“Earth to Carlie.”
“Sorry.”
“Man, you were looking at that guy like you’d fight him to death over a slice. If you want one I’ll grab you one, I know you didn’t finish eating.”
“We were dancing and I wasn’t so hungry after our talk. I’d like a slice if you really don’t mind.”
“Mind? Princess, by now you should know I’d almost do anything to make you happy. I’m gonna grab a beer, want one?”
“Yeah, a light.” They were waylaid by a group of boys arguing over whose turn it was in the game room. Carlie laughed. “Man, no manners. Just run people over and keep arguing. You and the guys were like that.”
“Hell, princess, I do believe we still are.” He led her to their lane and sat. She watched him unlace his dress shoes. She followed suit. After inspecting the socks to make sure they were brand new, she bravely stuffed her feet into them.
“You are something else.” Jackson shook his head.
“Yo, Jack, bro what the fuck is good with ya, son.”
“Levion fucking Adams, what has it been like a year?” He stood and greeted his friend. Carlie waited to be introduced while they touched knuckles and went in for one of those bromance hugs.
“Yeah, ‘bout that.” His friend, Levion, turned to her. “Pretty lady, what’s your name?”
“Off fucking limits.”
“Jackson, where are your manners? I’m Carlie. It’s nice to meet you. Are you bowling?”
“Yeah, over on lane five. Ya’ll should join us. Girls against guys.”
“Princess, what do you say?”
“Levion, I say you’re on. I was going to wipe the floor with Jackson, but now I can enlist your girlfriend’s help and wipe the floor with you too.”
“Date, not girlfriend,” Levion corrected her as a stunning African American girl sashayed her way over.
“Hey, beautiful.” Levion linked hands with his date. “This is my boy Jackson and his girl. They’re going to join up with us and share lanes. Meet Auja, my date.”
“Hi. Jackson, you’re the one that plays for Crimson Rage, right?” She extended her hand.
“The one and only, thanks. Auja, nice meeting you.” He accepted her hand. “This is Carlie and we’re complicated.”
“Aren’t all relationships.” Auja walked over to the bowling ball rack and picked out her ball, a deep purple one. “Girl, I hope you can bowl, I suck at this. Pool is my game of choice.”
“Oh, don’t tell me you need kiddy bumpers. I can’t win against Jackson with those.” Carlie fretted over losing.
“I said I was bad not hopeless.” Auja winked.
“I’ll leave you to get acquainted while I grab your pizza and our beer. Levion, ya need one?”
“Nah, bro. I’m good. I’m driving tonight.” Jackson kissed her head and walked off.
“Girl, Jackson is so feeling you. Did you see his departing gaze on you? You could burn hot with that. Man, he’s intense and I don’t even know him.”
“Auja, don’t go all fangirl on him and embarrass me.” Levion moved over to the seats with the electronic score board.
Carlie watched Levion put their names in. “I don’t think he is, Auja. He just sends mixed signals. How long have you known him, Levion?”
“Since preschool. Our mothers were in the same society circle you could say.”
“Part of the upper crust, huh. I feel like I’m in a grown up version of Gossip Girl. That show was insane. Do you have an ascot?”
Auja cracked up laughing. “If he did I’d leave him. Especially if he wore tacky plaid pants.”
“Hey, what’s his name…Chuck that’s it. The man had his own sense of fashion. He carried it well, nothing wrong with that. Plus he was a badass lady killer. Say what you will.” They broke into peals of laughter at Levion’s words.
“It’s just hard seeing Jackson as one of those guys who is at the top of the social circle.”
“He hasn’t changed if that’s what you’re asking. He was the same dark brooding, getting all the hot chicks bastard he is now.”
“Hey, what are you telling her?” Jackson set a piping hot piece of pizza in front of her and her beer.
“Oh, that you were a bad boy even before I met you.” She curled the slice in half and took a long bite. “Mmmm.” Hot cheese and pepperoni melted in her mouth.
“Dude she’s making love to that slice. Auja, what is with you chicks and how you eat food?”
Auja laughed. “Come on, lover boy, you’re up first.”
Carlie polished off her food in a few bites. After the decant slice was in her belly, she licked her fingers clean. When Jackson quirked a brow at her, she took a sip of her beer. The sound of a ball traveling the length of the gutter drew a hell yeah expression from her. She and Auja passed knowing glances.
“Slipped outta my fingers is all.” Levion attempted a second run and only managed to knock one pin down. After his utter failure, he stalked to his seat and slouched. Auja kissed his lips and giggled.
“You’re up, princess. Tell me, what do I win if you lose?”
“Nothing since you promised my brother hands off.” She went to the ball rack, picked out a pink one for herself and ignored the sounds of crashing balls, people shouting and dancing stupid when getting a strike. In her element, she sauntered past Jackson.
“Break a leg, baby.”
“Hey, hey no disrupting my game,” Carlie warned and did her signature skip, walk, aim and release the ball on the middle arrow. Seconds ticked by until the pins scattered and fell. The dancing strike graphic flashed across the screen. “How do you like that, boys?” She high-fived Auja and sucked down her beer, then swiped Jackson’s and took a sip. He gazed at her with those smoldering grey orbs of his.
“I got this, Levion. Go grab a few more beers for me.” He tossed his friend a money clip full of cash and turned to yank a ball from the rack.
“Do your worst.”
“I always do. Best remember that.” He winked and strode forward with that cocky swagger she wanted to sock him for but couldn’t tear her gaze from. “I could stare at his ass forever,” she whispered more to herself.
“Girl who wouldn’t?” Auja joined in the stare-fest with her.
Jackson moved with precision. He even did the cross the leg behind pose that on other people look totally cheesy, but he made it sexy, and he knocked down all the pins. “Looks like you’re up against a pro.” He tapped the tip of her nose with his finger as he passed by and dropped onto a seat.
“Hey, we’re sorry to bother you but can we have your autograph please?” She saw the flash of irritation in his eyes quickly blanketed and squeezed his thigh.
“Yeah, He took the pieces of paper from the group of tweens and scrawled his signature.”
“Thanks. We know you’re on like a date. But don’t worry, we didn’t text anyone or tell them you’re here.” They ran off.
“Crap, bet that means the world knows where you are. You good? You don’t have any protection here.”
“Yeah, I’m good. I’ll be right back, babe.” Carlie watched him get up and walk over to the desk. She saw him run a hand over the back of his neck and pull out his credit card. She wondered what he was doing.
“My turn.” Auja wiggled and did her own little walk, wound and let go, knocking two pins down.
“Go girl, you so got this in the bag. Remember to watch the arrows on the floor. Try to keep the ball center when you release.”
“No coaching.” Jackson shadowed her.
Carlie flipped him off and noticed the employees stationing security at the entrance and exit.
“What’s going on?”
“Nothing, babe, just some precaution.”
“Why don’t we just go home?”
“Because I owe you an off-key song and have a reputation at stake bowling against you.”
“So you just bought the alley for the night.”
“Yeah, but didn’t want to ask the
m to kick everyone here out, so instead I paid them to make sure no one else entered. They can’t lock the doors with people in here. Doing so is against the fire code.” Jackson grabbed a beer just as Levion moved to bowl again.
“Off-key? Dude you don’t sing off-key.”
“Yeah, tell me about it. I guess she wants my nuts crushed. I mean my rep is going to take a hit if that shit gets streamed.”
“Aw, baby can’t take a tiny bit of criticism? I thought you didn’t pay attention to shit said about you?”
Levion bowled poorly again. Auja climbed onto his lap and kissed him to ease his pouting face.
“If I throw a turn will you treat me like that?”
“I’ll kick your ass.” Carlie took his beer and drained the bottle dry. “What?” The alcohol made her loopy. She grinned and kissed him saucily.
They played two full games that drew out forever with how bad Levion played.
“Next time we’re doing couples. This is some BS. Lev, why the fuck do you even play?”
“When your date says she wants to bowl, you bowl. What are ya’ll doing next?”
“Well, I have to face the karaoke gauntlet and then I don’t know, head back to the crib and hang.”
“All right, sounds good. Why don’t we all go to the bar side and get the party started right.”
“Cool.”
“Yeah, but first give me your keys. Friends don’t let friends drive drunk.”
“I didn’t drive. But good looking out. Raul will get us.”
“Thank the gods you have some sense now.”
“When you have precious cargo you make plans ahead of time.” He slipped his arm around her.
Carlie slipped her ball back on the rack. Levion ended with a one-hundred-twenty score, Auja a two hundred-ten score, the luck of the devil, Jackson tied with her at three-hundred and seventy. “You can be so sweet sometimes, where is Jackson and what did you do with him?”
She giggled and planted a full assault kiss on his lips. He gripped her and hoisted her around his hips. The carnal kiss went on forever. Carlie wound her arms around him and moaned.
“Uh, bro. We’re in a family establishment, cut that shit out.” Levion smacked him on the back of the head.
Carlie climbed down from her perch on his groin and blushed beet red.
Auja linked arms with her, leading her away from the men to the bar. “You and I need a drink to cool off. Frozen margaritas sound good.”
At the bar they each grabbed a shot of honey whiskey instead and checked out the songs on the Karaoke playlist. She loved the way people sang off key, or worse made up their own words to songs popular on the charts. “There is no Crimson Rage on here,” she exclaimed with some angst.
“Yeah, well there’s not a whole lotta rock on here so of course not. Whatcha gonna make him sing?”
“Princess, now that is a great question.”
Carlie pounded the bar for a second shot. The bartender returned and filled her up. “Well now, I do believe I’ve found a winner. Disk five, song seven.” She kissed him on the cheek, slammed the book closed, sauntered over to the deejay and handed him the paper.
When she came back, Jackson held four shots of Patron. “Lev, man, let my driver bring you home. I’ll even send him to your place to get you whenever you wake up to come get your car.”
“Sounds good. To new friends and familiar faces.” Everyone downed their shot. The bartender poured another. Carlie wasn’t sure mixing beer and liquor was a good idea and fought to remember the mantra. Was it liquor before beer you’re in the clear or beer before liquor you’ll be no sicker? Jackson eyed her like she couldn’t keep up and of course she had to with the challenging stare in his gaze.
“I do believe you’re trying to get me drunk.”
“Maybe a little. I want to see a flash of the fearless Carlie. You’re safe with me, princess.” He kissed her lips and heard his name called over the intercom. He moved through the crowd to the stage and took the mic. “I don’t know what my princess picked for me, just know this is going to be painful as I lost a bet.” The music started and Carlie couldn’t take her eyes off him. Even in a small bar and grill, he entertained with passion. At first he seemed to forget he was supposed to sing off-key. It took him a few lines to get into sounding like cats in a bag being shaken. No offense to cat lovers but damn he made sure he sounded horrendous performing Cryin’ by Aerosmith with a straight face as if he was singing for his life. Levion and Auja both roared with laughter. The crowd murmured and gave him encouragement. He played guitar so no one expected him to sing perfect. When he locked eyes with her, her heart melted into a puddle of mush. And then the most bizarre thing happened.
“Carlie, bring your sexy ass up here. I need some inspiration.” Auja pushed her toward him. She moved to the stage and he grinned, and sang the rest of the song in the right key. She moved to leave and he stopped her. “Ohh no, darling girl. Payback is a bitch, babe. Deejay spin that beat.”
The screen flashed and You’re So Vain geared up to play. He handed her a mic and kept his. “You are so funny, Jacksy. I bet you by tomorrow this shit is global and tweens all around the world will be yelling, Jacksy, we love you, Jacksy.”
“I’m so going to paddle your ass for that. Now sing.” He nudged her and they faced off again, him singing the first verse. After flipping her hair, she faced their audience and went into the chorus. When her part ended he went into the second verse, of course in key, and his baritone voice melted her into a gob of gooey goodness, she’d do anything for him with that voice, he stepped into her face and sang the chorus to her. Carlie forgot the words and pretended she was playing an acoustic guitar.
Jackson laughed and mumbled, “Good save,” under his breath. With attitude she gave him the what for with the third verse and held the mic out to the crowd who joined in. Inches from his face, she pretended to go in for a kiss and dipped out at the last minute, leaving him alone on stage as the final chords played out. His expression at getting duped was priceless.
When he caught up with her, he spun her around to face him and stalked her as she made hesitant steps backward. The bar disappeared and all she saw was him, until a drunk asshole spilled his beer down her shirt as he tripped. Jackson saved her from harm but not from getting drenched.
“S-sorry about that.”
“Man, watch where the fuck you’re going. Fucking asshole.” Jackson’s jaw clenched. She knew his I’m about to go postal on someone expression. Carlie reached up and kissed him to diffuse the ticking time bomb. He growled into her mouth, clearly perturbed at her manipulation of him. “I’m not hurt, it’s a little beer, well like a whole one, but no biggie. Let’s go sit with Levion and Auja.”
“Pal, this is your lucky day.” He nudged Carlie past the asshole to their seat. Once she sat down, she exhaled a pent up breath.
“Thank you, Jackson.” She leaned in and kissed his cheek.
Auja plied her with napkins and began to pat her down. “Hey, no worries. Spilt beer will dry. Let’s have another drink and blow this joint.”
“Your lover boy doesn’t need another drink. If he fights in this state he’ll end up in the slammer.”
“So we’ll call it a night then?”
“Okay. If that’s what you want, princess.”
Aw, he sounded grumpy. Was he avoiding going home with her? She knew he wanted to do wicked things, the wood he’d sported most of the night gave everyone a direct view.
“Yeah, let’s go home. Come on Lev and Auja. Jackson, let it go.” She saw the way he still looked at the dick who drenched her. As they turned to leave a lovely girl climbed onto the karaoke stage and began belting out a Lita Ford song. Her beauty and sound stopped them all dead in their tracks.
Jackson stood behind her and wrapped his hands around her waist. Levion and Auja mimicked the same pose. “She is good, she’s better than good and she is fucking sexy.” Not everyone sounded good playing a karaoke song. That girl was on fire.
>
Jackson kissed her head and dropped his arms from her. She watched him cross over to the stage and wait with his hands tucked in his pockets. She heaved a sigh of relief that he wasn’t going to push any retaliation buttons. When the song finished, the girl did a half bow and moved to join her friends off to the side. Carlie noticed they were a band, she could almost make out who did what with a look. Jackson intercepted her and moved to talk to her friends. Their eyes lit up when they noticed who he was. She watched him pull out his wallet and give them a card. Then he was striding back to her with cocky swagger that turned her hormones molten fire.
“Ready?”
“Yeah, did you find out who they were?” She linked her arm around Jackson’s back as he hugged her to him. As the four of them walked out of the bar and grill.
“Yeah, they play locally. I let them know I’d be interested in hearing them. I imagine the rest of the band will too.” He stopped and pulled out his phone and dialed a number. “Raul, come around to the back please.”
“We’re at a local place do you really think the back door is necessary?” she asked.
“We’re not sure if the tweens really called their friends or not.”
“It’s like two in the morning, what parents would let their teens out now?” Auja interjected and was hushed by Levion.
“Who knows, but why risk the hassle if we don’t have to.” Jackson stopped to talk to security who escorted them out to the service car. Carlie was wrong, there may not have been many tweens outside waiting for a glimpse of Jackson but there were plenty of overage women. He crushed her in his embrace, hustling her to the vehicle. Levion provided the same protection for Auja, while security held back the mob wanting to get autographs or meet Jackson. In the safety of the car, Carlie let out a deep breath. She’d forgotten how insane it could get. Unlike Carrie, she didn’t travel with her brother to shows and help out.
“Are you okay, princess? You look a bit panicky.” He brushed a hand down the side of her face and caressed her thigh.
“Yeah, just need to catch my breath, talk about intense.” She frowned when his phone began ringing off the hook.
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