Friday I'm in Love (3 page)

“Very funny, shithead. I’ll grab Aaron and see if he wants to come along.”

19

Mari Carr

“In other words, be your DD,” Ewan said.

“Gotta be some perks to having a best friend who’s a cop and overall do-gooder,”

Riley giggled before heading toward the bar to talk to Aaron.

“Me
tramping it up
is your first lesson on life?”

“We’ll discuss what you learned after we go clubbing. Don’t look so worried, Nat.

This will be fun.”

Fun. Yeah, right.

Because she was
so
good at fun. Not.

20

Friday I’m in Love

Natalie grinned at something Riley said, responding in a voice too quiet for Ewan to hear, but Riley seemed to appreciate the comment as the two women burst into peals of laughter. It had been this way all night, starting with the ladies’ hour-long makeup session in the bathroom.

He was glad to see Natalie relaxing, letting herself go. They’d gone out for a very late dinner before embarking on what Riley called her Saturday Night Special. His sister certainly knew how to have a good time. She’d regaled them with her over-the-top stories most of the evening and Ewan enjoyed seeing the constant smile on Nat’s face.

Natalie pulled a small camera from her purse and started to take a picture, but Ewan confiscated it quickly. “You’re off-duty. Remember?” He pocketed the camera, pleased when she merely rolled her eyes good-naturedly.

“You’re in charge,” she said.

He gazed at her, checking her out yet again and trying not to leer. He’d always considered himself a fan of natural beauty, but a tiny part of him found the “tramped-up” version of Natalie Miller hotter than hell. Her blonde hair, usually tied back in a tight ponytail, was hanging loose and messy in an I-just-had-sex way. Reminded him of the pin-up girls from the dirty magazines he’d hidden under his mattress in middle school. Riley had done something magical to Nat’s light blue eyes, lining them with black and covering the lids with a smoky gray color that made her look like one of those eighties models who lounged on the hood of a car while Whitesnake belted out tunes.

Natalie pushed her hair back as she and Riley talked and he was treated to a non-obstructed view of her breasts once again. She was in a sequined tank top and Riley had loaned her a barely there leather skirt that Ewan could
barely
keep his eyes off. She was 21

Mari Carr

fucking gorgeous and his cock had been locked in mortal combat with his jeans since they’d left the apartment via the fire escape. He wasn’t entirely sure the denim was going to be strong enough to cage the monster for much longer.

This was their third club and a quick glance at his watch confirmed it was nearly two in the morning. His sister sure as hell knew her way around the nightclub scene.

He was sure that would bug the shit out of him tomorrow when he
wasn’t
well on his way to being three sheets to the wind.

He felt another elbow in his back as a drunk stumbled into his chair.

Aaron sent him a sympathetic look. “It’s really crowded tonight.”

“I didn’t realize this many people lived in Baltimore,” Ewan joked, although it did feel as if the entire population of the city was crammed within the four walls of the dingy club.

Aaron chuckled. “I’m a cop. Trust me. This isn’t even one percent of the drunken lunatics who live around here.”

“Okay, everybody ready?” Riley yelled, fighting to be heard over the ear-piercing music. Aaron gestured at Riley with his hand and Ewan laughed. Drunken lunatic was probably an apt description of his pixie of a sister. She passed around limes as she spoke and Ewan marveled that she willingly subjected herself to this torture every Saturday night—all in the name of fun.

“One, two, three!” At Riley’s prompt, he licked the salt off his hand, drained the shot of tequila and popped the lime in his mouth. He grinned as Natalie winced.

“Fuck that burns.” She wiped her mouth off with the back of her hand and shook her head, looking at him. “Tell me again why we’re here?”

He had to fight back the grin at her monotone question. He wasn’t quite sure why he got such a kick out of her sarcastic wit, but one of the reasons he enjoyed her company so much was simply because she made him laugh.

22

Friday I’m in Love

“We’re here to have fun.” He had to practically shout in her ear to make sure she could hear him.

“Ah. Be sure to let me know when that fun shit starts. Okay?”

He laughed. “Liar. You’re having fun and you know it.”

She shrugged noncommittally but her eyes, as always, told him the truth.

“Another round.” Riley placed yet another lime in front of everyone except Aaron—who, as designated driver, was sipping on a Coke. Ewan wondered where his tiny sister was putting it all. This was their fourth shot each since arriving at this particular club. At the others, they’d merely consumed a couple beers each. “Laying a base,” as Riley called it. Ewan had a feeling this wasn’t going to end well. He never drank this much.

At the last minute he remembered the camera and handed it to Aaron, who took it as Riley waved the waitress over to set them up with another round of tequila.

“Last one, Riley,” Aaron said. Riley rolled her eyes, but Ewan suspected that of everyone at the table, Aaron was the only person she’d actually listen to.

They went through the ritual one more time, each of them slamming their glasses down as Aaron snapped a picture.

Natalie looked at Ewan, blinking rapidly. “Should I be worried that I can’t feel my lips anymore?”

Ewan grinned. “They’re still there. Want me to try to kiss some feeling back into them?”

Natalie started to lean forward and Ewan felt like pumping a fist in the air in victory.

“Oh my God!” Riley shouted. “I love this song. Let’s go dance.” His sister grabbed Natalie before he could make good on his offer and Ewan sighed.

Aaron patted him on the back sympathetically. “Welcome to my weekends.”

23

Mari Carr

“How do you do this week in and week out?” Ewan was suddenly eyeing Riley’s friend with a newfound respect.

Aaron shrugged. “I’ve done this so often with Riley, I’m starting to think it’s normal, and God help me, even a little bit fun.”

Ewan shook his head. “That’s not good. You know that’s not good, right?”

“Come on.” Aaron pointed toward the dance floor. “You better go stake your claim.

A woman as pretty as Natalie won’t be alone for three seconds out on that dance floor before the wolves descend.”

Even as Aaron spoke the words, Ewan could see two men moving closer, attempting to bump and grind their way into Riley and Natalie’s dance space.

He pushed his way through the throng of dancers, taking Natalie’s hand and pulling her away from the man whose hand had somehow managed to snake its way under the hem of her shirt, creeping ever steadily north. He narrowed his eyes when the man looked ready to protest that he’d robbed him of his new toy.

“Fuck off,” Ewan mouthed. The man took his measure and then raised his hands in surrender, turning to thrust his hips against the woman behind him. Jesus. This place was meat market central. He was starting to wonder how he could get all of them out in one piece. The dimly lit dance floor was packed with sweaty, gyrating bodies all moving in time to the powerful bass thumping through the speakers only a few feet away from him. How much hearing loss was he going to suffer for this night?

Aaron quickly claimed Riley, pulling her farther into the horde. Natalie moved closer and Ewan saw she was relieved by his presence. He didn’t bother to speak. No matter how loudly he yelled, the sound would only be consumed by the earsplitting music. He pulled her toward him, letting the music dictate his movements. The two of them swayed in time and he tried to calm his body’s reaction when her hands wrapped around his waist, her hips lightly rasping his cock every few seconds.

24

Friday I’m in Love

Natalie seemed enraptured, lost in the music and the moment, and he fought back a groan when she turned around, pressing her ass against his dick and rubbing seductively in time to the beat.

“Fuck,” he muttered, aware she couldn’t hear his curse. There was no way she wouldn’t be able to feel his hard-on through his jeans. Of course, given the amount of alcohol she’d consumed, he wondered if she minded. Her inhibitions were low, her resistance shot down by the tequila.

If he were a gentleman, he’d take her back to the table. Hell, he’d take her back to the apartment and tuck her into bed…alone. Instead, he grasped her waist and pulled her more firmly against him.

He wasn’t a gentleman—and she felt too damn good.

Her hands drifted back, rubbing sensuously along his upper thighs, and he wrapped her tighter in his grip, letting his hands explore the tiny exposed bit of skin beneath her shirt, the same skin he’d just deprived the other guy of.

They continued to let the music take them away and Ewan felt for a moment as if he was having an out-of-body experience. The loud, thumping music matched the pulsating, relentless pumping of blood through his body. Natalie’s hands as they caressed him seemed to leave a trail of fire wherever they touched, singeing him and driving him to heights he’d never imagined. She turned slowly in his arms and he felt as if her movements were in slow motion as the flashing, colored lights set the scene around them…the other dancers hazy, unreal. It was as if they were the only two people adrift in a sea of sound, touch, heat, light.

Natalie moved closer and he marveled that she could manage such a feat. He would have sworn they were already linked at every pleasurable point. Her stomach pressed against his cock while her hands traveled to his shoulders. He leaned down until their faces were connected—her soft cheek against his rough one, her hot breath tickling his ear. He turned slightly to kiss her flushed face—and she turned at the same time.

Their lips met.

25

Mari Carr

He hadn’t intended to kiss her, but Natalie affected him like season tickets to the Ravens affected his pop. He was helpless to resist.

Guided by the pure animal instincts she instilled within him, Ewan kissed her, their tongues tangling, and he tasted the same bitter tang of tequila that laced his own mouth. He moved his hands from her waist to her ass, pulling her ever closer, grinding against her swaying hips, and he felt her sigh against his lips.

Her fingers gripped his hair, tightening, holding his face to hers, their lips locked together. He could stay frozen in this moment and never leave, loving her soft sighs, her sensuous motions, her tantalizing touches. She was sex in heels and he wanted to eat her alive, soak up every glimmer of the beautiful radiance that shone from her face.

The moment was quickly ruined when a drunk girl fell down next to them, her drink splashing against their legs. While he barely felt it through his jeans, he saw Natalie shiver with the sudden cold drenching.

“Fuck,” she mouthed as her eyes darted around the bar, panic written on her face.

“Outside.”

She went pale and he understood her distress, moving quickly to pull her off the dance floor and making a beeline for the first door he saw. They ended up in a back alley and Natalie quickly dashed to a Dumpster, bending over and gasping for air. He knew she was trying to stave off sickness.

“Might be better if you just let it out.”

“Oh God, hate getting sick. Can’t get sick. Can’t get sick,” she muttered, sucking in deep breaths, her words sounding like a mantra.

Dammit. She was drunk and he’d been an asshole, mauling her on the dance floor.

“Natalie.” He took a step closer, but she waved him away.

“Please go away. I don’t want you to see me like this.”

He looked around. They were in a deserted alley behind a nightclub in the middle of the night. He wasn’t going anywhere. Her pride be damned.

26

Friday I’m in Love

Trying to set her at ease, he stepped beside her. “I’m one of seven kids, Nat. Flu bugs were deadly when they hit our house. Little vomit’s not gonna bother me.”

She expelled a long breath and straightened up, leaning against the wall of the club.

“I think I’m okay now. It was just the heat in there. It sort of got to me.”

Sure, it was the heat. Had nothing to do with the tequila shots. He grinned and she scowled.

“How did I let you talk me into this? I’m too old for this shit.”

“No, you’re not.”

Aaron appeared at the door. “Everything okay out here? I saw you guys leave, thought I’d better check on you.”

“Natalie got a little overheated. Actually, I think maybe we should take off.”

Aaron looked over his shoulder, back at the dance floor, and Ewan could read the concern on his face.

“I know Riley’s not ready to leave. Why don’t you stay with her and we’ll catch a cab back to the pub?” Ewan suggested.

Aaron was obviously relieved. “Riley’d pitch a fit if we left now. It’s still early.”

Ewan rolled his eyes. Aaron really
had
spent too long with his sister if he thought two thirty was early. “Tell Riley I’m sorry we couldn’t hang.” He punctuated the word

hang
with air quotes and Aaron chuckled.

“No worries. I think she’s surprised the two of you lasted this long. I’ll get her home in one piece,” Aaron promised.

“I know you will. Thanks, man. Tonight was fun.” As he spoke the words, he realized they were true. Riley’s life-of-the-party personality and Aaron’s easygoing nature made them great companions and Ewan was suddenly sorry he hadn’t taken them up on more of their offers to join them. He did tend to be a bit of a homebody. Or a fuddy-duddy, as Riley called him.

“Later.” Aaron grinned before heading back inside.

27

Mari Carr

“You think you can make it to the front curb, Nat? I’m gonna wave down a cab.”

Natalie had listened to his conversation with Aaron silently. He could see her bout of nausea had disappeared and while she was clearly tipsy, she seemed steadier. Maybe it
had
been the heat.