We melt into the crowd of inebriated clubbers, taking the stairs to the VIP lounge. Emma and Jameson close behind us. We get to our table, and Eric and Theo stand up to greet the girls. A couple more girls showed up there after we left our table to hunt down Liv and Emma. I pull Liv onto my lap in one fluid motion, still not believing she’s here. Emma slides in, and Jameson is next to her. A tall brunette comes and saddles next to Jameson and throws her arm around him. She says something in his ear that is meant for a private conversation. Emma snorts unceremoniously and looks away, clearly annoyed. Theo and Eric laugh but look in their eyes darting from Emma to Jameson to the brunette. Jameson keeps a straight face and, without a word, simply removes her arm from his shoulder and looks away, ignoring her completely. The music is loud, drowning out her angry response to his lack of interest in her. After she yells at him about being a terrible lay, adding yet another moment of awkwardness, she gets up and leaves.
“Do you want a drink?” Jameson asks her, not even acknowledging that there was another girl there a moment ago that he had obviously hooked up with.
She nods, and he waves the waiter over. I look at this all transpire and realize that maybe I am not alone in this situation of pining for a girl from Padre Island.
A minute later, Eduardo comes back to the table and has a big smile on his face. I realize it’s not directed at Jameson but at the girl beside him—Emma.
“Emma,” Eduardo practically purrs her name as if he is completely unfazed by the daggers Jameson is currently shooting at him with his eyes.
“Hey there, Eduardo,” Emma says in her ever-pleasant manner.
Whatever I was telling Liv is cut off mid-sentence as she sweeps her attention away from me to Eduardo. What the fuck.
“Thanks so much for letting us into the club and setting us up tonight. That was so hospitable of you,” Emma continues.
Liv looks between them both and agrees by shaking her head in acknowledgment.
“Liv and I are having such a great time.”
I see Jameson now visibly tense. Eduardo notices this movement and curls his head to his friend’s side studying him. What am I witnessing here? He turns his attention back to Emma.
“I’ll be in touch. I have to go tend to some business, but please enjoy yourself and let me know if you need anything.” With that, Eduardo leaves, and we all look at Emma, who is blushing.
Liv leans over to Emma and loudly whispers something about flowers. Emma shakes her head and whispers something back in Liv’s ear, which I cannot hear since the music seems to have gotten louder, if that is at all possible. Jameson tries to act nonchalant, but I know him well enough to know that that’s total bullshit. He’s pissed. Does he know something about Eduardo? There is a story between Jameson and Emma that I will have to ask him about later.
Liv fidgets slightly in my lap, and our eyes meet again. My mind is blank. All this time wanting her. Dreaming about her. Lusting for her. Now she’s in my arms, and I don’t know what to say. I feel the heat radiating off Liv’s body, and she settles back into my lap. Her skirt has ridden up, and my hand rests on her bare thigh. My thumb draws circles on her warm skin, and I focus on the satin-like feeling of her leg. I look into her eyes and see the lust transfixed on me that causes the pulse to rise in my chest. It feels hard to breathe with her so close. I shift her in my lap as my erection starts to press against her. I know she can feel it because she starts to squirm. I pull her tighter to me and whisper in her ear.
“This is what you do to me, baby. I can’t help it with you sitting on my lap.”
She melts into me further, and I move my hand a bit higher up her thigh. This is so different from that first-time meeting months ago. If the night had played out differently, had Brodie not been injured, would I have had her that night? Would I have made her mine months ago? I know the answer would have been an irrevocable, yes. Now, I cannot deny the feeling I have for this woman, and I didn’t want to pretend that I don't want her. The question is, does she want me as much?
The night continues with this play between Liv and me. Eduardo, ever the gracious host, sends complimentary shots our way, and we are all pretty drunk as the night progresses. Liv and I dance a bit more as we grind against each other on the dance floor. The last song is playing, and lights are going up. Liv tells me that she has to run to the bathroom, and I go to close out my tab.
“I’ll be waiting for you.” She turns, still walking backward. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Dax.”
Smiling like the cat that ate the canary, I likewise mutter, “Game on, Liv.”
Emma takes this opportunity to come over and chat as her friend saunters away. “Treat my friend well,” she screams in my ear.
I look at her and see that she’s smashed. “She’s been through a lot, and I don’t want to see her hurt.” She pokes me in the shoulder, meaning to drive her point home, but I think it’s more to steady herself than anything.
I don’t see Jameson around, so I stay with her while she sways back and forth. I doubt Liv will be happy with me if I let her best friend pass out on the dance floor.
I motion to Theo and tell him to grab her water. Jameson returns with her water that Theo hands him on his way over. They exchange a few sentences, and Theo slaps him on the shoulder, laughing. I ease her over to the chair, and she smiles.
“Thanks, Dax. I may have had too much to drink.” She hiccups and laughs as she raises her hand to cover her mouth.
“Drink up, babe,” Jameson says as he pushes the cup to her mouth.
She drinks it all and hands it back. I grab my phone and call an Uber before I search for Liv in the crowd. I see her making her way back over, catching my eye and smiling. Before she gets back to me, Eduardo stops her, and they chat for a few minutes. She walks back to us as I am about to make my way over there.
“What did he say to you?” I immediately ask, not bothering to hide my jealousy.
She just looks at me and turns to Emma. “Eduardo wanted to ensure you were okay and called a car to take you home.” I don’t know if she realized she didn’t say take, “us” home. Her hand squeezes mine, and my heart pounds in my chest as I pull her closer.
“How are you getting home? Are you going with Emma?” I ask.
“Can I stay with you tonight?” she says almost at the same time I ask her about her going home.
