rtbpdf (20 page)

“You’re right. Thanks,” I said, handing her the
money.

“It’s an open bar,” said the woman. “For
another hour, at least.”

“Oh, well, here’s a tip,” I said, handing her a
couple of dollars.”

“Thanks, Hon.” She turned to Jenna. “What can I
get for you?”

“I’ll take two Michelobs. One for me and one
for that tall drink of water, over there,” she said, turning to smile at
Trevor, who I noticed was watching us.

Feeling angry again, I looked away.

Jenna turned back to me and sighed. “You must
think I’m a horrible aunt.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

She smiled grimly. “Because my mind is in the
gutter at my niece’s funeral.”

“People cope with things differently,” I said,
a little guilty of it myself.

She put her arm around me. “I agree. In fact, I’ve
always coped with grief by turning to intimacy. The touch of another can
sometimes ease the pain of loss. It’s also a good reminder that we’re still
alive and that every second matters, because you never know when your time is
up.”

“I guess… that makes sense to me.”

“To me it does. That’s why I don’t feel guilty
about setting my sites on Raptor, tonight.” She winked. “Something tells me he
just might be my salvation.”

“And you know that after just talking to him
for a few minutes?”

She grinned wickedly. “To be honest, I don’t
care what comes out of his mouth. It’s what goes into his mouth later that
interests me. Thanks, Doll,” she said to the bartender, who set two beers down
in front of us. She handed her a five. “That’s for you.”

“Thanks,” said the bartender, shoving it into
her front pocket. She leaned forward. “And good luck with that young man. I
wouldn’t mind going home with him myself, tonight.”

Jenna laughed. “You’d better get in line,” she
answered, before walking back toward Trevor.

Sighing, I picked up the tray of drinks and
went the other way.

Raptor

I watched Adriana and Jenna, talking at the
bar, and had to hide my grin. Adriana looked like she was ready to spit bullets
whenever she looked at me.

“Oh, she’s pissed,” whispered Jenna, close to
my ear when she returned with our beers.

Jenna and I went way back. She’d dated Slammer
five years ago and we’d always gotten along. When she’d learned what had
happened to her niece, she’d rushed down to Griffin’s and I’d told her
everything, including what had happened between me and Adriana.

“Why?” I asked. “Because I’m still here?”

“Because, I’m making her jealous.”

“You are?”

“Yes,” she said, snuggling up to me.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Are you kidding? She’s going to realize how
much she wants you and believe me, you’re going to be thanking me later.”

My eyebrow arched. “Really? Because when men
get jealous, it doesn’t usually work that way. They get pissed and leave.”

“No you don’t,” she said. “In fact, I’m pretty
sure that if you saw a guy hitting on Adriana, you’d want to beat the shit out
of him.”

“Look, there’s nothing between us. Not
anymore,” I said, not believing my own words. The truth was, I wanted her more
than ever. When I’d seen her at the funeral, wearing another black dress and
the same sapphire necklace, it had reminded me of that night in her bedroom. Then
I’d pictured her straddling my face while I was looking up at her gorgeous body,
and I knew I was going straight to Hell. Especially knowing that I had to have
been the only asshole in church sporting wood. 

“I don’t believe that for one second and either
do you.”

I shrugged. “Believe what you want.”

Jenna frowned. “Why is the cop here? They
walked in together. Did you see that?”

“Yeah, but they didn’t arrive here together.”

“It looks like Tiffany has her eye on him,
anyway. He’s cute.” She waved at Tiffany, who waved back.

I took another swig of beer.

“So, what are you going to do?”

“Finish this and leave.”

She tilted her head. “Don’t you want to try and
win her back?”

“I never had her to begin with. If I did, she
wouldn’t have given up so easily.”

Jenna sighed. “I’ve met Vanda. She’s not an
easy woman to stand up to.”

“Adriana is twenty-one. She’s an adult.”

“She may look like an adult, but nobody has
given her the chance to act like one.”

I smirked. “I tried. Believe me, I did.”

“I’m sure you did. But, I think you need to try
again.”

“What do you propose that I do? Show up at her
house? Serenade her? I do that and I’ll just get my ass chewed out.”

“No. That’s a waste of time. You need to act
tonight. While she’s got that fire burning in her belly.”

“How do you know she’s got a fire burning in
her belly?”

“By the way she keeps stealing glances over
here. The girl still has it bad for you, Raptor. She doesn’t know whether to
slap or kiss you.”

“Hmm… Well, what do you suggest that I do?

This time Jenna was the one smiling wickedly. “Nothing.
Let me take care of it.”

Adriana

An hour later, Tiffany announced that it was
time to go across the street to Gibby’s.

“Okay,” I said. “It’s getting really crowded in
here anyway.”

“It’s going to be more crowded at Gibby’s,”
warned Jeremy, who’d opened his tie and now seemed very relaxed.

“But at least we can dance,” I said, feeling absolutely
no pain. I’d just finished my third drink and even Trevor’s presence wasn’t
bothering me anymore. Well, not as much. After the second drink, I’d kept
telling myself that if those two hooked up, then good riddance. After my third
drink, I’d decided that I needed to rethink my own rule of hooking up. Possibly
find a guy who might make me forget all about Trevor. Someone tall, dark, and
very well-endowed.

“I want to dance, too. Let’s go and say goodbye
to Bonnie and go over there,” said Monica, grabbing me and Amber by the arms. Just
like me, she was also feeling quite good.

“Thanks for coming,” said Bonnie, hugging each
of us, when we found her.

“Of course and, we’re so sorry for your loss,”
said Tiffany, smiling sadly. “And ours. We’re losing a great friend. One of the
best. We’re sure going to miss that girl.”

Bonnie’s lips trembled. “Me, too,” she
squeaked. “Me, too.”

“I’m sorry my mother couldn’t make it,” I said,
when she hugged me. “She’s going to call you, tomorrow.”

“She made it to the funeral. That’s enough.
Plus, she’s been there for me these last couple of weeks. Bringing me food,
calling everyone.  I don’t know how I can thank her enough.”

“You don’t have to,” I told Bonnie. “She wanted
to help.”

She nodded. “Well, I appreciate it.”

“I’m sorry for your loss, Ms. Blake,” said
Jeremy, shaking her hand.

“Just find them,” she said. “Please. Find the
people who did this and put them away.”

“Believe me, I’ll do my best.”

“Are you leaving?” asked Jenna, coming up
behind me?”

“We’re going across the street,” said Monica.
“To Gibby’s. You want to join us?”

“Let me ask my new friend,” she said, her blue
eyes sparkling. “Something tells me he’ll want to go dancing, too.”

“You mean Trevor?” I said, looking around. “Did
he leave?”

“No, he’s using the bathroom,” she said,
smiling. “I didn’t realize you knew his real name.”

“Lucky guess,” I said, forcing a smile. He’d
obviously told her his real name, too. I looked at Tiffany. “Let’s go. I’m
getting really warm in here.”

“Okay,” she said, waving to Jenna and Bonnie.
“Have a good night.”

“You too,” said Bonnie. “Drive safely.”

“Jeremy is driving all of us home,” she said,
sliding her arm through his. “Aren’t you?”

Jeremy smiled. “Yep. That I am. I don’t know
what I’m getting myself into, but too late to back out now, right?”

“You’re damn right,” said Tiffany, snuggling up
to him. “You’re going to have fun, though. We’ll make sure of it. Right
ladies?”

“You bet,” said Monica. “Ready Adriana?”

I saw Trevor walk out of the bathroom and head
toward us, or rather, Jenna. I quickly turned around and started for the Exit.
“I’m more than ready. In fact, I’ll meet you over there.”

Adriana

Gibby’s was jam-packed when we walked in.
Apparently, it was Lady’s Night and all shots were half-off.

“Let’s dance and
then
drink,” said
Tiffany, pulling me and Jeremy toward the large dance floor, while Monica and
Amber used the bathroom. He’d left his jacket and tie in the car and now looked
more like a regular guy just out to have fun. “Do you like Hip Hop music,
Jeremy?” she cried, over the loud music.

“Not really,” he hollered back. “But, I’m
willing to try.”

“What kind of music do you like?” I asked.

“Rock-n-Roll. Jazz. Country. Anything but… Hip
Hop.”

“That’s too bad,” said Tiffany, rolling her
hips with the music. “Because I
love
Hip Hop. It makes me so… frisky.”

His eyes widened and then he laughed. “Maybe I
haven’t given Hip Hop enough of a chance.”

She moved closer to him, until they were
chin-to-forehead. “Relax and move your hips,” she said, putting her hands on
his waist. “I’ll help you learn how to like it.”

“I’m sure you will,” he said, putting his hands
around her hips.

 She gave him a sexy laugh.

I suddenly felt like a third wheel. I backed
away from the dance floor and then took off toward the bar. When I saw Trevor
and Jenna waiting in line for a drink, I stopped dead in my tracks.

Dammit.

They were so beautiful together. Both blond and
dazzling under the strobe lights.

Trevor had taken his hair out of the ponytail,
and his jacket and tie were gone. He reminded me of a sexy rock star standing
there, with his super-model girlfriend on his arm. I suddenly felt very dowdy,
in my black dress. Jenna was also wearing a black dress, but hers emphasized
her breasts while mine were drowning in fabric.

“Oh, hey,” she said, noticing me. She slipped
her arms through Trevor’s and grinned. “Hope you don’t mind that we followed you
over here?”

“That’s okay,” I said, minding very much. I
forced a smile. “It’s a great place to… unwind.”

“Definitely,” said Jenna. She reached up and
unbuttoned two of Trevor’s buttons, exposing his tan chest. “In fact, I think
it’s time for this hunk of yumminess to unwind.” She slipped her fingers under
his dark blue shirt and looked at me. “I don’t know what it is but I just can’t
seem to keep my hands off of him.”

“Nobody seems to be stopping you, either,” I
said, gritting my teeth.

Just then the music slowed to a sexy beat and
Jenna sucked in her breath. “I love this song. Forget the drinks. Come on,
dance with me.”

Trevor’s eyes met mine.

I scowled and looked away.

“Come on,” she said, pulling his arm. “Let’s go
and have some fun.”

I didn’t hear his reply, but I watched her drag
his ass to the dance floor, without any resistance. Then she slipped her arms
around his neck and pulled him so close that I couldn’t stand to watch them
anymore.

Seething, I made my way over to the bar and
bought myself a shot of peach schnapps.

To you, Krystal
, I
thought, slamming it down.

“Would you like another one?” asked the
bartender, a heavy-set guy wearing a Stetson.

“Yes. One more,” I said, sliding the shot gas
back to him.

“What is that?” asked the guy standing next to
me.

I looked at him. He had soft brown eyes and a
boyish smile. “It’s just peach schnapps.”

He grimaced. “Oh, not that.”

I smiled. “What’s wrong with it? Too girly?”

He chuckled. “No, I used to love the taste.
Before, I spent an entire weekend puking my guts out after drinking a bottle.
Watch out for that stuff, it’ll kick you in the ass later.”

“Thanks for the advice,” I said, as the
bartender slid another shot toward me. “I doubt I’ll drink an entire bottle,
but I’ll keep it in mind.”

“Now, Tequila… that’s what you should be
drinking. Are you driving tonight, or is your boyfriend?” he asked.

“I’m not driving and I don’t have a boyfriend.”

He smiled and straightened up. “Well, in that
case, how about we both have a shot, together? My treat?”

I slammed the second shot of peach schnapps and
set it on the bar. “How about… we dance?” I said, licking my lips. “Then you can
buy me a shot.”

His smile grew wider. He set his beer down on
the bar. “Watch this for me, will you Hank?”

“Sure thing,” said the bartender.

“And put her other two shots on my tab.”

I grinned. “Well, thank you… what was your
name?”

“It’s Dan.”

I held out my hand. “I’m Adriana.”

“Pretty name,” he said, shaking it. “And well
deserving.”

I giggled, the peach schnapps warming my tummy
and everything else.  

“Just to warn you, I’m not the best dancer,” he
said, following me out to the dance floor.

“It’s okay,” I said, turning to him. “I won’t
judge if you won’t.”

He slid his arms around my waist. “If I said
that I’ve already judged you to be the prettiest girl in this bar, would you
laugh in my face?”

I was about to do just that when I noticed
Trevor staring at me from across the dance floor. He was scowling.

“Not at all,” I said, noting that Jenna was
standing in front of him, grinding her ass against his crotch. Obviously, he
wasn’t angry about that and he certainly wasn’t stopping her from doing it,
either. Clenching my jaw, I slid my arms up to Dan’s neck and forced myself to
smile. “You have gorgeous eyes. Has anyone ever told you that?”

He grinned. “Thank you.”

I stole another glance over Dan’s shoulder, at
Trevor, and almost choked. He was storming toward us, like an angry bull.

Dan noticed him as well. “Can I help you?” he
asked, letting me go.

“I’m cutting in,” said Trevor. He grabbed my
arm.

“Stop it,” I hissed. “Go back to Jenna.”

“I don’t
want
her,” he said, his eyes
burning into mine.

“Right. I think that you only want what you
can’t have.”

He looked like I’d slapped him. “Fuck you.”

“No, fuck you,” I snapped, pulling my arm away.

“You’re drunk,” he said, his voice harsh and
angry.

I raised my chin. “I’m not drunk. I’m… having
fun. I’m also reconsidering my rule about one-night stands.”

Dan’s face lit up.

Trevor grabbed my arm again, his fingers
gripping me hard. “I’m taking you home before you do something stupid.”

“Excuse me… do you two know each other?” asked
Dan.

“What gave you that idea?” said Trevor, with a
sneer. “Back off, genius. She’s mine.”

“I’m
not
yours,” I said, pulling away
again.

 “Would you stop playing games, Adriana?”

“I’m not the one playing them.”

“What’s going on over here?” said Jeremy,
suddenly at my side.

“Nothing,” I said, backing away. “Nothing is
going on.”

“Larson, what the hell kind of shit are you
starting, now?” snarled Jeremy, getting into his face.

“Fuck you, Stone.”

“You need to leave,” ordered Jeremy, as I
turned and headed toward the exit.

“Adriana!” hollered Trevor, over the music