“Our mother was never the same after our dad died,” Tyler added.
“I know. Damien’s told me a lot about that.”
Damien changed the subject. “How about those cigars?”
Tyler took out the clear plastic bag. “You gonna smoke one, Chelsea?”
I shrugged my shoulders. “Sure.”
He cut the long, tightly rolled cigars and gave one to both Damien and me. Rubbing it in between my fingers, I took it to my nose and breathed in the spicy yet earthy scent. He then came around with the barbecue igniter and lit it for me.
Sucking in the smoke, I immediately coughed.
“You didn’t inhale it, did you?”
“I did a little.”
“Don’t.” Ty took it from me and brought it to his mouth, drawing in the smoke, slowly blowing it out into my face. “Just taste it for a few seconds then let it go.”
I was suddenly massively flushed. There was something about those words that seemed sexual. When I looked over at Damien, I saw that the death stare from earlier had returned in full force.
“You know, the longer and wider the cigar, the more intense it is,” Ty said.
“That goes for a lot of things, which is unfortunate for you, little brother,” Damien said before taking a long drag of his own cigar.
Ty spoke through his laugh, “Shut the fuck up.”
As I started to get the hang of cigar smoking, I leaned back and looked up at the night sky as I practiced blowing smoke rings into the air.
It was quiet, and I could feel both of their eyes on me.
Ty was the first to break the silence when he said, “There’s something so goddamn sexy about a woman smoking a cigar.”
“Really? A woman? Or that woman?” Damien snapped.
“You’re right. It does depend on the girl.”
An uncomfortable silence lingered in the air.
Ty’s next question threw me for a loop. “Do you have plans for the rest of the night, Chelsea?”
“Um…no.”
“Would you want to head to Diamondback’s?”
I knew that was a bar and club not far from our building that often featured live music and dancing.
I immediately looked over at Damien for guidance. Was his brother asking me to go out with him alone? Was he trying to take me out on an impromptu date? Was Damien going to let him? Did he even truly care, or was his anger tonight just a matter of their competitive natures?
I suppose a part of me wanted to find out when I said, “That sounds fun. Yeah.”
“Cool.”
Damien didn’t utter a word. He just continued to stare at me as he blew smoke rings.
I got up, straightening my shirt and gave my cigar to Ty. “I should shower and get changed, then.”
“Sounds good.” He smiled.
Jitters followed me all the way back to my apartment. What was I doing? I wasn’t even going to lie; it hurt me that Damien didn’t say anything when Ty asked me to go out. Not knowing exactly what I’d agreed to, I was left with an unsettled feeling.
I took a shower and slipped on a fitted, blue mini-dress. I blew out my normally wavy hair and put on a full face of makeup.
Letting out a slow nervous breath, I knocked on Damien’s door.
Ty opened and was dressed in the same jeans and black shirt he’d had on outside. He’d wet his hair down and must have sprayed on a fresh coating of cologne, because it was pungent.
The air was filled with tension and testosterone.
Damien was leaning against the kitchen counter. He was wearing the same dark jeans but had changed into a gray shirt that hugged his muscular chest. He was also wearing his beanie. I loved when he wore that hat in a way that his hair peeked out from the front. His sleeves were rolled up, showcasing his forearm tattoo. His angry glare was really working for me. It made me think back to his threat about angrily fucking me against the wall the night of my drunk messaging. He just looked so freaking good right now, and I caught myself forgetting why I was even here as I continued to stare at him.
Ty came up from behind me. “Ready to go?”
“Yes.”
Just when I thought Damien was going to let us leave, he began to follow us out the door.
I turned around. “I didn’t think you were coming.”
“I wasn’t going to, but I changed my mind.”
The three of us walked in silence to Diamondback’s, which was about three blocks away.
It was eighties and nineties music night. There was no band on duty tonight, just a DJ. 2 Become 1 by the Spice Girls was playing, and it totally brought me back to memories of singing that song in front of the bathroom mirror with my sisters.
Ty leaned in. “What are you having to drink?”
“You already know she likes white wine.” Damien huffed.