Chapter 2 Tyler
There’s no shortage of places to dance and party at in Las Vegas, but I still do my due diligence and find us the perfect club.
Strobe lights flicker across the dance floor where there’s a crowd of people swaying and stepping to the upbeat electronic music the DJ is playing.
I lead Cassidy through the scattered groups of people who are drinking and chatting off the dance floor, my hand resting on her lower back.
I can’t believe that me and the guys are here with her right now. So much time has passed since we last saw her, and it’s unmistakable how much she has grown up and changed.
She has a whole freelancing career. She’s all dolled up in this incredible dress instead of the leggings and large t-shirts that she used to wear. She looks…incredible.
But not everything has changed.
She still looks the same when she’s upset. There’s always a crease between her brows when she frowns, and her shoulders sink like the weight of the world is on them.
I used to do all sorts of crazy things to make her laugh when we were younger. I’m willing to pull out some of those tricks even now if it makes her feel better.
“Vodka cranberry, right?” I ask her once we squeeze our way between some people to claim a spot at the busy bar.
Cassidy nods. “How’d you know?”
“I saw your drink at the other bar,” I tell her before flagging down one of the bartenders.
“He’s a club promoter,” Marcus explains to her. “He can probably look at everyone’s drinks on this bar and tell what it is.”
“I’m the CEO of a nightlife marketing company too,” I say.
“Impressive,” Cassidy replies with an intrigued look. “I remember when you were all just a bunch of troublemakers.”
“That hasn’t changed for some of us,” Jackson says, flashing me a smirk.
I let out a laugh. “Some of us like to have a little fun, captain.”
“Not everyone can spend their time saving lives like you,” Marcus adds, the air lightening with playfulness and humor.
“You’d be right,” Jackson replies with a coy expression.
Marcus and I playfully roll our eyes at him.
Once everyone gets their drinks, I rest my back against the bar next to Cassidy as we huddle together in our own little spot. “Cassidy Monroe. You’ve grown up a lot.”
Technically, we all grew up together. We’re not that far apart in age, but she has always been Ryan’s little sister.
I can’t take my eyes off her, though. Her auburn hair tumbles down her back in waves, and her thin-strapped dress hugs every curve of her body. Freckles dot her cheeks under those gorgeous green eyes of hers.
I always thought she was pretty, but she’s stunning now.
“I don’t feel that way sometimes,” she admits as she swirls her thin straw around in her glass. “Part of me feels like that aimless teenager who has no idea what she’s doing.”
I lean my shoulder against hers, able to smell her vanilla-scented perfume. “Well, it’s no fun knowing everything.”
“You don’t have to know everything,” Jackson tells her. “Nothing goes as planned anyway.”
“Sometimes that’s for the best,” Marcus adds.
Cassidy laughs a little. “I guess I can say that for my last relationship.”
She may smile and laugh, but I can hear the hitch of pain in her voice. Derek did a number on her, and he was just boasting to the others about how much of a bombshell his new girlfriend is.
What a jackass.
Marcus’ face softens. “What happened?”
“I’m curious about that too,” Jackson speaks up before knocking back a sip of whiskey.
Cassidy hesitates, but she bends under the pressure of our awaiting stares. We can help her more if she talks. “We were going to get married soon, but he called everything off. He said…”
Jackson frowns when she stops talking and drinks instead. “Said what?”
Cassidy sighs, staring down into her glass.
“He didn’t think he would have the life he wanted if he settled down with me.
He thought I wouldn’t be able to continue supporting myself with my freelance work, which would negatively affect him and his plans for the future. He thought I would be a liability.”
“What an ass,” I scoff as Jackson clenches his jaw and shakes his head. If he grips his glass any tighter, it’ll shatter.
“Ryan said you’ve been doing well with your work,” Marcus replies, gravitating closer to her other side.
“I am. A lot of businesses need graphic design work done, but he didn’t like the instability of freelance work.
Some months are slower than others, but I always save enough from the really lucrative months to ride through the slow ones.
I have a system,” Cassidy explains, the words rushing out of her.
“He’s selfish. You didn’t do anything wrong,” I assure her, not wanting her to feel like she has to scramble to defend herself.
It’s not like any of us love Derek.
“He is selfish,” Jackson grumbles. “I don’t know why Ryan picked him over any of us to be his best man.”
Cassidy glances between us. “I was kind of wondering that too. I know they grew really close during college when he moved away from you guys, but didn’t you all keep in contact?”
Marcus nods. “We did. Somewhat. Life got really busy for all of us. Ryan and Derek live in the same city too.”
“Still,” Jackson says. “All Derek knows how to do as a best man is shove drinks in Ryan’s hand and talk about himself. I’ve heard more about Derek’s new girlfriend than the bride.”
“He moved on fast, didn’t he?” Cassidy mutters with a plastic smile.
Okay, things are getting a little too serious and depressing. We came here to have fun, and I’m going to make sure that happens.
“You and I are moving to the dance floor,” I say as I place our drinks on the bar before taking her hand.
Her eyes widen. “You want to dance? With me?”
I lead her away from Jackson and Marcus, slipping into the crowd of writhing bodies as the bass pounds in my ears. “No one else, sweetheart!”
Cassidy stiffly shuffles in front of me once we find an open spot to dance. “I suck at dancing!”
Her voice just barely rises over the volume of the song.
“This isn’t a dance competition!” I remind her before taking her hands and encouraging her to twist her body. Once she follows my lead, I give her a playful twirl before pulling her close to me by her waist.
Cassidy grabs my shoulders to steady herself, eyes wide and cheeks flushed. Her hands remain on my shoulders as I move to the music, following my motions. Eventually, her body starts to react to the beat.
She sways with me, her hands sliding along my shoulders and up the back of my neck. Her eyes flutter shut as she lets go, tension fading from her muscles.
I smile as I keep my hands on her waist and lower back, helping her stick with the rhythm. It doesn’t take long for her to take over, her head tilting back as a smile forms on her lips.
“There you go,” I say, coaxing her closer to me.
I can’t take my eyes off her. She thinks that she’s a bad dancer, but she’s entrancing. Everything pops out at me.
The slope of her throat. The rise and fall of her chest as she breathes with me. The sway of her hips.
Holy shit. We have all grown up.
My forehead lowers to hers as my hand slides up her back to rest on her nape under her hair. Our faces hover inches apart to the point where I can feel her breath brush my lips.
We’re so close. So in sync.
I tilt my head down a little, my eyes falling to her slightly parted lips. They glisten from the pink lip gloss she has on.
Does she taste as sweet as she smells?
The song’s last few notes echo throughout the club, the bass shaking my chest with every thump. Our movements slow down until we’re just standing there, foreheads together and arms around the other.
Kissing her would be as easy as taking my next breath.
“Delivery!”
Cassidy breaks away from me as Marcus and Jackson approach with all of our drinks. She tucks her hair behind her ear and takes her drink from Marcus, looking beautifully flushed. “Perfect timing.”
Maybe they could’ve waited just a few more seconds.