Wasted Love

by Danielle Jamie

  I am ready to get my groove on!

  The music from down below is hitting my ears up here and causing me to dance in my seat, consuming my body and taking it over. I playfully bump shoulders with Jax, who has his arm draped behind me at the moment.

  His eyes are smiling at me as he watches me shimmy playfully at him, then shifting and shimmying at Savannah. “The music is too good to just sit up here on our asses. We need to be down there dancing!” I shout over the music and motion to the dance floor below.

  Shaking his head, Jax slides his gaze from my eyes down to my girls, dancing around before him in my red corset top. It’s pushing them up nicely, but in a tasteful way–unlike the bottle girl, who keeps popping in at our table every five minutes.

  “Why don’t you go dance?” he asks me with amusement in his voice, as I continue to bounce around beside him.

  “I will…” I tell him in a sing-song voice before shifting back towards Savannah.

  She has joined in with me, singing along to Starships, by Nicki Minaj. The beat is contagious, making it impossible to sit still. We both raise our hands and begin singing along with the song, not letting the fact that the boys are around us stop us from being silly.

  Jumping to my feet, I grab Savannah’s hands and begin dancing with her in our small space. We’re both beaming from ear to ear, laughing as we shimmy at each other and whip our ponytails back and forth.

  Glancing over my shoulder, I smile back at Jax. He's looking all irresistible in a sophisticated way, with his white button up dress shirt unbuttoned a little and his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He’s wearing black dress slacks and loafers; with this outfit and his tattoos showing along his forearms, he just screams sex.

  Jax is watching me with a hooded stare, and I know I’m starting to break down his walls, unlike Dixon’s. Is it wrong of me to continuously compare Jax with Dixon? They are both extremely attractive in their own way, but both affect me in different ways.

  Dixon is fully engulfed in a conversation with Kayden about football and doesn’t seem to notice me grinding on Savannah right in front of his face. I hate that it bothers me. On the other hand, Jax is watching me, and I can tell he is enjoying what he sees.

  Why can’t I just be happy with that?

  Since Dixon doesn't seem to be the least bit interested in me tonight, I’m not going to waste my energy chasing him. I don’t chase men; they chase me.

  My only agenda is dancing my ass off and having some fun with Jax once I drag his ass onto the dance floor. He is fun and is the perfect distraction from Dixon. Who knows, maybe seeing me and Jax together will get Dixon to pull his head out of his ass and finally stop fighting the attraction I know he feels between us. I need him to give in so I can finally have a ride on a real cowboy.

  I opt to take one more shot before dragging Savannah down to the dance floor. Licking my lips, I adjust my corset top and turn my attention back to Jax. Holding my hand out toward him, I bat my lashes down at him and ask, “You wanna go dance with us?”

  The corners of his lips curl up into a ghost of a smile as his gaze takes me in from my head to my toes. I am wearing him down. I just know it.

  “Sure,” he says, setting his drink down.

  “Yay!” I squeal, stomping my feet lightly in front of Jax. He lets out a low chuckle as he stands and takes my hand. I glance down at his hand in mine before turning to Savannah. “You going to join us downstairs?”

  “Of course!” she says, taking my other hand and shaking it excitedly. “I can’t stop now that I’ve started. I need to keep moving!” Spinning on her heels, she wobbles slightly and lets out a cute little giggle as she looks from Kayden to Dixon. “Y’all coming, too?”

  Kayden flashes his adorable dimples up at Savannah and tells her, “I’ll take any chance I can get to dance with you, baby.”

  Aww. Kayden is the sweetest thing ever. It’s sickening how romantic this man is! Tilting my head to the side, a small smile creeps over my lips as I watch Kayden stand and pull Savannah in for one more kiss before we head down to the dance floor.

  Turning my eyes to Dixon, I catch him watching me, which makes my heart hammer in my chest again. I need to get a handle on my emotions. Frustrated with myself, I snap at Dixon, “Are you coming?” I don’t mean to come off as a bitch, but his hot-and-cold act is getting on my nerves.

  Raking his hands through his hair, he shakes his head no before pulling his phone out of his pocket. “I need to make a quick call. I’ll come find you guys in a bit.”

  “Whatever. See you in a bit then.” Spinning on my heels, I give Jax’s hand a squeeze and silently follow Kayden and Savannah down the stairs.

  The closer we get to the dance floor, the louder the music becomes, which is perfect. I’m not in the mood for talking; I’m in the mood for dancing. Let’s Go, by Calvin Harris and Ne-Yo, is blasting throughout the club. The strobe lights dance above us, and the flashing lights are like an electric jolt of energy shocking my system. Lacing my fingers with Jax’s, I hold our hands in the air as we maneuver through the packed dance floor, swaying my hips to the music the entire time.

  I feel Jax press his free hand against my hip, squeezing it slightly as we push through to an open spot. The music mixing with all the alcohol I've consumed is making my body hypersensitive to every detail I’m hearing and feeling.

  The heat from Jax’s hand travels through the thin leather of my skirt, causing my skin to prickle with goose bumps. My body flushes when he presses himself against my backside as we come to a stop and instantly begin moving with the music.

  Savannah and Kayden are dancing farther into the crowd in front of us. I can’t see Savannah, but I spot Kayden through the crowd. The dance floor is completely packed. There is barely enough space to move, causing me and Jax to practically blend into one another, becoming one.

  Spinning around, I press my back to his chest and close my eyes, getting lost in the sound of the techno music. My head is foggy, and the combination of all the drinks I’ve had with the feeling of Jax’s hands on my hips has my body humming with desire. I feel as if every slight caress is magnified.

  Closing my eyes, I rest my head against his hard chest and try to melt into him. The second I close my eyes, Dixon’s piercing blue eyes are in the forefront of my mind.

  What is going on with me?

  I try to push thoughts of Dixon from my mind as I lace my fingers with Jax’s fingers. Jax is one of the sexiest men on the damn planet; include his accent, and he is a perfect ten. I’ve had thoughts of pursuing him ever since I landed my eyes on him. Now he seems to be letting me in, but my mind is wandering off elsewhere.

  This has never happened to me before, and it’s scaring the living daylights out of me. The dull ache in my chest intensifies as I spin around and begin grinding with Jax. Then I spot Dixon with an all-legs bottle blonde at the bar, getting all touchy-feely.

  Shaking my head, I pretend to be moving with the music–but I’m really trying my damnedest to shake out the anger that’s consuming me at the moment.

  The feeling of Jax’s fingers sliding behind my neck and his warm breath on my neck cause my eyes to snap back open. “You look absolutely stunning tonight, Brooklyn.” His words hit me hard, causing me to go off balance momentarily.

  This man is perfect and is here dancing with me right now, and I’m stupid enough to be wishing it were Dixon.

  I am seriously the world’s biggest bitch and stupidest woman on the planet.

  Lacing my fingers behind his neck, I bite my lip and lustfully look up to him. I make an extra effort to grin eagerly against him as his hands travel back down to my hips.

  “You don’t look so bad yourself.”

  Forget about Dixon Beaumont, I keep chanting to myself. I try to focus on how good Jax’s hands feel on my body and how his Aussie accent makes me tingle all over when he speaks.

  Jax is fun, sexy, and most of all safe. He doesn’t make my head go all haywire. Guys like Dixon are not
hing but trouble for girls like me.

  “Yuh wanna grab a drink at the bar?” he asks, pressing his mouth to my ear after another ten minutes of us dancing and teasing each other’s bodies.

  The club is so loud; you can barely hear yourself think.

  Nodding, I lace my fingers in his and follow him through the crowd towards the bar. I spot Savannah and Kayden and motion to the bar, tipping my hand in the air and signing to her that we’re getting a drink.

  Getting the same idea, she and Kayden soon follow behind us to the bar. It’s crazy to think I missed my best friend dancing on this very bar a few weeks ago. That night was the beginning of her and Kayden's relationship. I am so glad she threw caution to the wind and took a chance on him. She deserves to be happy, especially after Logan Douchebag Sanders betrayed her and shattered her heart the way he did.

  Dixon and bimbo Barbie are still at the bar. He’s sitting on a bar stool, drinking what looks like a Jack and Coke while she stands between his legs with her mouth all over his neck.

  I think I just puked a little.

  Trying my best to ignore Dixon and not let anyone see the look of disgust on my face, I plaster on a big, fake smile and jump up onto a stool. Leaning on my elbows, I glance around at the variety of liquors, trying to decide what I’m in the mood for.

  Jax slides onto the stool beside me and gently runs his fingers along my exposed neck and spine. His caress causes a shiver to shoot through my body.

  “So what’s your poison tonight?” he asks with a mischievous gleam in his eyes as he presses his palm to my lower back. My body immediately reacts, causing the tingling I felt earlier to return, forcing me to squeeze my thighs together.

  Well, even if Dixon is trying to become embedded into my mind, my body still really wants Jax. Jax is a good distraction, and exactly what I need right now.

  Tapping my nails on the bar, I think for a moment before telling him, “Red Bull and vodka. I need an energy boost if I’m going to keep up with my bestie over here, also known as the Dancing Queen.”

  Savannah lets out an airy giggle. “I’ll have the same,” she retorts, then leans back against Kayden, who’s standing behind her resting his arm on the bar while he chats with the bartender.

  “Aye, mate. Can we get a Coke and two Red Bull with vodkas?” Jax yells over the music down to the bartender, who swings his rag over his big, broad shoulders, gives me and Savannah a wink, then yells back to Jax, “Sure thing, bro,” before getting to work mixing our drinks.

  “I’ll have a bottle of water,” Kayden says, raking his fingers through his damp locks. We’re all a little on the hot side from half an hour of dancing.

  Kayden and Jax spot Dixon a few spots down at the bar and motion for him and his arm candy to join us on our end of the bar. The club is so packed; it’s hard to spot anyone with the amount of people in here. The dark lighting doesn’t help.

  I don’t even know how I managed to see Dixon since the bar is full of people blending together. Since I spotted him, I’ve struggled to keep my eyes from roaming back onto his body–especially since he has his flavor for the moment groping him, not caring that there are people around.

  Seriously. I need to stop torturing myself.

  Why do I even care anyway? That is the main question I have for myself?

  I need to get some distance between him and me to focus on Jax. Jax is the perfect distraction and exactly what I need right now. I’m here to have fun, not pout in a corner because Dixon wants to pretend like I’m freaking invisible.

  Chapter Ten

  Dixon

  Draining the amber liquid from my glass, I stare up at the ceiling as I feel the cool, slow burn of the liquor slide down my throat. I need to get completely shitfaced to get through this fucking night.

  Slamming my glass back onto the bar, I nod my head at whatever it is Kayden is saying. I signal to the bartender to refill my drink, telling Sam to keep ‘em comin’. He’s tended bar here for Kayden for two years and is a great guy, not to mention the perfect bartender. He doesn’t bullshit you with small talk; he just gives you your drink of choice. As long as you tip him well¸ he’ll never let you sit with an empty glass in your hand.

  Kayden says something about work he wants my crew to do at his Sugar Land estate, but I only half-listen and nod at all the right times. I can’t hear anything because my thoughts are elsewhere.

  My mind is constantly focused on Savannah’s best friend, Brooklyn.

  I am having a total mind-fuck moment right now. The more I try to ignore the attraction I feel towards her, the more it intensifies. I don’t know if it’s the forbidden fruit syndrome or not. You know the one, when you can’t have something so in turn you suddenly want nothing but that one thing you’ve sworn never to touch.

  I’m fucked.

  What I don’t get is Jax. He is always Mr. Professional with anyone in Kayden’s inner circle. He has women flocking to him all the time. I’m as straight as they fucking come, but I’m not blind; I see the way women look at him and ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh’ over his fucking accent. He goes through women as fast as Kayden, and I do…well, as Kayden used to before this Savannah chick came into the picture. But the women have never been anyone who have been connected to Kayden in any way; he is always preaching about keeping business and pleasure separate.

  Which I say, “Screw that!” as I fuck my assistant over my desk. Sometimes mixing business and pleasure is the only way to help make the day tick by a little faster.

  I never, in a million years, would have thought I’d see him flirting with Kayden’s girlfriend's best friend. That could seriously screw shit up if things got weird afterward, which is exactly the reason I’m trying to keep my dick out of this one. She’s the most gorgeous chick I’ve ever seen, and her carefree attitude is just the icing on the damn cake, making staying away from her that much harder.

  I can see how Jax could bend the rules for her because she is definitely a girl worth bending the rules for. I just can’t take that risk. Kayden is family. Jax could always get another job, but Kayden is not just family; he’s my best friend, and I don’t ever want a girl to come between that.

  Like they always say, Bros before hoes. I just wish Brooklyn wasn’t so damn gorgeous. It’s going to be pure and utter hell trying to keep my dick in my pants around her.

  I watch as Brooklyn is sitting on a stool beside Jax while she's talking to Savannah–all the while with her hand resting on Jax’s thigh. I can’t control the ticking of my jaw as every inch of my body screams at me to rip her off the stool and drag her away so I can have her to myself.

  I don’t share well with others; it was the number one problem I had growing up. That’s what happens when your only sibling is an older sister. I never had to share my shit with anyone, and right now I definitely don’t want to share Brooklyn with Jax.

  Raking my hand through my hair, I curse under my breath, “Fuck.” As I watch Brooklyn giggle with her infectious laughter, my dick grows in my jeans. She tosses her head back at something Savannah has said, then turns to Jax, squeezing his thigh, whispering something in his ear.

  I don’t know how much longer I can sit here torturing myself. I have Tara…Tonya…Tricia? I don’t fucking remember her name; I have no desire to. She's nibbling on my ear and whispering obscenities, which should be making me harder than a block of ice in the fucking Arctic; instead, all I can do is sit here fuming over Jax and Brooklyn.

  I am turning into one of those clichés…I don’t want her, but I don’t want anyone else to have her either.

  Maybe I’m overthinking things. Maybe they’re just having fun and won’t be taking things further than harmless flirting.

  Who the hell am I kidding? He can see how smokin’ hot she is, just like I can. If I can barely keep my dick in my pants around her, there’s no way Jax can either.

  Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

  Grabbing my glass off the bar, I press it to my bottom lip and tip my head back, gulping down every last
drop. My head becomes foggier with every drink. My only hope is I can get drunk enough to forget about Brooklyn and fuck Lucy…Lily? What the hell, I’ll just call her ‘darlin’’; they all answer to that.

  “Hey, darlin’, yuh ready to dance?” I ask, running my finger down her cheek.

  Batting her big, fake eyelashes at me, she grabs my hand and eagerly pulls me off the stool. “I would much rather be doing something else with you that requires less clothing…but dancing will do.”

  Normally, I’d say forget dancing and drag the chick into the bathroom so she can blow me before fucking her. Then I'd be done with her so I could go home and pass out. But tonight I don’t know what the hell I want, so dancing it is.

  Brooklyn

  Stumbling into Kayden’s penthouse suite, I giggle uncontrollably–which, by the way, I’ve been doing for the last hour. Tonight has been pretty crazy. After dancing the night away, Savannah decided to surprise Kayden with us getting on stage at his club. We sang our signature song, her ringtone she has had set for me for ages: Hell on Heels.

  We killed it. Us together singing is perfection. The crowd loved it, and we even managed to drag Kayden’s ass on stage to sing with us. We ended up acoustically singing Billy Jean–not the Michael Jackson original, but The Civil Wars’ cover. Savannah and I are obsessed with them and were thrilled that Kayden was familiar with them, too.

  The crowd went freaking nuts! They began chanting for us to do another song, and we gladly obliged. We were able to get Kayden to sing one more song with us, and he chose the next one, which won him over. We ended up singing Country In my Soul, by a new country music duo called Florida Georgia Line.

  I am obsessed with them. Normally, country music isn’t my thing; I like a few artists, but I’m not a diehard country fan like Savannah. So for me to be obsessed with these two hotties is a big deal! They rock! This is why I think I love them so much. They make country music cool and fun to dance to. Seriously! They did a cover with Nelly? You don’t get much cooler than that.