CHAPTER FOUR
TALON
Bailey is still sitting over at the bar by herself and I am thinking of going over to her since Hunter is monopolizing my sister at the moment, and well, I just really want to. However, while I am lost in thoughts of learning everything about her and other thoughts not so PG, Steve swoops in. I don’t know what he has said to her but apparently he was being a funny guy because her laugh just made its way to my ears; and not just
my
ears, I think every guy in here has now noticed her. I don’t like that, not even a little bit.
Get it together Talon.
I think to myself and try to relax.
She can’t see you being all alpha male on her when you just met her.
I come back to reality in time to see her leading the way to the dance floor with Brantley Smith, the goalie for my team; his hand on her hip. Apparently I need to remind myself that I am not a hothead because the urge I have inside to go yank his hand off her hip feels a lot like a hothead. The band is on a break so the jukebox is playing some hip-hop something or other. I have never been so turned on watching a woman dance, especially not with another man. Thankfully, she seems to be enjoying the music too much to notice that Brantley is trying to have sex with her out there. She’s lost in the music; her eyes keep closing, her hips are dipping and swaying, I’m not sure how she’s moving like that in that skirt but it looks damn good.
Kali is in my face suddenly forcing my eyes off Bailey.
“So are you just going to let Brantley dance with her that way or are you going to go get her?” She’s smiling all smug like.
“I’m not sure what you’re talking about Kali.”
Kali’s short black hair starts swishing from side to side as she shakes her head at me. “Um ok, sure you don’t. But you look like you’re getting ready to beat the hell out of Brantley and piss on Bay’s leg to mark your territory. That’s not like you Tal, you should go fix it before anyone sees you lose your cool.” She scoots her chair back, stands up, and pats my shoulder leaving me with my thoughts again.
I try to think this through, but I can’t focus on any one thought before I find myself heading their way. I put my hands on Bailey’s hips and pull her close to me; Brantley looks pissed.
“What the hell Talon?” Brantley spits out through his teeth.
I spin Bailey around so I’m looking directly into her beautiful eyes and I don’t look away from them as I tell Brantley what’s going to happen. “Brantley, I’m cutting in, go get a beer on me.” He retreats peacefully and Bailey is staring up at me, like she’s not sure what she should do but definitely doesn’t look like she’s going to pull away from me.
“I was dancing with him,” she says dramatically and plops her hands on her hips and tilts her head, but never loses eye contact.
I lower my head to hers so only she can hear me. “I’m sorry about that love, but I couldn’t watch you dance without me any longer.” With absolute perfect timing a slow song comes on and without saying another word I spin her around and pull her backside up against me. I run my hands down the length of her arms and relish in her silky skin. I reach her hands and pull them up behind my neck. Automatically, she rolls her head back against my chest and closes her eyes. She bends her knees and dips down and then rubs against me as she stands back up.
Oh God, maybe this wasn’t a good idea.
She grabs my hands and puts them on the front side of her hips as we sway together to the music. It is taking all that I have to stay on the dance floor and not take her away right now.
Dammit.
Bailey and I continue to dance in this fashion for the rest of the song. When it ends, I turn her around by her hand and brush her hair out of her face as she steps up to me. She is so incredibly beautiful. There are little beads of sweat just at her hairline and her breathing is rapid. She looks like she wants to say something but nothing comes out so I lean down so she can hear me over the music but she closes her eyes. I’m as close as I can get to her without our lips touching and she closes. Her. Eyes. I want nothing more than to submit and give her what she clearly wants… but I won’t.
When I kiss her we won’t be in a crowded pub with all eyes on us. No. Bailey will be with me and me alone when I get that kiss. Instead I move to the side of her head and let my lips graze her ear. Bailey sucks in a quick breath at the contact but doesn’t pull away. “Thank you for the dance Bailey. Can I get you another drink?” Her hands are on my chest when I pull back and I keep my hands wrapped firmly around her waist.
Her eyes slowly flutter open and she keeps her gaze intent on my stare. She looks confused or maybe perplexed. Drunk? I’m not sure so I reach up and cup her face to gauge the look in her eyes. She hesitates for a moment before reaching up on her tiptoes and loudly whispers towards my ear, “I should go.” She drops back down off her tiptoes and starts to walk away. I don’t know what happened or what to say to make her stay, but I definitely can’t let her go that easily. So with nothing more to say than ‘Wait’, I reach out and grab her hand. “Bailey, wait.” She stops but doesn’t turn around.
“Let me just let Kali know you’re leaving and I’ll walk you out to make sure you get in the cab ok.”
“I need to go pay my tab; I’ll meet you out front,” her voice comes out a little raspy.
“I’ll take care of your tab Bay, just wait inside for me. Please.” I probably sound desperate but I don’t want her to leave yet and I feel this insane urge to protect her. She nods her head and walks towards the front. I walk quickly towards our table with all eyes on me. I know what is about to come and I don’t have time for it so I hold up a hand. “Not right now.” I grab my coat off the back of one of the chairs and clear my throat. “Kali, Bailey’s leaving. I’m going to make sure she gets in a cab and then I’ll be right back.”
“Is she ok? What did you do Talon?” She looks exasperated, like a mother about to scold her child.
“I didn’t do anything. She just said she needed to leave, so I’m making sure she gets home safely.” I don’t wait for a response to that before I go to the bar to pay her tab. I look down the bar towards the front doors to find Bailey. She’s leaning against the far end of the bar talking to Steve, in what seems to be a pretty serious conversation. I’m going to have to remember to tell Steve to back the hell off if I can get her to come back with me again. After I pay I walk down to her. Their conversation stops abruptly as I reach them.
“Ready Bailey?” I’m trying to come off relaxed and unconcerned, but I’m afraid the daggers I’m shooting Steve are not going to be missed by either of them.
“Um, yes I am,” she answers as she stands up straight then turns to Steve and shakes his hand. “It was nice meeting you Steve. And please trust me on this…,” she waves her hand and looks around as if she’s searching for the right words. She continues as she blows out a huff of air, “Situation. I promise it’s not what you’re thinking.” Steve nods with a tight-lipped smile and tells her to have a good night. He nods one more time in my direction then walks away shaking his head. I follow Bailey outside. It’s cold enough that the bouncer is staying inside the door so when we get out there we are the only ones.
“Steve’s already called for a cab since we’re kind of off the beaten path over here. I didn’t think we could just hail one.”
“Good, they don’t typically stay put in this area.” I’m standing a little too far away from her for my liking, with both hands shoved in my pockets. “Can I ask what that was about back there?”
“Hmm?” She turns to me like I just pulled her back to reality. “Oh! My conversation with Steve?”
“Yes.”
She smiles a controlled smile and tries to brush it off with another wave of her hand. “It was nothing, really.”
“Bailey.” I say her name with a little more force than is necessary. I know that I have no right to intrude, but I physically can’t stop myself right now. This girl is doing something to me that I can’t quite grasp, but I feel almost possessive over her.
This is not good.
She takes a minute to answer. She’s just staring right at me, and then takes a couple steps closer to me.
“He thought you were responsible for my mood change. He assumed I was here
with
you.”
“Am I?”
“Are you what?”
“Responsible for your mood change.”
“No! I mean, yes, but it’s not your fault.”
She’s stammering through this and I can’t resist reaching out to her; I don’t want her to be uncomfortable around me. I want to be the person she runs to, the person she trusts with anything and everything. I want to be the guy that makes all of her problems go away. I take the extra step to close the space between us and I cup both of my hands on either side of her face. She lets me and closes her eyes, her breath is coming in short spurts. As I say her name she opens her eyes; they flick to my lips for a split second, then she bites her bottom lip and looks up at me.
“Bailey, what happened in there?”
She closes her eyes again and backs away from me. “Nothing Talon, I’m just crossing a line with you that I shouldn’t be crossing and I’m sorry about that.” Of course the cab decides to show up at this point.
“No, you’re not Bailey, no lines crossed, no harm done. Can I ride back with you? I’d feel a lot better knowing you made it home safely.”
“That’s probably not a good idea, but thank you, I appreciate it. I’ll send Kali a text and let her know when I make it inside. It was nice meeting you.” She ducks her head in the cab and closes the door. I open the front door and handed the cabby a fifty. “This will more than cover her fare and your tip for making sure she makes it inside her building safely.” He agrees before driving off. I stand there and watch until I can’t see the cab any longer.
CHAPTER FIVE
BAILEY
I wanted to dance with Talon so badly I couldn’t resist him. And I’m pretty sure I have never had such a sensual dance partner. It was amazing, and if I let it go any further I might not have gone back to my place. Ever. So I threw on the brakes and ran. Like a coward. I was getting the feeling that he doesn’t know I live with my boyfriend, or maybe that I have a boyfriend at all. I wonder why Kali wouldn’t have told him. I wonder why I hadn’t told him. Ok, maybe I actually know why I hadn’t told him
. Because I’m selfish.
I get to my empty apartment and am left alone with my thoughts. Thoughts of Talon. Thoughts that torment me with all of the “what ifs”.
What if he does feel for me what I feel for him? What if I’d met him before I met Hollister? What if he knew my deepest, darkest secrets? What if I can’t forget him? What if he actually pursues me the way I need and definitely want to be pursued?
And the ‘what ifs’ continued on until I saw him behind my closed eyes.
I’m standing on a block of ice in the middle of an oval lake. I stand there and watch all of the beautiful butterflies fluttering around me. I can’t see them flying anywhere else around the lake except for around me. Suddenly Talon is walking towards me on the ice block. He is so beautiful, like angelic beautiful. His dark hair slightly lifting in the breeze and his smile captures my heart immediately. He comes right up to me; pulls me close to him and whispers in my ear. It takes me a minute to decipher what his mouth is whispering to me.
In West Philadelphia born and raised
On the playground where I spent most of my days
Chilling out, maxing, relaxing all cool…
WHAT?? Why is he reciting the Fresh Prince of Bel Air?
That brings me out of the best sleep I have had in months. The sun is shining through my window as I rub my eyes and realize that I can still hear the FPofB lyrics.
OH! I must’ve been drunker than I thought! I remember now changing my ringtone in the cab on the ride over.
The cab driver agreed that it was a great show and got me feeling nostalgic so I changed my sister’s ringtone. I can’t for the life of me remember why I was even thinking about that show. I reach over to the bedside table and grab my phone, my arm still covering my eyes from the morning sun.
“Hey Cheyenne,” I say with a sleepy voice.
“It’s Hollister Bailey
.” Oops! I guess I was close, I tried for Cheyenne in my contact list, but apparently I ended up with Hollister instead when I changed the ringtone. I really didn’t need that second drink.
“Oh hey, how are things with the family?” I really don’t care all that much, but I am supposed to and he definitely doesn’t sound chipper this morning.
“They’re fine but I’m going to have to stay a couple more days. Where did you go last night Bay? I tried calling but you weren’t answering.”
“I went out with Kali and her friends. Remember? We talked about it just yesterday morning.”
“I know, but where did you go? And why didn’t you answer any of my calls? You know I hate when I can’t get a hold of you.” He should sound as if he was worried about me, but he doesn’t. He sounds pissed.
“I’m sorry about that. I did see your missed calls but by the time I saw them I was afraid I would wake you. We just went to this little karaoke bar but it was so loud in there I didn’t hear my phone ringing.”
“Please don’t do that again. I really don’t need to be worrying about you over there when I have all of this going on over here.”
I really wanted to scream at him that I am a grown woman and I don’t need him to check up on me. Besides, I know exactly what he was worrying about and it wasn’t about my safety, I guarantee you. When it came to me, his jealousy would win out over kindness every time.
“I won’t, Hollister. Just take your time and take care of your family.”
“I will, so what do you have planned for the day? Are you going into the office at all?”
“No, I’m actually just staying in today. I have a really hectic week ahead of me, so I plan on just relaxing.”
“Alright then. I’m going to go; I’ll talk to you soon. I Love you Bailey.”
“Yeah, me too.” I hang up before he gets any ideas about berating me for not saying the actual words. I stopped being so forth coming with those three little words the day he showed me a side of him I never knew existed. It took him a few months but he finally realized I hadn’t been telling him that I loved him and started questioning me about it. I played oblivious.
I stayed in bed pretty much all day. After my call from Hollister, I took a long hot bubble bath with Adele on my iPod. When the water turned cold for the third time, I decided it was going to be a romantic-comedy-movies-in-bed kind of day. That’s exactly what I did. I ordered way too much Chinese and had it delivered for lunch then continued to eat it throughout the day and night. I fell asleep feeling blissful from a very full belly and lots of beautiful men baring their hearts to the women they love. And Talon on my mind. He had been there all day and I didn’t foresee him leaving anytime soon.
****
I dreamt of him again, only this time we were dancing and dancing and dancing. He kept leaning in and whispering in my ear as we swayed our bodies together. I didn’t know this time what he was saying, but those butterflies from last night’s dream kept creeping around in my stomach. I wanted to murder my alarm for waking me from a perfect dream. Not only did I get dragged away from Talon’s arms in my sleeping sta
te, but it was Monday. Perfect.