Wasted Love

by Danielle Jamie

  Unless they want to taste my snatch, I suggest they move on to another conquest.

  “Ready?” he asks as I approach, causing the girls to turn their attention from him to me.

  I flash them a megawatt Hollywood smile. “Yup. I need a good, strong drink–especially after that performance.” I can barely keep a straight face as I walk up and take his hand to pull him from the wall.

  One of the girls beams up at him. “Oh my gosh, I know! Wasn’t he amazing tonight? That performance was one of your best yet.”

  Oh, how true that is. If only she knew the performance I am actually referencing. She is right: it was one of his best yet.

  Xander excuses himself from the groupies, and after what feels like an eternity we finally make it to the bar. His bandmates are still hanging out at the stage, talking with the fans, mainly girls. I spot Savannah, Kayden, Reagan, Jacob, and Zak at the bar.

  “Hey, guys! So what did you think? They totally rocked, right?” I ask as I slide up onto a bar stool beside Savannah.

  Kayden has his arm around Savannah while he sips on a cup of ice water. Setting it down, he reaches his free hand out, clapping Xander on the shoulder. “You guys are really good. You've got a unique sound that I think will help get you far in the industry. You can branch out into other genres, and in the music business right now that’s really important. I will definitely be adding y’all to my iPod.”

  “You missed the other show here tonight,” Reagan interjects. I can’t help but notice the sly smile on his face, and Savannah’s cheeks grow red like they always do when she’s put on the spot.

  Resting my hands on my hips, I shout over the music, “What did I miss?!”

  Jacob sets his beer down and stands next to Kayden to rest his arm on his shoulder. Beaming from ear to ear, he says, “Savannah here helped me win a hundred bucks tonight.”

  “What?” I ask, whipping my head from Jacob to Savannah.

  “Yup. I lost a hundred frickin’ dollars to this jackass,” Kayden says bitterly, but his lips curl up just enough for me to tell he’s only yanking Jacob’s chain.

  “I rode the mechanical bull! Can you believe it?! And not just for a second–but thirty seconds!”

  Reagan lets out a loud chuckle. “I told her all the wild cowboy sex she’s been having prepared her for that moment.”

  I am the one laughing now. I press my palm to my side to try and stop the cramp forming in my stomach from laughing so hard. “Oh my God, Reagan! That is so something I would say! Gosh, I’ve missed you!” I tell him, pulling him in for a hug. “Now get me a drink. I need a Jack and Coke. STAT.”

  We spend the next hour drinking and having a blast. I’m glad they were all so welcoming of Xander. He seemed to be having a great time, too. His bandmates stopped by and had a few shots with us. They are all super sweet guys, too. After a few minutes, they were calling it a night and leaving with a group of girls they’d met earlier.

  Not long after they leave, Xander and I say our goodbyes to everyone and leave, too. I leave my Jeep in the parking lot; I’ll just pick it up in the morning. Reagan, who rode with me to the bar, catches a ride with Savannah and Kayden back to the beach house.

  Xander doesn’t live far from the bar, so within ten minutes we’re pulling up to his house on his Harley. As we pull up, I notice cars everywhere and all the lights on throughout the house. His bandmates must have brought the party back to their house.

  I just hope this doesn’t put a damper on our plans, because if so, I am really going to regret not having a quickie in the green room! Of course, he made sure to give me an orgasm to tide me over, but if we end up spending the evening partying and not fucking, I’m going to be pissed.

  As if he’s reading my mind, Xander kicks the kickstand down, and we climb off the bike. He takes my hand and whispers in my ear, “We’ll just say hello, then we can disappear into my bedroom. If you’re up for partying afterward, we can go out and hang with everyone. If not, I am fine with going a few more rounds.”

  Well, fuck a duck. This man is a freaking sex machine. I think I’m going to opt for a few rounds. My throne is beckoning me.

  I am sorer than fuck today and in desperate need of a good, long soak in the Jacuzzi. After parking my Jeep in the driveway beside Savannah and Kayden’s vehicles, I jump down and head up the deck to our front door. It’s already after twelve, and Savannah texted my phone earlier to say she was taking Reagan back to the airport around ten this morning.

  She barely drank at all last night, and Kayden nursed water all evening, but Reagan was drinking like a fish. I can only imagine his mood this morning when he had to get up and head to Houston.

  I am happy I stuck to only a few drinks last night. With my body being this sore, I don’t think I’d be able to move if I had a hangover on top of this.

  Xander had me feeling like a freaking acrobat last night, with all the crazy ass positions he had me twisting into. I rub my sore neck with the palm of my hand and punch in our security code with the other.

  Stepping into the house, I look around and notice it’s quiet. Either they are sleeping, showering, fucking or not here. Not caring to find out, I head straight up to my room and make a beeline for my en suite. I waste no time getting to work filling the tub and loading it with bubbles.

  Stripping out of my clothes from last night, I turn on my iPod and climb into the tub, basking in the feeling of the warm water and jets soothing every inch of my extremely sore body.

  An hour later, my water is getting cool, and my skin is all wrinkly, so I finally decide it’s time to get out. After getting dressed in some yoga pants and an oversized sweater, I head downstairs to make myself a large pot of coffee. Just as I’m pouring myself a mug, Savannah and Kayden come through the door.

  “Playing hooky today, Knox?” I ask while stirring my creamer into my mug.

  Kayden walks over to the fridge and grabs himself and Savannah some bottles of water. He then twists the top off his bottle and props his body against the counter top. “Nope. I am going in after I shower. I decided to go in this evening. Savannah said she would come stay at my suite at Knox Hotel tonight. You’re more than welcome to join us,” he tells me before downing half of his water bottle.

  “Kayden said tonight they’re having a little get-together at Tank's house. We met him when we all went four-wheeling. I figure we can stay there tonight so we will already be in Houston for you to catch your flight back to LAX tomorrow.”

  Holding my mug up to my lips, I blow on my steaming cup of coffee and smile at Savannah over it. “Sure. I’ll pack my stuff for my flight home and an outfit for tonight. What time are we leaving?”

  “We’ll head out around two. I need to go into the office for a board meeting,” Kayden says as he walks past me to join Savannah on a barstool at the kitchen island.

  I take a sip of my coffee, then shrug my shoulders and make my way around the island to plop down on the other seat beside Savannah. “Sounds like a plan. I’m excited to see how you country folk party. I’ve always wanted to go to a party in the middle of a field. It always looks like so much fun in the music videos.

  “And Dixon will be there,” Savannah says slyly as she grabs an orange from the fruit bowl.

  I roll my eyes and mumble, “Fantastic.”

  I can’t wait to see which Dixon is at this party: fun and flirty Dixon, or dickhead Dixon.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Dixon

  I have never been so happy to see Thursday. I’m dog tired after this work week. We’ve landed a huge contracting deal, building a new gated community in a suburban area of Houston. It’s going to be two years’ worth of work, not counting the other contracting jobs my company has. Even though I’m the boss, I get in and get my hands dirty just like the rest of them. It’s been my dream since I was a kid not only to design structures, but to build them, too.

  I do enough sitting around when I spend the day at the Beaumont office building as it is. The last thing I wan
t to do while on a construction site is sit around on my ass some more.

  My crew has to stay for another two hours to finish up. Once they’re done, a few of us are getting together at Tank’s house for some much-needed fun. I’m ready for a low-key night. Sitting on tailgates by a bonfire, listening to music, and flirting with girls is the perfect way to end a hard work week.

  I have to go into the office to go over some new business opportunities with Kayden and our board of directors. It looks like I’ll be taking a quick shower and changing in my office. I doubt the board wants to conduct a meeting with me in dusty jeans, work boots, and a flannel button up. I own the damn company, but I still need to look professional, even when the last thing I want to do is put a damn suit on.

  Normally I go into the office on Fridays, but with Christmas next week, we’re closing a day early. We’ve also hauled ass all week on our work site because of the approaching holidays. I am beat and definitely looking forward to a long vacation.

  I say goodbye to my crew and tell them to text me when they’re ready to get together. I then climb into my jacked up Silverado and floor it out of the site, kicking up dust as I head towards the highway.

  I lucked out when I stopped by the Beaumont offices today. Since it’s four days till Christmas Eve, everyone was in a hurry to finish up the meeting and get the hell out of there. Our offices will reopen after New Year’s. I also gave my crew the same amount of time off. I’m looking forward to two full weeks off to do whatever the hell I want.

  The first thing on my to-do list is drinking some beer with my boys. I pull up to Tank’s house, just outside of Houston. He lives on his grandparents’ old farm. It’s our go-to party spot because he’s out in the middle of nowhere. We can blast our music as loud as we want and get rowdy without worrying about the cops showing up to ruin our evening.

  I stopped by my suite at Knox Hotel and changed out of my monkey suit. Now I feel more like myself, wearing my worn blue jeans, a blue flannel button up over a white V-neck tee, cowboy boots, and of course my belt buckle. The ladies love a big belt buckle. I opted for a Longhorns ball cap tonight. If I could, I’d live in a ball cap; I hate having to do shit with my hair.

  During the board meeting, Kayden informed me that he’ll be stopping by Tank’s and bringing along Savannah and Brooklyn. I haven’t seen Brooklyn in two weeks, but that hasn’t stopped my mind from being constantly distracted by thoughts of her. This chick is haunting my fucking dreams.

  Last weekend, I attended Kayden’s charity event that he hosts every year to raise money for cancer research. It is in memory of my little cousin, his sister Melody, who passed away from leukemia. While at the hotel bar that night, I was drunk and hallucinating. I swore every goddamn brunette that approached the bar was Brooklyn.

  Thankfully for me, there were two knock-outs at the bar that night, and to me they both looked like Brooklyn. I invited them back to my place and spent the entire evening until sunrise fuckin’ them seven ways to Sunday. I had to imagine Brooklyn’s face on them so that I could get off.

  It’s going to be pure fucking torture to see her tonight. My one saving grace is the fact that Jax flew to Australia to see his parents, so I won’t have to witness them getting all handsy with one another. Kayden let it slip that Savannah told him that they did, in fact, hook-up. Jax swore he wouldn’t let it interfere with his job. My head wanted to explode as I tortured myself with images of Jax and Brooklyn together.

  I hate that I am acting like this. I am seriously considering going to get my fucking head checked. Brooklyn is just another girl. Hopefully, tonight I’ll meet a chick at the party who will gladly help distract me from my thoughts of Brooklyn.

  I drive my truck across Tank’s yard and swing around to the back of the house and immediately spot everyone. Anyone who drives a truck out to the farm pulls around back and parks around the party; it’s a tradition we’ve had for the last few years.

  I grab my can of dip from the console and jump down out of my truck. I immediately hear the sounds of people laughing and talking, music and the crackling fire.

  His driveway and lawn are filled with vehicles. I spot Kayden’s F-150 parked a few feet away with the tailgate down. Savannah and Brooklyn are dancing in the bed of the truck with two guys sitting on the tailgate gazing up at them.

  A pang of anger courses through me as my mind runs wild thinking about one of those guys with Brooklyn.

  This is getting out of control. She’s just a chick. There’s a dime a dozen here tonight. I’ll find a girl to spend the evening with and forget all about her.

  After shoving my can of dip into my back pocket, I head over to Kayden’s truck. Yup, I’m a glutton for punishment. I want to sit by the girl my dick is aching to have, but I know I can’t have. If you looked up ‘asshole’ in the dictionary, my face would be right there by the definition. I’m a Grade A asshole…as big of a jerk as they come. I am fine with who I am. This is me, and this is probably who I will always be.

  I know if I fuck Savannah’s friend, it will be disastrous. But damn, Brooklyn's making it hard for me to keep resisting her. I gaze up into the bed of the truck and see her shaking her ass, which is wrapped nicely in a pair of tight blue jeans. Both she and Savannah are wearing hoodies, jeans with boots, and have their hair down in long waves.

  Even dressed down, she is fucking gorgeous.

  I feel a pain forming in my chest, causing me to react and rub at the pressure building in my ribs.

  “Hey, Dixon!” Savannah shouts, causing Brooklyn to spin around mid-laughter and stare down at me.

  A sexy smirk curls up at the corners of her lips as she slides her gaze over me before settling her eyes on mine. “Hey, Dixon,” she says sweetly, her eyes twinkling down at me and making my dick throb even harder in my jeans. I need some distance between me and her.

  “Hey,” I say with a nod, smiling back up at them before looking for Kayden. I spot him by the keg talking with Tank, Brantley, and a few of our other buddies.

  The two guys sitting on Kayden’s tailgate reach their hands out to me to introduce themselves. “Nice to finally meet you, Dixon. I’m Zak, and this is my partner, Jacob.”

  Oh…they’re gay. I glance back towards Brooklyn, who is once again lost in the music and dancing around the back of the truck with Savannah.

  I don’t know why I feel a rush of relief when I realize neither of these guys will be trying to hook up with Brooklyn this evening.

  They both give me a genuine smile and shake my hand, then Jacob cuts in, “We’re the ones renting the beach house next door to Savannah and Brooklyn, but we’re heading back to California at the end of the month.”

  Nodding, I respond, “Well, it was nice to meet y’all. I’m going to see what my cousin’s up to.” I then look at Savannah and Brooklyn and ask, “Y’all need any refills?”

  I have no clue as to why I just did that.

  “Aww! Thanks, Dixon. I’d love another Jack and Coke with ice,” Brooklyn says as she walks to the end of the truck bed and plops down on the tailgate.

  Savannah sits down beside Brooklyn. Resting her hand on my shoulder, she beams up at me, and I notice her eyes, like Brooklyn’s, are glazed over from alcohol. “I’ll have a sweet tea, please. I reached my limit. I don’t need to be spending my evening in the bathroom. No, thank you!” she says before giggling a tiny laugh and muffling it with her hand.

  “Sure thing. I’ll stop and say hey to Kayden and the boys, then bring y’all your drinks.”

  The party is in full swing, with country music blasting from Tank’s sound system that is set up on his back patio. There’s a row of kegs along the side of the patio. A table full of red Solo cups with rows of Jack Daniels bottles and pitchers of sweet tea are waiting for thirsty party-goers. On the ground is a large cooler full of ice, and cans of Coke are stacked beside it.

  Kayden is propped up against a tree when I approach him and our buddies. “Hey, Knox. The girls need refills on their drinks, a
nd I need to recruit an extra hand. Savannah said she just wants some sweet tea.”

  “I’d gladly get Brooklyn a drink,” Jesse interrupts, leaving Kayden with his mouth half-open as he began to respond.

  I tighten my fists at my sides, trying to refrain from saying something. Everything in me wants to scream that her fine ass is off limits, but I can’t do that.

  I need a drink, then I need to find a girl to help distract me from the crazy ass thoughts running through my mind.

  “Sure, I’ll help you grab some drinks. I don’t want to leave my girl sittin’ around empty-handed. Some asshole might try to make a move on her.” Kayden’s response breaks me out of the internal war going on inside my head.

  “What’s up?” I ask, lifting my chin up at Tank, Brantley, Wyatt, and Jesse. Thank fuck Jesse isn’t pushing harder to go see Brooklyn; I don’t think I can handle watching one of my buddies getting hot and heavy with her.

  “I didn’t even notice you were already here. Glad you could make it,” Brantley says, slapping my face and laughing. His breath reeks of whiskey.

  I let out a low chuckle and give him a knowing smile. “You know I can’t stay away from a good party. It’s the last one we’ll have with us all together before 2013.”

  Tank, who looks three sheets to the wind, finally notices me standing here and charges at me with his hand out.

  Goddamnit! Drunk Tank hugs lead to bruised ribs for a week!

  “Dixon! Glad you could finally make it! There’s a stack of pizzas in the kitchen if you’re hungry,” Tank shouts over the music, slapping my hand and pulling me in for a big Tank bear hug.

  “I. Can’t. Breathe!” I choke out as he releases me.

  “Sorry, bro. I don’t know my own strength,” he jokes, setting me down and taking a swig from the cup he had resting on a tree stump.

  “I will probably grab a slice after. Right now, all I see on my radar is beer and chicks.” I give the guys a wink and use that as my cue to get away and grab myself a beer.