“Whoa! Easy now.” He laughed and let her lead him into the living room, her hips swaying back and forth. It was hard not to stare, especially since she’d changed into a dress that complimented her body so well. “I have to warn you, I’m not the best at dancing.”
“Everybody’s the best at dancing.” She was breathless, her cheeks flushed, and damn it, he wanted her. He wanted her in the worst of ways.
Not yet. It’s too soon,
he reminded himself as she released him temporarily to turn on the stereo.
“I love this song!” She danced her way back to him and grabbed his hands, shimmying as a giggle bubbled past her lips. “Come on, Nick. Show me what you’ve got!”
Oh, I’d love to
, he wanted to say.
“I’m really...terrible at this.” He slid an arm around her waist and pulled her closer, taking just a moment to appreciate the feel of her soft curves against his body.
He could only imagine what it would feel like if they were naked.
“Devin will be back soon, won’t he?”
“Yes. He’s getting something.” He slowly spun her and pulled her back again, his eyes never leaving hers. “Hopefully, you two will have a chance to start off on a better foot tonight.”
“Hm. I’d like that.” Her voice became softer as they danced, her eyes darting back and forth between his. “You’re really handsome.”
“Well, thank you. I appreciate the compliment.” He gave a bow of his head and grinned. “But I don’t hold a candle to you; you look absolutely ravishing.”
“Ravishing?” She snorted. “What century are you from?”
“Ah, I’d tell you, but then you may never want to see me again.” He joked, and slid one hand to rest against the small of her back, just above her ass. “I’m quite ancient.”
“Well, you look good for your age.” Her smile grew bigger as she stepped closer to him. “I’ve never been with a black man before.”
That statement definitely caught him off guard, and though he tried to remember she’d had one drink too many, he couldn’t help wonder if she was speaking as honestly as he hoped she was.
“Well, technically I’m only half black.” He said after a few seconds of contemplation. “My mother was a beautiful black woman and my dad is white.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you or anything.” She pulled away from him and crossed her arms over her breasts, which looked lovely in that dress, and lowered her head. “I am so bad at this...I hope I didn’t make you mad.”
“Kelly, you didn’t—”
“Drinking was such a bad idea. I’m a complete idiot when I drink. I say stupid stuff.” With her palm pressed to her forehead suddenly, she closed her eyes. “How embarrassing.”
“You don’t have anything to be embarrassed about.” He took a step closer to her and gently gripped her arm. “Kelly, I promise you didn’t offend me. If anything, I’m flattered.”
She opened one eye to peer at him skeptically. “You are?”
“I am.” He grinned. “Tell you what, why don’t you let me finish getting everything set up for dinner? Just take a moment to relax and listen to the music.”
“I don’t know...you’re my guest. I should be doing that. Oh, God. I shouldn’t have had so much.”
“Just relax.” He ran his hand up and down her arm soothingly. “I’ll take care of it, okay?”
“Okay.” Her teeth latched on to her bottom lip and he stared, long and hard, contemplating.
“Okay.” He snapped out of his lust-filled daze and nodded. “Sit tight, beautiful. Hopefully, Devin will be here soon and I’ll call on you when it’s finished.”
“Okay.” She spun about and practically skipped to the couch to sit down. “I’ll just wait here. Without the wine. I don’t need any more.”
“No, you don’t.” He laughed. “Just sit there and look pretty. You’re doing a magnificent job already.”
And things had only gotten better from there. Devin returned and their meal was nice, plus the conversation didn’t hurt either. Kelly had done her best to make amends with Devin, being extra nice to him as she offered to pour another glass of wine.
Devin too was a lightweight when it came to drinking, but man, it was hilarious to witness—until the storm picked up and the electricity went out.
“Got it.” He pushed the button on the side of the flashlight and aimed it towards the floor just as a bright beam of light exploded from the tip. At least he didn’t blind anybody. “Let there be light!”
Kelly applauded him and released a squeal of delight. “Yay! Light!”
“At least we won’t hurt ourselves anymore.” He bit back a snicker. “Or at least Devin won’t.”
“I swear I’m not usually this clumsy.” Devin mumbled. Nick shined the light in his direction and noticed he was in the same spot he’d been in when the power went out. “But I feel a little dizzy from the wine. I only had one glass.”
“I’m going to have to show both of y’all how to drink.” Nick smirked.
“I could have won a drinking game a few years ago.” Kelly sighed. Shining the flashlight towards her, he found her leaning against the counter with her legs crossed at the ankles, a lazy grin on her lips. “Patrick and I were champions when it came to drinking—underage, of course. We were rebels.”
“All teenagers are rebellious, Kelly.” He lowered the light and stepped towards her, grabbing her hand and pulling her away from the counter. “Why don’t we go into the living room? I think there’s fewer things in there for Devin to hurt himself with.”
“Hey.” Devin said, but then he laughed. “Okay, fine. To the living room we go.”
“I got you!” Kelly announced as they walked by him. “Just hold my hand, Devin; I won’t let you get hurt.”
“That’s so nice of you, Kelly,” he slurred. “You’re so nice.”
“She’s the nicest,” Nick responded as they entered the living room, and he shined the flashlight around, making sure nothing was in their way. The last thing he needed was for two drunk people to break a leg or something.
“Aw, my music is off.” Kelly said sadly. “We don’t have any music.”
“I can take care of that in a minute.” He guided her to the couch carefully and waited for her to sit down before his eyes moved to Devin. “You’re next, fella. Sit down.”
“But I don’t want to sit down.” Devin groaned. “I need to pee.”
Oh, God.
Nick suddenly felt like he was back in high school. Oh, how he remembered the nights of too much alcohol and not enough common sense. One of his best friends hadn’t known his limit either—albeit it took
much
more alcohol to get him drunk—and Nick always had to help him make it to the bathroom.
“Okay.” A grin of amusement played on his lips as he wrapped an arm around Devin’s shoulders and shined the flashlight towards Kelly. “Will you be all right here for a few minutes?”
“I’ll be fine.” She waved a hand in the air. “I’ll just sit here and think for a while.”
“Thinking is good; we’ll be back.”
“But we don’t even know where her bathroom is!” Devin’s head fell against his shoulder. “What if I piss myself? That would be so embarrassing.”
“The worst.” Kelly giggled. “But there’s one thatta way.”
Nick watched as she pointed a finger towards the door adjacent to the couch and nodded. “Thank you, Kelly. Sit tight.”
“Sitting!” She called after him.
It took a few attempts, but he finally got Devin into the bathroom—which was really hard to do while carrying a flashlight in one hand and holding onto his drunk ass with the other.
“Do what you need to do and I’ll wait right outside the door. You’ll be good in the dark, right?” Nick asked, and then he placed the flashlight on the counter so Devin could see.
He wasn’t certain it was a good idea; it was hard for a sober man to pee in the dark, let alone a drunk one.
“Okay.” Devin slurred, and then he pushed the door shut.
It only took about ten seconds for the door to inch open again.
“I can’t unbutton my pants.” Devin whispered.
Try as he might, Nick couldn’t help but laugh as he squeezed through the door and closed it again, shaking his head.
“Okay, Dev-o. Face me.”
Devin spun around and nearly knocked him over, snorting. “Sorry, sorry. Okay. I’m good.”
“Are you sure?” Nick lifted an eyebrow as he reached down to grasp the button of his jeans. “The last thing we need is you getting hurt again – how’s your knee?”
“It’s fine.” Devin gave him a huge smile. “I just really need to pee. Did you get it open yet?”
“I’m working on it.” He popped open the front of his jeans and caught a glimpse of red and blue striped boxers. Quickly averting his gaze, Nick nodded. “Now you’re good to go. Do you need me to stay in here with you?”
“No. I remember how to pee, thanks. I’ll be okay.”
“Okay.” He exited the bathroom and shut the door again, straining to see in the dark. “Kelly? You okay out here?”
No response.
“Kelly?”
When she failed to answer him the second time, he got a little concerned. Yes, Kelly was a grown ass woman and could do as she pleased, but she was also shit-faced and the house was pitch-black. He didn’t want her to injure herself.
“Damn it, girl. Where did you go?” He carefully felt his way through the darkness. “Coffee table, couch...”
He heard movement in the kitchen. It was an old house—his favorite kind—and the floorboards creaked with each step as Kelly made her way from one side to the other, farther away from him.
So that’s how she wants to play this game, huh?
He grinned coyly and tiptoed into the dark room, feeling around for the corner of the counter as he heard the cabinet doors opening and closing.
“Kelly?”
“Hmm?” Her voice was almost like a song, followed by a giggle, and then another cabinet door slammed shut. “Oopsie.”
“What are you doing?” He kept his voice gentle and kind. If he knew anything about drunk people, he knew they didn’t need to feel threatened.
Now, not all drunk people got violent, but he hadn’t known Kelly long enough to know what happened when she consumed copious amounts of alcohol. This was a first for him, and a first in a very long time for her.
“I wanted more alcohol. The wine is gone.” She sounded sad about the fact. “Somebody drank all my wine, Nick.”
“I know they did – it was you.” His feet carried him closer to the sound of her voice, but he still couldn’t see worth a shit.
I hope Devin is all right.
“Me?” She scoffed, and the sound of glass clinking against glass caught his ears. “Why would I do that?”
“Well, I’m no expert, but I’m guessing maybe you decided to kick back and went a little further than expected.” His fingertips brushed against warm skin and he knew he had her, finally. Gripping her arm, he moved in behind her and chuckled. “Are you really trying to get more alcohol?”
“Yep. Patrick has a whole collection up here.” She paused briefly, and then her voice softened. “Had, I mean. He had. I suppose it’s mine now.”
He couldn’t deny the heartache in her voice. Hell, he still acted the same way when it came to his mother. It could be the happiest moment of his life and all it took was just one thought, one memory, to crack his heart.
The death of a loved one always stung.
“Hey now, none of that.” He lowered his voice. “You’re not allowed to be sad tonight.”
“I’m always sad.” She turned in his arms and nestled her cheek against his chest. “You smell nice.”
“Thank you.” He rested his chin atop her head and sighed. “But I mean what I said – no being sad, Kelly. I can’t stand for people to be sad in my presence.”
“I’m sorry to disappoint you.” She pulled away from him, and he released her from his arms. The sound of a bottle being opened was deafening in the silence of her house. “I just need another drink. Just one more.”
“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea. You might get sick.”
“Oh, puh-lease. I never get sick from drinking. Never did, never will. Paddy and I were champions at this; it’s how Justin came to be.”
Smiling at the images in his mind, Nick crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the table, listening as she gulped down a few drinks.
“Well, for your sake, I hope you don’t get sick.”
“I won’t.”
A loud clatter in the living room nearly made him jump out of his shoes.
“Oh, hell. Hold on, Kel; I’ll be right back.”
“I’ll be here.” She cooed.
He successfully managed to make it back into the living room without killing himself, only to be blinded by the flashlight. Shielding his eyes with his hand, he cursed beneath his breath. “What the hell are you doing, Devin?”
“I was looking for you.” Devin replied innocently, lowering the light. “You disappeared.”
“What was that noise?” He blinked rapidly and waited for the spots in front of his eyes to disappear. “What happened?”
“I...think the cat did it.”
“The cat? Kelly doesn’t have a cat.”
“She doesn’t? Oh.” Devin shined the flashlight across the floor, over the wall, and even on the ceiling before releasing a ‘hm’. “I suppose that was my mistake.”
“Give me that light.” He snatched it from his hand and shook his head. “Come back into the kitchen with me. Kelly’s decided to start drinking again.”
“Oh, can I drink, too?” Devin asked excitedly as they headed back to the kitchen. “I don’t feel I’ve had enough yet. I’m not feeling it.”
“Trust me, you’ve had enough.”
“But I don’t
feel
like I have. I can’t remember being drunk before – how am I supposed to know?”
“Trust me, kid; you’ve had enough.” Nick patted his arm and then pulled a seat out for him. “Sit.”
“Hi, Devvy.” Kelly giggled from her spot on the counter—what the hell? When had she gotten on the counter?
“Hi, Kelly.” Devin waved at her before slumping down in his chair. “Oh, I don’t feel so well.”
“Oh my god.” Nick muttered beneath his breath, glancing back and forth between the two of them.
Devin was probably going to be sick and Kelly was well on her way.
What was he going to do with them?
“Okay, gang.” He clapped his hands together just as another flash of lightning lit up the sky. It was so bright he could actually make out the details of the wallpaper in her kitchen. “This storm probably isn’t going to be over any time soon, so why don’t we get you two to bed?”