“And Anna.” She grabs my forearm just as I pull the door open. “I'm so glad Bentley has you.” She says, smiling sweetly at me before releasing my arm.
Chapter Five
When I re-enter the main room of the club a few moments later, having successfully located the actual bathroom, I find myself having trouble shaking the whole Ethan and Shira thing. I know that I said I wouldn't tell Bentley, and I won't. But I don't like keeping things from him, especially the fact that his sister and friend, both of whom work for him, are involved with each other.
I don't see him right away but I find Andrea still sitting exactly where I left her at the bar. Sliding in next to her, I immediately signal the bartender for another drink.
“I was beginning to think you fell in.” She laughs, turning to face me.
“Sorry. I had trouble finding it.” I shrug, turning my head towards her just in time to see Bentley approaching. He smiles when he sees me looking but stops a couple feet shy from where I am sitting. It takes me a moment to realize that he's not alone. Swiveling my stool outward to face him, he speaks before I have a chance to.
“Anna. I would like to introduce you to someone.” He says, my attention immediately pulled to the man that steps up next to him. “Dax Riley, Anna Blake.” He says, gesturing between the two of us.
I take the hand Dax extends to me and weakly shake it, but my mind seems to be lost in a bit of a fog. This man is gorgeous. Not Bentley gorgeous, but definitely a close second. He stands just an inch or so shorter than Bentley, probably right around six feet, and has a very similar build. Broad shoulders, toned arms, lean waist. I would guess him close to the same age as well. He has dark hair that is pushed half haphazardly away from his forehead and incredible hazel eyes that almost look gray, and stand out perfectly against his light tan. It isn't until he pulls his hand back that I catch sight of the tattoos that line both of his arms and are on full display given that the sleeves of his black button down shirt are rolled up to his elbows.
My God this man is sexy.
“It's nice to meet you Anna. I have heard a lot about you.” He says, giving me a wide lopsided smile.
“You too.” I manage to say, snapping out of my haze.
“Dax is the manager from Philadelphia I was telling you about. He's going to be here training the staff for the next couple of months.” Bentley cuts in.
“That's awesome.” I observe, not really sure what else to say. “Oh, this is my friend Andrea.” I say, gesturing to the wide eyed girl next to me.
Clearly she is not immune to his looks either. It's strange because I can't really fit him into a category. He's dressed professionally and it's clear to see he takes pride in his appearance, but he also has this bad boy thing going on that I can't quite seem to get past.
“I was in Chicago a few weeks ago. Bentley tells me you dance there.” His words instantly send my heart into a frantic pound as I re-scan his appearance, realizing almost instantly that he matches the description of the man Lo described perfectly.
“Did Lo dance for you?” I immediately blurt, not answering his question.
A slow smile pulls up the corners of his mouth, telling me everything I need to know. This is him. The man that Lo was talking about. The man that Lo has been asking about for weeks.
“Why do you ask?” He finally speaks, humor laced in his words.
“Just curious. She mentioned someone she had never seen before coming into the club. The tattoos kind of gave it away.” I shrug like it's no big deal, gesturing to his ink covered arms.
“Yes well, I was in town and thought I would check out the talent.” He says, his smirk still firmly in place.
“Dax is actually going to be heading up the Chicago club once he's finished here.” Bentley tacks on, not seeming the least bit curious about the conversation taking place.
“Really?” I say, flicking my eyes to Bentley questioningly.
“I need Shira available to travel the area. I can't have her tied to one location. But for now, I need Dax here. No one understands the business the way this man does.” He responds casually.
“I appreciate that.” Dax turns to Bentley, giving him a nod. “Well I should probably get back to it. First night and all.” He says, gesturing his head to the front. “It was very nice to meet you Anna.” He nods in my direction. “Andrea.” He gives her a flirty smile and then turns to Bentley, shaking his hand before spinning and walking away.
“What was that about?” Bentley raises his eyebrows at me.
“What?” I decide to play stupid even though I know he knows better.
“That.” He says, gesturing towards the door that Dax exited through just moments ago. “Why did you ask about Lo?” He cocks his head to the side, a knowing smile playing on his lips.
“She danced for him when he was at Allure.” I shrug.
“And you knew that how?” His smile only grows wider.
“Because she described him to me in great detail and when he said he was in Chicago, I put two and two together. Apparently he really made an impression on her.” I say, raising my eyebrows suggestively at him.
“Well if I were you, I would do Lo a solid and warn her not to go anywhere near Dax Riley.” He says, sliding into the bar stool next to me.
“Why would you say that?” I question, turning my head towards him. Andrea shifts beside me, clearly wanting to hear what Bentley has to say also.
“He's just not the type of guy girls should get hung up on. Trust me.” He says, nodding at the bartender who immediately sits a glass of scotch in front of him.
“And?” I question. “People said the same thing about you.”
“Did they now?” His smile turns up playfully and he swivels to face me. “Who?”
“I am not revealing my sources.” I fake offense, laughing when his hand closes down tightly on my thigh.
“I'm sure I could get it out of you.” He smiles seductively, leaning forward to drop a light kiss to the base of my throat.
“You can try Mr. Reed. But I must warn you, I'm a vault.” I can feel his smile on my neck before he pulls back, shaking his head on a light laugh.
“Still here.” I hear Andrea from behind me and turn quickly to see her facing the opposite direction.
“Sorry girl.” I laugh, nudging her shoulder. She hesitantly turns around and then exhales loudly, rolling her eyes in our direction.
“You two shouldn't be allowed out in public.” She laughs, shaking her head.
“Hey guys.” Shira bounces up behind us, pulling all of our attention to her.
“Hey.” I say, having to spin my stool completely around to face her.
“Bentley, Mr. Fredricks would like a word when you have a minute.” She says, nodding her head to the side. Bentley follows her line of sight and then nods when he clearly locates the person she is talking about.
“Ladies, if you'll excuse me.” He grabs his drink and stands, leaning forward to lightly kiss my forehead before walking away. Shira slides into his stool and asks the bartender for a water before turning towards me and Andrea.
“So Andrea, what do you think?” Shira asks, leaning forward on the bar so she can see around me to Andrea.
“I think this is the coolest place I have ever seen.” Andrea admits, a little too enthusiastically if you ask me. She seems over the moon about being here which I guess I find a little funny given that I work at a very similar club.
“Well, the perk to a high end club like this.” Shira says, lowering her voice. “Is the clientele.” She raises her eyebrows up and down. “See the two gentleman over there?” She points just behind Andrea, who turns her head for a moment before turning back to Shira with a nod.
“Two of NFL's best and brightest.” Shira smiles when Andrea's eyes go wide. “I understand you're a football fan. Ever heard of Bryan Jackson or Chad Michaels of the Seahawks?” She asks.
“Shut up!” Andrea exclaims, looking back at the two men and then back to Shira. “That
's them isn't it?” She gapes, squealing lightly when Shira nods her head.
“I technically can't introduce you. As an employee, I have to respect the privacy of the members no matter who they are. But if you wanted to go over and say hello, I'm sure they would not have any objections to that.” Shira winks, grabbing her water as she pushes off of her stool. “I gotta get back to it. Have fun.” She smiles and throws a little wave over her shoulder before walking away.
“Go.” I say, turning towards Andrea.
“I can't.” She says, looking back towards the men and then back to me. “Can I?” She wrinkles her nose in the cutest way.
“You don't work here. So technically, you are a guest just like them. I can't see where that would be an issue.” I say, gesturing for her to go.
“I'm gonna do it. I'm going to walk right up to Chad Michaels and Bryan Jackson of the Seattle Seahawks. And then what?” She stops, a mild panic crossing her features.
“You're going to introduce yourself and say hello. I'm sure you can figure it out from there.” I say, laughing.
“You're right. They're just normal guys. Normal everyday guys. Except they are hot, rich, football players.” She pushes out of her stool. “Wish me luck.” She straightens her dress and sets her sights forward.
“Good luck.” I sing, laughing when she takes a deep breath and then walks away. She reaches them in a matter of seconds and while she looks totally nervous at first, the moment one of them gestures for her to sit down, I can see her normal confidence slip into place.
Sliding into the seat next to one of the guys, she leans forward placing her elbows on the table and starts talking, though given the few feet of space that separates them from me, I can't hear exactly what she is saying. It's very clear that she is in heaven though. Andrea is not really a football fan for the sport but more for the men. She has always had a thing for the jock type and you're not likely to find a football or baseball player that she hasn't at least heard of.
Killing the remainder of my drink, I decide to step outside for some fresh air rather than sit here by myself. Sliding my empty glass to the edge of the bar, I push myself off of the stool and slowly cross the distance from the bar to the door that leads into the main lobby.
I am seconds away from exiting the building when a voice pulls my attention to the side. “Oh, hey Ethan.” I say, realizing almost instantly who the voice belongs to.
“Do you have a minute?” He asks, stepping up next to me.
“I was just gonna step outside for some fresh air. Are you able to join me?” I ask, fairly certain I know what it is that he wants to talk to me about.
Giving me a nod, he reaches past me and pulls the door open, waiting until I step through it before following me out. Climbing the tall set of stairs, it takes a few moments before we finally push our way outside.
Crossing to the parking lot, I plop down on the curb and gesture for Ethan to sit down next to me. He hesitates for a moment, clearly not sure if he wants to, before finally taking a seat next to me.
“I just want to thank you for not going to Bentley with what you saw earlier.” He immediately begins speaking. Turning my face towards him, I can't help but get a little enjoyment out of watching this big tough guy squirm a bit.
“Like I told Shira, I won't say anything to Bentley. But I think you two should consider telling him if you plan to keep seeing each other. You know as well as I do that it will be ten times worse if he finds out you've been keeping it from him.” I say, stretching my legs out in front of myself.
“I know.” He says, his eyes firmly on the ground in front of him.
“Can I ask you a question?” I wait until he glances my direction before continuing. “Do you really think he would care?”
“Honestly, I don't know.” He shrugs. “But I am not entirely sure that I want to find out either.” He lets out a light laugh.
“How long have you worked for Bentley?” I ask, taking this opportunity to get to know Ethan a little better. Our conversations have always been so limited as he is really not much of a talker.
“We have known each other since college but I didn't actually start working for him until he started construction on Allure. We had lost touch for a while. He went on to play soccer after we graduated and I spent four years in the military. We ran into each other a few weeks after I got home and when he found out I was looking for work, he offered me a job.”
“So you consider him a friend then, not just your boss?” I ask.
“He's one of my closest friends.” He answers without hesitation. “Like a brother to me.”
“I get your hesitation. If anyone understands how quickly Bentley can fly off the handle, I do. But Ethan, you are like family to him. Just tell him.” I say, turning slightly when I hear the door behind us open.
“There you are.” Bentley says, spotting us immediately.
“Sorry. I needed some fresh air.” I say, pushing myself into a stand at the same time Ethan does. “Ethan didn't think I should be out here by myself.” I say, not missing the way Ethan's face relaxes the moment the words leave my mouth.
“Good man.” Bentley smiles, shaking Ethan's hand.
“I should get back inside.” He says, nodding at Bentley and then to me, before spinning on his heel and disappearing back inside.
“Everything okay?” Bentley asks, pulling me into his arms.
“Everything is perfect.” I say, snuggling into his chest. “How about you?”
“I'm much better now.” He smiles into my hair. “Shall we go back inside?” He asks, pulling back slightly.
“Lead the way Mr. Reed.” I say, smiling up at his impossibly handsome face.
“Oh no. After you Ms. Blake.” He smiles mischievously at me and winks.
“You just want me to go first so that you can check out my ass.” I laugh, shoving lightly against his chest.
“Just one of the perks of being me.” He smiles, delivering me his famous line that I have come to love so much. “One of many.” He smiles wider, laughing lightly when I spin around and walk away slowly, shimmying my hips dramatically as I do.
Chapter Six
It takes two days for me and Andrea to recoup from our weekend in Seattle. Along with the opening night of Bentley's newest club, he also took us sight seeing, treated us to an afternoon at one of Seattle's finest Spas, and even managed to arrange for us to catch a Seahawks game before our flight back to Chicago.
To say Andrea is in love with Bentley now, is the understatement of the year. At this point, she swears he walks on water. And for the most part, I kind of agree with her. It's still so hard to wrap my head around it some days. When I think back to Bentley that first night we met versus the man I know today, it's like night and day.
I thought I had him all figured out at first glance but it turns out, I didn't know one damn thing. In fact, every single thing that I assumed about him has been wrong. Well, most things. There are a few key things, like how he is in the bedroom, that I was pretty confident about going in.
“Hello.......” I snap out of my haze when two hands wave frantically in front of my face. Looking up from the book in my hands, I see Lo hovering above me, an amused smile on her lips.
“Hey.” I smile up at her, squinting into the sun that is shining from behind her, limiting my visibility.
“Andrea told me I could find you out here. What are you doing on the ground?” She asks, holding out her hands and helping me up.
“I like studying out here.” I say, gesturing to the open green space that is lined with trees just outside of Jefferson Hall. “And there are no chairs so where would you suggest I sit?” I laugh, wiping off the back of my pants. “What are you doing here anyways?” I ask, leaning over to pick up the two other books that I brought outside with me and never actually opened.
“I wanted to see if you wanted to do lunch. And seeing how you don't answer your phone, ever.” She pauses, letting out a dramatic sigh.
“Sorr
y. I muted it so I could concentrate.” I say, pulling out my phone and flipping the volume back on before sliding it back into my pocket.
“Concentrate on what, staring off into La La Land?” She laughs.
“Shush.” I laugh, shaking my head at her.
“So lunch?” She asks, cocking her head to the side.
“Yeah. I can do lunch.” I say, shoving my books into my bag before throwing it over my shoulder. “Do I have time to run this up to my room?” I ask, not sure if she is on any type of time restriction.
“I'm in no rush.” She says, matching me step for step as I cut through the campus grounds towards my dorm. “How was Seattle by the way?” She asks, immediately reminding me of a very important detail that I somehow forgot to mention to her.
“Oh my God I forgot to tell you. Your mystery man.” I say, making sure I have her full attention before continuing. “I found him.” I squeal, not missing the way her face flushes at my words.
“What?” She stutters out, stopping abruptly just feet from the front steps of my building. “What do you mean you found him?”
“He's in Washington. He's training the manager there for the next few weeks.” I say, adjusting the weight of my book bag that is hanging heavily against my shoulders.
“Wait, back up. One, how do you know it's him? And two, who the hell is he?” She asks, her patience going straight out the window.
“His name is Dax Riley. He was the manager of Bentley's Philadelphia club but then Bentley pulled him out to help train in Seattle. I knew it was him because he said he visited Allure a few weeks ago and he looked exactly like the guy you described. Though it's the tattoos that made me pretty certain. I asked him if you danced for him and I knew immediately that you had based on the way he smiled at the question but didn't answer.”
“He smiled?” She looks at me half panicked. “Like smiled like it was a fond memory?” She asks, fanning herself with her hand.
“Oh and the biggest part, he's coming to Chicago when he's finished in Seattle!” I practically scream, laughing when I register the look on Lo's face. “He's going to be a manager at Allure!”
You and I Forever Page 4
