Cocktails & Dreams (13 page)

Nicholas nodded, and they walked in silence to their apartment.

As Nick headed for his room, Conor grabbed his arm. “Hey. I’m really not an asshole. I know this is just as weird for you as it is for her, Nick. Just…talk to her before it gets any weirder, man.” He slapped Nicholas on the shoulder and continued down the hall to his room. “Besides,” Conor threw back over his shoulder with a sly smile, “you can’t take a chance on losing someone who can make you make all of those noises. God-
damn!”
He laughed as his door closed.

Nicholas sat on the bed, thinking about everything he’d learned that evening: Travis could sing and play his ass off; Conor
could
get cruder; everyone but him knew all about last New Year’s Eve. Most importantly, he was absolutely smitten with Jena Baker in every way possible.

And Jena thought something was wrong with her.

No wonder she had been so skittish. Nicholas had thought it was just the awkwardness of the situation, but she actually thought she was somehow lacking, because he’d been stupid enough to drink his face off. If Jena only knew deep she got under his skin in that one night, how he couldn’t stop thinking about her, how much he wanted her every damned day.

Impulsively, Nick grabbed his phone and punched in Jena’s number. She answered after a half dozen rings and was laughing when she said hello.

“Hi, Jen. What’s so funny?”

Jena sighed theatrically. “We lost, Nicholas. Leisa and I had a bet on who would call first when you guys finally made it home. Travis beat you by about ten minutes.”

Nick chuckled. “Sorry about that. I promise I’ll never make you lose again. Are you guys having fun?”

“Yep. Lots of wine and chick flicks. Oh, and Leisa was teaching me how to strip. She’s really good at it; you should see her.”

“That would be the last thing I ever saw if Travis found out. Besides, there’s only one person I want to strip for me.”

“Are you propositioning me, Cooper?”

“Do you want me to be propositioning you, Baker?”

“Yes,” Jena whispered.

“Come over, then. I’m waiting for you.”
In so many ways
, he thought.

Jena was quiet for a second. “I’m not sure I’m a good enough stripper yet. If I go to all that work, I want your full attention.”

“You’ve got all of my attention, Jena. Come over. Please.”

Leisa’s laughing voice came on the line. “Are you trying to seduce my girl away from me, Cooper? Well, it’s no good tonight. She’ll see you tomorrow. Sweet dreams.”

The line went dead.

Yeah. Sweet dreams.

He had to talk to Jena.
Soon
.

“I
T
L
OOKS
L
IKE
J
AMAICA
threw up in here,” Conor yelled over the cacophony of Peter Tosh and what seemed like two hundred party guests, all yelling at the same time. “I’m gonna go hunt for a…what the hell do you call ’em? Oh, yeah, my Amazon temptress for the night. You go find the booze.”

As Conor muscled his way toward a barely clothed beauty that was just visible in a crowd of guys across the room, Nicholas looked around. Yeah, Leisa had spared no expense and used no taste for this shindig. Palm fronds and fake hibiscus covered every available surface, sand colored carpet covered the floor, and a tiki bar was set up in the corner. Leisa herself was dancing on said bar, wearing a hot pink bikini, a black sarong, and some sort of straw hat covering her hair. Nick caught Travis’s eye from across the room as Trav stood watchfully next to her, ready to catch her when the inevitable crash occurred; Travis just rolled his eyes and pointed toward the kitchen.

After yesterday’s phone foreplay and days without even seeing Jena, Nicholas was ready to shove people aside to get to her. He’d spent the rest of the previous night planning what he was going to say to her about New Year’s Eve, and he was nervous as hell, but sort of excited and relieved to get that night out in the open. Nick’s plan was to spend as little time as possible at this party, and then to take Jena back to his apartment and hash out everything.

And then he planned to sleep with her, of course, because…well, damn. It had been too long.

Nick paused when he spotted Jena talking to a girl while being ogled by the male half of the room. Her crazy laugh burst out, making made her body jiggle in interesting ways that were very obvious in the tiny green bikini top and matching sarong she wore. As Nick watched, he saw the most obvious ogler move closer, grinning, to slide an arm around Jena’s waist.

“Hey!” he yelled, pushing his way through the inevitable dam of people in the doorway. There was no way he wanted any mouth-breather eye-fucking Jena, much less mauling her, even if she
was
looking very schwing-worthy. From a few feet away, Nick was just in time to see Jena grab the perv’s wrist. Mr. Gropey screamed and backed off, clutching his hand to his chest as the people in the room laughed and shook their heads.

After a glare at the rapidly fleeing asshole, Nick held his hands up as he got to Jena. “Don’t hurt me, Ahnold. See, my hands are in full view. No need to do whatever the hell you did to that guy.”

Jena laughed and slid her arm around Nick’s waist, squeezing lightly. “You learn a few tricks when you have two older brothers,” she said complacently. “You’re safe from the painfinger, Nicholas. You have special permission to put your hands on me tonight.”

“That’s what I was hoping you’d say,” Nicholas said, leering jokingly and waggling his eyebrows.

Jena’s friend cackled as Jena blushed from her hairline to…well, Nicholas couldn’t even think about where the flush that was even now spreading into her bikini top might end. Not if he wanted to continue to mix in polite company, anyway.

“I hate you guys,” Jena mumbled, dropping her arm to her side, and her friend laughed even louder and drifted into the crowd.

Nicholas turned Jena toward him and folded her into his arms, holding her as close as he could get her. “Have I told you yet how much I really like this outfit?” Nick slid his hands down her back to rest them on her hips, rubbing the soft skin above the low-slung sarong with his thumbs. “Dare I hope for two items of clothing tonight? It seems to be a tradition for the number to decrease.”

“Not this time, Hopeful.” Jena quickly flipped up the side of the sarong, and Nicholas caught a glimpse of a bathing suit bottom. “Leisa’s parties can get a little out of hand, and I could just see someone grabbing this piece of cloth and leaving me commando. In fact, there was this one time—”

Nick put his fingers over Jena’s mouth. “Nope. Don’t need to hear that one.” He lifted her up to sit on the countertop, his hands lingering at her waist as hers rested lightly on his shoulders. “So when do I get my striptease, Ms. Baker?” Nick leaned in to nuzzle her neck, nibbling a path to her ear. “You
know
I was thinking about that all day, don’t you?”

Jena’s hands tightened on his shoulders briefly before moving up to stroke the back of his neck and smooth his hair. Nick closed his eyes, thinking he would purr if he could. “I told you last night, I’m not that good. I don’t want to embarrass myself again. I like to be the best at whatever I do.”

Nick opened his eyes, and saw that Jena was looking vaguely in the vicinity of his chin. He used a hand to raise her face to look at him.

“You’ve never done anything to embarrass yourself with me.” Nicholas kissed her gently and then laughed. “Well, except all of the times your crazy mouth has gotten away from you. And I like that a lot. It’s hi-freakin’-larious, remember?”

Jena popped him on the back of the head and then sighed. “I wish we didn’t have to be at this party.” She laid a hand on his cheek and smiled when he turned his head to kiss her palm. “I missed you this week.” She sounded hesitant, as if she was unsure her sentiment would be appreciated.

“I missed you, too,” he said, leaning close to kiss her again, this time lingering.

Jena whimpered, her cool fingers on the back of Nick’s neck sending tingles down his spine. He deepened the kiss, ignoring everyone else in the room. He had a vague sense that he was forgetting something and then remembered his plan to talk to Jena about New Year’s.

Reluctantly pulling away from her, Nick rested his forehead against hers, trying to think of a way to begin. A crowded party wasn’t the best place to talk; he wondered if Leisa would notice if they slipped out. “Jena, let’s go—”

Nicholas felt a sharp pain in his side, and Leisa slipped under his arm, rubbing her knuckles. “Not so fast, mister. I can read your mind, and you aren’t going anywhere.”

She pulled Jena off the counter and onto her feet. The hat was gone, and Nick was surprised to see Leisa’s usually wildly wavy blond hair smoothed down to curl around her face.

“Nice hair.” He raised his hand over Leisa’s head like he was going to ruffle it, and she slapped his hand away.

“Don’t even consider it, jerk. Do you know how long it takes me to make this mop lay down? I’m already losing tonight.” She sighed, looking at Jena, whose hair was falling in a silky curtain almost to her waist. “What I wouldn’t do to have Jena’s hair in my hands.”

Nicholas smiled. “You know, I was just thinking that myself.”

Leisa snorted. “Not in the same way, I’m sure.” Turning to Jena, Leisa jabbed her friend in the chest with a forceful forefinger. “Jena, I need you in the living room for a minute.”

Jena looked at Nick, shrugging, as she was tugged rapidly backward and into the center of the crowded room.

Nicholas followed them to the doorway and leaned against the jamb, wondering what was up.

Leisa climbed on the coffee table and shouted for attention. “Thank you all for coming to my housewarming party. I knew free booze would draw you freeloaders out.” She looked around the room as a laugh went through the crowd. “We have another reason for gathering here tonight, as some of you know.” Leisa smiled and grabbed Jena’s arm as she tried to flee, a horrified look on her face. “Tomorrow is Miss Jena’s twenty-fifth birthday! She’s never let me give her a real party, so this is it, baby. Everyone say, ‘Happy birthday, Jena.’”

Jena cast a murderous look at Leisa as the party guests laughingly chorused, “Happy birthday, Jena!”

Nick was stunned. Wasn’t this something he should have known?

Leisa listened to Jena’s mutterings for a minute, and then she laughed. “Before you kick one hundred percent of my ass, can I show you my surprise?” She gestured behind her with a flourish.

A huge smile blossomed on Jena’s face as she spotted someone over by the bar and started cutting through the crowd. “Luke!” she shouted, throwing herself into the arms of a grinning man.

What the hell?

Jena was shorter than Nicholas, but the guy dwarfed her as he picked her up and swung her around. Very tall and muscular, with nearly waist length, glossy honey-colored hair and deeply tanned skin, he looked like he just stepped off the cover of a freaking romance novel, especially as he was currently shirtless and wearing hip-hugging clamdiggers.

Jena kissed his lips with a smack, and Nick felt sharp stab of jealousy.

“Come get a beer, Nick.” Travis was at Nick’s elbow, guiding him toward the kitchen. He looked at Nicholas and smirked. “Or maybe you’d prefer a shot.”

Nick glanced back. “I thought the bar was over there.”

Travis shrugged. “Yeah, if you want fruity chick drinks. The good stuff is in here.” Pulling a bottle of Jack Daniel’s from the cupboard, he poured each of them a shot, followed quickly by a second when he noticed Nick glaring at Jena and the Giant as they swayed to Bob Marley, her head snuggled right about where her dance partner’s heart would be, her arms wrapped tightly around his waist.

“What the hell’s going on out here?” Nicholas jumped as a voice came from behind him, and he turned to find Conor tucking in his shirt and straightening his hair. “I was just about to seal the deal with some chick and another girl busted in and said we had to get out here to see something. What am I missing?”

Travis pointed toward the Jena and her friend, and the three of them watched as the song ended and they headed toward the bar. Within a couple of minutes, Fabio was holding court with most of the women in the room in attendance. Fabio murmured something, and the circle around him burst into high-pitched laughter.

Conor grunted, scratching the back of his freckled neck. “Who’s the suave motherfucker?”

Travis chuckled. “Jena’s high school friend. Leisa got him here from Hawaii for this luau from hell, which, come to think of it, is probably in his honor. Name’s Luke.”

“‘Friend’?” Conor grinned at Nicholas. “You better hope that’s all he is, Nicky, ’cause there’s no way you can compete with that.” Nick thought he must have had a shitty look on his face, because Conor laughed aloud. “Don’t tell me you didn’t know about him.”

“Fuck you, Conor,” Nick snapped. “Of course Jena told me about her friend, Luke, but I pictured a skinny, funny-looking kid, not…
that.”
He gestured toward the living room with a grimace, and both Travis and Conor cracked up.

Nick lunged at Conor just as Jena entered the room with shining eyes, tugging Fabio behind her.

“Luke, I’d like you to meet some friends of mine,” she said, clutching his arm and smiling.

Nick felt his gut clench. “Friend,” he muttered, and was immediately ashamed of himself when Jena’s happy smile dimmed.

Leisa popped up on Luke’s other side, wrapping her arm around his waist. “This is Conor.” She pointed to Nick’s roommate, who tipped a cautious salute. Nicholas was sure Con was deciding he could take the larger man. “This angel is my boyfriend, Travis,” Leisa continued, slipping under Travis’s arm. She kissed her man on the neck and then gestured toward Nicholas. “This Neanderthal is Jena’s almost-boyfriend. The name he grunts is Nicholas.”

Luke’s lips curved into a lazy smile as he ran his hand over Jena’s shoulder. “‘Almost’? That’s just a fraction from ‘not at all.’ Better watch out.”

Nicholas instantly saw red. “
You
watch out, mother—”

Leisa hurriedly pulled Nick toward the living room as Jena stared at him in shock. “Don’t be an ass, Nicholas. Luke is just kidding around. Believe me, Jena is uber-safe with him.”

Just as Nicholas was about to state his opinion that Leisa was so full of shit she should squish when she walked, Jena burst into the room. “What the hell was that, Nicholas? I haven’t seen Luke since he moved to Hawaii five years ago, and granted, I could definitely skip the embarrassment of this stupid party, but I’m really glad to see him anyway. Then you get all stupid and…Gaahh.” Angry tears began to fill her eyes, and she dashed them away.

“Nicholas is jealous,” Leisa said in a too-calm voice, her eyes sparkling with laughter.

Jena stared at her, startled, and then started to giggle. “No. Really?” She turned toward Nick and took his hand. “You have nothing to worry about. I’m not his type
at all.
”

“No, but Nicholas is.” Leisa burst into loud laughter. “I saw him checking out your ass when he was walking over, Hot Bod. Good thing Travis was partially hidden by Conor. Luke would take one look at that fine ass in those perfect jeans and go nuts. And if he spotted the package before he knew it belonged to me…” She was practically doubled over, laughing, when Travis walked in the room, a questioning smile on his face.

“What’s so funny, sweet love?”

Leisa bellowed out another loud laugh, and Jena joined her. “Your package,” Leisa finally gasped out.

Travis looked stunned.
“What the fuck?”

Nicholas grinned, tugging a giggling Jena toward the door as Leisa finally collapsed, slapping the floor next to her hip convulsively as tears streamed down her face. “It’s not as bad as it sounds, Travis. Leisa will explain as soon as she cleans up her puddle of pee.”

That sent Leisa off on another gale of laughter, and Nick saw her pull Travis down with her.

Still smiling, Nicholas approached Luke as he talked football with Conor, and stuck out his hand. “I’m a complete ass, and I’m sorry. I’m glad to meet someone who means so much to Jena.”

Luke smiled slyly and shook Nick’s hand. “Told him, huh?” Jena nodded. “Jena, why you gotta ruin all my fun? I love making straight guys nervous. Nice to meet you, Nicholas.” He leaned closer to Nick and muttered, “Who’s this guy with?”

Nick pointed toward Conor’s latest Amazon as she held court amongst the slavering fools at the bar.

“Sweet.” Luke punched Conor in the arm and said in a louder voice, “Hey, let’s grab a drink. I see a hot chick over at the bar I’d like to get better acquainted with.” He winked at Jena and Nick and headed for tiki hell, Conor happily in tow.