“Wrong! But only you can make that happen, and you’re fucking certifiable if you don’t get on it this minute.”
Our eyes turn to the boys at the bar. A tall, thin woman with super dark brown hair comes around the guys. She’s about four inches taller than me, and is all legs and small waist. She gives Pierce the finger to her mouth motioning him to be quiet. He smiles at her as she grabs Ty around the waist. He wraps her up in those big arms, and whispers something in her ear. She gives him what I consider a somewhat intimate smile. You can tell he is asking her if she wants a drink as he gives the bartender his order. She pours and shakes as the new girl and all the boys laugh and talk. He has a girlfriend. Zoey said he might, so that should not surprise me as much as it does. I’m brought back from spying to my bestie who looks like she asked me something and I didn’t answer.
I go out on a limb and ask, “What?”
“What did you think of Pierce?”
“He’s great. He’s super sexy and he looked so happy to see you. I just met him, but he looks at you like he is the luckiest guy in the world.”
“You really think so, because I’m really falling for him, Stella. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world.” The surprise of Ty is gone. She is back to that smitten look for Pierce. I’m pleased, because that face really looks good on her.
Pierce has a double order of drinks for Zoey, and two beers in the other hand for himself. He sits down in front of Zoey and settles her back in between his thighs. Jaxon slides me the two drinks that I ordered with a big smile on his face.
Two drinks do NOT equal sex in my world, buddy…you’ll learn.
Ty has two beers in his hands, and the girl that was wrapped around his waist has four lemon drop shots. I finally get to see her face and she is really pretty. Not hot, and definitely not gorgeous. Her makeup is a little heavy for my liking. The thick black eyeliner and super red lipstick is too bright against her pale skin.
There is nothing I hate more than a catty girl. We are who we are. I will not play the game of who’s the prettiest by looking each other up and down. I always swear, no matter what the girl looks like, I will not be bitchy. Don’t get me wrong…Zoey and I have talked mad shit about girls we did not like. Those girls are usually the ones that want to be clique-y, or think they are way better than we are. Zoey and I size her up quickly, and she does the same to us. She keeps a genuine smile on her face and we do the same.
“I’m Emily, Ty’s girl/assistant/housekeeper/right hand woman, and the list goes on.” Her eyes light up. “Let me guess. You are Zoey Martin, and you’re Stella. I never got a last name on you, my apologies.” She picks us out correctly and makes eye contact with both of us. I like her, no nasty looks, and no petty girl vibes coming off her. No looks to us that say Ty is hers and we better back off. Zoey shakes her hand. I extend mine and tell her my full name.
“Thank you for coming to my party. My boss is a really great guy whom I’m going to miss terribly, considering we are inseparable. In reality, he should be shaking in his boots, because he’s taught me everything I know. And I know a lot. And soon, I will definitely be his competition.” I suck my little drink down watching them intently. That bottom of the glass sound is loud as all eyes fall on me. Embarrassing! I pick up my other drink, and sip it to hide my red cheeks. That first glass went down smooth, maybe a little too smooth.
“It’s funny that you haven’t figured out that I was feeding you bullshit the whole time. Did you really think that I would teach you everything I know just so you could go out and market yourself as The Ty Caulder’s Numero Uno Student?”
“You are so damn full of yourself!” She punches him in the arm and he rubs the spot looking at her like it really hurt. They are very opposite looking as a couple, but opposites attract.
“That hurt!” Ty grabs a shot for himself and hands one to Emily. “Em…it’s been amazing teaching you and working with you. The best is yet to come for both of us.” They clank shot glasses and down one…pick up the other and down that one as well. Emily plants a kiss on his cheek and he grabs her around the waist again and pulls her close.
“Sorry friend, damn girlfriends,” Zoey whispers in my ear as she grabs my hand. I give her hand a squeeze, yet don’t turn around. I’d die at this point if anyone other than her knew how attracted I am to the man standing right in front of me.
“So what do you both do?” I ask looking at Emily. She doesn’t make my heart pound out of my chest. I consider her the safe one of the two. I also don’t want her to see me drool all over her man. That’s so rude.
“Ty is a very successful photographer. I’ve been interning/assisting with him for about six months. But, the baby bird has learned how to fly, and I must leave the nest to seek out my own way,” she giggles. “I just graduated last week. He’s been so helpful and I’m really going to miss him. We’ve been together 24/7 for the last six months. I worry about who will look after him now that I’m not there babysitting?”
“You do know where I live? You do still have my cell phone number, correct? Because you are acting like we aren’t going to see each other all the time,” Ty says this to Emily with a, ‘you’re being ridiculous and dramatic about all this’ tone.
“Congratulations on your graduation!” Zoey exclaims to Emily. She shifts her eyes to Ty and asks, “What kind of pictures do you take? I mean, do you do weddings and families? That kinda stuff?”
Jaxon mutters, “You don’t get many weddings to photograph when everyone in town knows you seduce the brides.”
“The Brides,” comes out of Zoey in a high-pitched tone. I look at Ty, and now I need my best friend to place her hand under my jaw and close it.
“It was only
one
bride, dickfuck, and she instigated it. The first meeting was all about her showing me she was interested in me…not my photography skills. That wasn’t my finest hour, so thanks for bringing that one up, asshole.” He glares at Jaxon as if he really didn’t appreciate what he said.
“All of your lady clients are interested in you, dude. They all come for the after sex. Your skills are sick, but I’m not so sure they come for your photography, my man,” Pierce chuckles out the entire sentence.
Very defensively, Emily shoots daggers with her eyes at all of us. “That is just not true! Ty is extremely talented. Every session has its own meaning and appeal! He is artistic, clever, and he thinks out of the box! He’s not some stalker photographer of his peers, who has to steal their ideas from their websites.” She wraps her arms around Ty’s waist and looks up at him. He returns her stare. “And since I’ve been with him, there have not been happy endings like before.”
“Thank God, you’re leaving. You’re cramping my style and my clientele is drying up,” Ty’s voice is sarcastic as Emily releases him and slugs him in the arm again.
Ty looks at Zoey and me. “I do photograph weddings. I don’t fuck the brides regularly. Weddings are great money and I somewhat enjoy them. I do a lot of modeling shoots, boudoir shoots, and some commercial stuff as well. One day, I want to own my own gallery. The photos on The Wall Street’s website were shot by me. I’ve done calendars and individual shots for some of the local wing bars.” He’s prideful in what he is saying. His eyes light up when he talks about his career. “I’m really excited. In about two to three weeks, I’m shooting an up and coming local band. They want me to take cover photos for the album they’re releasing soon. I like new projects like that and the word of mouth does not hurt for future work.” The dreamy stares I am giving him have got to stop, like now.
“Anything that has to do with chicks, he will take pictures of.” This is from Jaxon again. I’m starting to believe someone is a wee bit jealous.
“The band I’m photographing is all men, jerk off,” Ty lifts an eyebrow and says matter of fact.
“What’s a boudoir shoot?” I direct my question to Ty and it comes out before I feel it leave my lips. Yes, I spoke to him again. Yes, I have those cartoon hearts floating out of my eyes and they are aimed his way.
“Friend, it’s when you go and have sexy pictures taken. Like, in lingerie, and they have you drape yourself over a bed or a chair. Girls do it for their man.”
Shut up, Zoey
.
The question was for him, so I could watch that panty-scorching smile
.
“Women do them for a lot of reasons,” Ty’s eyes pierce directly into mine. I feel like he’s looking directly into my soul. “But Zoey’s right, a lot are done as gifts to boyfriends or husbands. Some like that sort of picture in their bedrooms. It’s fitting, you know?” I have sucked down another drink and have the first hint of a buzz.
I smile at Ty with my innocent girl smile when an arm wraps around my waist. Another slides over my shoulder, across my breast and grabs my waist. My back is pulled flush to the front of an intensely toned chest. The crisp white dress shirt that is rolled up, along with the light cologne I smell gives my capturer away. I grip the muscled arm in reflex. Ty’s ice blue eyes look confused under his knitted brow. Fingers lightly sweep under my shirt, exposing my tummy and I can feel a nose on my neck.
“Mmmmm, you smell so fucking good, Stella. You always do. I never know if it’s your perfume or just you.” He draws a few more long breaths in through his nose and I feel his lips brush my neck. My eyes close at all the closeness and touching. I can’t help but want to pretend this man is Ty, and honestly, I know I should not react to Zoey’s brother like this. But my body is deprived sexually, and it feels so damn good to be wrapped in a man’s strong arms. An extremely sexy man at that. Maxem is 6’1” and fit as hell. He’s opposite of Zoey with the dark brown hair and blue eyes. His hair is styled very much like Ty’s. It’s a little weird.
Did they go to hair styling school together?
I lose myself for just a moment, and quickly realize I need to push him off.
I feel a little nip at my neck with his teeth. My eyes fly open and I let out a yelp. “I thought you like vampires, Stella. You read about them all the time.” His voice is seductive and hot on my ear. I grab the hand that has my shirt pushed up past my belly button to stop the complete frontal everyone is about to get.
“I do read about them, but that hurt, fucker,” I say, grabbing Max’s hand and pulling out of the bear hug. Max has been drinking… a lot. I can see it in his eyes. My expression softens and I reply, “I’ve moved on to reading about sexy rock gods. Please try to keep up with my interests.”
He grins real big at me and pulls me into another embrace.
“Max, you’re so damn obnoxious! You came here to meet Pierce, not fondle Stella.” Max releases me after Zoey scolds him. Thank goodness, because I wasn’t doing so good at pulling away.
“Sorry, little sis. It was rude, my apologizes.” The sarcasm is obvious on his face.
“Whatever...please meet everyone and get out of here.”
“Get out of here? We’re just changing bars. We were at Skinny’s and then walked over here. Let’s order up some drinks.” He doesn’t look like he needs many more drinks, but the man can hold his alcohol. I’ve seen him much worse.
Zoey looks a bit annoyed, but changes her face when she turns back to the table. She introduces Max and his friend, Ethan, to Pierce, who takes his hand and grins. “Nice to meet you, man.” I look over at Ty and Emily and they are standing about a foot apart. Emily is looking at Max as if she sees a very attractive man in front of her. Ty, on the other hand, has that whole standing up straighter macho thing going on. It’s like they know they are the two best looking guys at the table and it’s a duel to get the women to think so.
Don’t worry, hottie, he’s got nothing on your perfectness.
Ty is not my normal type. The white long sleeve button up dress shirt with a tie is usually what gets my attention. I like the pretty boy that you take home to your momma. Well, in my case, to daddy.
The introductions finish up around the table and Max already has a waitress getting us all a round of drinks. I make sure I ask for two.
Ty’s girl is still trying really hard not to look at Max. It’s crazy to think that she has Ty standing next to her and she is checking out Max. I guess it’s okay to look. Max says that they have been at Skinny’s since 4:30 pm. He talks a lot and makes sure they know he is a stockbroker and very successful. He’s not being an ass, he’s just a good talker. Max and I are close. We all hang out a lot. He is definitely very protective of both of us. Playing as if he wants me sexually is all an act. I think if I ever returned the attention, he would freak out and not be able to go through with it. The only sexual experience we have ever had was a short make out session my sophomore year when he was a senior. We were at a party, there was alcohol and it was brief. The bottom line was that it was weird. I’ve leaned on Max a lot over the years. Zoey is always on my side no matter what. Sometimes she has a problem not being partial, so I go to Max for the truth. He is brutally honest with me, and I like that. Sometimes, it hurts, but sometimes the truth hurts. We’ve gone to each other for comfort, advice, and sometimes, just to unwind. He’s very comfortable for me, very brotherly.
I’m on my sixth drink and thankful that Zoey is driving. She is nursing her little drinks next to me as she and Pierce kiss and talk. Everyone is in their own private conversations at the table and my buzz is in full force. I try so hard not listen to Ty’s conversations, and to stay focused on Pierce and Zoey, but I’m so drawn to his voice that I keep tuning into what he says. Jaxon is pushing his buttons about Emily leaving. Ty keeps saying he’s going to be lost without her. She is one fucking, lucky girl.
“I’m out, sisters. I have an early morning meeting on the phone with a client, and need to not be still drunk while deciding his financial success.” This comes from Max. I feel the same. It’s 1:00 am and I’m so tired. My wake up time is 5:30 am and it’s going to hit me like a ton of bricks. By the end of the day tomorrow, I’ll already have worked about forty-five hours. Max hugs all us girls goodbye, including Emily, and gives a handshake to all the guys. He and Ethan start walking toward the door.
I ask Zoey if she’s ready, and of course, she wants to stay. Technically, this is her Friday night, so I completely understand. I tell her I’m going to see if I can get a ride with her brother and Ethan. I don’t think Ethan has had that much to drink, but I can’t be sure. I see that Ty and Emily look like they might leave as well, not that I’m eavesdropping or anything. I explain to everyone that I too have to be to work in five and a half hours, so I’m going to head out myself. I hug Zoey, and Emily comes around the table for a hug good- bye.