“What did I say, Rogelio? I thought something was up when I talked to them earlier.” The very large man looked at Mike, grunted and nodded without saying anything else, so Mike continued, “I had a feeling this might bring the two of you together.”
“Yeah, it’s amazing how sometimes a bad thing can bring about good results,” she replied, hugging them both before she returned to her seat.
“So besides the obvious turn of events, how did everything go today?” Mike asked as he settled in at the door.
Eli stroked her palm with his callused fingertips as he said, “We talked to my landlord and got her set to move in next door. We’re still planning on going over to Rachel’s old place tomorrow morning to see about getting into her bedroom.”
While Eli explained about Kelly and Matthew, Rachel thought about how odd it was to think of her burned-out apartment as her old place. It had only been a day, but it felt old already. She felt removed from the situation. She needed to update her parents and try to make a trip out to the storage barn to see if they had any furniture she could use in the new place.
As more people came in the front door, Eli left his chair and stood next to Mike, helping him check IDs. Rogelio made the rounds to check on the restrooms and the seating areas. The music got louder, and more people moved onto the dance floor.
Grace arrived later in the evening. After hugging Rachel and greeting the bouncers, Grace promised to get right back with her. She made a beeline for Ethan, who was at a table talking to a couple of local ranchers. He saw her approach and excused himself, drawing her into his arms for an adoring kiss. Rachel smiled as she watched them.
Somehow Grace handled the inherent challenges of Ethan being a co-owner in the club, so Rachel knew she could survive the challenges involved in being with Eli.
For the short period of time she sat with Eli, no one else had approached him. She could not recall that ever happening before. Unless he was actively working the door, there was always a bevy of eager women clamoring for his attention.
Morbidly curious to find out what would happen, she gathered her purse and told Eli she was visiting the ladies’ room and would be right back. She glanced back as she sashayed away and caught him ogling her ass. He looked up and smiled hungrily at her. Blowing him a kiss, Rachel gave him the show he wanted. She found Grace seated in Ethan’s lap at another table.
Grinning, Rachel said, “Come on, bathroom buddy!” Grace kissed Ethan, and he released her. She slipped out of his lap, jerking around suddenly when Ethan goosed her fanny. Giggling, she followed Rachel into the bathroom and checked the other stalls for company. They were alone.
Grace leaned against the counter while Rachel checked her lipstick. “That outfit looks every bit as sexy on you as I thought it would. Did Eli like it?”
“He likes it very much. I can’t thank you enough.”
“Oh, come on. What did he say?” Grace asked and giggled delightedly when Rachel told her. “How was your afternoon?”
“It was wonderful. We napped.” She grinned at the disappointed look on Grace’s face. “He said I was too tired from everything last night, and he didn’t want to make love to me when I felt like that. So we took a nap, then we made love.”
“Oooh! How was it?” Grace asked, blushing a little. Rachel didn’t say anything at first, just looked up at Grace. “Oh, damn, it was that good? I know that look. I’ve worn it many times in the last few months. You are so in love! I’m so happy for you, Rachel. You deserve a good man like Eli. You can tell he’s smitten by the way he watches you when you’re not looking.”
“What do you mean?” Rachel asked, looking at Grace’s reflection in the mirror as she fluffed her blonde hair.
“He doesn’t look at you, he drinks you in. Anyone can see he absolutely adores you.” Conspiratorially, she continued, “I’ve been listening this evening, and everyone is talking about the two of you.”
“What do they say?” Rachel asked. At Grace’s doubtful gaze, she added, “Come on, you can tell me. That’s part of why I’m in the bathroom with you. Nothing will surprise me at this point.”
“Ethan overheard a table full of single women in the back planning to wait for you to go to the bathroom before making a move.” Rachel’s eyes shot up, and for a split second, she saw red and almost sprinted to the door. Grace laid a gentle hand on Rachel’s arm and deterred her from leaving.
“I heard two women talking. One of them planned to come over and spill her drink on you accidentally. While you’re in the bathroom cleaning up, the other one will give him their numbers and offer him a threesome. She said she knows where he lives and everything. Before you ask, she said she followed him home one evening, curious where he lived. Ethan said you handled yourself well with the same women earlier this evening, so you’ll know what they’re up to when you see them coming.”
“Ethan said that?”
“Yeah, listen to me, okay? Don’t rush out there ready to do battle. Give him a chance to prove to them he is not interested. Up until tonight, they all thought eventually he’d take an interest in one of them. You’ll both need to show them that he is permanently off the market, but you have to be subtle about it. That doesn’t mean you can’t make your message crystal clear, just don’t let them upset you.
“Remember how catty women can be and that their best strategy may be to try and get the two of you fighting. Don’t let that happen with your guy. If you love him, always give him the benefit of the doubt. Always. Roughly half the customers in here are women. In here, he has to be kind to them, allowing their flirtations to a very limited extent. Now that you have cut off their supply of ‘Eli love,’ they may become bolder, trying to get with him and get by you.”
Rachel nodded, seeing the wisdom in Grace’s words. “When you’re not with him, your trust is going to have to be absolute. But the upside is that if you are with him outside the bar and he is approached, you can be much more persuasive in warning them off. Just remember, Eli sees you as a lady. And speaking of being a lady, I think we need to go ask Ethan to play something so you and I can dance for our men. Let’s show them that there’s more to us than that waiting for them when we get home tonight. Whatya say?” she asked with a sexy, crooked grin.
“I say you are an evil genius, Grace. Thanks for talking me down off the ledge. I was getting pretty defensive there for a minute, but what you say makes perfect sense. I’ll be watching for those two with the spilled drink plan. Let me fix my hair and we can go.”
“Get ready because that table full of women should be at it by now. Strut that fine ass out there and work it. That’s how you thank him for having eyes only for you. Make it worth it to him to turn down all the free pussy that’s being flung at him right now. What?” she asked innocently, her big blue eyes popping open. “Call a spade, a spade. Give him a little sample of what he gets to taste tonight,” she said, adjusting her cleavage for maximum affect.
“Grace, you talk dirty in bed, don’t you? Those words roll off your lips like you get practice.” Rachel was surprised, but also a little awed, at the transformation in Grace. She could remember the first time she laid eyes on her in this very restroom, squaring off with Patricia Gonzales over Ethan. She’d looked a little unsure of herself back then. This woman was self-confident and knew where she stood with her man and every other female in this club. Self-confidence was a remarkable attribute in her, and damned if she wasn’t wearing that same pair of great dance shoes, only in dyed pink snakeskin this time.
“Grace, those shoes are kick ass!”
“I know! June called Adam to let him know that she’d seen them in a new color. I told her how much I liked them the last time we saw her, and he surprised me with them. They like seeing me in pink.” She snickered, showing Rachel the pink waist band of her satin thong, giggling.
“You are so naughty, Grace! I love that about you.”
Grace sassily held up two fingers. “My rule number one is seize the day, and my rule number
two is live life with no regrets.”
“Words to live by. Give me five minutes to fight off the floozies, and then you and I can go shake our moneymakers.”
“Deal. That will give Ethan a chance to look forward to me dancing for him. Sometimes the anticipation is the best part.” Grace said with a chuckle.
“Don’t I know it,” Rachel murmured, thinking about that afternoon when she thought she’d die of anticipation. Rachel pulled open the restroom door, and slowly exited, walking through the club with Grace like their fine asses owned it.
Chapter Eight
Rachel snickered as she watched Grace settle herself back into Ethan’s lap. Cheekily giving him an extra little wiggle, she winked at Rachel as she spoke softly to him. The ear-to-ear smile on his face at Grace’s words told Rachel what she wanted to know.
She continued sauntering through the club, getting a glimpse of Eli amongst all the bleached and highlighted heads currently surrounding him. She smiled, sympathizing with her poor handsome baby. She took slow, deep breaths, asked Ben at the bar for a club soda, and glanced over to see how Eli was doing.
From her location, she could see him standing in front of his chair, literally surrounded by women. She noticed that he did not sit down in his chair when they did this and came to the realization that, if he sat, it gave them easier access into his personal space and they were more likely to put their hands on his legs or in his hair. When he stood, most of them had to back up so they could gaze up at him adoringly.
He smiled, making friendly conversation with them and other bar patrons as they came in the door. She pulled a maraschino cherry off its stem and chewed it thoughtfully as she truly observed him this time. Before, she supposed that she’d spent most of her time glowering at the women and never spent much time noticing how he handled their advances. They sure were a pushy lot. She had the sense that he was uncomfortable and noticed he kept looking over at the restroom door. He must wonder what kept her, or maybe he was concerned about what she would do when she saw all the women gathered around him.
She peeked over again and saw him raise a forearm to gently block another woman’s reach as she made a move to touch his long, silky hair. Poor thing. Rachel couldn’t blame her. She could barely keep her own hands out of his hair when she was with him. He jerked back suddenly as though someone had touched him in an inappropriate way. It was time to rescue her lover from his groupies, she thought with a determination. She was very proud that she remained calm rather than becoming angry and jealous.
Ethan came to stand beside her and chuckled, saying, “He’s been doing his best, Rachel. But they’ve been very persistent ever since you left. You’re making me proud of you the way you’ve handled all of this. I know it’s not easy for you.” He turned to his partner, who was behind the bar at the moment. “Hey, Ben. How about a shot of Crown for Rachel and 1800 for Eli. He looks like he needs the fortification. Put them on my tab.” Ben came over, grinning, and poured two generous shots for her.
Ethan turned back to her. “Time to go rescue your man from his admirers,” he said with a smirk.
She smiled gratefully. “Thanks, Ethan. You’re a peach.”
“So Grace tells me,” he said. “I’m looking forward to the next set of dance music. We’ve got two of your favorite songs coming up, back-to-back,” he said meaningfully, his eyes twinkling.
“Enjoy,” she murmured with a grin and backed away from the bar. She approached the front of the club and made sure she was in clear view of Eli as she sauntered slowly to where he stood, completely blocked in by female bodies. His discomfited face split into a wide grin as he made eye contact with her over their heads.
Mike elbowed Rogelio, watching with avid glee as she approached. They both looked thoroughly amused by the scene playing out before them. She winked at Eli, held up the shots, and didn’t slow her approach. The relief on his face was almost comical.
In her friendliest stewardess voice, she piped cheerfully, “Oh, hi! How are you all doing?” Like they’d come to see and talk to her. “Careful, ladies, don’t want to spill the shots. Watch out, I love that dress!” She sliced with surgical precision right through the group, never so much as bumping anyone aside. They all moved back a bit in surprise at her smooth, unimpeded advance through their ranks.
She offered the shot to him. He took it, slammed it, and placed the glass on the table. He gently pulled her to him, wrapping her arms around his neck, breast to chest, as he sat down in his chair.
* * * *
Damn, but Rachel knew exactly how to ease him. Eli couldn’t sit in the presence of these women because if he did, they’d invariably slide their perfumed hands up his thighs, which always led to other things. In another life, he’d have loved it, but he despised that they all knew he was here with Rachel and still felt as though they could act that way around her. She made it all worth it. The slow, seductive smile she’d given him as she strutted across the club, holding those drinks up, sent a shot of lust straight to his groin. He was rock hard by the time he pulled her into his arms, and judging by the look in her eyes, she knew it, too.
“Is that a gun in your pocket, or are you just glad to see me, big man?” she asked, giving him a sultry smile and her best seductive imitation of Mae West. He held her tightly pressed against him.
Her eyelids slid closed over her gorgeous deep blue eyes, and she looped her arms around his neck. It sent a pleasant tingle up his spine when she threaded her fingers through his hair, something he knew she liked to do. It was a small way she could put her mark on him because he never allowed anyone else to touch his hair. He was glad she liked it long and loose the way it was.
She tilted her head up to him and laid a warm open-mouthed kiss on his lips. There were disappointed sighs and moans from the group of horny females, and he had to grin as he kissed her. She shook with inner laughter as she stroked his tongue with her own and drew all his attention back to her. By the time she was done kissing him, all the groupies were gone in search of greener and, hopefully, more available pastures.
“Hi, beautiful,” he murmured as he slid his hand gently down her back. He stopped at the upper swell of her ass, showing her respect in front of Mike and Rogelio by not continuing farther south in their presence.
“Hello, my lover.” With a breathy sigh, she laid her head against his chest. “Do you mind if Grace and I dance in a few minutes?” she asked as she bit her lip. She had no idea how much that simple little gesture affected him. Add to that the mental image of watching her dance and his cock was hard as a rock.
He grinned crookedly at her. “Not at all. Why?”
“Grace requested a couple of songs for us.” Rachel smiled innocently at him.
“I see.”
“Grace told me she overheard the two women that were on you earlier. They’re planning to give you their phone numbers and offer you a threesome.”
Holy crap, where did these women come from? “How do they plan to do that?” he asked, amused at her nonchalant description of an event that should have her seething with fury.
“One will spill a drink on me, and while I’m in the bathroom cleaning up, the other will slip you their phone numbers and make the offer. She’s got it all planned out, even knows where you live.”
“Knows where I…How?”
“She’s followed you home before.”
“I never—”
“I know, honey. Can you try to watch out for them, though? I don’t want my new outfit to get messed up,” she replied, contentedly hugging him.
“Don’t worry, baby. The only thing happening to this pretty outfit is gonna be me slipping it off of you later tonight. And if we get messy, we can always take a shower afterward.” He grinned at her sudden delighted gasp when he quickly pulled her up onto his lap.
“I’m keeping you from work, sitting in your lap like this.” She put her arm around his shoulder. He held her to him tightly, enjoying the feel of her delicious curves in his arms. His co
ck was equally appreciative, if a little unsatisfied. If he was going to be tortured with her delectable nearness all night, he might as well enjoy himself.
“The front is quiet. Everyone’s having a good time, and no one’s fighting, so you’re right where you’re supposed to be. If I have to get up in a hurry to help break up a fight, I’ll put you in my chair first. Don’t worry, Rachel. You’re right where I need you. I love having you in my lap. Drink your shot. I think I see Grace headed your way. She looks very pleased with herself. She must be ready to dance.”
“That girl does love to dance.” Rachel waved at Grace as she approached.
“Hi, Grace,” Eli said, giving her a friendly hug. “Thanks for watching out for Rachel. I appreciate it. It’s amazing the levels some people will go to.”
“You’re welcome, Eli. Believe me, Rachel has done her share of watching out for me, too. You mind if we go dance?” she asked, her blue eyes wide and innocent.
“You go right ahead, Grace. I think I hear your song playing.” He grinned as Big & Rich began pounding out “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy” over the sound system. Grace blew a kiss to Ethan, who was up in the DJ booth. He waved at her and put his hand over his heart, watching as she sashayed over to the dance floor. Eli kissed Rachel’s knuckles and released her.
Ethan left the DJ booth and came down to the front where he could see Grace better and stood next to Eli and the others.
“I shouldn’t be watching this, man,” Mike muttered, transfixed. “She’s like my little sister or something.”
Rogelio groaned and started checking his fingernails.
Eli heard Ethan exhale and murmur, “Damn, watching Grace move like that never gets old. We may not even make it home first,” he added softly, groaning as she slid her hands suggestively over her ass then her thighs.
Eli was hypnotized by the swaying rhythm of Rachel’s hips. He never took his eyes from his woman as she began to move to the pounding rhythm of the song. He knew it was nothing more than mental gymnastics, but he swore he felt her movements on his cock. He was as hot and hard as he’d been earlier that afternoon before entering her tight, silken cunt. Watching her now was akin to waving a red cape in front of a bull. Her every movement enticed him and drew him in.
The Divine Creek Ranch Collection, Volume 1 [Book 1 - Divine Grace, Book 2 - Her Gentle Giant, Book 3 - Heavenly Angel] (Siren Everlasting Collection) Page 68
