Chapter 2 #2
My father is no different. “Partying is fine for young men, son, but there comes a time when you need to put the partying aside and think about a future, finding a wife, and settling down. You’re at the age now where that’s becoming a reality if you want children while you’re still young.”
I love my parents. They’re supportive and encouraging.
My father, a retired surgeon, and my mother, a historical writer, reside in Florida.
My sister, Olivia, is following in our mother’s footsteps.
She’s two years older than me and has her own publishing company in New York.
She’s married to a journalist, but they’ve been unsuccessful in the children department, even with the help of a fertility specialist. With both of us getting older, my parents have turned to pestering us for grandchildren.
“Dude, where have you been? Nikki is pissed you ditched her,” Tyler asks as I return to our spot on the beach.
“I went for a swim. I invited her to join me, but she was too worried about her hair.” I shake the water from my own hair as I reach for a towel and begin to dry my face.
“Well, you might be flying solo tonight, buddy, and I’m not sharing mine.” Chase grins.
I wrap the towel around my shoulders and start walking toward the house. “That’s because she would drop your ass after having me.”
“Oooo, burn,” Noah teases.
“Screw you, man!” Chase shouts with a smirk as he throws a bottle cap at my head.
A few hours later, the girls have returned after showering and changing for the evening.
They are dressed for the club with short, tight dresses, ridiculously high heels, and way too much makeup for my liking.
I’m sitting on the couch talking to Noah with a beer in my hand when Nikki walks over and slips onto my lap.
She leans into me, her red fingernail tracing a line down my throat. My hand instinctively runs up her back.
“Did you miss me?” she whispers against my ear.
“I wasn’t sure you’d be coming back,” I say.
She pushes her full bottom lip forward as she continues to trace her nail down my chest. “Of course, I’d come back.
” Her voice is low and sexy, and I can’t deny it makes my dick wake up.
“I just wanted to make you sweat a little.” She yelps and giggles when I slap her ass then pick her up as I stand.
Putting her on her feet, I walk to the counter and grab the keys to my Range Rover. “Let’s get this party started.”
The music pulses through the club, sending vibrations to my very core.
Lights sweep across the sea of faces as people jump and dance to the beat.
These places are always packed with locals and vacationers alike.
As usual, we spring for the VIP section, which costs a cold grand for a bottle of vodka and a private seating area.
It is the only way to get room to actually breathe; otherwise, we would be sandwiched in with the rest of the crowd.
We’ve only been here for three hours, but the girls are already smashed to the point of kissing each other and acting like exotic dancers as they grind against one another. I’m trying to enjoy myself.
“Hey, Aaden, you should get me another drink,” Nikki slurs as she staggers over and plops herself onto my lap. I grab her to keep her from falling on the floor.
“I think you’ve had enough.”
“Boo, you’re a party pooper,” she whines.
I study her. Why am I with her? Her makeup is smeared under her eyes, and she’s walking around barefoot.
Her hair is sticking to her sweaty face, and she smells like a mixture of alcohol and cigarettes.
My parents are right. It’s time to put the partying aside and start getting serious about my life.
“I think it’s time we get you home,” I say, trying to help her stand.
She smiles and stumbles toward me, licking her lips seductively. “Oh yes, you can take me home anytime, baby.”
I bend down to pick up her shoes while trying to keep ahold of her arm. “I think it’s best if I take you back to your place.”
“Excuse me?” she snaps. “What? I’m not good enough for you, Mr. Hot Stuff?” She yanks her arm away and knocks over the bottle of vodka as she stumbles into the table.
“What the hell?” Tyler yells.
Noah grabs the bottle and stands it back up, attempting to save what’s left of the expensive liquor. “That’s a six-hundred-dollar bottle of Grey Goose, Nik.”
“His fault!” she snarls as she shoves my chest and falls back onto the couch.
I stare down at her as she struggles to sit forward. Seriously, Aaden? This is what you want for your life?
“He’s being an asshole.” She points at me.
I’ve had enough. I drop her shoes and throw my hands up in defeat. “I’m out.” Without a goodbye to my friends, I turn and walk away.
“Aaden?” Noah calls after me. I ignore him and leave the club.
An hour later, I’m sitting alone on the patio of my beach house.
My fifth Jack and Coke is sliding down my throat way too easily.
I’ve left buzzed behind and am straight-up drunk now.
I swirl the dark liquor in my glass as I sit in the quiet, staring at the flames dancing in the firepit.
This is what I should be doing when I come here.
Relaxing, not partying like I’m still in a fraternity at college.
Leah’s face intrudes into my thoughts, and I can’t for the life of me understand why.
I picture her lying on the chair beside me in a long flowing dress while she reads a book and I cook burgers on the grill.
I press my thumb and finger into my eyes, trying to get rid of the image.
“There you are, you jackass.” Chase laughs as he plops down in the lounge chair beside me. “You know you ruined the night for all of us after you left. The girls were so busy comforting poor Nikki, they didn’t want to leave her alone.”
I sway in my chair as I look up at my friend. “You guys have no game without me, huh?”
“Damn, you’re fucking wasted.”
Noah leans down, getting right in my face, and purposely sways back and forth. “How many of me can you see?”
I shove him away, flipping him my middle finger with a laugh.
We should have called it a night, but instead, we sit around the fire pit for a few more hours, drinking and talking about business and women as we get drunker by the hour.
I can barely keep my eyes open, let alone keep up with the conversation.
I flop back onto the lounge chair with a groan. Everything is spinning.
“As fun as all this is, I’m starting to get bored,” Tyler says, his voice rough in his drunken state. “I mean, we do the same shit month after month. It’s getting tiring.”
“What do you suggest, oh wise one?” Noah asks.
Different ideas get thrown around, from joining a nudist colony to making a random game out of trying to buy one grape from a grocery store, all stupid ideas that aren’t meant to be anything more than a joke.
“I got it,” I slur as I struggle to sit up.
“Oh hell, another country heard from.” Noah chuckles.
“We should hook up with one of our employees.” I laugh as I practically fall out of my chair.
“Christ.” Tyler snickers as he attempts to catch me.
Chase sits up, smiling and rubbing his hands together. “Dude, that’s actually a great idea. But what about picking one girl and making it a bet?”
Tyler cocks a brow, his curiosity piqued. “What kind of bet?”
“A bet to see who can fuck her first,” Chase says.
“I don’t know, man,” Noah mumbles. “Sounds kinda shady. Besides, how would we pick the girl?”
Chase thinks for a moment, “How about an intern from one of our companies? That way, when she’s completed her time, we don’t have to keep her around.”
“I don’t have any interns,” Noah says.
“I have an intern,” I say a little too loudly.
Chase’s face lights up. “Alright, we’ll pick one from Aaden’s company.
“Pick what?” I ask.
“An intern, man, focus.” Tyler laughs.
“Oh man, there is this new girl, Leah,” I groan. “She is so fucking hot.”
“Perfect. She’s our girl then.” Chase grins.
“Hold up. What’s the bet?” Noah asks.
“How about twenty-five grand? Each.” Chase asks, looking from Noah to Tyler.
Noah sucks in through his teeth. “Ouch.”
“Hey, we have to make it worth it, right?” Chase presses. “Who’s in?”
“I’m in.” Tyler nods.
“I’m not crazy about this, but I guess I’m in, too,” Noah says.
“Bro, you in?” Chase asks as he hits my foot.
I snort, waking myself up, then groan when my head spins. I have no idea what he asked me, but I answer anyway, “I’m in.”
Tyler slaps his hands together and smiles. “Alright, we have a bet.”
“A few things,” Chase says. “After tonight, we don’t discuss this. We can’t let this get out. You know what I mean?”
Noah and Tyler nod.
“Second,” Chase continues, “The game begins as soon as we get back home, and there needs to be proof if you make a claim of winning. Agreed?”
***
The next few days go by, each one a replica of the rest. By the weekend, I’m frustrated and ready to get back to business—back to my company, my dog, and my new intern.
The more I tried to keep my brain occupied, the more I found myself thinking of her.
After days of trying to figure out why I can’t get her out of my head, I decide that maybe I should get to know her.
To see if the spark from our first meeting is still there or if it was a weird coincidence.
Either way, I need to know. This is just torture.
Nikki avoided me for a few days after the club incident, but she eventually came back.
She always does. At first, she didn’t talk to me, choosing instead to hang all over Chase and Tyler.
If she thought it made me jealous, she was wrong.
Now she’s back, hanging on my arm and acting like she’s my prize once again.
I’m keeping her at arm’s length. With my intention to pursue Leah now a reality, it’s time to start putting distance between Nik and me.
Ten minutes was all it took to become obsessed with my red-haired beauty.
There’s something there, and I’m more than ready to find out what.