Chapter 31
The rest of the game went by pretty quickly. By the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Irish pretty much had it locked down. Another touchdown with five minutes left on the clock sealed the deal causing the bar to erupt in celebration. Hugs and fist bumps were exchanged among the football fans and as the commotion died down to a dull roar, the bartender set two kamikaze shooters in front of us.
"Did you order these?" I asked Jozie.
"Nope. Sent from some dude named Derek," the bartender announced taking our empty glasses away.
"Pass," I grimaced in annoyance and slid my glass over to Jozie.
"Guess someone hasn't quite gotten the picture yet." She muttered tossing a strand of curly blond hair over her shoulder and turning in her chair to face me.
"Guess not. And apparently I have the words "fuck me" tattooed across my forehead." I chuckled and ran my hand through my hair, letting my elbow rest on the bar as I sat sideways in my chair.
"Dude is persistent. I'll give him that." She tossed her shot back and licked her lips. "Either that or he has a death wish."
"Who knows? Who cares?" I rolled my eyes and shrugged while Jozie excused herself to hit the ladies' room.
She'd been gone a total of three seconds when Derek hopped into her empty chair and set his empty beer glass on the bar. Jesus, was he just waiting for her to walk away?
"Nice win," He stated turning in his chair to face me.
"Yes it was." I gave a single nod and sipped my beer.
"You went to school there, didn't you?" He pointed at the ND Football emblem stenciled on my fitted V-neck tee. I watched his eyes hover over the wording before settling on my chest.
"Yep," I answered politely, turning slightly in my seat to angle myself more towards the bar, folding my arms across my body.
"You don't sound like you were raised in Indiana. I'm guessing you are from somewhere in the south?"
"South Carolina. By way of Kentucky. So you'd be guessin' right." My lips curled into a smile when heard my own voice. Nikki was right. I drop my G's when I drink.
Derek hummed and nodded thanks to the bartender when he set a fresh beer in front of him. I watched out the corner of my eye as he sipped his drink and eyed me again. "I may need to relocate. They don't make 'em like you where I come from."
"Do come ons like that ever actually work for you?" I snickered silently and, in spite of myself, gave a slight smile at the lame line. I took that moment to really look at him. Tall with a nice build. Dark hair that hit his shoulders and nice blue eyes. Would actually be a good looking guy if he kept his mouth shut.
"Not sure. I'll let you know tomorrow." He grinned at me as he slid the shooter I'd passed to Jozie back to me. "You know I don't know how they do things in Carolina or Kentucky but where I come from it's considered rude to decline when someone buys you a drink."
"Is that a fact?" I shot him a bored look.
"Yep," he popped the P and I swatted his hand away when he reached over in an attempt to tuck a strand of hair behind my hair. He gave me a closed mouth smile with a low chuckle and leaned in closer to me, placing his hand on my knee. "Didn't your mama teach you manners?"
"She did," I scowled trying to scoot away from him, which only caused him to tighten his hold on me and move his hand up towards my thigh. I reached down and gripped his wrist, sucking a breath through my teeth. "Didn't your mom teach you that buying a lady a drink doesn't give you the right to touch her?"
"She did." He answered lowly, his lips still curled in a smug smile.
"Then why do you have your fuckin' hand on my thigh?" I glared at him while digging my nails into his wrist.
Derek winced slightly but didn't loosen his grasp. He merely shrugged. "Curiosity, I guess."
"About what?" The irritation dripped from my voice.
"About what you've got on under your clothes," He smirked, moving his hand slowly up my thigh.
Many years of bartending, two older brothers, and a having a former Marine for a father properly prepared me for guys like Derek. I'm hardly a shrinking violet and he was about to find out I could handle myself. After all, I'd gone nose to nose with Nikki Sixx without batting an eye.
I gritted my teeth and tried to shove his hand away, my right hand forming a fist. Just as I opened my mouth to let Derek know how unimpressed I was, I felt a hand on my back and heard a deep, forceful voice.
"Pretty sure that's none of your fucking business." Derek immediately retracted his hand as I turned my neck to see James Michael standing behind me. His face showed his obvious displeasure as he stared daggers at the man before him. "If you value your life I suggest you move along, Son. She's spoken for."
"By who? You, Michael?" Derek snorted in attempt to look unfazed but his eyes flickered with a hint of concern.
"Does it really matter?" A second voice came from my left. Looking to my side, I met eyes with DJ as he made his presence known. I sucked in my breath and scanned the room. While I was very relieved at the arrival of two thirds of the band, it only meant one thing. The third part of SIXX AM wasn't far behind. And he wouldn't be happy.
There was a brief moment of silence as the three men stared at each other before Derek seemed to get the message. He grabbed his beer from the bar and gave me smirk.
"Catch ya later, Ash." It sounded more like a threat than a statement of departure.
"That escalated quickly," DJ slid into Derek's chair and watched him walk away "I thought we had at least five more minutes before he went for the thigh."
"What?" I furrowed my brow and looked between the two of them as James moved to stand behind our chairs.
James ordered another round of drinks for the three of us and shot me a smile. "We were betting on how long it would take before he crossed the line and you clipped him in the jaw. I had him going for it in about two more minutes."
"How much did you bet?" I laughed.
"Hundred bucks." DJ answered.
I raised my eyebrows at James. "You were winning. Why'd you intervene?"
Jozie finally arrived back from the bathroom and threw her arm around James's shoulder. "My guess is they knew the big guy would have their asses if he found out they didn't."
DJ blew out a breath and nodded in agreement. "The big guy definitely wouldn't have been happy."
"The big guy?" I cocked my eyebrow at the three of them and sipped my new beer. "Oh god, PLEASE don't call him that to his face. Or at all."
"Why not?" Jozie giggled.
"Because it is already hard enough to straddle that enormous ego. I don't need it to grow even bigger." I ran my hand down my face.
"T-Bone!" I followed Jozie's gaze as she yelled out and waived at the front door. My boss had arrived. Alone. What the fuck was going on and where was Nikki?
"Ok," I looked between James and DJ as Jozie walked over to Tommy. "Terror Twin number one is present and accounted for. Where is the other one?"
The two of them exchanged glances and James motioned for me to follow him to a few empty seats a little farther down the bar. I felt my stomach churn when I realized he wanted to have private chat. That couldn't be good.
"What's going on? I thought you guys were writing." I sat and nervously drummed my fingers against the bar top.
"We did," he confirmed. "We wrote all day until a few hours ago. Then we took a break for some food and Nikki had that conference call with his divorce lawyer. I don't think he expected Donna and her lawyer to be part of it." James took a sip of his beer and looked at me. I lit a cigarette and motioned for him to continue. "I don't really know the details but I think it got pretty ugly."
I nodded and took a drag from my cigarette. "How do you know that?"
"Because we went back to his room and tried to write. He couldn't focus and eventually just lost his shit."
"Lost his shit how?" I prodded taking another drag.
"He kicked his bathroom door off the hinges." James took my cigarette and pulled a drag before handing it back to me.
"I swear this fucking divorce is gonna kill him." I spat and shook my head. I hated this so much. Nikki had been wrapped up in this battle for months and it was taking its toll. I was afraid he was getting pushed to an edge of a cliff and his feet were slipping out from under him.
James nodded in agreement. "I know. He's exhausted. Didn't want to come down here. Just wanted to call his sponsor and go to bed. I would have done the same thing."
My heart sank. Nikki had not had to call his sponsor for a very long time. I took a sip of my beer. "How did he seem when you left him?"
James met my eyes and gave me a smile. "Like he'd really like to see your face right now."
"Alright, then I'm on my way." I stubbed out my cigarette and made the check motion to the bartender. I turned back to James and curiously studied him for a second. This was actually the first time we'd spoken since we stopped dating and, although this may not have been the most appropriate time, I had a question I'd wanted answered for some time. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"You and Nikki. And me and Nikki...." I struggled for the right words.
"Yeah?" He urged.
"Why didn't you fight for me?"
James sucked in and released a deep breath. "You mean why did I step aside and let Nikki take a shot?"
"Yeah."
"Remember when we had a lunch date and Nikki called you to come pick him up?"
"Yeah."
"When you picked up your phone and saw his name on the screen your face lit up like a Christmas tree. That was when I knew.
"Knew what?" I inquired.
"That I no longer had a chance in Hell. I may have had your attention but someone else already had your heart. I knew it even before you did." He took another drink before smiling and nudging me in the arm with his elbow.
"Fair enough. No hard feelings?"
"Not a chance. It's not like he gave you much choice. He IS Nikki Fuckin Sixx."
"He is Nikki Fuckin Sixx." I laughed and nodded in agreement. I went for my purse as the bartender handed me my tab.
James snatched it from my hand and insisted on paying. "I got it," he spun me around and nudged me out the door. "Go."
I went in search of Nikki, trying his room first only to find and it unoccupied. Well, empty if you don't count all of the clothes strewn about the room and a broken bathroom door with the unmistakable boot print permanently imprinted on the front. I just shook my head and closed the door behind me making my way across the hall.
I knew he was in my room before I even walked through the door. I just felt it and my nose confirmed Nikki's presence before my eyes did. His scent, a mixture of leather, peppermint, and cologne, made my insides warm up as I made a quick stop at the bathroom. I quietly brushed my teeth and changed into a sleep cami before making my way to bed.
Nikki lay on his back with nothing but a sheet covering him from the his hips down. His arms were crossed behind his head as his naked torso slowly rose and fell from the relaxed breaths of sleep. The glow from the TV allowed me to admire the strong features of his face. Something about being separated the way we had been for the past week made me appreciate him even more. Almost as if I were experiencing him for the first time all over again. My knees weakened as my eyes moved along his body and landed on his perfect lips.
My need for him took over and I slipped into bed. I had to have him. I needed to touch him and feel him on me. I hovered my face over his as I straddled his waist, my body sliding over his torso. I dipped my head and planted a few delicate kisses to his lips and down to his chin waiting for him to stir. Nothing yet. I smiled at his sleeping face and tried again. I planted two more gentle pecks on his lips and when I went for the third one I felt his lips push back against mine.
Nikki's eyes opened and he smirked at me. "Hey, Sweet Girl."
"Hi," I whispered back.
"I'm not dreaming am I?" He slid his hands down my body, wrapping his arms around the small of my back and pulling me tighter to him.
"No." I smiled and shook my head, leaning back down to meet his lips once again.
"Good." He tugged my cami over my head and I rocked my hips gently against his, the sheer material of my panties the only barrier between us. His growing arousal made its presence known and he ran his hands down my sides to cup my ass with both hands, giving it a small squeeze before he easily rolled us over.
"I love you," Nikki whispered, nudging my nose with his as he cradled his body between my legs. His voice was tired but filled with raw emotion from what I knew was a tough night. He needed the closeness and needed to know he was wanted. To know he was loved.
"I love you, too."
Our mouths met again. I moaned into the kiss while his tongue searched for mine. The room was quiet, the only sounds coming from deep sighs between slow kisses. My breaths became shorter and heavier when Nikki started to grind his hips into me and slide his hand down my body. A small moan escaped when I felt his hand between my thighs, his fingertips slowly stroking me through my panties. He made a path from my entrance to my swollen clit before he slipped a single digit under the material, groaning when he felt how ready I was. How much I ached for him.
The build up was almost too much and I knew he couldn't wait any longer. He tugged my panties down one of my legs, allowing me just enough time to get one foot out before he parted my thighs. He slid my underwear down the other leg and tossed them aside, wrapping his arms around the small of my back to pull me closer. My walls trembled with anticipation as I felt his hard heat line up just outside of my entrance. Nikki's lips stayed on mine and I let out a shaky breath as he filled me, my body stretching out to accommodate all of him.
"Jesus," he muttered, tightening his arm around my back to pull me even closer. He moved slowly, almost as if he were trying to memorize every centimeter of me. Long, deep thrusts while our tongues continued to dance. The room was now filled with the sounds of deep hot breaths and heavier moans as the pleasure built.
I felt him throbbing inside of me and I wrapped my legs around his hips, the new angle causing friction against my clit with every stroke. The knot in my stomach had started the second Nikki put hands on me and with every movement he pushed me closer to the edge. The heat built inside of me was at boiling point and when Nikki made the next thrust, I cried out my release. My muscles gripped him, squeezing his shaft as I rode out my climax. Nikki followed shortly and we spent the rest of the night tangled up in the sheets. Sometimes we rested and sometimes we didn't. When we took breaks we talked. He told me about Donna and her latest attempt to derail their divorce. Now she wanted his Harley and part of his publishing rights. He asked me about my night and I told him it was good. I left out a few parts, though. Pretty much anything involving Derek.
When we weren't talking we were all over each other. Nikki was the first person I was ever with who made me completely understand why it's called lovemaking. Because that is exactly what we were doing. Showing each other how we felt without a single word. How important we were to each other. How much we needed each other. And how in love we were. I never again wanted anyone to touch me the way Nikki touched me. I was his and he was mine.
It was dawn by the time I closed my eyes and there was two feet of snow blanketing the ground. And it was still falling. There was no doubt we would be stuck in Chicago for at least another day. Nikki suggested we stay in bed all day long.
Looking back on it now it probably would have been for the best. The next day, as the snow storm tapered off, a storm of a different kind began brewing. And it caused some serious damage.
A/N
Hey All!!
Thanks so much for the comments and votes. Wonder if Nikki will find out about Derek? And if he does, wonder what he'll have to say about it? :)
Love you all! Your supports inspires me to try and be great!