Magnolia Blossoms (13 page)

I’m still staring at my reflection when she comes out of the bathroom dressed in a royal blue spandex number complete with mesh cut outs. It’s a little more revealing than I’d be comfortable with, but it looks good on her, especially with me knowing her age. She pushes me away from the mirror so she can adjust herself in the dress. “Every night’s a work night for me,” she says with a grin and a shrug.

“I understand,” I assure her, even though I feel sad that this is her life.

“Good. Let’s go celebrate! And don’t worry. I’m not taking you to any of the seedy joints. Oh no! You’re looking way too good for those dives. We’re going to a real club; we’re going to the casino.”

That isn’t what I’m expecting to hear. I scrunch my brows. “The casino?”

“Well, yeah. You know the men there have money. There’s a night club inside to do your dancing and such, then you can also break away from it for a while and mingle among the gamers. It’s the perfect place.”

“If you say so,” I reply. “I’m just going for the ride.”

A horn beeps from outside, and Honey checks the window. “Cab’s here. Let’s go have some fun!” She dances her way out the door.

I’m nervous, excited, and hesitant at the same time, but I follow Honey’s lead. Before I know it, I’m standing at the gang plank of a massive floating casino. I’m in awe of the bright lights at the rich, elegant entrance, but Honey leaves me little time to appreciate it all. She grabs my hand and practically pulls me up the carpeted ramp. The outside is nothing compared to the inside. Machines bing, sing, and call from all around me. Lights flash in all different colors of the rainbow, and people dressed in porter style uniforms disappear and reappear in the crowds of people. Some of the guests are wearing full out regalia, tuxes and ball gowns, while others sit around in sweat suits and flip flops.

“Is this for real?” I ask, drinking in the sights around me. Honey shakes her head and laughs.

“Come on. The club’s this way.” We go up an escalator and down a blue-lit hallway. A pair of blacked out double doors, manned by a burly guy wearing a suit, stands at the end. As soon as we get close enough, the man opens the door for us and music blares into the hall.

“Ladies. Looking nice. Have a great night,” he says as we pass through the doors.

“Thank you,” I mutter with a timid smile. It earns me a wink.

Once inside, we take a minute to assess the room, and Honey decides that a trip to the bar should be our first stop. She insists on buying me a drink, but I’m hesitant after seeing what happened to her after two bottles of wine. She assures me that one drink isn’t going to send me over the edge, and if anything, it will help me to relax. Whatever it is she gives me, it’s sweet and creamy, so I suck it down in no time. Warmth fills my insides, and within minutes, I’m feeling ready to conquer the world.

“What do we do now?” I yell over the music.

“I’m going to talk to that guy over there for a minute. He’s an old client. You stay here. Get yourself a soda or another drink or something.”

“What is it that I just drank?”

“White Russian,” she yells.

“It was yummy.”

“Don’t drink too many, too fast. They’ll sneak up on ya,” she advises before walking off.

“I have to say, she gives good advice. White Russian for the lady please,” Nick says to the bartender. I freeze. First, I had no idea he was sitting beside me, and second, well, it’s freaking Nick!

“She does. You shouldn’t knock her for her profession,” I say in a slightly scolding tone.

“You know what I do for a living, right? Prostitution is kind of frowned upon in the eyes of the law.”

“It’s her only income.”

“It’s illegal.”

“I’m not here to argue with you,” I say, smiling at the bartender as he deposits my drink in front of me. Nick pays and asks for another beer. It’s in front of him in no time flat.

“What are you here for? Learning the business? You look really nice, by the way.”

“You insult and compliment me in the same breath. Wow.”

“It wasn’t an insult. It’s an honest question.”

“No, I have no desire to learn Honey’s business, and I’m sorry she’s in a position that she has to support herself that way. I don’t look down upon her; I feel bad for her. So, no, I’m not in training to be a prostitute. Besides, I’m nowhere near ready for that kind of thing. I only had my first kiss about a week ago.”

“You’re still sticking with that story?” he quips.

“It’s the truth, and you said you believed me this morning. That’s why you had the charges dropped. Why are you giving me grief now?”

He slides back in his chair and raises his hand to point at me. “
This
does not look like a woman who has just had her first kiss.
This
looks like a sex goddess ready to turn the hearts of men into mush.”

His words affect me so much that I start to tremble. “No one has ever said anything like that to me before.” I take a deep breath then look him in the eye. “You have no reason to lie to me, do you? You really think that I look…”

His eyes narrow. “Sometimes I think you’re toying with me, and others, I think you’re being sincere. I’ve never met anyone like you, Magnolia. You throw me off my game, and I’m not sure that I like it. But, damned if I can’t help but be intrigued by you. And to answer your question, yes, I really think you look incredible tonight.”

I think my heart stops beating. My first ever compliment on my appearance and it comes from an asshole who is known for his candor. I feel like I’m floating, and I’m somewhat embarrassed that this handsome dickhead is making me feel this way.

“Thank you,” I manage to eke out in between sips from my glass.

“Have you ever danced before?” Nick asks over the ballad that’s playing.

I shake my head. He removes the drink from my hand and pulls me to the dance floor. “We’re going to take care of that right now,” he says, confidently snaking one hand around my waist.

“But I don’t know how…”

He presses a finger to my lips. A jolt shoots through me. “Shhh. I’m going to show you. Listen to the music. Hear the beat? I’m going to lead, and you’re going to follow. I’m going to pull you close to me, and we’re going to sway back and forth in time to the music. Okay?” he asks.

I nod, and he pulls me in so closely that my nose rests at the base of his neck. He smells delicious! My instincts tell me to lick him, but my mind knows it’s wrong. His hips begin to rock, so I move mine in sync with his, and though it’s somewhat awkward at first, I catch on quickly. Once my brain goes into “dance autopilot,” panic starts to set in. My body is suddenly very aware that I’m mashed up against an Adonis of a man, and weird things start to happen. My heart rate picks up, my breathing feels labored, and I think my palms are sweating!
Oh, my God his shoulders are broad!
Weird things happen south of the border. My hooha has never tingled before, but it’s flocked with energy tonight. I try to make sense of it all, but I can’t.

Nick must sense my unease, and he pulls away slightly to cup my face in his palms. “You’re doing fine. Don’t tense up. Relax,” he calmly requests. His voice melts me, and I’m happy to enjoy the sensation of close, personal human contact. The song is over much too quickly, and Nick escorts me back to the bar. I reach for my drink, and I’m about to take a huge swallow when Nick pulls it from me.

“You have so much to learn. You can’t drink that. Never drink from a glass or open bottle that you haven’t kept an eye on. People slip drugs in them.”

“They what?”

“Drugs. So they can rape without the victim remembering it.”

My eyes widen. “No.”

Nick sighs. “Don’t you keep up on current events? Watch the news?”

I think of my dirty movie obsession and flush. “No, not really.”

“You have a lot to learn, Mags? Maggie? What do people call you?”

“My mother and father always call me Magnolia. Just recently, people started calling me Maggie.”

“Do you have a preference?” he asks.

“Maggie,” I answer quickly.

“Then Maggie you shall be. Look, I know I come across as a jerk, but most of that is just a tough guy act I put on for my job. If you tell anyone that, I’ll deny it and spend the rest of my days harassing the hell out of you with every violation I can get you with. Point is, I want to show you the world the right way. People are going to try to take advantage of your naivety, and I don’t want that to happen. Would you consider going to dinner and a movie with me Saturday evening? No pressure for you to do anything but enjoy the evening,” he assures, holding up his hands.

“Are you asking me on a date?”

“I am.”

I smile broadly. “My first date. Okay. I’ll go with you. Do I meet you somewhere? How does this work?”

“We’re going to do this right. I’m going to pick you up at your door. Be ready for seven o’clock, okay?”

Inside I’m bursting. “Okay. Seven o’clock on Saturday.”

An unenthused Honey stands between Nick and me. “Well, if it isn’t the dick.”

“Nick,” he corrects.

“I hear otherwise,” she counters.

“Down, girl. I’m off duty tonight. Just enjoying some time with my new friend, Maggie.”

“I’m sure there’s motive there, and I can just about guess what that is,” Honey says confrontationally.

“Yeah, there is. Maggie’s a beautiful woman who can very easily be taken advantage of. There are things she doesn’t know about protecting herself that she needs to learn. If I can help her with that, and show her a good time while doing it, what’s wrong with that?”

“It’s the good time you plan to show her that I’m concerned about,” Honey snaps.

“Ask Maggie, I told her that things move at her pace, not mine. I might be a dick, but I know how to be chivalrous, too.”

Honey looks toward me, and I nod my head to indicate he’s telling the truth.

“I’ll be keeping an eye on you,” she warns.

“Fine by me,” Nick says, matching Honey’s tone.

“We’re going dance. See you in a few, Dick.”

“Nick,” he yells after Honey, who is dragging me to the dance floor. I glance back and Nick is all smiles.

“Seriously, Mags. Nick?” Honey says, moving her arms to the beat of the music. I really don’t know what to do, so I mimic some of the moves I see others doing.

“He’s sweet, but he doesn’t want others to know it.”

“If you say so. Just don’t let him pressure you into anything you’re not ready for. Promise me.”

“I promise. I love that you worry about me.”

“It’s an emotion I’m not used to feeling. I like not giving a crap better, but damned if you didn’t weasel your way into my heart. Now, that’s enough mushy stuff.”

“Okay,” I say with a laugh. “I’ll….” I can’t finish my sentence because I’m being hurtled across the dance floor. Two rotund and hippy women dancing on either side of me got a little too close, and with one gyration I’m pinballed into the other, who then propels me across the floor. A loud gasp sounds from the crowd, and pain encompasses my ankle.

Honey is beside me first, then Nick. I’m sitting up, but they are both rambling questions at the same time, so I don’t know which to look at or whom to answer.

“Back up, please. Everyone. Give her room to breathe. Please, everyone, take a step or two back.” A medic bag plops onto the ground next to me, and I look up to see Jace.

“Maggie?” he asks, squatting beside me. “What happened? Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I was accidentally knocked down, but I’m fine. My ankle hurts a little bit. What are you doing here? I thought you worked for the ambulance service.”

“I do,” he says, unzipping his bag. “I work here, too.”

“Hey, look, Ricky Rescue. I saw the whole thing, and I think she’s good. You good, Maggie?”

I look to Nick. “Yeah, I’m okay. My ankle doesn’t hurt too badly.”

“I don’t tell you how to do your job, so maybe you should back off and let me do mine, Nick.”

“Look, no disrespect, but I think I’m capable of taking care of my girlfriend.”

Jace gives me an inquisitive look. “Girlfriend?” he asks.

“I agreed to a date…”

“It’s really none of my business,” Jace says hastily. “Would you like me to check out your ankle, or do you think your boyfriend can handle it?”

“Jace, I…” My heart hurts, but I’m not sure why. Jace’s mood is off, and I can sense his pain. It has nothing to do with me or Nick; it’s something deeper. Maybe he was having lady problems? Regardless, I tell him that I’m fine.

He zips his bag. “Have them page me if you change your mind.”

I nod, and he’s off. Nick gently helps me from the floor, and I keep my arm tightly around his waist as I hobble off of the floor. He helps me onto a barstool then leans across the bar and has a short conversation with the bartender. I spy Honey walking across the room to speak with a different gentleman. She seems more relaxed than before, so I finally start to relax somewhat. A plastic baggy filled with ice wrapped in a bar towel is passed over to Nick. He sits across from me, turning our stools so we face each other. He lifts my leg so my foot rests between his legs, and then he carefully holds the icepack over the tender spot for me.