Strong Enough (22 page)

He closes the gap between us and lifts my
chin to his face. “Don’t be afraid or nervous. You look amazing and
well, I want everyone to see that. I won’t leave your side. Trust
me, okay?” He pleads with his eyes.

Still unsure I just nod my head up and down
as he still holds it and smiles. Leaning in he kisses my forehead
and grabs my hand again to make our way down the stairs.
Damn forehead kisses!!

The vibe on the main level has slowed from
when we first walked in. Couples are dancing close blocking out the
world around them. They are focused only on each other and the
movement of their bodies to the music.

He is leading me to the dance floor as we
gently push our way past people until I find us in the center.
People are all around us and I start to get nervous as I look all
around. He can see the panic in my face. Pulling me close again,
his arm circling my body, he whispers in my ear, “I won’t let
anything happen, just relax and dance with me.” He kisses the nape
of my neck. It’s moments like this I am glad I decided to wear my
hair up. The heat from his kiss runs the length of my spine.
Draping my left arm over his shoulder I move in closer as my body
is pushed up against his. My four inch heels put me closer to his
height and they allow us to fit closely together. The hypnotic beat
of the music penetrates my hips as I move back and forth against
him holding him closely. Being this close to him reminds me of
security. It’s that same familiar feel that I get around him. I
bury my face in the crook of his neck trying to find a way to bring
us even closer. I feel his hands exploring over my back and down my
ass as our bodies move together to the beat. He bends his head into
my shoulder and begins to kiss his way to my neck. I can feel his
hand slide down the side of my skirt until he can reach around and
palm the bottom of my ass with his hand. As he squeezes I push my
hips into him more. I rub my hand up the outside of his arm feeling
all the ridges of the muscles and gently squeeze in some places
along the way until my hand wraps around his neck. Pulling my face
back while still holding his neck he looks at me and our lips
collide. Passion fills me and his lips move against mine. Opening
my mouth a little he takes the cue and slides his tongue in
massaging mine with his. It’s a deep kiss; one that makes me feel
like I want to eat him up, like I need to crawl into him to be
closer. His lips leave mine for a brief minute only to return with
a light nibble that only drives me wild. My hand slides down his
back until it rests on his tight and firm ass that I can’t but help
squeeze.

“You fucking drive me wild do you know
that?” His voice hushed and close to my ear. “Since the first time
I ever saw you….” He stops.

I moan lightly in his ear for approval. I
can’t find the words to tell him what he does to me but driving me
wild is definitely up there.

“Wild huh, I like the sound of that.” My
quick wit comes back with.

“Mmmmmmmmm,” he moans as my fingers run up
his back to the base of his neck and slay through his hair.

The music is faint in my head, but we are
still keeping rhythm with it and each other. Zane places both of
his hands on my hips and pushes me back just enough to spin me
around and pull me close so my back and ass are flat against him.
With his hands still on my hips he guides my movement slowly. I
reach my hands up and around his neck allowing myself to lie
against his strapping chest. His face lowers to the crook of my
neck where he begins to lightly kiss and suck. My body pushes
further into him and my ass takes on a mind of its own rubbing and
grinding against him. I can feel my efforts are working on him when
his palm splays out against my tummy and he pushes me further back
and feel the hardness up against my ass. I can’t help but smile and
moan softly into his ear.

“My god Reece you have me so hard right
now.” He nibbles at my earlobe.

“I can feel that.” I smile at him.

“If we keep this up I am going to have to
walk you straight out of this club.”

My breath leaves me as the thought of
leaving and going home with him is exciting, heart stopping and
invigorating all at the same time. Here is a man that has seen me
blow up at him and be well, me, and he still wants me. I just don’t
understand.

I don’t offer a response. Instead, I spin
back around wrapping my arms around his neck tightly and kiss him
with everything I have. He reciprocates and with his arms wrapped
around my waist lifts me off the ground slightly and just like a
girl, the girl I never thought I could be, I kicked up one of my
legs just like you see in the old movies.

“Take me home Zane.” My eyes pleading with
his.

He leans in to kiss my forehead gently.
“Let’s find Brent, he’s gonna need a ride home.”

He’s right. I forgot Brent was even here.
Of course my luck, can’t just have the hot boy
whisk me away, no I brought a gay boy with me…

Still standing in the middle of the dance
floor, I scan the crowd looking to see if I can find Brent. In the
corner of the floor, I see him grinding up on some blond chick. Of
course he picks a blond. Don’t they all?

“Found him,” I say pointing in his
direction. Zane sees Brent, nods and starts to move us that
way.

Approaching from behind I can’t help but
tease him as I place my hands on his hips and move myself in behind
him as he pushes against the blonde. Moving with the music he
doesn’t even seem to notice. That is until I reach down and pinch
his ass. His yelp is quite comical and he whips around to see who
to confront.

Laughing I stand back until he realizes it’s
me. His expression lightens and he turns fully to me opening his
large arms to embrace me. “Miller, you foxy, sexy thing get your
hot ass over here and dance with me.” His hips moving to the music
that has definitely picked back up in tempo.

I brace myself for his approach by grabbing
at his biceps.

“Ok stud, calm down.” I laugh at his silly
dancing. “I just was coming to tell you I was leaving. Can you take
my car with you?”
Holy shit I just asked
someone to not only drive my car but take it home without me, oh
yeah I must like this boy.

At almost the same time both Zane and Brent
respond out loud, “Really?” Which has me laughing harder.

“Yes really, you mess up my car and I’ll
rearrange your face,” I say in the toughest voice I can. Playing
long with the acting Brent throws his hands up in surrender. “I’ll
treat it like it was my own.” Most would find that comforting until
I realized what he drove and panic set in.

“Ohhh hell NO! I’ve seen what you drive and
the condition it was in. Fuck that, never mind.” Shaking my head I
turn around to walk away but only walk right into Zane’s chest.

“Calm down tiger, I will make sure he and
your car get home in one piece tonight.” His reassuring tone
calming me a bit.

“So wait, do I get to drive it or not?”
Brent asks in confusion.

Zane leans past me to speak quietly to
Brent. Unfortunately I can’t understand what he’s saying but Brent
leans back nodding his head up and down and gives Zane the bro
handshake and half hug slap. He leans down and kisses me on the top
of my head and slaps my ass before turning around to his blonde
still dancing by herself behind him.

“Um what the fuck just happened?” Looking at
Zane questioningly.

Giving me his signature side grin he puts
his arm around my shoulder and pulls me close to him as we make our
way off the dance floor.

Stepping outside there is a light breeze in
the Texas air. Zane motions for the valet to get his car and turns
to me.

“That sweetheart was me letting your friend
know he could dance all night and drink on me, because he was not
driving your car home. I told him I will have a driver take him and
your car back to his house and you can pick your car up later.
Problem solved.” His grin was almost too much to bare.

“What? Who? Driver? Um, what kind of driving
record does this guy have? Does he know how to shift without
grinding gears? Does he…” I attempt to continue until Zane’s lips
are on mine and I close my eyes and forgot what the hell I was
talking about.

“Relax Reece, I have it taken care of, you
don’t need to worry.” He softly kisses me again as the valet pulls
up with his car.

This is the first time I’m paying attention
to what he drives and am shocked at the BMW that is sitting in
front of me. I know the car is worth over $100,000. How the hell do
you get in a car worth that much? Do I take my shoes off? Do I need
to cover the seat with something?

“Guess I didn’t get a good look at it the
first time, but this is a beautiful car Zane.”

Holding the door open he gestures for me to
enter and whispers in my ear as I pass, “Not nearly as beautiful as
you are.” Which only makes me blush.

Inside I notice the dark mocha leather and I
can smell the quality of it. The dash is sleek and wood grained
with a large touch screen display that has options for everything
from FM radio to CD to satellite to watching a DVD. I run my
fingers lightly along the dashboard in front of me feeling the
quality.

Zane slides into the driver’s seat and
buckles up. He touches a button on the steering wheel, waiting for
a beep. “Play track 17.” As the car starts so does the soft guitar
sounds of Dave Mathews Band and Crash into Me begins to play. I
couldn’t help but smile as he pulls away from the club.

T
he soft sound of Dave
Mathews and the highway underneath us is all I hear as we drive in
silence to what I am guessing is his house. His hand has slid over
and is resting on my leg while I play idly with his fingers. It’s
peaceful, sitting and letting my mind drift.

I stare out the front windshield with a
content smile on my face. The day has proven to be unexpected. But
I find myself conflicted, unsure about what I am doing. I have gone
so far outside of who I am I’m not really sure how I got here.
Could it be that just one person has created such a crack in my
tough exterior that I have actually let some of the pieces fall?
And who took the first swing? Zane, Brent, Jon? My friendship with
Brent was unexpected yet natural. I didn’t even think about how
open I was being with him. Ok maybe not exactly open but a little
less “door slammed shut”? What about Zane? He infuriates me while
comforting me and causing such a fire in me. I don’t know what to
do. And Jon? Oh man, Jon, less than 24 hours and he had me feeling
things I haven’t felt in years, if ever.

My eyes travel from Zane’s hand on my leg
over to his face admiring his strong features. He really is a
beautiful man.

“You okay?” He asks noticing me staring.

“Yeah I’m fine,” my standard answer.
Some things never change.

The strength in his features reminds me of
someone. That someone, whom no matter how much I want to forget
about that night, I can never forget what he did for me. For six
years, I have wondered about him, dreamed about him. I can still
feel the beating of his heart in his chest, the strength in his
arms as he picked me up and cradled me. The strong masculine line
of his jaw as I wrapped my hand around his neck with my thumb on
his pulse, a lifeline for me. His smell, so fearless and brute yet
soft at the same time.

I glance at Zane, his smell. That’s the
smell I remember. That’s why he is so comforting to me. He wears
the same cologne. The realization has me smiling. “What cologne do
you wear?” I ask, curiously.

“Mostly I wear Dolce & Gabbana’s The
One, if I wear anything at all,” he answers with just as much
curiosity as I asked.

“Oh ok, well you smell good, reminds me of
someone.”

“Oh yeah, a good someone or a broke your
heart someone?” Unsure of the answer he wants to hear.

“Good,” my tone is indifferent.

To show comfort and assurance, I place my
hand over his hand that is toying with my other hand’s finger. Look
at me showing comfort, good lord what has gotten into me?

I gave up on showing emotion to people a
long time ago. I realized nothing seems to benefit me when I do.
Loss of loves and friends doesn’t stop just by showing you care.
Some things just don’t matter in the big scheme of life. Life
happens whether you are ready for it or not, and I for one have
experienced it too many times over.

I start to feel my walls finding a way back
to each other as I remove my hand from Zane’s. I feel a level of
anxiety creeping back in. I don’t have people in my life for a
reason. Whether I pushed them out or they chose to leave, I am who
I am to protect what I have left of me.

My attention turns outside the passenger
window as we exit the highway and pull into a rather nice
neighborhood. He steers the car into the gated community and turns
left into a section of nice condos. He presses a button on his
steering wheel and the garage door in front of us opens as we drive
in. I was shocked to see the garage could hold four cars.