Page 18 of Bordeaux Bombshell
I never wanted to spend another birthday watching fireworks across the valley with my family. And I especially didn’t want to share my celebration withhimanymore.
Being birthday twins was cute when we were kids. But the drama of the last few years had been enough to ruin the idea forever.
Except, when I invited Kel and Maggie to join the fun, I should have anticipated thathewould tag along. It was his birthday too, after all. It hadn’t occurred to me that Kel still harbored enough of a soft spot for his former best friend not to abandon him.
Damn my brother and his good heart. It was annoying as fuck.
But Nate had come. I knew, because every time I turned around, I caught him looking away.
It might have had something to do with the romper I’d picked out that morning—the one that barely covered my ass cheeks and dipped low in the front.
I didn’t wear it as an anti-birthday gift to one Nathaniel Ridgefield, but it might as well have been. One look at his face had been enough to know he’d received the message—happy birthday, hope you enjoy looking at what you’ll never get to touch again.
So I played pool, leaning over the table with an extra arch in my spine when I knew he was behind me. Laughing extra loud at Maggie’s jokes to make sure he knew how much fun I was having. Without him.
Nate had been home for eight months without us having to converse, and I had every intention of keeping it that way. But I wasn’t above torturing him. In fact, it was the most fun I’d had in ages.
“You could at least say happy birthday, you know,” Kel grumped as we waited for drinks at the bar. “It’s—”
“I’m going to stop you before you remind me of a fact I’ve known since I was a kid. I don’t care. He can go hurl himself into the river.” I didn’t bother to hide my annoyance at my brother’s third attempt to intervene. “Just let it go, Kel. We’re not going to be friends again. End of discussion.”
“And you won’t tell me why? Only that it’s between you two and I shouldn’t intervene?” Kel rolled his eyes before ordering around of drinks. “You realize that’s impossible, right? How can I not worry?”
I almost regretted how my feud was putting a concerned wrinkle between his eyebrows. Kel had been caring about too many people for way too long—the last thing I wanted him to do was worry about me.
But it wasn’t like he could change the past. I pushed the guilt deep inside and locked it away. Tonight’s goal was to drink, dance, and possibly make out with a hot guy. Maybe I’d even score a birthday orgasm.
The bartender winked and slid our drinks across the bar, pointing to the tinsel headband Maggie had stuck on my head. “Happy birthday,” he added, dropping an extra cherry in my drink.
As hot as he was, the bar was too busy tonight. It would be useless to try to distract him, even if his saucy wink sent butterflies through my stomach.
As the night progressed, I flirted my way through half a dozen men, teasing and joking with each, feeling out who might be worth pursuing. Nate’s stare burned into me whenever I thought about it, but since he stayed away, it was easy enough to pretend he wasn’t there.
I finally settled on a dark-skinned man with beautiful long locs and a melodic laugh as he pulled me onto the dance floor. His hands skimmed my waist while we moved to the beat before tracing my shoulders and arms, but never inappropriately. Letting myself relax and enjoy the attention, I rolled against him, the music pumping as I lost myself in a haze of movement and increasing tension.
Sweat trickled down the back of my neck as he leaned in close, half shouting to ask if I wanted another drink. He took off, leaving me on the dance floor. Heavy bass vibrated through my body, adding to the simmer of need building in my core asbodies bumped and pressed against me while I danced. Finally, I could let go and enjoy myself, forgetting the client who ghosted me last week, the annoying neighbor who lived downstairs, and especially the man who made my blood boil just by existing.
Fingers grazed my back, and a body started swaying to the beat behind me. Assuming it was my new friend, I let a few moments pass before turning to take my drink.
“You’re really going to let a stranger take you home?” Familiar brown eyes glared at me. “Don’t be stupid, Hellcat.”
Irritation shot through me, and Nate smirked, one hand still on my hip, his grip possessive. “Don’t call me that, asshole. And leave me the fuck alone. I’ll do whatever I want.”
To prove my point, I intentionally stepped closer, grinding my hips against him. His thigh slipped between mine, and I ground down even harder, leaning back and circling my shoulders to give him a good look at how spectacular my boobs looked.
“Like hell you will.” But he didn’t move away. Instead, he wrapped an arm behind my back, holding me firm as I dry humped his thigh in the middle of the dance floor.
“It’s my fucking birthday. And you know what I want more than anything?” I smirked right back, knowing exactly what to say to infuriate him. I rose on my tiptoes, lips grazing his ear, still grinding against him. “I want a fucking orgasm. And I’m going to go get it.”
I moved to walk away, pleased to have the upper hand, but was pulled up short by his grip on my elbow. Without another word, he dragged me off the dance floor, past my new friend, and into the bathroom, locking the door behind him.
“What are you doing?” I turned, ready to tear him a new asshole, but he was already crowding me against the door. His body pressed into mine, offering no way out. Part of me wanted to kick and scream bloody murder, make a scene. But eventhough he was being an absolute dickwad, he wasn’t going to hurt me.
If I knew one thing in life, it was that Nate would keep me safe. Physically, at least.
Emotionally, he ripped through me like a tornado, hell-bent on destruction every time he opened his godforsaken mouth.
“Stop talking before you say something you’ll regret.” Then his hands were everywhere, touching my waist, my hips, skimming the sides of my breasts. The bulge in his jeans pressed into my belly, and on instinct, I reached out to feel it.
