As I Breathe (One Breath at a Time: Book 2) (24 page)

“
The passion in the air—the spark between us.” He flashed me a devilish grin.

“
Oh dear...passion?” I bit my lower lip.

“
Yes. You look so delish, I want to taste you.” Angelo leaned in closer to me and whispered heavily. His hot cigarette breath swarmed around my neck. “You’re such a gorgeous American woman. Can I—how do American men say it...rock your world tonight?” I gaped at his lack of couth.

“
I don’t think that’s how it’s said.” I blanched, trying to smile.

“
Let us say we dump your friend and go back to my place.” He caressed his fingertips down my forearm. I instinctively jerked back.

“
I could never do that—Nuilley is my lover,” I barked out the lie, followed by what would have been embarrassing laughter if I was sober. Surely, this would turn him away. Naïve thinking on my part. Out of the blue Nuilley returned, hovering over us.

“
You two look cozy.”

“
Ahhh...well, Angelo here just asked me to dump you and go back to his place to feel the passion,” I blurted out, my cheeks flared with heat.

Michelangelo’s broad smile stretched from ear to ear, and he quickly lost the debonair allure that I had been drawn to. “Well, since you two are lovers, how about we make it a ménage trois? You both can come back to my hotel with me if that pleases you.”

“Excusez-moi.” Nuilley snapped her fingers, loudly. “Get the fuck out of here, asshole.” Her face contorted into an evil sneer.

Michelangelo’s eyes shot into hers, and his shit-eating grin quickly evaporated. “Whoa...I didn’t mean to offend you. I thought you two ladies might want to have some fun tonight. My mistake.”

“Yeah, a huge one,” Nuilley hissed, all breathy. “Besides, she is not my lover. And you’re not going to get with either one of us now!” I never had the guts to admit to her that he thought we were lovers because I had told him so.

“
I suppose it’s time for me to go.” He sheepishly stood, making his getaway into the dwindling crowd.

“
Yeah, we don’t want to waste your time,” Nuilley mumbled under her breath. “Fucker!”

“
Gosh, Nuilley, you haven’t changed a bit.” I giggled.

“
He’s a creep,” she belted out in her French accent. “He deserves public humiliation!”

“
Yeah right, let’s stone him to death,” I responded facetiously. Nuilley’s snarl disappeared.

“
Oui.” Her eyes widened with her grin.

“
No, I’m just kidding.” I laughed. “I think it’s time to go before we get into trouble. Besides, it looks like they’re getting ready to close.” The dim lights lifted slightly.

“
Yeah, there’s nothing but leftovers here.” Nuilley scanned the room desperately. “Well, except for him over there.” She pointed towards the bar at a fair-haired man and fanned her face with her hand.

So much for Nuilley reprimanding me for pointing out someone in public. It shouldn’t have surprised me. Nuilley lived her life based on double standards. There was one set of rules for her and another set that she expected others to live up to.

“Forget him. Let’s go,” I ordered politely, feeling a little irritated.

Nuilley breathed, “Wow, he is making me hot. I might get lucky tonight after all.”

“No, Nuilley. Please I’m ready to go home. I think I’m going to be sick. The cigarettes are getting to me.” I grabbed my sweater and bag.

“
Oh damn. Okay, I’m right behind you. Just give me one
petite
second.” When I looked up, Nuilley was gone.

I waited outside by the curb for her. The fresh breeze cancelled out the scent of cigarettes. Laughter, mingling with the sound of sexy French lyrics and background music, poured out into the misty street. I could see through the dusty window of the bar that Nuilley was flirting her ass off with Mr. Hot—exchanging business cards, two-cheek kisses—and finally she was heading in my direction.

When Nuilley reached my side I stammered, “Two seconds longer and I was coming in for you.”

“
Oh darling, I wish I would’ve known that I had more time,” she said, eyeing me provocatively. A slow grin spanned her face as she flashed me a wink. “Because in two seconds, I would have
come
undone.” She breathily exhaled. “That man was mine for the taking.”

“
Oh Nui, let’s go,” I said, tugging at her arm, and she reluctantly followed.

Nuilley always had a sexual innuendo up her sleeve, which made me uncomfortable at times. Her appetite for sex began at a very young age. I think her insatiable hunger for sex helped to curb mine. All of her wild stories about orgies, spankings and one-night stands kind of creeped me out. Not to mention the huge supply of condoms in her nightstand…yuck. But, at least she was keeping it safe.

Nuilley blossomed into a gorgeous woman, tall and lanky with short red croppy-choppy hair—at the moment—the color changed with her moods. She had big blue eyes, high cheekbones and a thin pointed nose. It fit her face perfectly. She was confident, independent and a smart ass. Soooo French. Men would fall at her feet.

I didn’t understand why she didn’t want more than her casual fly-by-night kind of men. She was racking up the one-night stands, one after the other. There was no reason for her reckless behavior. It wasn’t as if she was damaged. She’d had the perfect childhood, short of her parents getting divorced. Well, her father wasn’t around very long but maybe in his case that was a good thing. Her stepfather was a damn good man. Besides, Nuilley had never been dumped by a man, or suffered from a broken heart; on the contrary. And, she aimed to keep it that way too.

I closed my eyes for a brief moment, inhaling as I opened the window of the limo. It was beginning to rain, but I didn’t mind. The soft droplets of rain felt refreshing as it painted my face.

The night air and the city lights streamed by, melting into a blur. I knew that there would be hell to pay in the morning. I expected to suffer from a major hangover. I was certain I would never smoke Galois cigarettes again.

-23-

Muah!

Nuilley shoved me to get my attention. “Don’t worry, I will find you a man in Paris that will love you forever.” She’d offered on many occasions to fix me up with her plethora of guy friends, unsolicited by me of course.

“Thanks. But I don’t need you to do that. When I meet someone I want it to be fate, you know...yet something serendipitous.”

“
Whatever. Suit yourself,” she said flatly, obviously offended that I’d declined her matchmaking services.

“
Nuilley, I’m sorry. I don’t mean any disrespect, and I appreciate all you’ve done for me. It’s just I want to meet someone that when the first time I lay my eyes on him I will know he’s the one.” I waved my hand into the air for effect.

“
Sounds like a fairytale to me,” she negated stiffly. “Real life isn’t like the romance stories you write.”

I shrugged, “Perhaps. But it should be.” I rolled my eyes.

Nuilley let out an exasperated snort. “It’s not going to happen; love at first sight, and all the heart pounding crap is for dreamers. C’mon Brie, wake up and smell the thorns.”
Déjà vu,
her words sounded too familiar.

“
Hey...I am awake,” I snarled and continued, “I don’t really care, Nuilley. Believe what you want, and I let me believe what I want.”

“
Whoa! Lighten up. It’s only a blind date for Christ sakes.”

“
Christ’s sake,” I mumble, correcting her under my breath.

“
What?”

“
Nothing,” I exhaled.

“
Well, I’m not asking you to fall in love with whomever I set you up with. Just have some fun and let your hair down a little.”

“
Forget it. You just said you’d find me a man who will love me forever. Which is it, love forever or just have fun? The two lovers lived in fun ever after.” I teased to make light of the conversation.

“
I don’t know.” She paused. “I’ll take the fun, forget the ever after.”

“
Yeah, I thought so.” I short laughed. “I’ll want the happy ever after, and it’s not going to start with a blind date. They feel so contrived, for both people involved. Besides, if I don’t like him, or he doesn’t like me, but
you
like us for each other; it will feel shitty for everyone if things don’t work out. I don’t know. I just want to meet someone on my own with no added pressure from anyone.” I poked at her upper arm playfully. “Don’t you ever want to be carried away by a force that can’t be touched?” I nudged her again, teasingly.

“
No, and be careful what you wish for. And stop trying to get me to fall for the romantic bullshit. You’ve been doing that for years. It’s not going to happen. Not for me anyway. Falling in love is just a crock of bullshit. It’s just a word people use so they can control each other. So stop.” She whipped her shoulder around, turning away from me and stared out the window, pouting. Nuilley wasn’t a man hater, not at all. She just didn’t want to fall in
love
so she used the word derisively.

I shrugged. “Touchy, touchy. I believe it will happen, at least for me. One day I will be swept off my feet by the perfect man.”

“Fine then, but if you change your mind, let me know. I know some great guys; doctors, lawyers, businessmen...shit! Anyone who’s worth knowing in this city I probably know them already.” She pointed out.

Yes, that’s what I’m afraid of.

“Alright, I’ll meet one of your friends, but only if it’s random. Like at a party, or in passing. I’d go for that. But no matchmaking.”

“
Really? Okay!” The light in her eyes rushed back, coupled with a big smile spreading across her face. “I will have a party next week at my place and invite everyone I know. And you, my princess, will be the guest of honor.” She lunged at me and wrapped her arms around my neck, squealing with joy. “My friends will adore the shit out of you,” she said, releasing a long, airy, victorious sigh.

Another wild idea. No, Nuilley. Why are you so stubborn?

When Nuilley doesn’t get her way, her French accent comes out thick and migrates into speaking strictly French, making it hard for me to keep up. I immediately bought Rosetta Stone after the last time she got her panties twisted in a wad, refusing to translate for me in a group of her French speaking friends. She left me sitting there, smiling and nodding like a dumb ass, having no idea what anyone was saying.

I wasn’t up for that. We’d had such a great night, and I didn’t want to end it on a sour note. I hugged her back, grinned, and half-heartedly relented. I knew she wouldn’t take no for an answer if there wasn’t some sort of compromise on my part, or she would pout for the entire ride home.

“How about we go clubbing next weekend, instead of a party and if we run into one of your amazing friends, then introduce him to me, okay? How’s that?”

“
That’s even better. Great idea,” Nuilley said enthusiastically, a gleam of mischief swarming in her eyes. “I know the perfect guy, Troy Manson.”

She continued on as fought down my inward angst, dreading the thought of being fixed up with someone she’d probably passed on. If he were so perfect, she would have wanted him for herself. Then I reflected on what she said:
I know the perfect guy, Troy Manson
. She didn’t say the perfect guy for
me
. Hmm, I wondered if there was a catch.

It didn’t matter either way; his last name was a deal breaker. For all I knew he could have been a distant relative of Charles Manson. The last time I’d allowed Nuilley to interfere in my love life was with Jordan, and that turned out to be almost lethal. Nonetheless, I knew she meant well.

Nuilley’s high-pitched voiced robbed me from recalling the past. “A friend of mine who works at Play
told me Troy has been showing up there every Friday night since they opened. I haven’t been yet because most of my friends are in serious relationships, married or engaged—except for you”—
thanks for pointing that out
—“I’m dying to go to Play Damn, we should have gone there tonight. What was I thinking! Maybe they’re still open. Driver. Driver, are you there?” Nuilley called out.

“
His name is Collin,” I informed her.

“
Really? How do you know his name?” She reached to tap on the glass partition window, but I grabbed her arm.

“
Not tonight. Please take me home. It’s really late. We can go next weekend.”

“
Fine. I guess you’re right. We’ll look desperate showing up at closing time.”

“
Exactly,” I agreed, adding a soft smile.

“
We’ll catch up with Troy then, okay? He’s so fucking gorgeous. Oh my God, when he lays his eyes on you, it will be love at first sight. You’ll see. He’s everything you have always wanted. He has dark hair, dreamy green eyes, and is sexy tall; he’s got to be 6’ 3”. I can’t wait until you meet him. Plus, he has tons of great looking eligible friends too, who I’m sure will be there hanging out with him, you know, just in case. Troy is...” Nuilley plunged on...her words blurred into a long biography about Troy. Troy did this and Troy does that. Troy, Troy, Troy!