#CATFISHED (The Empire Series Book 1)
Page 9
She slumped over in her chair watching Big Mike walk away from her verbal assault he didn’t deserve. She was unraveling and taking it out on the one person who had always been there for her aside from Ariel, her roommate. What the hell is wrong with you, Sami? Trying to think of an appropriate apology for her friend, she pulled out her smart phone to see what messages she had missed in the meantime.
Immediately she felt better once she saw a missed call from her big sis, Bridget. Listening to her message made her heart swell with pride.
“Hey Sam-Sam, just calling to check on you, munchkin’.” She always treated her like a baby, even though she was only four years older than she was. She loved her relentlessly though. When her Dad died, she was her rock. She took her under her wing and protected her like a little bird. It’s because of her that she even worked as hard as she did at Empire Magazine.
Bee owns and operates a very successful floral shop in the heart of San Fran. Bee always had leads and entrusted her to take full advantage of every opportunity to skyrocket her career. It wasn’t too long ago that she referred he to one of her biggest go-to leads – Beckley College.
She had been struggling to book interviews lately considering the turmoil with Cory was always stagnant in the back of her mind. While Cory was working on making the big leagues, she was busting her ass to secure a steady stream of clients. She had enough to keep her head above water, but it was still a sticky situation.
Beckley was the leading fashion institute in San Francisco. When she needed a model, she called Beckley. When she needed a comment for an article, she went to Beckley. It was a win-win situation.
Sam had always admired her sister and her work ethic. She was a single twenty something making things happen. Bee had it all together. She was smart, beautiful, and elegant and had a smoking hot, devoted boyfriend. He was suave to the core with his gorgeous looks, so naturally she was envious of her relationship.
Adversely, her little sister Maggie, was a walking disaster. Where she went, trouble followed. It was only a matter of time before Maggie destroyed things leaving her sister to pick up the pieces as usual. She should have known better when both sisters wanted to move to San Fran as well. Bee had a plan, Mags, not so much.
Thinking of Bee’s relationship with Kevin only solidified that hers with Cory had gone to shit. She needed to remedy this, asap!
“My sweet, loving, gentle giant, Mike. Please, come to me big Daddy,” she swooned as she coaxed over the burly man to her seat.
“Are you planning to apologize,” he grunted, folding his arms across his broad chest. Giving her the furrowed brow, she could see he was not in the mood to deal with her bullshit tonight.
Standing from her chair, she crossed her hand over her heart and lifted her fingers into a peace sign.
“I, Samantha Ann Reddington, do solemnly swear never say another disparaging remark to my best friend again. May forever he reign in the domain of alcohol, and by God, let him be my saving grace if I am not married by 40.”
“Cheers to that,” Mike clinked glasses with her. She truly adored Mike. They had been friends since they were kids, but the love interest between the two of them was never there. Their bond grew over the years, but never once had they ever considered anything deeper. There was always an understood connection that it felt icky to cross those lines.
“So, what’s the deal with Angela these days?” Sam asked, tossing back her seven and seven.
“Same ole’, same ole’ shit. This month she is dabbling in the art of cosmetology,” he coughed while turning around to place the half empty bottles of liquor on the lit shelves.
“Wait. Wasn’t she doing something with photography a couple weeks ago?” she asked confused.
“Um, yeah. She tends to get side tracked and flips it up once she decides she’s over it. That girl is a freaking train wreck, but I still care about her.”
"See. That's the kind of shit I'm talking about, Big Mike," she barked, starting to feel the buzz of her alcohol starting to settle in.
"What? To have a crazy ass girlfriend?" he eyed her with a questionable look as he wiped down the bar.
"Devotion. Yes, Angela is bat-shit-crazy, but you can see past her flaws and insecurities enough to support her and be there for her. Cory never did that shit for me. He was so self-absorbed with making it big; he never took the time to support me and my career. Granted, I didn't switch my careers like I switch my panties like Angela, but even still."
"I guess you are right, Sami. Maybe it’s only a matter of time before she finds her niche," he shrugged as he continued to clean.
"You. You're good you," she said, giving her very best Robert Dinero impersonation, even taking the time to squint her eyes, cock her head, and pursing her lips.
"You're getting pretty good at that. I may even mistake you for a comedian one of these days. Look out world!"
"Aye, she's far too pretty to be a comedian," said the sexiest damn Irish accent Sam had ever heard.
Turning around, Sam was confronted by the most attractive man she had ever set eyes on. Cory had nothing on this sex-god. Mystery man stood next to her with a broad chest, shaggy, but short brown hair, emerald eyes and facial hair that she wanted to have buried deep in her lady zone. Mystery man had on a fitted; light colored dress shirt and an attractive grey vest, which fit, tightly across his chest. Now, not many men could pull this look off without looking like a penguin standing at the alter, but everything fit snug as a bug. His sleeves were rolled up just enough to expose his elaborate sleeve tattoos.
The tattoos alone had her damp and pleading to see what this man had under his posh digs. He was beautiful. Her very own Collin Ferrell to gawk at. Shit, she was staring at him like a kid at the county fair looking at the bearded lady.
"Name's Declan. And you are?" he asked politely, extending his perfectly manicured hands. Shit, he has to be gay. No man is THIS put together. Oh, but that grip has power behind it. Hmm.
"Sami," she stuttered, clutching his callused, yet oddly soft hands into her own.
"As in Davis, or is that your name," he smirked, showing off his perfect teeth. Yum, Yum, Yummy.
She wanted to lick him from head to toe. He would taste like a dream; she just knew it.
"No, nay, naw, nope." Sam was failing miserably to form any sort of coherent sentence. She closed her eyes to refocus her mind and bring her back to reality.
"It's Samantha, but my friends call me Sam or Big Mike here calls me Sami."
She felt his hand on her chin, while her eyes were still closed. Pulling her chin up, she refocused to meet him eye-to-eye.
"Hello, gorgeous. I thought I lost you for a bit. You okay?" He was dreamy. Like, Patrick Dempsy McDreamy. She was giving off the worst vibe right now. She was surprised he hadn't left, mortified by her actions. "There are those beautiful eyes."
Gaga. That's how she felt for this man. She had never felt so gaga or affected by one man. Not even Cory got her this wet before. Believe her, he tried; he was horrendous in bed though. Even if she had given him a road map to her clit, he still would have gotten lost. GPS couldn't help that fool find the way to please her. Something told her Declan had his passport stamped and could navigate his way through the dark. He oozed sex.
"Sam, I've had a pretty pisser of a night. Can I buy a beautiful woman, such as yourself, a drink?" He curled up on the bar stool next to her, resting his arms on the counter.
"Seems to be going around today," she says, almost inaudible.
"Bad night?" he assumed, leaning his elbow on the bar and turning his attention and legs toward her.
"You have no idea." Rolling her eyes, she swiveled her stool towards him, intertwining their legs together, completely on accident. Well, kind of.
"How about this. Why don't we drink our sorrows away tonight and say, fuck it. I only have one stipulation," he mischievously winked at her.
"I'm terrified to ask," she raised her eyebrows with a grimace worried for her impendi
ng stipulation.
"You must drink whatever I put in front of you. Deal?"
"Just as long as you don't put drugs in my drink, I think we are good," she said with a giggle, pushing her coaster back and forth across the slippery bar. She had grown up in a huge Irish family. She would bet she could drink him under the table if she wanted to.
"Deal," extending his hand, he took hers in his, shaking it, while calling over Mike.
"What's up, Boss. What can I get you?" Mike asked, giving her the atta-girl, look.
"I would like to buy this lovely woman an Irish Car bomb."
Oh Hell. She could tolerate a lot, but Irish Car bombs were the devil. Watching Mike pull the Jameson Whiskey from the shelf, she was in for a treat. He poured two half shots of Jameson, filling the rest of the shot with Irish cream, and two pints of Guinness. Pushing it toward Declan and herself, she wanted to run as fast as she could.
"Raise your shot. I need to make a toast to this beautiful woman who is doing me a favor by drinking with me so I don't seem so pathetic for drinking alone. As you slide down the bannister of life, may the splinters never point the wrong way. Here's to being single, drinking doubles and seeing triples. Cheers."
This was definitely going to be an interested night.
“Cheers.”
About the Author
Nicole Hite was born and raised in Richmond, VA. She married her husband in 2008 on a beautiful fall day in November. Together they adopted two dogs, Harley and Diesel. When Nicole is not fighting the fictional characters in her head, she is spending time at the river, relaxing and enjoying family time. She is an avid reader and her tastes vary across the board. She loves any suggestions along the way.
About the Author
Buy Links
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Justified Love - The Southern Gentleman Series 1: http://www.amazon.com/Justified-Love-Southern-Gentleman-Book-ebook/dp/B00RWGVMP2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1450136058&sr=8-1&keywords=Justified+Love
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Intertwined Love - The Southern Gentleman Series 2: My Book
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Tough Love - The Southern Gentleman Series 3: http://www.amazon.com/Tough-Love-Southern-Gentleman-3-ebook/dp/B0131F8M0U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1450136165&sr=8-1&keywords=Tough+Love+Southern
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The Complete Southern Gentleman Series: My Book
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Once: A Collection of Sinfully Sexy & Twisted Tales: My Book
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Suits & Shades - Alpha Suits Anthology: My Book
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Coming April 2016
#Lucky