Page 307 of Dark Love

“Good. A bunch of us go out to dinner after shift on Fridays. We’d love it if you’d join us.”

Dinner sounds good. Way better than drinks, but I already said yes. “Mindy already invited me to join her and a few other girls to go for drinks.”

His smile fades a bit. “See, that’s great. You’re making friends already. You can join us another time.”

“I’d like that.” I smile at him and notice the clock on the wall. If I want to use the restroom before we go, I need to hurry. “Actually, we’re leaving soon…”

“Go have fun. And enjoy your weekend.” He shoos me out of his office, and I rush to get everything done so that I’m not late.

***

Being late wasn’t something I should have worried about. They aren’t here yet, and it’s ten minutes after the time we agreed on. In five minutes, I’m leaving.

Yeah right, you’ll probably sit here all night waiting for them.

The elevator dings and out steps two women in sparkly dresses that are better suited to Las Vegas than an office building.

“Oh good, you’re ready.” One of them steps over to me.

Mindy? Is that really Mindy under all that makeup and big hair? She looks nothing like the girl in the ponytail and slacks that invited me out for drinks.

They can’t expect me to go for drinks with them when I look like this, and they look like…a blend of supermodels and Vegas dancers. “Um. I think I’m underdressed.” Though, I should think a black calf-length pencil skirt and a simple silk blouse are perfectly acceptable in almost any bar on a Friday night.

Mindy loops an arm through mine. “Don’t worry. Diane is sleeping with the bouncer.”

Bars don’t have bouncers?!? Do they? I’ve only been to one in my life.

She pulls me into the cab that’s waiting outside, and we’re off before I get up the nerve to ask anything more about where we’re going.

“Tell us all about your guy.” Mindy wedges her body into the corner of the cab so that she’s facing us rather than the road.

“Tac is the sexiest man I’ve ever met. He’s got muscles on his muscles, and all these luscious tattoos.”

What kind of name is Tac?

“Is that his street name?” Mindy asks the question I was thinking.

Diane nods. “He stepped on a tack when he was a kid and screamed down the neighborhood, and it kind of stuck. Now he has a tack tattooed on his foot to remind him to watch where he steps. Isn’t that so smart?”

Um. Does he really need a tattoo to remind him of that? Though who am I to ask, I trip over my own two feet without any assistance. If there was a tack on the floor, I’d probably end up with it in my hand or my elbow.

Diane keeps talking a mile a minute about Tac.

The cab comes to a stop long after I learned more about Tac and his numerous tattoos than I ever wanted to know.

We slide out of the car, well I semi-tumble, but manage not to land on the ground, in front of a glass and metal building with a huge line of people wrapping around it.

This doesn’t look like a bar.

“Tac.” Diane runs up to a man—he’s more like a wall of muscle than a regular man—standing next to a crimson velvet rope.

He envelopes her in his arms, lifting her up off the ground for a hug.

It seems the line won’t be an issue like Mindy said just based on the kiss he’s giving Diane now. I blush for her since she seems to have forgotten there are people all around.

A few steamy seconds later, Tac sets her down on her feet and unhooks the velvet rope. “Have fun in there.”

“We will.” Diane practically hops onto the carpet leading inside.

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