Girls' Night Out (Bad Boys) (8 page)

“Are you?” She wrinkled her pert nose.

“Seriously, you want my stats?”

“No.” She rolled her eyes. “Are you going to be traded?”

“Haven’t any indication.” No sense in delving into his worry. “Look, give me a moment and I’ll have you set up—when you agree to my conditions.” He didn’t want to leave her out here where any number of men might come up to her. Hell, he didn’t even know if she had a boyfriend. She wasn’t wearing an engagement ring. “Just you all? No dates?” He swung his hand in a circular motion.

“Yes. And your conditions better not be kinky,” she shot back. “I can find another dance club in a jiffy.”

“On a Saturday night during a holiday weekend? You’re way off.” This type of female radical hot mess he needed to avoid like the plague, not devise plans to get her back to his hotel room, naked and screaming his name.

CHAPTER 5

Brett Gold called her out on the carpet. He was right, and she’d had a vague sense of unease in thinking about evening plans ever since Mama had said to make the emphasis on a bachelorette party.
All dressed up and nowhere to go
sunk in deep, standing on the sidewalk in front of Firefly,
the
place to be on a Saturday night. For all of Miller’s connections, he’d vehemently refused to get them into the swanky dance club while the Dallas Devils were throwing some sort of wild shindig.

And that was exactly what her party planning wiles were hot and heavy to deliver to Gillian. A night that would best all the wild nights Stephen had already had. The payback factor was planetary in dimension. And from one Annona-born woman to another, about to be married to one of the original players from their hometown, this would be perfect. God, how torrentially upset her brother—no, make that
brothers—
would
be when they found out their wives and fiancée had been partying with a rowdy bunch of NFL football players. All the jokes, all the pranks, all the overprotective maneuvers she’d endured as the only sister of those mad hatters on Evermore would be repaid. She’d finally have the upper hand, one she’d be able to hold over their heads until kingdom come.

“Name your price,” she said, and this time she did bring her poker face to the table. “I don’t know, the place looks a little shabby…”

Brett coughed. “This is the most exclusive club in Dallas—make that, all over Texas.”

“If it was, it wouldn’t close down for a night. I mean, really.”

“That’s not what you said a second ago,” he volleyed back.

“Things change. So what is it that you want? From me.”

He seemed at a loss. In a good way. Kinda. His quietly seductive manner, tinged with his commanding persona, had unearthed a fantasy she’d had of him. Vivid images popped into her mind of Brett’s large hands on her body, his mouth saying her name as he’d just done. Low and hoarse, she imagined the way he’d say it as he undressed her and when she was naked under him. The feel of him poised above her, and then him surging inside her had a shiver erupting up her spine. Sweet Jesus, she had no doubts that a night with him would be filled with shattering pleasure, the type she’d never known, and she inhaled rapidly…might never know. A car’s horn blared in the street and she jumped, grabbing hold of Brett’s arm, unsteadily blinking up into his eyes.

“Dance with me. And I mean a real dance. Slow, like people were meant to dance.”

“That’s it?” Cory asked. “One dance.”

“Yes. And have a drink with me without being a wiseacre,” he added.

“Okay,” she shrugged. “Sure.”

“Shake?” he asked, gazing down at her as though she might disappear with some prized possession of his.

“Again? You must come from a place where a man’s word means something. I do, too.”

She took hold of his hand, gripping him tight. Brett towered over her out in the November evening chill where his broad shoulders imparted a sense of shelter to her. Standing near him, she relished the heat radiating off his body along with the lingering sent of soap—or whatever he used in the shower—coupled with a light fragrance that she couldn’t put her finger on. Utter intoxication. And then he released her and walked away. Only this time, he said he’d be right back.

“You know Brett Gold?” Carolina asked. “Out with it!”

“We met at the airport. It was super crowded and we bumped into each other. Literally.”

“That is such a dodgy line, because…number one, you didn’t mention a thing about meeting a hot guy when you’ve always informed us. Number two, you two obviously have some type of smolder going on. A blind person could perceive that,
chica.
”

“No. We. Don’t.” Cory fought to keep her features uninformative, which was difficult considering Carolina and Gillian were bloodhounds in sniffing out man clues.

“Number three. You’re in denial,” Lauren chimed in, and then laughed.

Cory flashed her friend a
traitor
look. “I didn’t know he was a football player. Or not one playing with the Devils.”

“But you did know that he is super cute,” Gillian said and smiled. Then Ashley sauntered up. One of her cousins who enjoyed making everything Cory did appear mindless or superficial. With an MBA from Princeton, Ashley liked to make certain everyone remembered who the brains of the family were. And were not.

“And hot damn, I think, best describes everything else the man possesses,” Carolina flicked a curl behind her ear, all the while scanning Cory’s face.

Ashley smiled a broad Cheshire grin. “Another slice of man cake? Is he our entertainment for tonight?”

Gillian answered. “No, he’s hands-off.”

“Doubtful,” Ashley snorted. “Is he bringing his last hook up? Some porn star who was posed with him, wearing his jersey and I bet nothing else.”

“What’s your problem?” Cory asked, ready to send Ashley back to the hotel. “He’s kind enough to help us get inside.”

“Don’t get into snit. He’s a honey and I hope you’re willing to share, Cory.”

Cory moved right into Ashley’s space. “You better stop while you’re ahead. I don’t know him like that. As a matter of fact, we just met by chance.”

“Oh, so you really don’t know about Brett Gold. I’ve read about him in that
Sports Live
body edition. Couldn’t get into college due to his inability to score high enough on the entrance exams. Apparently, the only question he got right was his name and even then, it was suspected he had to use his football jersey to help with the spelling.”

“Ashley, that’s really small-minded,” Carolina said. “Plenty of people have learning disabilities.”

Heat sprinted up Cory’s spine, up her neck, rising along with her temper. Who made fun of someone’s limitation
?
She wanted to tell Ashley to stuff it. Her cousin had an insufferable way of making everything Cory did seem stupid and inconsequential. And now she was taking shots at Brett because of her. For years, Ashley delighted in driving home a point that Cory didn’t have the sense to want anything beyond the superficial, which might have had an inkling of truth in high school, but who didn’t at that age? Cory wasn’t interested in man candy anymore. Why didn’t that ring true when it came to Brett? Her gaze shifted to him, near the entrance. God, he was too damn sexy for words, but there was more to him than his good looks. She just didn’t know how to explain what he was, except troubling. Complicated. And yes, freaking gorgeous.

Angry as hell, Cory snapped, “I don’t care about him beyond getting us inside. He’s here to meet his friends and will disappear to his own party. We’re all here to have a good time, so cut it out, Ashley.”

She didn’t mean it, but couldn’t help wanting to prevent this issue from turning into one more scenario that characterized her as frivolous. A tap on her shoulder and she turned to face Brett. Heat flashed over her cheeks. She didn’t know if he’d heard her.

His neutral expression gave her hope that he’d not heard the heartless words her cousin had leveled and the response she’d flung back in anger.

Brett nodded. “See that man over there?” He gestured toward the entrance and gave her a slip of paper. “Here. This will get you in, and whatever you want is on the house.”

“We can’t let you…we can take care of the bill. Getting in is more than doing us a huge favor.”

“Favor, nothing.” He smiled, but this time the grin didn’t reach his eyes. “You owe me a dance.”

“Aren’t you coming?” she said, unsure why her chest felt filled with a heavy, dull ache.

“I am, but I thought you’d want to orchestrate your group into some sort of organized…I don’t know what I’m saying. You seem to have an opinion about how things ought to be run.”

She gasped, not in displeasure but at how he’d gotten her. “Efficiency is the key to success.”

“Is that from Tony Robbins?” he asked.

She jerked her chin upwards. “No. But good. Dr. Peterson, from my department.”

“I’ll escort you to the door, then I’d better do the meet and greet. This event is actually a birthday party. A hostess has been assigned to your group along with a section of the bar. Marcel, the front man, is waiting.”

Cory told Gillian and Lauren to spread the message that they’d gained admission. All eyes from the shower were trained on her and by holding up her hand, every woman from Annona closed her mouth and waited for directions. She used the old-fashioned word of mouth and in this adult version of the telephone game, only God knew what the story would be in the end. Whatever it was, it didn’t matter because they’d gotten into Firefly. The group managed to cohesively head toward the front door. She walked alongside Brett and at one point, the heat from his fingers pressed at her lower back almost had her stumbling along the sidewalk.

“Marcel, this is Corinth McLemore,” Brett said.

“Welcome, Miss McLemore, right this way.” Marcel had a microphone clipped to his glasses. He spoke, pressing a switch on the electrical line, and smiled. “Your tables are set up and waiting.”

Brett reached out and wrapped his fingers under Cory’s elbow. The door of the club opened and the music filled the space, making it hard to hear. He leaned over her, his mouth brushing her ear and she shivered, ducking her head against his shoulder while she curled her fingers over his muscular arm.

“Find me at the bar. I need to catch some of the team,” he said.

“Okay,” she nodded. Tongue-tied one more time because of him. She considered his coming on strong and ability to vanish, and kinda enjoyed his way of knowing when to crowd her and when to let her go. Was it because he played football and had learned to read body language? If so, he had skills that made her reel. Her brows drew together as she realized how captivating a strong man who wasn’t over the top overbearing could be…to her. She looked up and met his dark emerald eyes. Crap! There was smolder there. And so much more. Carolina was right. She swallowed, forcing herself to react naturally instead of crushing herself against him. “Thank you for arranging our entrance.”

“Consider it done for selfish reasons. You don’t have to thank me, except with that dance and drink.” And he let go of her.

His hands disconnected and she felt the absence of his roiling heat. But she also noticed her body hummed with exhilaration. Or anticipation. Whatever it was, it was like hovering above the world. She now understood how a woman could walk on a cloud. It had something to do with containing a fast growing ether bubble of happiness, she bet.

Gillian and Carolina came up to her, bracketing her on either side. All three of them stood, staring after Brett as he made his way through the crowds. It was then Cory noticed the heads turning in his direction, the squeals of recognition, and his name being called.

She smacked her forehead. “I live in a box sometimes.”

“Sometimes?” Carolina asked.

“He’s really good looking, and so into you,” Gillian stated. “The question is, are you into him?”

Now her friends changed their appraisal of Brett into laser focus on her. “Maybe,” she said.

“There’s no
maybe
here. It’s either
yes
or
no
.
Maybe
means you’re thinking about the problems.”

“Hey, both of you,” Cory said, turning her face from Carolina to Gillian. “I distinctly remember when you had checked the
maybe
box. So don’t act like problems are irrelevant.”

Carolina looped arms with Cory, giving her a supportive smile. “No one is talking about getting married. We’re all here to have fun and you should put everything out of your mind except having a good time. Right?”

“And as queen for the night, I command you to stop thinking and start having the time of your life.” Gillian looped her arm on the other side of Cory’s body. “Ready, girls?”

Cory giggled. “Okay. What
happens in Dallas stays in Dallas
kind of thing?”

“I know I should disagree, but heck, I’m in my last month of pregnancy, and yeah. We all need a night to kick back,” Carolina said.

Gillian tugged Cory forward, “Let’s not waste another second.”

Inside the club, they were seated in a corner right off the entrance that overlooked the dance floor. Several bottles of champagne were set up in ice buckets. There were three servers waiting at the table. “Ladies, we’re here to take your orders. I’m Tonya and that’s Jaz over there, and Frankie.”

The other servers waved. Once everyone was seated, Cory let go of the burden of trying to make a party happen. The first round of drinks was brought over, the girls at the table were chatting, laughing, and the music began to change into something wild. Or it could have been the double shot of tequila she just downed. She didn’t care. She wanted to dance. The servers set a glass of champagne in front of everyone at the table except for Carolina and Gillian and another cousin.

Cory lifted her glass to her lips. The fruity scent of the liquor along with bursting bubbles tickled her nose and she raised her glass. “To Gillian. May she ride the wave of fun and hang ten every day of her life. To life with my brother, Stephen Badass McLemore!”

Gillian’s eyes were bright by the end of the toast and she blinked rapidly. “I’m gonna sure as shit try. Love you all.” She raised her soda even higher, winking at Cory.