"Can Vince help you?" Vince's baritone asked gruffly as he passed her. "We aren't hiring any waitresses right now if you're looking for a job, and I can't let you squat here, so move along."
Dani hopped to her feet and hurried after him. "You said I should come to you if I needed anything." Vince turned and a wide smile cracked the harsh planes of his face when he recognized her. His eyes ran down her body with interest.
Danielle cocked her head to the side and tried to be cute. She stepped a little too close for comfort. She saw a flash of something hot in his eyes before he shook his head and took a step back. His expression changed from heated interest to concern. He brushed her cheek with the back of his hand. "Vince would be glad to help you get whatever you need. As much as Vince would like to be the male to take your mind off of whatever ails you, I can't risk my job. Your boy Chase would have my ass handed to me right after he canned it." Dani blushed and frowned. Did he have to bring up Chase?
"Princess, are you alright? You look sad," he asked with true concern.
"I'm fine, Vince. All I need is some privacy and a few drinks. You think you could let me in until the club opens? I would prefer to drink alone today." Tears began to form in her eyes. "And don't call Chase, please. I know he's a friend of yours, but we're friends too, right? And I do still owe you a dance. If you get the music going, I'd be happy to pay up."
Vince let out a hearty chuckle. "Bad day, princess? Come on in, and Vince'll hook you up." He put an arm around her shoulders and led her into the club.
Once inside she settled herself onto a sofa in the VIP section. Vince got the music on, but not too loud. A very attractive man came to take her drink order. "What can I get for you?"
"I'll be honest. I'm not a drinker, so you can surprise me. Maybe something sweet would be good," she politely suggested.
"Of course you're not a drinker." He smiled at Dani playfully and went to get her drink. As he walked away, she took in his broad shoulders and the tight jeans that showed off his assets and wondered what he meant by that. Did she look so young that she obviously wouldn't be a drinker? Vince gave her a wave from the other side of the club and disappeared.
The bartender returned, shirtless, with a tray of drinks and shots. Holy smoke, but he was hot. He had dark hair and smoky eyes to match, his body honed to perfection. He handed her a drink and took a shot for himself. They clinked their glasses together, and he downed his shot. Not to be outdone she gulped hers as he took another shot. He took her empty glass and handed her another. They were good. It didn't taste anything like the nasty Purple Jesus or the beer she'd choked on. She drank it quickly, and he took a third shot.
Holding out his hand to her he asked, "Would you like to dance?"
She smiled and took his hand, feeling a little torn. She was second-guessing the wisdom of being alone with a guy. This wasn't what she'd come for. She only wanted time alone to think about everything that was happening in her life and to her body. Then the memory of Lucas nearly having sex with some strange girl came back to her like a kick in the gut. "I'd love to dance." She held out her hand to the handsome bartender.
And so they did. He led her out to the floor, and they danced. She could actually see the beautiful hardwood floor that had been obscured by so many people the last time she'd been there. The lights flashed as they moved together to the beat of the music. He left her on the floor once to go fetch another drink. She was already pretty buzzed, but that was what she'd come for, right? To achieve the same numbness she'd experienced the other night. She wanted to forget for a while, and so far, she had done a good job. Dani threw back one more drink, and her companion, whose name she hadn't bothered to learn, drank his shot. He looked buzzed too. They laughed and danced and spun around the floor, until she was so dizzy she could hardly stand. Thankfully, a slower song came on, and he gathered her up in his strong arms and held her close to his chest. She smelled him then. He smelled spicy, like hot cinnamon candy. His essence was so sweet and hot, she wanted to taste it. The urge became overwhelming, and her vision went all weird. Memories of her own jet-black eyes gave her pause. That had to be how she looked. What would the bartender do if he noticed? He looked down and smiled at her with smoldering expectation. Good thing it was dark, and she was too drunk to care.
"That's right, beautiful, you're ready, aren't you? You want me right now, don't you?" He scooped Dani up and carried her back to the sofa. He positioned her so that she straddled his lap and pulled her mouth down to his. Dani froze at first, but his body was so damn hot, and she could hear his heartbeat. It pounded out her name, over and over. His sex was stiff, and he rubbed himself against her. She kissed him back, until he turned his face and guided her to his neck. God, the smell of him was so delicious, and his pulse beat wildly against her lips.
"Take it. Take me now. Please, I want to feel you," he whispered huskily.
She felt pressure in her mouth. Her teeth ached. The need was overwhelming. She was so thirsty, or was it hunger? His pulse pounded in her ears, and the spicy, sweet smell permeated her mind. Instinctively, Dani found a spot below his ear and bit down on his neck. He writhed under her and panted, "Yes. Please, yes." The flow of hot, sweet liquid running down her throat was intoxicating and delicious. She felt strong and sensual, and she hungered for more.
Mason and his mate, Deborah, were having dinner with Griffin and his mate, Sarah. It had been so long since they had done this. Mason missed Griffin's companionship and hoped to make it a regular event.
Mason had witnessed Griffin's greatest heartbreak, and seeing Mason sometimes brought those painful memories back to him. So, over the last few years, Griffin had withdrawn from him. They spoke frequently at council meetings but almost always kept it to council-related issues.
The waiter brought their selections, refilled their wine glasses, and retreated to the kitchen. The women ate and planned a shopping trip to select new dresses for the gala. They also made plans to have a girls' night out on the town.
Mason looked at Griffin. "So how are you these days?" Mason didn't expect an honest reply, at least not when Sarah was present.
"I'm still here. Business is good, and the kids are growing and healthy. That's all you can ask for, right?" Griffin mumbled around a bite of steak.
"I'm going to the range to hit some balls on Saturday. You should come with me," Mason said, when his phone jingled in his jacket pocket and interrupted him. "Excuse me," he said as he pulled it out.
Deborah shot him a dirty look from across the table. She hated it when he took calls at the table.
He didn't recognize the number. Normally, he'd let it go to voice mail, but he was compelled to answer.
"Mason. It's me. I need your help," a voice whispered on the other end of the line.
"I'm sorry. Who did you say this is?" Not recognizing the caller's voice, he shrugged and smiled at Griffin, who watched intently.
Sarah said loudly from across the table, "Griffin, dear, please don't dump so much salt on your vegetables."
"Shit! He's with you!" the voice on the other end exclaimed. "You should call me later, when you're alone. It doesn't matter what time."
Now Mason was dumbstruck. "Who did you say this was again?" Everyone at the table was looking at him now.
"It's Tessa Vaughn. You promised that if your goddaughter ever needed anything, I could count on you. Well, now's the time, Mason. She's turning and I have no idea what to do. Please, help me," she pleaded in a trembling voice.
The shock of hearing the voice of a woman whose secret he had kept for over two decades nearly felled him before the words began to sink in. He couldn't react, and he needed to diffuse the situation in front of him. He had the attention of the table. As casually as he could manage, he replied, "I'm sorry, but you have the wrong number." He paused a moment and then continued, "No problem, good-bye." Looking back at everyone, he shrugged again and went back to the talk of a golf outing.
Chase slumped on the sofa of his usual table at the club. He looked out over the crowd where Kayden was busy showing off his dance moves. But Chase wasn't really seeing anything at all. He was far too busy replaying the evening he'd spent with Danielle over and over in his mind. The unforgettable smell of Danielle had clung to him the whole next day, making Chase crazy with desire. Once it wore off, the fact that he could no longer smell her drove him insane.
When he'd entered the club, he actually thought she was there. He was sure her scent lingered all over the dance floor, but a search turned up nothing and left him disappointed. That sweet vanilla with just a hint of lavender haunted him. He closed his eyes and remembered the feel of her skin on the back of his hand as he caressed her, the silk of her hair as he brushed it with his fingers and it poured over his shoulder, the weight of her body lying on him as she breathed deeply against his neck. God, her lips on his neck as she admitted she couldn't stop thinking of him, dreaming of him. The thoughts did nothing but make him hot and eager.