Читать книгу Riding Into Love - Nicki Night - Страница 13

Chapter 3

Alana tried to act as if she hadn’t noticed Drew, but who could miss that smooth, caramel skin; those dreamy, hooded eyes; broad shoulders; and slim waist wrapped in mysterious black. She had taken all of that in and more on her walk from the front door to the kitchen, including the fact that he was dancing with a pretty woman.

At first, Alana wasn’t going to come, but Cadence kept calling to make sure she did. Besides, she had never been a homebody and was bored sitting at her place, alone. Her only sister, Adriana, lived in Chicago and her parents were busy socialites with plans of their own.

Alana grabbed the tray that Cadence had asked her to get and followed her through the crowd to the table with the food. Cadence made room for the additional trays and Alana put hers down. She turned and bumped right into Drew.

“Hey, Drew! Happy birthday!” she cheerfully yelled over the symphony of voices, laughter and music. Alana gave him a friendly hug as if his sexy aura had no effect on her. Drew pulled her in tight and released her slowly. She tried not to swoon from the masculine scent of his cologne or the feeling of his taut chest against hers. Alana cleared her throat and stepped back, adding space between them.

“Thank you.” He licked his lips and Alana wanted to touch them.

“Are you having a good time?” she asked.

“I’m having a great time now that you’re here.”

Alana twisted her lips. “You’re such a flirt.”

“I’m serious.” He stared directly into her eyes. “You know we always had fun.”

“That’s true.” Alana withdrew her hand from his, just realizing that he was holding on to it. “Well, enjoy yourself. I need to go back and finish helping Cadence.”

“We’ll talk later?”

Alana smiled and walked away.

After she had assisted Cadence refreshing the food and beverages, she got a drink and parked herself in a chair on the opposite side of the room from where Drew stood entertaining guests. It was obvious that he was being his usual self as those he was talking to were holding their stomachs, laughing. He always had wild tales for the guys. The song changed and the woman Drew had been dancing with when Alana first arrived ran over to him and dragged Drew to the dance floor. For the next three and a half minutes, she gyrated against him, flipped her hair and bent over, giving him a wide-ranging view of her backside. A crowd formed around them, cheering them on. Drew looked like he enjoyed every minute of it.

The song changed again. This time it was one of Alana’s favorites. She stood and started dancing, singing along with the artist. Lost in her own musical euphoria, Alana swayed to the beat with her eyes closed. She felt a pair of hands on her waist and opened her eyes to find Drew dancing in front of her.

Drew leaned close to her ear. “Can I have this dance?” His low, husky tone sent shivers down her back.

Still dancing, Alana shrugged. Drew took her by the hand and led her to the center of the living room where Blake’s coffee table usually sat. Together they danced song after song until both were glistening with sweat. His sexy moves taunted her, reminding her of the few intimate encounters they shared in the past. He was as skilled at dancing as he was at making love. The room felt warmer and that wasn’t just because she was burning calories. Drew’s presence caused enough heat to spark global warming.

“I really need a break,” Alana panted, but when she tried to leave, Drew pulled her close to him and kept dancing. Laughing, she gave in and danced until the chemistry between them sizzled and threatened to catch fire, consuming the two of them in front of the entire room.

Alana finally peeled herself away from his magnetism, leaving him on the dance floor. She had to. Being so close to him was getting the best of her. In the short amount of time it took her to grab a bottle of water and chug half of it down, the woman whom Drew had been dancing with earlier had sidled back up to him. A sly grin played on her lips, but little did she know that Alana was grateful to be able to get away.

It was well into the night before the party began to thin out. Alana eventually found out the name of Drew’s old friend, who remained by his side almost until the end. Alana, Blake, Cadence, Chey, Hunter, Drew, Stacey and a few others sat comfortably in the living room laughing and joking around. The ladies had removed their shoes and sat on the couch and the floor. Stacey sat so close to Drew that a toothpick wouldn’t have fit between them. She stretched her lean frame over Drew during every exaggerated laugh, finding everything that he said funnier than anyone else in the room had. It was almost sickening. Alana wondered if anyone else had noticed, but she wouldn’t dare make mention of it. Despite Stacey conspicuously throwing herself all over Drew, Alana continued to catch the penetrating stares he cast her way—so intense that she stopped looking in his direction all together.

Stacey could have Drew for all Alana cared. Entertaining him would challenge all of Alana’s new rules and could only lead to the despair that she wanted to protect herself from. Still, she felt a twinge of jealousy.

Alana stood. “Cay, let me help you clean up before I head home.”

“Oh yes. Thanks!” Cadence stood.

It wasn’t Alana’s intention, but that broke up the party. Everyone else got up to help clean. Blake turned up the music as they carried ravaged food trays and empty liquor bottles to the kitchen. Drew stood and Stacey followed his lead.

“Sit down, Drew. It’s your birthday. You don’t have to clean up.”

“That’s very nice of you, Cadence, but I wouldn’t feel right sitting here watching everyone else work.”

“I’ll help too,” Stacey said, and finally pitched in.

Drew grabbed a garbage bag and Stacey started filling it with cups and plates that people had left behind. Blake took down the decorations and Hunter and Chey folded up the tables.

Within a short time, the men were moving the furniture back into place, making Blake’s condo look like his home again.

Alana headed to the coat closet. Drew was on her heels and Stacey was on his. Alana figured that would allow her a clean break. She needed to put as much distance between her and Drew as possible.

“Bye, guys!” Alana hugged everyone. “It was nice meeting you, Stacey.”

“You too.” Stacey’s smile was unconvincing.

“Blake, don’t forget we have a board meeting next week,” Alana said, referring to The New York Association of Attorneys, a professional organization she, Hunter and Blake were members of.

“Oh yeah. I’ll be there. I’m still trying to get your friend here to join.” Blake pointed a thumb in Cadence’s direction. She rolled her eyes at him.

“That won’t happen! It’s just not her thing,” Alana teased. “Are you coming, Hunter?”

“I’ll be there,” he replied as he helped Chey into her coat.

“Great. Oh, Dr. Smell Good.” Drew began playfully calling Chey that when he first tried one of her fragrant skin-care products. “Don’t forget about my body scrub. I’ve already used up the last one you gave me. It was amazing.”

Chey chuckled. “I’ll send some with Hunter next week.”

“Thanks, girl. That will be perfect. I’ll send the money back with him.”

“Good night, all. I’m pooped and I need to get these boots off. The balls of my feet feel like I’ve been walking on hot coals.” Alana grimaced.

“That’s from all that sexy dancing,” Drew said, and winked.

Alana looked at Drew sideways and shook her head. Everyone laughed, except Stacey.

Blake and Cadence saw everyone to the door. Alana held her gloved hand over her pashmina to keep the frigid air from reaching her neck as she hastened to her car.

“Alana!” At first, Alana didn’t hear Drew calling her. By the time she turned to respond, he was already approaching. “Hey, Drew. What’s up?”

“I was going to walk you to your car.”

“What about your friend?”

“Stacey? She’s in her car.” He dismissed any notion that there was anything deeper. “She lives nearby. She’ll be fine.”

“Oh. Okay. You don’t have to walk me. I’m parked right across the street—see?” Alana pointed to her car. “It’s cold out here.”

“I know I don’t have to. I want to.”

That statement gave Alana pause. She swallowed hard but kept up her stride. “That’s nice.” Drew accompanied her across the street and waited for her to get in and start the car. Alana lowered the window. “Thanks again, Drew. You really didn’t have to do this.”

“Listen—” Drew said and Alana’s stomach tightened.

“Yeah?”

“I’m home for a few weeks. We should hang out.”

“Sure. I’ll tell Cadence to set something up. She’s become quite the planner since she and Blake got together.”

“I meant just you and me.”

“Us...together...without anyone else around?”

“Just you—” Drew pointed to Alana “—and me.” He pointed to himself.

Alana temporarily lost the ability to form a reasonable thought. She couldn’t say what was really on her mind, which was hell no! Buying a few moments, Alana took a deep breath.

“Listen, I know you just broke up with your dude.”

Alana promised to get on Cadence’s case for announcing her breakup to the world.

“I figured it would be good to hang out.”

Alana hated that Drew was so charming. His eyes and those plump lips beckoned her. She remembered her rules.

“Sure,” she said. “I’ll talk to you later.”

“Cool. Call me when you get home so I’ll know that you arrived safely.” Drew stepped back from her driver’s window.

Alana smiled and, as she drove off, she noticed Stacey still sitting in her car, watching their interaction. She’d only said yes to Drew to avoid an awkward situation, but she had no intentions of going out with him. He was the main person she wanted to avoid. If fact, he had had his chance when they dated before. He hadn’t taken it seriously. She’d had fun flirting with him over the past few years. Everyone assumed they would become an official item, but that never happened.

No sex and definitely no commitment-phobic players like Mr. Drew Barrington, she thought as she drove away. She already knew what Drew was like in bed and if any man had the ability to throw her off her game by way of incredible sex, Drew was certainly one of them. Also, Alana saw how Drew relished the attention Stacey lavished on him at the party and surmised that nothing had changed with him. “Good luck, Stacey. He’s a slippery one,” she said aloud. A player like him was hard to resist but could never be trusted.