The Beginning of Us (240 page)

Earlier today, when I saw Holly up at the office during Micah’s lunch, I had asked how Angel was getting to the bar tonight. I was worried about her driving herself and then drinking like last time. Holly had said that she was going to bring her. I told her to text me as soon as she picked up Angel. I also wanted a heads up, I didn’t want some girl even talking to me when she arrived. I’m trying to stay clear of drama tonight, and I had no desire to be around any woman except her.

Now I stand here in the bar as I keep rereading Holly’s message. What is she wearing? It doesn’t matter, she could be bundled up like an Alaskan Eskimo, and I’d still be turned on.

I text her back.

Me:
How far away are you guys?

While I wait for a reply, I turn to talk to Micah. “Hey, the girls are on their way, and Angel is already drunk, so I’ll probably take her home early.” No matter what happens, I will be the one to take her home tonight. I don’t want her leaving with anyone but me. I want to be the one who puts her in her bed, knowing she made it home safely.

Micah smiles at me and starts to shake his head.

“What?”

“You call her Angel. It’s so funny,” He laughs, then takes a drink of his beer.

“Whatever, man. I’m just giving you a heads up.” I feel my phone vibrate in my hands.

Holly:
About to walk in the door

I look up from my phone and watch Holly walk in first, followed by Angel.

Fuck!

My body reacts the moment my eyes land on her. She looks sinful. Still looking like a gorgeous angel, but an angel who wants to devour someone. Well, that someone is going to be me.

“The girls are here.”

Micah nods his head and starts to walk over to the bar where the girls are standing.

I follow after him, and as I get closer I start to get nervous. My hands get a little sweaty and I have to take shallow breaths. I have never been nervous around a woman before.

I stand next to her and she turns, looking right at me. Shit, she looks so fucking good. Her hair is pulled back, showing off her small face, and her dark eye shadow makes her green eyes look brighter. I just want to take her in my arms and hold on tight and enjoy this crazy ride she has got me on.

“Hi Slade.” She gives me a big smile. “How is your night? You guys having fun? I’m ready to party.” She puts her hands up in the air. “And dance. Do you dance, Slade?” She finally stops talking. If she hadn’t said my name, I would have thought she misunderstood me for someone else. She is being overly friendly.

As I try to find my voice, Josh joins us. I look back at Angel. Her head is tilted to the side, and she still has that smile on her face; the smile that makes me feel something inside. Something I can’t explain.

“I...uh, yeah. I mean, no. No, I don’t dance.” I run a hand through my hair feeling somewhat confused. I hear my friends and brother start to laugh at me, so I give a little chuckle as well.

“That’s too bad.” She puts her hand on my chest and pats it while her eyes stay locked on mine. Then she turns back around to grab her drink from the bartender.

It’s the first time she’s touched me, other than the first night I helped her outside of the bar. It sends a sensation through my body.

She looks over to Holly, clearly not affected by her action. “Come on, let’s go find a table.”

“Man, you’ve got it bad,” Micah says as we follow the girls. He suddenly stops walking and turns to face me. "I'm happy for you, Slade, but don't fuck it up."

Fuck it up? Haven’t we established that she hates me? I’m sure she’s just being nice right now because she is drunk. She won’t give me the chance to fuck anything up.

“Come on, man. Let’s follow your woman,” Josh says as he passes me. My woman? My angel? Yeah, I like the sound of that.

“We’re going to go dance. You guys want to join us?” Holly asks as we come to the table.

“No, babe. You girls go ahead.” The three of us sit down as the girls walk off to the dance floor.

I sit down and watch Angel as she and Holly find their way to the back corner of the dance floor where they can dance alone. My eyes drink her in as her body moves to the music. Her hips move from side to side as her hands run over her body, then she slowly raises them above her head as she lets the music take over her movements. I have to scoot my chair closer to the table to hide my erection. I start to daydream as I continue watching her. Thinking how good that would feel; her pumping those hips up and down as she rides my cock. How soft her hair would be on my chest, calling out my name as her pussy tightens around me.

“Here,” Josh says, getting my attention as he sets the beer down in front of me.

I look over at Josh as he and Micah laugh at me. They must have been watching me watch Angel as she danced.

“Fuckers,” I mutter at them then turn back to watch Angel dance and continue my fantasy. Angel and Holly are standing in front of our table with smiles on their faces.

“Did you like what you saw?” Angel says, laughing.

I guess everyone saw me staring like a fucking idiot. She wouldn’t be laughing if she knew what I had for her in my pants. I lean back in my chair and try to act like I wasn’t daydreaming about her in my bed for the thousandth time. I’m getting desperate, so this is going to be my newest tactic to try. I’ve shown remorse, I’ve shown interest; nothing has fucking worked. So what is left? To act like I don’t give a fuck!

    
“You can dance.” I shrug. “But I wasn’t watching you, I was watching the blonde behind you.” I reach out grabbing my beer, and take a swallow of it. I stare into her eyes. She continues to smile, but her eyes narrow just a tad on me. She looks away first to pick up her shots that the waitress had brought for her and Holly before they turn and head back to the dance floor without saying another word.

“There was no blonde behind them,” Micah says, laughing out loud.

I shrug. “She doesn’t need to know that,” I say, picking the label on my beer bottle. Micah is right; there is no blonde.

For the next hour, I sit at our table with Micah and Josh while the girls drink and dance together. Yes, I realize I do have it bad for Samantha. I have it so bad that I want to fucking hit my head against a wall. Maybe that will help clear all the confusion, or make me pass out. Either one sounds better than trying to figure out what I have to do to get her.

What if she really believes me, now that I act like I’m unaffected? Is that the right move to make? Or should I continue to show my interest?

She’s so fucking special to me. Now I just have to figure out what my next move is. I don’t want to just take her home and fuck her. I mean I do, but I don’t. What the fuck am I even thinking? As if she would even give me the opportunity. I want to get to know her, shit I barely know her at all. She had told me the first time I called her that she wanted to be friends. Maybe that is where I need to start. Lay off on all the staring and making gestures about her naked.

I feel Micah’s elbow in my side, and I look up to see what he wants. He nods his head to the dance floor. Once I look where he is looking, I see red. Angel is dancing with some guy. Wait. No, not dancing, practically fucking him, on the dance floor. He has his hands all over her. Her back is to his front. She has her head back lying against his chest with her eyes closed. Every muscle in my body tenses up. I put my beer down and take off towards the dance floor.

“Be cool, Slade!” Josh yells.

Cool? I don’t think so. The guy looks up, and notices I’m coming right at him. He immediately lets go of Angel and stands back. Smart fucker.

When I get to her, she is still dancing, now by herself and her eyes remain closed. I grab her left wrist and growl. “We’re leaving.”

“What the hell, Slade?” She tries to pull her arm away as I continue to pull her to the back exit where my car is parked. She struggles, trying to get her arm out of my hold, but I’m not going to let go. I am beyond pissed off.

“Let go! I’m not ready to leave!” She yells as we make it through the back door into the parking lot.

“Oh yes you are.” I start to dig in my pocket for my keys.

“No, I’m not! Let me go! I’m going back in there, and you can’t stop me!” She pulls her arm free, but I grab both her upper arms before she even had the chance to head back into the club.

“Why? Why would you want to go back in there? So you can allow any man to grab all over you? Like you’re some fucking cheap whore? Is that how you want to be treated?” I instantly regret my words. I’m just so mad and jealous.
Jealous
. I’ve never been jealous before, and I don’t know what to do about this rage inside of me.

She yanks her arms out of my hold and slaps me across the face so hard and fast I don’t see it coming.

Fuck!
For someone so small, she can hit!

I take a step back, rubbing my cheek. “Guess I had that coming,” I mumble.

She takes a step towards me, matching my step. “Don’t you dare talk to me like that, you son of a bitch! You know nothing about me. I’m a grown ass woman and can do whatever, or whoever, the fuck I want!” she yells.

She is right. I was way out of line.

“Who the fuck are you to judge me?” She points a finger at me. “Every time I’ve seen or talked to you, you’re practically fucking someone….and it’s someone different every time!” She throws her hands in the air. “Don’t talk to me about being a whore.” She takes in a few deep breaths as her hands clench down at her side.

I raise my hands slowly, showing her I don’t want to fight. “Look, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I apologize. Please get in my car and let me take you home. It’s late, and I think you’ve had enough to drink.” I take small steps towards her.

She shakes her head no. “Go home, Slade. Just go home. I don’t need you to play the ‘daddy card’ and tell me when I’ve had enough to drink.” She stumbles backwards a bit, proving my point. I put an arm out to steady her, but she brushes it off.

I am not letting her go back inside, even if I have to carry her kicking and screaming. “Please, let me take you home. It’s not safe for you to stay here. You can barely stand.” I’m trying to get her to realize how drunk she is without getting slapped again.

“Oh, and you think I’m safe with you?” She lets out a hard laugh.

Her words make me pause. “Yes.” I frown. “Why do you not think you would be safe with me?” I step up to her as my heart pounds in my chest. What if she pulls away? What if she lets me get close? How far will I allow this to go?

She stares into my eyes as I continue toward her until our bodies are touching. Her body goes stiff against mine, but she doesn’t move away.

“Tell me, Angel, why aren’t you safe with me?” I wrap my arms around her body, bringing her even closer to mine. She’s so small, and my arms feel so good wrapped around her. “Why not?” I repeat.

She looks up at me and swallows. “It’s not you…” she whispers.

“Tell me,” I say harshly, needing to know.

My tone startles her, and she closes her eyes for a second. When she opens them, she takes a deep breath. “Because I don’t trust myself around you.” She lowers her head to look at our feet and rests her forehead on my chest.

And there it is; the reason she has been pushing me away. I release the hold I have around her body, and wrap my hands lightly around her dainty wrists. I feel her body break out in goose bumps as I slowly start to make my way up the length of her arms to her shoulders. They travel over her neck, making her gasp. Her skin is soft and smooth, and I want to take my mouth along the same path my hands just took. I want to taste every inch of her skin, drink her in.

My hands continue until they tangle in her soft hair, and I lightly pull to bring her face up to mine. I lower my lips down to meet hers. I have to kiss her. There is no way I am going to waste another second without feeling her lips on mine. I need to know the feel of them, the warmth of them. I have already waited too long, and I can’t deny myself any longer. I have to taste her lips on mine.

My lips brush hers softly, and she starts to pull her head away, but I hold her head still by her hair. “Don’t,” I whisper against her lips, making her body tremble.