New Year's Kiss (One Night in New York) (2 page)

Melissa removed one arm from Haylee, keeping the other over her shoulders.  “Lee, this is Kyle.”  And, with that, Melissa pushed Haylee forward towards Kyle.

“Hi.”  Was that her voice?  What the heck was going on?  She cleared her dry throat and tried again.  “Nice to meet you, Kyle.”  She extended a hand and his large, warm one enveloped hers.  A chill ran through her body.

“Nice to meet you, Haylee.”  Crinkles formed at the corners of his green sparkling eyes.

Haylee stared in to his eyes, noticing flecks of gold and brown.  Such an interesting color that she’d never quite seen before.  She felt warm from head to toe and her gaze didn’t stray from his until someone cleared their throat.  She snapped out of her trance and slowly pulled her hand away.  His grip barely loosened as she did, and Haylee couldn’t help but wonder if he liked her touch as much as she liked his.

“Lee, come sit with us.”  Krista was there, once again trying to get her friend to focus back on reality.  It was astonishing how easily she slipped into a dream-like trance over this guy. A guy who she’d only just met.  A guy that had said exactly five words to her and had only briefly held her hand.  Hell, even the pictures of the guy had her dumb-struck, but the real-life, warm-blooded, breathing specimen in front of her.  Whoa, she was at it again.  Haylee shook her head and tried to focus on the conversation around her.

“Do you want to hit Times Square or just go straight to the bars this year?”  Mack rubbed his hand over his goatee.

Haylee couldn’t help but laugh.  Mack was shy, but once you got a few shots in him, he was an animal.  He was her favorite dance partner and they often danced a little more dirty than was considered “friendly.”  She felt safe with him though, and when it looked like he was attracting the females, she knew it was time to leave him to “play.”  Tonight, however, she decided that dancing with Mack may keep away any potential partners for the night and if she was honest with herself, she really wanted to dance with Kyle.

Melissa, Cara and Krista began arguing with Mack and Niall about whether or not going to Times Square was worth the hassle.  The area was packed every year and if you didn’t get there first thing in the morning, you got nowhere near the cameras or celebrities who came out.  It being a Saturday, it was unlikely their group would get very close.  Mack made a point that Haylee agreed with; it would be easier to see the ball drop on a TV screen in a bar.

They voted and it was unanimous. No
Times Square.  Then, the discussion turned to the usual topics.  Who had brought the condoms, what sizes and if there were any flavored ones.  Niall, as usual, was the Trojan king and had a family value pack tucked in his jacket.  He pointed in an exaggerated head count, and then passed two of each to everyone except Melissa.  She elbowed her husband and he blushed. 

Haylee watched her friends interact with one another, bantering back and forth with jokes about prowess and previous New Year’s Eve encounters.  She stayed quiet and kept glancing at Kyle.  The shots of Jager had kicked in awhile back and she was feeling warm and fuzzy all over.  Maybe it was the comfort of her closest friends acting like they had in high school, where they had taken her under their “wings” and made her family.  Or, maybe it was the fact that she kept catching Kyle looking at her.  Whatever it was, she didn’t want to lose the feeling.  She loved it.

When they reached Penn Station, the group was sandwiched between all of the other revelers heading to the festivities.  Haylee felt something brush against her hip and she glanced over, a rude comment ready on her lips.  Kyle had been pushed up against her and his groin was rubbing her hip.  She stared at where their bodies joined and the images of him rubbing himself up against her, naked, in the heat of passion suddenly infused her brain.  Her heart raced, breaths quickened and her hand reached out to his chest without conscious effort. 

Kyle brought his own hand over hears and slid it lower, placing it over his beating heart.  Haylee felt every thump through his button-down shirt.  His warm skin seared her fingertips and the pace of his heart thudded in time with her own, matching the throbbing between her legs.  She squirmed, rubbing her thighs together, hoping to make the sensation subside; instead it only became worse, more demanding.

Without realizing it, Haylee had moved herself even closer to Kyle.  All the sounds around her were muted out and the bitter cold of the night had been replaced with his warm presence.  Electricity crackled in the air around them; the heat coming off their bodies caused shivers to run from her head to toes.  Haylee closed her eyes and focused on deep breathing.  She inhaled and exhaled just as she had learned through her exercise classes, trying to bring her heart rate down.  At first, all she could focus on was Kyle’s masculine scent, his warm skin, his bulge pressed against her hip.  After a few deep breaths, Haylee felt it all return.  The noises of the train station, the chill of the night air, the smooth skin covering her shaking hand, the soft texture of his shirt, and the hard planes of his chest.

As everything and everyone begin to filter back into her altered senses, she heard Krista calling for her from a distance.  Slowly, Haylee opened her eyes and let it all wash over her.  She couldn’t bring herself to look up at Kyle, so she took a step back and pulled her hand away from him.  Inhaling a few more deep breaths, she steadied her wobbling legs and turned towards the sound of Krista’s voice.  Haylee realized that she had to get away from Kyle.  When the train ride had begun, she’d thought she could handle a night of debauchery, but the way he made her whole body tremble…she was in over her head.  Not even in high school had she felt such a strong pull to a guy before.  In high school, her hormones had run rampant and she walked around in a constant state of angst.  But, this…him…too much. 

She handed her overnight bag to Mack, who had secured them a storage locker at Penn Station.  Apparently he had a friend there, who had saved one for him.  Well, that and a generous hundred-dollar tip secured the locker.  After he tossed her bag in, he shut the door and nodded at his friend.  She’d never had to use a locker before, only carrying on her what she’d need for the night.  She wondered how she’d get to her stuff if they got separated overnight. 

“You’re getting first round!”  Jake hip bumped her as he walked between Haylee and his wife, Melissa.  He slung his arm around her shoulder and with both women in his grasp, he pulled them ahead of the rest of the group.  Laughter permeated the air as they made their way to a tavern on 44
th
street.  Most of the people around them veered off towards Times Square, but Jake steered them past ritzy hotels and on to a pub called Jimmy’s Corner.  The music thumped and the crowd was heavy, people pressed up against the door.

Haylee grinned.  Yep, this was a place where she could let loose and meet some fun guys.  Pushing their way through the crowd, the group of friends headed towards the bar.  A bench opened up and Krista pulled Haylee towards it.  The guys came over with shots and a pitcher of beer, excited because they’d be getting free chicken wings too.  Haylee looked around the small pub. 

Bodies filled every corner, some on stools and even more standing close by.  There were a few other benches fully occupied and a couple of small tables around the support beams.  She spotted what looked like the edge of a pool table, a couple skeeball games and even an arcade game tucked away from the crowd.  She mused at the idea of coming all the way to NYC to play a video game.  This was the kind of place you’d go to as a local, after a hard day at work.  A dimly-lit dive-style bar that makes you feel like you can kick back and relax.

“Did you see the wall of beer?”  Mack was definitely warming up.  “It’s like, huge, man.”

“Good thing we already know our favorite or we’d have been standing there for an hour.”
Logan laughed.

Haylee smiled at her boys.  These guys, once they got warmed up, quickly became the life of the party and could make her laugh all night long.

“Check out that outfit!”  Logan pointed across the room at a skinny guy wearing an enormous red, white and blue hat.  “That’d fit at least three or four people in it.”

“What you think he’s got under that kilt?”  Krista giggled.  Haylee looked down and sure enough, Mr. Hat was wearing a kilt.  It clashed horribly with his headgear, not to mention the fact that what little bit of leg she could see was way too thin.

“Maybe you can ask him.” Melissa pointed to another kilt wearing skinny guy.  They all let out a moan when the two guys started kissing. 

“Geez, get a room guys,” Logan muttered.

“Please.”  Mack added.

“I think it’s hot,” Cara was rocking on the bench as she watched the two kilted men fondle one another.  “Wonder if they’d like a little company.”

Kyle choked and beer flew out of his mouth.  Haylee covered her face, counted to ten in her head and then swallowed the gulp of beer that was stuck in her mouth.  She glanced over at Kyle, who looked embarrassed, his face a bright red and tears glittering in his eyes.  He smiled and Haylee felt her stomach flip.  He had a sexy smile.  She adored it. 

“What’s the matter, Kyle?  Not used to Cara yet?”  Jake laughed as he pounded Kyle on the back.  “She’s a naughty girl, you gotta watch out for her.”  The group all shifted their eyes and watched as Cara sauntered over to the kilt-wearing couple. 

Haylee couldn’t help but watch Kyle’s reaction as he watched Cara with the guys.  Haylee had gotten quite used to Cara’s kinky ways over the years; something that blossomed while Cara was off at college.  Haylee knew the show was going to get more interesting, and she felt bad for Kyle, so she explained, “Cara is way into all kinds of kink.  Even if those guys have no interest in her or a threesome, she’ll simply do her own thing while she watches them go at it.”

And, there it was.  The reaction everyone had when Cara claimed her target.  Kyle’s mouth hung open and his eyes were as wide as dishes.  Haylee couldn’t help but laugh out loud as she turned her gaze across the pub.  Cara had one hand under each kilt while the guys kissed again.  They seemed to be interested in her, too, since one had a hand on her breast and the other was palming her ass.

“Anyway…” Niall broke the silence.  “…you guys wanna hang here or walk around?”

Conversation resumed and they tossed around ideas and names of bars they could stop by throughout the night.  Haylee would occasionally glance over at Kyle, who had gone completely silent.  His eyes were still on the scene playing out across the bar and Haylee couldn’t help but grin.  Their group had become desensitized to Cara’s antics, although it always seemed to up the ‘horny factor’ among them.  Usually, within an hour of witnessing a Cara scene, the group broke up to find their own
fun for the night.  Haylee sipped her beer, wondering if she might find someone to share some fun with tonight.  Perhaps Kyle would be interested in a little fun?  It couldn’t hurt to hope and worst case scenario, Melissa and Jake would be heading home to their own bed and she knew they’d take her along with them if she wanted.

Shaking her head, Haylee tried to find a way to bring back her confidence.  She’d had plenty of it when she left her house, but something changed along the way.  Kyle.  She had caught him staring at her a few times and she couldn’t help but wonder what he was thinking.  Did he find her attractive?  What if he made a move on her?  How would she handle it?  After all, there was the ‘no friends’ rule.  But, he was not included in the original group of friends, so did that rule even apply?

She shifted on her seat, causing her thong to rub against her sensitive skin.  She needed a distraction.  The smell of chicken wings made her stomach grumble and despite the noise level in the bar, Melissa heard it from her spot next to Haylee.  “Hungry?”