She sighed and nodded. “Yeah, she’s the responsible one. I like that about her. She would have cut us off at the second drink, insisting that he wouldn’t feel well enough to go to spin class in the morning unless we stop and re-hydrate.”
Pausing to take another sip of her cocktail, Frankie thought for a moment, then set the glass down with a thump. Ice-diluted whiskey sloshed out of the glass and onto the white tablecloth. I giggled again and took another sip of my drink as she leaned in conspiratorially.
“Let’s have some fun tonight, Marcie,” she said, her eyes gleaming mischievously. “Let’s go somewhere else more exciting. Kresley will forgive us. She hasn’t even texted, so maybe she’s getting busy, too.”
I ran a finger along the edge of my pint glass. “What’d you have in mind?”
“More drinks, dancing—and honestly, who knows what else could happen.” She paused and bit her bottom lip. “I’ve—uh, also been in a little bit of a sex desert, so I’m keeping my options open.”
I laughed and grabbed my purse. “I’m in. Just not all night, okay? I have to meet my dad for lunch tomorrow.”
Frankie’s answering smile was innocent.Tooinnocent. “Would I ever steer you into trouble?”
I sighed. “Yes, you would, and it’s one of my favorite things about you.”
After handling the check, we dashed back across the street to the store to freshen up a little, and then with lipstick freshly applied and our work-appropriate clothes swapped out for something a little sexier, we headed around the corner to the King Club.
As soon as we stepped into the dim interior, I felt the music pulse through my body, from the bottoms of my feet all the way up through my ears. It filled me up and I itched to let loose and dance until I dropped. Or anything, really—I just needed to burn off some energy. If I couldn’t take the prickling edge off my mounting sexual frustration, at least I could dance and sweat and have fun outside of work tonight.
“You were right,” I said, leaning over and putting my mouth next to Frankie’s ear. “I really needed this.”
“Told you,” she hollered back over the pounding music. “Let’s hit the bar.”
Drinks in hand, we leaned against the bar and surveyed the rest of the club. It was still a little bit early, and the dance floor wasn’t completely crammed full—not yet, anyway.
Frankie’s sharp elbow poked my side, but before I could elbow her back, she gestured toward the end of the bar.
“That guy’s been watching you since you got here.” She took a swig of her drink. “And, uh,yum.”
I looked down the long wooden bar, through the clusters of people, and zeroed in on him almost immediately. Tall—taller than just about everyone around him—and broad-shouldered, with a handsome, chiseled face and piercing stare. It was hard to tell for sure in the low lights, but he looked a bit older, maybe in his forties. A little silver frosted his temples, but his otherwise night-dark hair was still thick and full, combed carelessly back from his forehead. He was gorgeous and sexy as sin.
A lopsided smile quirked up one side of his mouth as we made eye contact, and some long-forgotten sensation bubbled up inside my belly. Butterflies and heated desire. I almost laughed with the wild pleasure of it.
“C’mon,” I said to Frankie. I set my glass down on the bar and grabbed her arm to pull her out to the crowded floor. “I need to dance.”
The music vibrated through my body as I gyrated and spun until a fine sheen of sweat formed on my face and arms. I flipped my long hair around and extended my arms above my head as Frankie moved closer to me. She grabbed one of my arms and spun me around theatrically as I laughed.
This felt good. Great, even. Before spending all my time working, I was always with my ex-boyfriend—I followed him here to Seattle and thought we would always be together. Instead, he’d left me for someone else. I could have been out doing this—dancing, drinking,feeling—for years instead of wasting time on him.
“This is amazing,” I shouted at Frankie. “Thanks for dragging me out.”
She smiled and grabbed my hips in her hands and danced closer, our bodies brushing together. Together, we were sinuous and fluid, and I felt as though we were the sexiest women in the goddamn room. And the whole time we danced, I felt his eyes on me, hot and hungry, even when I couldn’t see him.
“You gonna go meet your fan club?” Frankie hollered over the music.
I shrugged and tossed my long, dark, wavy hair back over my shoulder. “Maybe.”
She pulled me in closer, dropping a soft kiss to my cheek before pressing her lips to my ear. “He’s watching you like he wants to eat you up, baby girl. Go check out the goods. I’ll still be here if you come back.”
With a gentle hand on my shoulder, she spun me around and pushed me forward.
Right toward my handsome mystery man, who was sitting on a stool at the bar.
He smiled at me again, that sexy lopsided grin, and I felt almost helpless as I moved in closer to him. At this distance, I could tell that he really was a little bit older, but he wore it well, and his big body was as firm and muscular as any fit younger guy.
Feeling uninhibited, I grabbed his large warm hand to pull him to his feet, and he followed willingly, his glass of liquor abandoned on the bar behind him as I led him out onto the dance floor. His big hands slid around my waist and he pulled me in closer, fitting our bodies together as we moved in time to the pulsing music.
I looked up into his face and nearly shuddered with arousal as I saw the undisguised lust that brewed in his piercing blue eyes. This wasn’t just some horny guy looking to score. It was a grown man’s appetite, and it was all for me.