A Winter's Date

by Sasha Brümmer

  He straightens up before sliding into the cab and sitting next to me. Lana and Coen are sitting in the row behind us, I turn around to them, and Lana is wearing the reddest of blushes; we must have caught them doing something or other.

  “Heather?” she asks. “What size shoes do you wear? Because I am so stealing those heels.”

  “Six and a half,” I say, beaming. “Let me know when you want to wear them.” I sit back and look over at Noah: he’s staring down at me, barely blinking. “What?”

  “You fucking tease.”

  Mission accomplished, Heather. I place my hand on his thigh, deciding to push him further.

  We arrive at Marquee and Noah pays for the ride. We get out, and Joel is the first person I see waiting by the door. “Well, look at this cab full of assholes,” I hear him say above the sound of the music coming from the open club doors.

  “Ah, there’s the dipshit.” Noah chuckles and walks over to him, shaking his hand roughly before they both pat each other’s shoulders.

  I wait off to the side while the guys talk shit to each other. It tugs at my heartstrings to see Noah with the guys, with all of us—his own little family.

  I feel someone’s hand on my elbow, and I look over to see Lana smiling. “Are you okay?” she asks.

  “Oh, I’m fine. I was just thinking. When we go inside you are having a chocolate-covered pretzel shot on me.”

  Her eyes light up and she locks her arm with mine. “Oooh, that sounds good . . . and dangerous.”

  I laugh and nod. “They’ll sneak up on you, for sure. I . . .” Suddenly, I’m interrupted by Coen when he walks up and leans over Lana, kissing her passionately and without warning.

  Joel and Noah join us, and Joel leans in to hug me. “It’s good to see you, girl. I’m glad you brought this motherfucker back.”

  I hug him back before looking up at him; what he doesn’t know is that Noah brought me back. I look over at Noah knowingly, and he winks. Well . . . good thing I’m not wearing panties or they’d be soaked already.

  “I’m glad we’re back, Joel. What have you been up to?” I ask politely and try to ignore the hot make-out session going on beside me with Lana and Coen.

  “I’ve been well. I’m looking forward to hearing about how the meeting with Noah’s parents goes. Will you be joining him?”

  “Yes, I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

  He smiles, and I notice that Noah’s shoulders that were tense seem to relax the slightest bit. Oh Noah . . . no matter how many times I tell him I’m going, he still is so nervous that I’ll change my mind.

  “All right, enough of this business shit, Joel. Let’s get some drinks into these ladies and try to pick one up for you . . . unless your dick is still hung up on Dill,” Noah says and takes my hand, leading me through the door. Coen must be friends with the bouncer because I have no idea how we skipped that line.

  Coen and Lana take a breath long enough to follow us inside, and all of us head straight toward the bar. I order us all one of my new favorite shots and stand in front of Noah. He slides his arms around my waist and kisses my neck gently.

  “To answer your question, Ryan, I am not hung up on Dillen, and I don’t think I need the help in finding a piece of ass,” Joel comments and takes his shot, while Lana and Coen down theirs and move to the dance floor.

  Noah and I take ours, and he hums deeply. “Damn, that was good.”

  I nod in agreement and look over at Joel as he slams his shot glass down on the bar.

  “Shit, that was smooth.”

  “Joel?” I ask.

  “Yeah?” He turns to face me, and grins.

  “Thank you for helping Noah so much. Without your help, he would still be in Phoenix and living . . .” I stop myself because I don’t want to turn on any emotions right now when we are supposed to be having an exciting night out.

  “It’s my job, Heather, and I’ve enjoyed helping him find himself.” He looks at Noah and smirks. “This asshole would be lost without me.”

  “Damn right I would be,” my Greek god interjects.

  “If you’ll both excuse me, that redhead across the bar has been making fuck-me eyes at me, and I think I just found who I’ll be taking home tonight.”

  I can’t control my laughter from his comment. Noah and I follow his eyes, and we both look at the radiant auburn-haired woman across the bar from us. She’s stunning, tall, and lively.

  Noah leans into Joel and says something to him. I can’t hear what is being said because the music is blaring and thundering through my body.

  Mmm, thundering through me. I know someone who knows how to do it better.

  Joel chuckles and winks at me before walking through the throng of people to the other side of the bar. It’s just my Greek god and I now, and I feel powerful knowing that I have a sort of control over him and his monstrous sex drive right now.

  “Heather?” he croons and moves his hands over the material of my black jumpsuit. “I’m having a difficult time keeping my hands off of your body. You’re turning heads this evening.”

  “Are you telling me that I’m easy on the eyes, Ryan?”

  “I’m telling you that you look good enough for me to eat.”

  Deliberately slowly, I tease him by pushing my breasts up. By just watching me he seems mesmerized, snared in a trance, my trance. I flush at the storm I see brewing in his ocean green eyes: they suck me in and consume me. Pressing my body to his warm, firm chest, I run my hands up the back of his strong neck into his hair. His growl that I feel instead of hear is intense; it reverberates through me and sends chills down to the deepest places of my body.

  He leans into me and moves my dark, straightened hair off of my shoulder and to my back, so he can place his mouth on my collarbone. His feverish lips move along my skin, bringing to life our magnetic allure to each other.

  “How about we forget about this night out and head back to your apartment? I want to show you just how much you’re going to enjoy my cock between these ass cheeks.”

  I gasp loudly as his hands squeeze and caress my behind. I’m about to cave and tell him to take me anywhere he needs me, but suddenly Lana is beside me and bumps my hips with hers. We’re about the same height, so it works perfectly to bring me back to my senses.

  “Are you two ready to take another shot?”

  Noah gawks at me and I can see the sensual storm that was brewing behind his eyes has now turned into a lightning storm, filled with intense anguish. I bite the inside of my cheek as I slide my hands down Noah’s chest. “I think that’s the best idea you’ve had all night, Lana.”

  She does a little happy dance and I think orders two shots of tequila for all of us.

  “Oh, Joel went to talk to that woman over there. I don’t think he’s going to be back in time to take his.”

  “That’s not a problem. We’ll have the extra two then.”

  “I like your thinking.”

  Noah removes one of his hands from my butt when Coen moves to stand next to him. “Coen . . .” I hear him say.

  “What’s up?” Coen replies.

  “When the fuck were you going to tell me that you’ve yet to get your dick wet with this one?”

  I quickly glance over at Lana, but she’s preoccupied as she watches the bartender pour ten shots of tequila.

  Coen laughs and places his hand on Noah’s shoulder. “I don’t think I’m going to push this one. I thought I had my shit in control when I was in London with Dillen, but then I met Wilde, and hell . . . my dick has never been more interested, but neither has my heart.”

  I almost aww out loud.

  Lana asks the bartender to open a tab for her. I’ll have to tell her later how Coen feels toward her, but I’m sure she already knows.

  “Shit, man, I’m almost proud of you . . . and Wilde?”

  “Thanks, fucker. Yeah, my Wilde girl. Lana Jayne Wilde.” Coen looks across Noah and I to Lana, and I can tell he’s dying to be close to her. He quickly moves
around us and circles his arms around her petite waist as she pulls out her credit card to hand to the bartender. She giggles as Coen takes the card before the bartender can. He fishes for his wallet in his pants pocket and removes his credit card to hand to the bartender before giving Lana hers back.

  Her radiant smile must send Coen into a head-spin because he almost loses his center of gravity.

  Lana tucks her card into her clutch and fetches out the lip gloss she used on me earlier. She hands it to me and I apply some before handing it back to her. “Thank you.”

  The bartender sets the ten shots in front of Lana. “Okay, guys, here we go.” She hands Noah and Coen two each, me three, and keeps three for herself.

  “To new adventures and remarkable people,” she declares.

  “To my family,” Noah says, holding up one of his shot glasses.

  “Heather, do them back to back with me,” Lana insists and I can’t refuse.

  All four of us simultaneously throw our shots back and we all chase the shot with our second and then Lana and I take our third.

  Oh crap, I am going to feel this.

  “Damn ballerina, the only thing I’ve seen you swallow like that is me.”

  I blush bright enough to light up the darkened club. Holy crap.

  “Noah,” I try and scold him, but I can’t because that was so erotic.

  Lana giggles, and I know she heard what my Greek god just said. She stops and smiles at me. “Oh my God, Heather . . . I love this song. You have to come and dance with me,” she says excitedly as Going Down For Real by Flo Rida resounds through the club’s speakers, bringing the dance floor to life.

  I glance up at Noah questioningly, and he shakes his head. “No way in hell. We had a deal, remember?”

  “Please . . .” I try again before reaching down to stroke the front of his jeans. He grunts and closes his eyes as his nostrils flare. I can tell he just made a snap decision.

  “You have this one song. Go.”

  I throw my arms around his neck and kiss him heatedly before Lana pulls me by my elbow off of him and to the dance floor. Following her quickly before Noah can change his mind, I start moving my body to the music, Lana swaying right next to me. With every movement of my body I realize how much I’ve missed dancing. Lana and I throw ourselves into this song and drink up all we can of the vibrations that rattle our frames.

  Before I know it another song is filling our ears, and I can’t see Noah anywhere. We’ve somehow moved to the middle of the dance floor. Neither of us stop moving. I reach out for her and hug her close. “Thank you, I’ve missed this so much,” I tell her quickly before a strong hand rests on my shoulder. Ah crap, I’m busted.

  “I’m so excited to be out with you guys,” she says before a voice interrupts us.

  “Heather?” I turn around quickly and into Joel’s smile.

  “Oh hey,” I say, beaming at him.

  “Here, I got you two these.” He hands Lana and I a shot, and I look at the odd-colored liquid in the glass. Lana reaches for a glass and blows Joel a kiss.

  “What is this?”

  “Shit, I don’t know. Red ordered it. I think she said it was a Vegas Bomb? I have no fucking idea what’s in it, but before I could ask, her boyfriend showed up. I acted as if I were uninterested and left with the shots. He believes he got me to leave, but what the pussy doesn’t know is that he’s going home alone tonight.” A cocky grin that I haven’t seen before emerges, and Lana and I stare at him in surprise.

  “Joel!” we both say and giggle in surprised shock.

  Lana moves closer to the two us. “A Vegas Bomb?” she yells above the music.

  “Yeah, that’s what she said.”

  “Yum, it’s just Malibu rum, peach schnapps, Red Bull, and a shot of Crown Royal,” she says without having to even think about it, but then quickly explains, “I used to be a bartender.”

  “That sounds dangerous.” I waver before taking it, but toast her anyway before downing the shot.

  She smiles and starts dancing again once she’s finished it. “Do you like it?”

  I lick my lips in delight and throw my arms up as I start to move my body to the beat vibrating through me. “I love it.”

  Joel is texting on his phone and before I know it, Noah is in my line of sight, Coen moving through the crowd right behind him. He must be having a good time, because when he reaches me, he wraps me in his arms and lifts me, colliding his lips with mine.

  Coen moves around us, pulling Lana to his body, and starts moving with her to the beat of the addicting music.

  I smile against Noah’s lips and bite. “Well, hello, did you miss me?”

  “Damn right I did. How’s your foot? Be honest with me; I won’t fare well with a lie from those lips of yours.”

  My heart melts at his concern for me, and I continue to realize I was such a fool to think otherwise. “I need to sit down,” I admit and look up to meet his eyes, hoping he doesn’t get mad.

  His smile is almost triumphant as he sets me down and leads me back to the bar where he finds a solitary empty barstool. He helps me up onto it and spins me around, making me face him. “Does that help?”

  “Yes, thank you.” I feel instant relief the moment I’m off of my feet.

  “What would you like to drink?” Noah raises his hand to get the bartender’s attention, and I’m not surprised he gets first priority over everyone else at the bar. The female bartender leans against the bar top, showcasing her breasts for my man.

  I feel a hot surge of jealousy course through my veins. “Surprise me.”

  He asks her for a French martini for me, and a beer for himself before turning back to me. She walks away and he takes my mouth slowly, showing her that he’s mine.

  A few moments later the bartender loudly places our drinks on the bar top. Noah hands his card over, but doesn’t stop looking at me. Materializing out of the crowd behind us, Joel smacks Noah on the back. “Hey fucker, I’m going to steal your girl for a dance, regardless of what you say. I need to piss off Red.”

  I look up at Noah with interest. How is this going to go?

  “Keep your hands to yourself, and you’ve got yourself a dance, dipshit.”

  He laughs and fist bumps Noah. “I promise nothing, dickhead.” He grabs my wrist and pulls me from my stool.

  Noah winks at me, and mouths, “I love you.”

  I beam at him as I’m dragged out to the dance floor. Taken by surprise when Joel gets behind me, I laugh. Though I can’t see much in the dark of the club, I can feel his resilient form pressed up against my back. He’s setting aside the FBI stereotype and taking on an entirely different demeanor, demanding control of my movements when he grinds his hips into my behind.

  Oh shit, I had no idea.

  He leans down and shouts so I can hear, “I’m taking her home tonight, mark my words.”

  I giggle and start dancing with him, trying not to put too much weight on my bad foot.

  I know that his hands are on my hips but I don’t feel that he’s being the slightest bit sexual. I look over and see the redhead staring at us. “Joel, she’s watching you. Turn it up a little, whisper in my ear or something,” I shout over my shoulder at him.

  He takes my advice and leans down. “What the hell am I supposed to be whispering? Maybe something like Noah is going to fucking eat me alive?”

  That makes me laugh so hard and my head falls back against his shoulder. “Joel! Oh my God, that was hysterical.” I continue to dance against him, and he laughs with me.

  “No, seriously, Heather, you’re going to get my ass kicked.”

  “Well, I hope it’ll be worth it.”

  I turn to see where his redheaded conquest went, and when I turn back she is standing right in front of me. Holy crap.

  “Can I cut in?” she shouts in my ear, and I look back up at Joel.

  He winks down at me, and I smile before taking a step toward her. I grab her upper arms and lean into her.

  �
�From what I can tell . . . he’s hung,” I say so only she can hear before I walk back to my man who’s been watching me the entire time.

  “Nice show, ballerina,” he says as he kisses my neck.

  “Yeah? Maybe I should become a famous actress instead of dancing?” I say as I reach around him and grab my martini.

  “No, I like watching you dance. You’re damn good at it and it’s when you’re the happiest.”

  “That’s not true. It used to be when I was happiest.”

  “Used to?” he asks over the music before helping me up onto the barstool.

  My smile widens, and I pucker my lips, wanting a kiss. “Now I’m happiest when I’m with you.”

  His rigid arms tighten around me and he kisses me slowly, passionately. “I love you, Heather Lane.”

  “And I love you. So tell me . . . were you about to kill Joel?” I ask with a smile.

  He chuckles. “Were? Mmm, ballerina, I still am.”

  I laugh, and my head falls back. “Noah, stop. No, you’re not.” I smack his hard chest and bite at my lip before adding, “He’s your friend.”

  “A friend who owes me one, big time. Are you ready to go so I can see that naked ass again, or would you like to hang out with Lana some more?”

  The alcohol that’s flowing through my veins has me extremely horny, and I look over and try to find Lana. “I don’t see her, do you?”

  He glances around the club and frowns, shaking his head. He pulls out his phone and opens up a text from Coen:

  Hey dipshit, I’m taking my Wilde girl home. My dick may or may not be wet by the time you are reading this.

  I gasp and cover my mouth. God, that boy is filthy.

  “It looks like I’m taking you home, Lane.”

  I almost drop my drink when those words come out of his mouth. Everything about that screamed Nik.

  He frowns and cups my cheek. “What’s wrong?”

  I quickly recover and shake my head, murmuring “Nothing at all.” I clear my throat and smile. “Can we go to a private booth and have one more drink?”

  “Okay, one more, then we go.” He leans over the bar and asks the bartender for bottle service at a private table. She smiles and tells him to follow her.