Luckily, that was exactly what I planned to do. That didn’t mean that I wouldn’t try to keep my girls under control. If I let Sade out of my sight, she was likely to turn the whole place out. With enough drinks in her system, my girl was buck wild. She would be standing on a roulette table dancing.
I loved that they didn’t mind having a good time when we were out of town where the people watching would never see us again. I would turn a strange city out. Here, I had a name touphold. Even if most of my work was done behind the scenes and undercover, there were people who knew my dad and would have something to say if they saw me out acting a fool. Now that I had a daughter, I was even more protective of my reputation.
“I hear y’all, but somebody has to keep a level head.”
“Well, it won’t be you tonight! We got a room. Even if we didn’t, I’m the driver. I volunteer to keep the level head. Y’all need to be trying to either bag a high roller or hit the jackpot,” Crystal warned.
“I volunteer for the jackpot with the way my car just died on me.”
As we made our way to the bar, I felt a searing heat crawl up my neck. The atmosphere was relaxed, but the job caused me to always stay on my toes. Even if I was there to force myself to have fun, I had enough sense to keep my eyes peeled for any foolishness that happened to ensue. There was too much money and alcohol in circulation for me to think I could just let my guard down.
Tonight wasn’t about possible criminals. It was about letting my hair down and having fun. Even as I tried to focus on the conversation between my girls, I could have sworn I could still feel someone’s eyes on me. Was he here?
I had yet to see him, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t around.
Just to make sure that I wasn’t being paranoid, I casually scanned the room. As I eased onto the barstool, I slowly took in my surroundings. When the bartender walked over to take our orders, suddenly, there he was.
I caught myself before I could react to him, but the hitch in his brow said he noticed my surprise. He sat across the bar now with his eyes still locked on me. I refused to break eye contact because I wasn’t about to let him think he intimidated me, even if he kinda did.
My heart hammered in my chest as his smoldering gaze consumed me from the inside out. How the hell did he look even better? The tailored black suit and matching shirt were a far cry from the T-shirt and jeans he was wearing yesterday. This man was a chameleon. Now I had no idea what to think about him. What the hell had I gotten myself into?
The butterflies in my stomach woke up with a flutter as he stood quietly and straightened his jacket. I hated the quiet command he had over me. I was totally locked in as he moved closer. I was sure whatever Sade was saying to us was as entertaining as it always was, but in the moment, all I could focus on was the man who was impossibly sexy and even taller than I remembered as he got closer and closer.
A hand on my arm tore my attention from Nicholas as I turned to face a man who had clearly been overserved. I frowned as I carefully removed his hand from my arm. I cocked my head to the side, waiting to see what he had to say. There had to be a reason for him grabbing me like that. I needed to know how bad I needed to curse him out before I started telling him to get the hell out of my face.
“You here by yourself, beautiful?” he asked, the gin on his breath potent enough to sting my eyes.
“No, these are my wives,” I said, pointing at my friends, who found that hilarious.
“You a damn lie. You ain’t no damn lesbian fine as you is. I know a carpet muncher when I see one.”
“I find that extremely offensive. Please move on,” I said, waving him off.
As if the drunk dude had left any space between us, Nicholas, who I had forgotten all about, stepped between us. Looking down, he shot a sharp look at the drunk guy, causing him to wither as he scurried away without looking back. WhenNicholas’s dark eyes flashed back to mine, I almost shriveled under his gaze too.
“You good, Jameela?” he asked, searching my face carefully as if he would know if I wasn’t telling the truth.
“Um, sure. I’m fine.”
Speaking of fine, silently, I debated if he looked better in a suit or jeans. The jury was still deliberating the answer. My eyes drifted down to where a neatly trimmed goatee framed his perfect mouth. The sight made me lick my lips as my eyes found his again. Huge mistake. The pull of his dark eyes was hypnotic.
Standing from my seat, I smoothed my dress. “Thanks, but I had it.”
“I’m sure you did. I wouldn’t be a gentleman if I didn’t at least make sure of that.”
“Well, thank you.”
“I wasn’t sure you would come.”
I scoffed. “Neither was I.”
“I’m glad you did.”
“Tell me anything,” I said, trying not to blush at his apparent attempt at flattery. I hated that it was working.
“You ladies enjoying yourselves?” he asked, casting a quick glance over my shoulder at my girls.
“We will be as soon as we get some drinks in our system,” Crystal answered before I could.
