Sweet Addiction

by Jessica Daniels

  “Bad ass and extremely impractical. Maybe when we make our first million we’ll splurge on a luxury delivery vehicle.” I grab our place card “Come on, we’re table twelve.”

  I didn’t really care what table we were at, just as long as we weren’t in direct view of the bridal table. Justin still hadn’t made eye contact and I was hoping to keep it that way. And with this many people in attendance, avoiding him shouldn’t be a problem. Round tables cover three sides of a large wooden dance floor, the bridal table elevated on a platform and overlooking the guests. The tables are draped in white linen with coral ribbons running along the edges and beautiful calla lily filled centerpieces. The DJ is already playing music and a few people are dancing while others mingle around the tables, talking and enjoying themselves.

  “There you two are.” Juls comes skittering over to us in her dangerously high heels and grabs onto our forearms as we admire the sculptures. “How was it? Be honest.” I cock my head to the side and scrunch up my nose as Joey rubs the back of his neck, seemingly in pain. Juls panics, her eyes bug and her fingers immediately rub her temple.

  “It was brilliant!” I yell as relief washes over her, followed by a stern I’m going to kick your ass look.

  “As usual, you are one bad ass bitch, Juls. If I ever get married, you’ll be running that show.” Joey rubs her bare shoulder and she winks at him.

  “Well, I only have a few minutes to spare before I have to get the bridal party lined up to come in so---” she steps in between us and loops her arms through ours “---let’s go introduce you to some hotties.” Oh shit. I almost forgot about hot lap guy. Almost.

  “Oh my God, Juls you missed it,” Joey says through a laugh.

  I lean back and hiss. “Shut up, Joey.”

  “What? What did I miss?” She flicks her head back and forth between the two of us as I stare him down.

  Don’t you dare. I’m still your boss and will fire your ass right here. He must have read my thoughts because he never finishes his sentence, or maybe it’s because we are now standing in front of the hot Chicago man candy club. The four of them are standing near a table conversing amongst themselves, but all conversation comes to a halt as we walk up. All of them, and I mean all of them, are way too attractive to properly function around. And now it is suddenly feeling a thousand degrees hotter in this room.

  “There’s my girl.” Ian reaches his hand out and Juls steps into him, placing a quick kiss on his cheek before she steps back. I keep my eyes on Ian; not wanting to drift to the man whose eyes I knew were on me. I can feel them burning a hole into my profile.

  “Boys, I would like to introduce my very best friend, Dylan.” Her hand grabs mine and pulls me forward as I glance up and run my eyes down the row of men, stopping on the one closest to me. Damn, he keeps getting better looking. “And this is Joey, the hottest gay man in Chicago.”

  “Oh please, Illinois bitch. Let’s not downplay my sexiness.” Joey straightens out his tie as I try not to laugh. My assistant has no modesty.

  Juls glances down at her Tiffany watch and her eyes go wide. “Crap. Ian, will you finish the introductions? I need to take care of some shit.”

  “Sure thing, babe. Be quick though.” He holds onto her hand tightly, making her tug away playfully before his smile lands on me.

  “Christ, you’re so pussy whipped.” The blond man standing next to Ian says softly. I glance at him quickly, smiling at the idea of Ian being completely caught up in my best friend. The two of them started dating a few months ago and she is already head over heels for him. Due to our busy schedules, this is our first time actually meeting and from what I can tell by the way he looks at her, he seems just as infatuated.

  Ian glares at the blond who laughs around his drink before he turns back towards me. “Dylan, it’s nice to finally meet you.” He holds out his hand to me with a genuine smile as I shake it. Ian is tall and built, very muscular with nearly jet black hair that is barely long enough to pull into his pony. His brown eyes regard me kindly.

  “Yeah you too, Ian. I’ve heard such lovely things from Juls.”

  He shakes Joey’s hand and exchanges some pleasantries while my eyes strain to not look at the man standing directly to my left. “And these are my work associates and mates, Trent, Billy, and Reese,” he says, motioning down the line of men. Reese. Of course that’s his name. A guy looking like this wouldn’t be named something not sexy like Ted or Joe. I shake Trent and Billy’s hands as they say how nice it is to meet me. Trent, who made the pussy whipped comment, is the shortest of the group with almost white blond hair that curls at the ends. And Billy, who only has eyes for Joey at the moment, has sandy blond hair that is kept super short, diamond stud earrings in both ears. I begin biting the inside of my cheek as I turn my body towards Reese.

  “Dylan, I believe we’ve met briefly.” He extends his hand and I place mine in his without hesitation, feeling his callused fingers tickle my skin. I have to look up into his stare, even though I’m wearing one of my tallest pairs of heels. He’s got a torso that stretches on for miles, one that I’d like to wrap myself around. His perfectly tailored dark gray suit frames his hard body almost unfairly and as he smiles, the tiniest little lines appear next to his eyes. I sigh. His attractiveness is a bit unnerving.

  “Yes, briefly. I’m so sorry about that.” Not really.

  Still holding my hand he leans in a bit, his breath warming my face. “I’m not. Let’s go get a drink.”

  I stumble a bit at the closeness of his face to mine, but somehow manage a quick nod in agreement to his request. Finally dropping my hand, I meet Joey’s eyes and he winks at me before I turn and walk side by side with Reese to the bar. I want to reach out and slip my hand back in his but I don’t. That would be weird. Stay strong. Resist the urge.

  “What can I get you?” the young bartender asks and I realize after a long silent moment that Reese is waiting for my order, staring at me with an amused grin.

  “Oh, umm, jack and coke please.”

  Handsome next to me raises his eyebrows at my drink selection. “No girly drink for you?”

  I shake my head and brush my hair behind my ear. I’ve never been the type of girl that orders martinis and fruity drinks that cost eight dollars apiece.

  “I’ll have the same.” His fingers strum the counter as I try not to stare at his profile, which is an extremely difficult task. The man is too beautiful not to stare at. I’m handed my drink and immediately take a large sip. “So, I don’t think I’ve ever met a woman named Dylan before. And I definitely don’t think I’ve ever had a Dylan fall into my lap.” His lips touch his glass and I stare a bit longer than I mean to as the liquid slips into his mouth. And I am now suddenly jealous of his beverage.

  I shift on my feet, flicking my stare back up to his eyes. “Oh, um, my parents were a bit obsessed with the singer. They had picked the name Dylan before finding out the sex and decided that no matter what, that was going to be the name. And so, here I am.”

  He smiles. “Yes, here you are. Do you like any of his music?”

  I think for a moment before replying. “I like that American Girl song.”

  Smiling slightly, he leans against the bar, his tall frame towering over mine and the bartenders. “That’s Tom Petty,” he corrects me, his lips curling up in amusement.

  “Oh, then I have no idea if I like any of his songs or not.” I wrap my lips around the tiny straw and his jaw tightens, a small twitch appearing at the sharp angle of it. He clears his throat and runs a hand through his hair, making it even more of a perfect mess. God even his hair is sexy.

  “So, bride or groom?” I ask, watching his confusion turn into realization.

  He smiles behind his glass. “Bride, sort of. I don’t really know Sara but I’ve worked with her father. He invited the four of us.” His hand motions towards Ian and Trent who are sitting together at their table. I shake my head as I realize that Billy and Joey are already missing. Predictable Joey. We’ve
been here for a whole five minutes. “You?”

  I roll my eyes. “Groom, unfortunately.”

  He steps closer, brushing his suit jacket against my bare arm and tilting his head down towards me. “Really? Why, sweet Dylan, does it sound like you really know the groom?”

  Sweet Dylan? Oh my. I glance up into his eyes. “Because I really know the groom. He’s my ex.”

  His eyes widen and he leans back. “Seriously?”

  I nod. “Cheating ex to be specific.”

  “Fuck. That sucks. I mean, isn’t this awkward for you? Why are you even here?”

  I laugh slightly and point through the crowd towards the dessert table with my free hand. “Do you see that beautiful five tier deliciously constructed wedding cake?” He nods and searches my face. “I made that. That’s why I’m here.”

  “No shit? So, you’re a baker?” I proudly smile as the DJ softens the music.

  “And now, ladies and gentlemen, I ask everyone to direct their attention to the front entrance. The party has arrived!” The crowd cheers and whistles as each bridesmaid and paired groomsmen line up at the door. I feel a pair of lips brush against my ear and freeze, my pulse instantly racing.

  “You interested in watching this?” His face is dangerously close to mine and I almost stumble at his scent that is now filling my lungs. He smells like citrus and I have a sudden urge to bury my face into his neck and inhale him deeply.

  “Not really,” I softly reply, glancing up into this green stare. Nodding once, he grips my elbow and pulls me through the crowd, stopping in front of the dessert table.

  “So, what do we have here?” He tilts his glass and takes a sip as we both admire my work. I smile and beam at my creation. It really does look fabulous.

  “Well, the cake itself is an orange sponge cake with Grand Marnier whipped cream and marmalade filling---” I gesture towards the peach colored pearls and calla lilies cascading down the side, “---and the little dots and lilies are made of sugar so it’s all edible.”

  Leaning forward, he admires the flowers with a furrowed brow, studying it closely. I greatly appreciate his interest considering they were a bitch to make and can’t help but giggle quietly at his look of deep thought. I’ve never even seen a groom react this curiously to a cake I made.

  “Wow. I thought the flowers were real. You can really eat those?”

  I smile proudly. “Hmm mmm. They are insanely sweet and practically dissolve on your tongue once the heat of your mouth touches the sugar.”

  He raises an eyebrow at me as he straightens up. “Christ. You make that sound so dirty,” he says with a low raspy voice. I shrug as if to silently portray that I always made things sound dirty which seems ridiculous even in my head. No big deal, just how I talk.

  “So what do you do, Reese?” I take a generous sip of my drink and watch his eyes go to my mouth, my teeth clamping down on my straw.

  After a moment’s hesitation as his eyes linger, he replies, “I’m a CPA with Walker and Associates.”

  Nearly choking at his admission, I clear my throat as his eyes widen. “Get the hell out of here. You’re an accountant? You?” He must be joking. Beautiful and highly intelligent? I feel like I’ve found a unicorn.

  He simply nods and studies my face with a small grin. “Does that surprise you?”

  “Yes. The guy that does my taxes has psoriasis and looks more like my father. There’s no way someone as hot as you is an accountant.” Jesus, Dylan. I close my eyes and shake my head, hearing a small chuckle from his direction. When I open them finally, I lock onto his curious stare, his lips slightly parted as if he’s about to speak. The DJ comes over the speaker system and halts him.

  “And now it’s time for the bride and groom’s first dance.”

  I turn my body towards the dance floor that has suddenly opened up to allow Justin and Sara into the center. Sara looks beautiful in her strapless gown with intricate beading and Justin looks decent in his suit. Okay, maybe a little better than decent but that doesn’t say much. I’ve always thought that all men look better in a suit, no matter what they looked like before they stepped into it. A familiar song softly plays overhead and I cringe.

  “Jesus Christ. You have got to be kidding me.” I down my drink and place it on the dessert table as Reese steps closer to me.

  “Do you not like this song?” he asks. Everyone is watching the couple adoringly and I’m staring at Justin like I want to punch him in the throat. What a tool.

  “No, I love this song. I loved it so much that I made it our song two years ago.” I laugh. “Of course I shouldn’t be surprised that Justin failed to be original here. He was never one for change or originality, especially when it came to our sex life.” My eyes flick to Reese who is now sucking on a piece of ice. He bites it hard and lets it slide down his throat as he leans down, his nose brushing against my temple. I freeze.

  “Really? Tell me.” I swallow loudly and close my eyes, wanting to block out everything around me that isn’t him in this moment. It’s only his breath on my face, his scent, and the slightest contact of his skin against mine. “Did the two of you ever sneak off at a wedding and fuck each other’s brains out?”

  Holy hell. Did he just say that? My eyes shoot open and my mouth drops. Can I honestly respond to that? Would he like it if I told him exactly what I wanted to say, that I only wanted him to fuck my brains out at this wedding or any wedding for that matter? I shift on my feet and search my head for the appropriate wording when Joey appears at my side, out of breath.

  “Cupcake, I need a moment.” He grabs my hand, smiling flirtatiously at Reese and pulls me towards our table, planting me firmly in a chair.

  I glare at him. “This better be an emergency for me to allow you to pull me away from that conversation. He just basically insinuated that he wanted to fuck me into tomorrow and I’d very much like that.” My eyes flick back to Reese who is talking to one of the bridesmaids now, her hands playfully pushing at his chest as he speaks. Oh please, you look so desperate.

  Joey straightens his tie and pulls his jacket off, slipping it on the back of his chair. “Good lord, he’s direct. But back to the important matter at hand, Billy just gave me the best blow job of my life.”

  My eyes narrow at his beaming face and he shrinks a bit in his chair. “Seriously, Joey? That’s what you had to pull me away from Reese for? You couldn’t have waited until after I had an orgasm to tell me this?” I lean forward and his eyes widen. “And for shit’s sake, what guy hasn’t blown you that you aren’t quickly trying to give the title of best mouth in Chicago to?”

  “That’s not all I needed to tell you.” His voice lowers as he moves in closer to me, his hand brushing my hair back to reveal my ear. “On our way to our secluded hook up spot, I saw the bride with her lips wrapped around the best man’s dick.”

  “WHAT?” I clasp my hand quickly over my mouth as I feel hundreds of eyes on me. “Are you fucking serious?” I manage in a much more appropriate tone. He nods just as Juls storms up to our table.

  “You two bitches are so fucking loud. What’s going on?”

  “Nothing,” Joey and I say in unison.

  I wasn’t sure we should make Juls aware of the situation just yet. I’d let her get paid first, and then drop that juicy bomb in her lap. She’d want to rub it in Justin’s face that he got what was coming to him and that might result in a canceled wedding reception and a loss of her commission.

  I brush my hair off my shoulder and smile sweetly at her. “Are you done with your wedding planning duties now?” I ask, wanting to change the subject.

  “Yes, finally.” She rolls her eyes. “That fucking wedding party was a disaster. I’m pretty sure they were all in some giant orgy back there before they walked into the reception.” I meet Joey’s eyes and we both try to keep a straight face. The music picks up and Juls jumps on her heels, reaching out for our hands. “Ooohhh I love this song! Come on. Let’s go show these rich snobs how we shake it in downtown Chi
cago.”

  “You know it girl,” Joey says as I shuffle quickly behind them.

  She makes a quick stop at Ian’s table and my eyes lock on to Reese who gives me a playful smile behind his drink. The other boys are talking amongst themselves. “Wanna dance, babe?” Juls asks before Ian grabs her and pulls her into his lap, kissing her passionately in front of everyone. I can’t help but blush and glance quickly at Reese who notices and winks at me. My heart beats roughly in my chest at the gesture. Relax, it was just a wink.

  “Jesus Christ. Get a fucking room,” Joey spats, pulling me in the direction of the dance floor.

  “Wait.” I pull my hand out of his and quickly walk around the table. I stop in front of Reese and lean down, pressing my lips to his ear as he lifts his face to mine. His fingers curl around my arm and the contact makes me momentarily dizzy. “Keep your eyes on me,” I say and he sucks in a breath. Our eyes are locked and our faces inches apart.

  “How could I not?” he replies softly. I straighten and see the lingering intensity in his stare as Joey reclaims my hand and pulls me out onto the floor which is now packed with guests.

  Beyoncé’s “Naughty Girl” is bumping through the speakers, the bass vibrating through my body as I begin to move. Joey and Juls dance next to me, the three of us trying to out dance the other. My hands move up my body, brushing over my stomach, up my chest and up and around my neck as I close my eyes and let the music take over. I love to dance, especially with my best friends. My hands run through my wavy hair and I feel the hem of my dress rise a bit, brushing the middle of my bare thighs. “Go girl.” Joey squawks and my eyes flash open to see him spinning and twirling around me, as only Joey can do. For a man so tall and muscular, he can move his body as if he was professionally trained. I sway my hips and move in the most overly flirtatious way possible, hoping and praying that Reese is watching me but not having the balls to glance over and know for sure. I squeal with Juls as Rihanna’s “S&M” comes on overhead. A pair of strong hands wrap around my tiny waist from behind me and I still, feeling hot breath in my hair.