut back. I wanted to explore every single inch of him.
I felt his groan through my fingertips, unable to hear it over the music. As I came around the front of him, I backed against his torso, and he thrust his hard length against my ass, his fingers digging into my hips. His thumbs hit the bare skin of my back, heat searing directly to my core.
“I’m rock-hard right now,” he growled in my ear, sending another wave of arousal crashing through me.
As if I needed it. I tilted my head up and back so he had a perfect view of my chest, and my lips brushed his cheek. “My panties are completely drenched.”
I ran my fingers through his coarse cropped hair, and he shuddered—though I wasn’t sure if it was from my audacious words or my touch. The song ended. Silence reigned for a few beats as he stared at me.
“Come on.” He grabbed my wrist, pulling me after him.
I followed him through the crowd, not questioning where we were going. It was away from the noise, away from Derek and Avery. Hopefully somewhere we could steal a few minutes together, at least semi-alone.
A set of double doors gave way as he crashed through them onto a balcony behind the club. Lake Michigan sprawled beyond the railing, lit by the sliver of the moon that hung in the inky sky. Shadowy couples blended into the strategically placed columns staggered throughout the space. Liam led me around the side of an empty one, out of view of the doors. With a quick tug of my wrist, he pinned me against the column.
The smooth, cold marble hit my bare back, and I gasped at the change in temperature. His lips crashed into mine, swallowing the sound. I wrapped my legs around him, my hands gripping his shoulders. He was anything but gentle, all the friction between us that had been building for days, weeks—hell, the last year—coming to a head.
His warm hand slid under my shirt and when he groaned, his lips brushed mine. “This thing should be illegal. Held on by two little strings like that.”
“You’re one to talk.” I toyed with the open buttons of his dress shirt. “Such a tease. And those pants. I think I could make out the year on that quarter in your pocket.”
The air between us changed once more. The frantic pace slowed, still intense, but with a weight that settled on my chest as I touched him. He slowly thrust against me before unwrapping my legs and setting me down.
He kissed me again as he caressed my bare abdomen. He slid his fingers along my side, to the bottom of my breast then back again in a slow steady motion. I unbuttoned his shirt, desperately wishing to see the beautiful muscles I could only feel. My hips thrust of their own accord, seeking that friction I craved.
His chuckle rumbled through me. “So greedy.” He kissed me again, sucking on my bottom lip. “So impatient.”
He eased one hand down to cup my ass, giving it a squeeze before continuing to my bare thigh beneath my skirt. He lifted my leg, hooking it over his hip, then gave my other leg a nudge, making my skirt ride up. “Let’s see how wet you really are.”
I wasn’t normally one for public displays, but Liam’s skilled fingers pushing aside my underwear and sinking deep into my needy core quickly made me forget any hesitation. I clung to his shoulders, leaning my head back as I let out a loud moan.
“Oh, Red, you weren’t lying.”
His awe-filled voice brought me back to earth, and I had enough brain capacity to remember how hard he’d said he was. I reached for the front of his pants. He jerked at my touch, a groan escaping him, and I managed to undo his trousers, palming him through his boxers. The heat of his hard length practically burned my hand as he thrust against me.
I spread my legs for him, staring into his dark eyes as we panted for each other. All the pent-up lust and desire rushed between us, the first quivers of release already gripping my core. I held them off, loath for the connection to end.
So I concentrated on him. I maneuvered my fingers through the opening of his boxers, skin meeting skin. His girth had me groaning. He bucked into my hand as his lips formed my name.
But Liam was persistent in his deft ministrations. The rhythm of his skilled fingers and his thumb on my clit made resistance futile. The orgasm crashed through me, ecstatic waves wracking me over and over. Two pumps later, he shuddered in my hand, both of us gasping for breath.
I stared at him as I rode out the aftershocks. I felt unsteady and unsure, the newness of our relationship still so fragile. Was I ready to open myself up again? To be this vulnerable?
I cleared my throat, pushing Liam away and adjusting my skirt. I’d let myself get so carried away. Embarrassment had my cheeks heating, but it couldn’t completely overpower the elation lingering within me. “I should go get cleaned up.”
Liam nodded, fumbling to button his pants and shirt so he was somewhat presentable, then we made our way inside the club.