Page 10 of Resisting (Men of Inked 2.2)
Chapter 7
What the fuck was wrong with me? This wasn’t how I normally treated a woman I’d just met. There was something different about Izzy, though. I’d felt like I knew her the moment we met. Thomas had filled my head with stories about his little sister and made her bigger than life. Seeing her in person only drove the point home that she was different than other women.
If he’d heard how I was talking to her, he’d have my nuts in a vise, making sure I’d never be able to get another hard-on in my life. I needed to slow my shit down.
“I’m a patient man, and you’ll be in my bed before the night is through.”
She laughed, her head falling back as her teeth shone in the light. “I can’t leave yet,” she said, grabbing her drink and swirling the contents inside. “I have to do all the bridesmaid bullshit.”
“I can tell by your comment that you believe in true love.”
“Fuck love. Don’t get me wrong. I’m thrilled for Joe and Suzy, but the shit isn’t for me. Don’t say it,” she warned, her eyes turning into small slits as she glared at me.
“What? That you just haven’t met the right man?” I stood next to her at the bar and leaned my arm against the wooden surface as I faced her.
“Yes. It’s not about that. Love makes shit messy,” she explained before bringing the glass to her lips.
“Can I get a beer?” I asked the bartender as he walked by, and his eyes flickered to us.
His eyes raked over Izzy, and I saw the hunger burning inside them. I felt an overwhelming urge to rip them from his skull just so he couldn’t eye-fuck her again.
He looked to me and snarled as he reached in the cooler, popped the top of a Yuengling, and placed it in front of me. Grabbing the cool bottle, I let my fingers slide over the wetness. Then I wished I could squelch the internal burning I felt for Izzy.
“You sound like a woman who came from a broken home. Thomas speaks very highly of your parents and the love they feel for each other. What turned you off love?” Bringing the bottle to my lips, I watched her as she swallowed hard and played with the glass in her hand.
“It’s not love that I have an issue with. It’s the battle that ensues because of it.”
After pulling the beer from my mouth, I shook my head, trying to make sense of her statement. “What battle?”
“The one every girl I’ve ever known has gone through. They have to decide how much of themselves they’re willing to lose to be with the man they love.”
“That’s bullshit.”
“There isn’t a female I know who didn’t change after being in ‘love,’” she said, making air quotes and rolling her eyes.
“Maybe they brought out the real woman who was always lurking at the surface and too scared to show.”
“You can have your opinion, James, but I know what I see.”
“Ladies and gentlemen,” a man called through the microphone. “If we could have the bride and groom on the dance floor and all the single ladies and gentlemen join them.”
“You going?” I asked with a cocked eyebrow.
“It’s stupid,” she said before taking a sip of Jack.
“You’re such a party pooper. Get your fine ass to the dance floor.”
“Or what?”
I smiled, shaking my head slowly. “Let’s place a bet.”
“Whatcha got in mind, Jimmy?” Izzy cooed, rubbing the lapels on my suit jacket with her fingers.
“If I catch the garter, then we ditch this place and head to my room. No questions asked and no lip from you.” I’d knock every motherfucker on the dance floor over to get the garter and have Izzy underneath me within an hour.
“Okay, and if I catch the bouquet, then I don’t have to go anywhere with you. You leave and I get to spend the rest of the night in peace.” She tilted her head, waiting for me to accept that challenge.
“Fuck yeah. I’m game,” I said. Then I gulped the last bit of beer as she downed her drink and placed it on the bar. Setting my hand on the small of her back, I guided her away from the bar.
She stood stiff next to me as we watched her brother use his teeth to remove the garter from underneath the dress of his new bride. The crowd cheered when he appeared from the dress victorious. Twirling the small scrap of material in his hands, he raised his arms in victory.
“You ready to lose?” I asked, looking down at Izzy.
“One thing I’m never good at is losing, Jimmy.”
“Single gentlemen first. All others please clear the floor,” the DJ said as everyone moved away, leaving about fifteen of us to jockey for the garter.
I looked around, sizing up the competition. I was the biggest besides Michael, Izzy’s brother. I took my spot to the side, knowing I could move quickly in front of the crowd and snatch the material before it turned into a free-for-all.
As the DJ started the countdown, Joe turned his back, practicing his throw, and the men moved with his motion. I readied myself as my heart hammered in my chest louder than a drum at a Metallica concert. I kept my eyes locked to his hand as he moved, waiting to see it fly through the air.
As his hand jerked back, the material flew through the air only feet to my right. I moved quickly, stepping in front of everyone else, and snatched it easily. The wedding attendees cheered as I turned to Izzy with a sinful smile, and nothing but seeing her ass in the air, waiting for my dick filled my mind.
“Fucker,” she mouthed at me as I walked toward her.
“It’s all on you now. Better catch that bouquet,” I said, running my index finger down her cheek.
She closed her eyes, swallowing hard before opening them. Inside her baby blues was a fire burning so hot that I could see her pupils dilate as she looked at me. She nodded before making her way toward the crowd of women now standing at the ready.
She whispered to Mia, and their eyes flickered to me. A giant smile spread across Mia’s face as Izzy glared at me. Winking, Mia tipped her chin in my direction as her smile grew wider. I said a silent prayer as Suzy readied herself with her bouquet and turned her back on the crowd. Mia bent at the knees like an athlete waiting for the gunshot to sound.
Silently, I prayed that Mia could take Izzy down and make sure she didn’t grab the flowers. I wouldn’t want to lose a bet to Isabella Gallo, and certainly not one as important as this. I didn’t need a bet to bed a woman, but I had a feeling Izzy needed to feel like the choice was out of her hands. She needed an out. Needed something to tell herself to make it all okay to spend the night with me.
I should have felt guilty about the bet, but I didn’t. Not one fucking bit.
The countdown began, my heart matching the drum roll blaring through the speakers. “Come on, Mia,” I whispered.
My palms grew sweaty as I formed my hands into a tight fist, trying to shake out some of the nervous energy. If Izzy caught the fucking bouquet, I’d have a very long night filled with fantasies and jacking off like a twelve-year-old boy.
As the flowers traveled through the air, Mia held out her arm, pushing Izzy backward. Mia jumped in
the air, Izzy looking at Mia in horror. The flowers grazed Mia’s fingers, sailing over her head to the woman standing behind her.
The redheaded beauty closed her hands around the flowers, jumped up and down, and squealed.
“Fuck,” Izzy hissed, turning to me and glaring in my direction.
I smiled, shrugging as I held up the garter and twirled it in my fingers. “You’re mine,” I mouthed before licking my lips.
The hunger I felt inside when looking at her was unlike anything I’d ever felt before. I’d lusted after women in the past, but the want for her was so intense that I wasn’t even sure one night with her would be enough to satisfy the craving.
She turned to Mia, saying a few things, with her hands flapping around. Clearly Izzy was angry, but all Mia did was shrug and smile. Then Izzy turned her back, quickly moving toward me.
“Mia totally fucked me,” she said as she stood in front of me, looking up into my eyes.
My lips curved into a smile as I stuffed the garter in my jacket pocket. “I don’t care how I get you, but tonight, I’m the only one fucking you, doll.”
“Fine,” she said, standing with her legs shoulder width apart and her arms crossed over her chest.
“I’ll give you one out. Kiss me, and if you feel nothing, I’ll let you out of the bet.” It could all blow up in my face, but I couldn’t be a total prick. I didn’t want her to be an unwilling participant.
“Just one kiss?” she asked as her face softened.
“Yes,” I said, holding her face in my hand and running my thumb across her bottom lip.
“I’ll take you up on that offer, but I don’t welsh on my bets.”
“It’s your only out. So use it if you need to or else we’re going to my room. No more waiting.”
“Come on,” she said, grabbing my hand and pulling me toward the ballroom exit.
I laughed as I followed behind her, letting her lead me into the corridor.
“Over there,” she said as she pointed down the hallway near the elevator bank.
“Anywhere you want, doll.”
The crowd thinned as we walked to a small cutout near the bathrooms.
“Why don’t we go outside for a moment? Grab some air,” I said. I didn’t want to kiss her outside the bathroom. There were too many wedding guests and it was not sexy at all.
“Are you pussying out?” she said as she stopped and turned to face me.
“Fuck no. I just don’t feel like kissing you outside the bathroom. I’ve never been a pussy a day in my life.”
“Fine, but fuck, these shoes are killing me,” she said as she reached down and pulled one off her foot. When she removed the second one, she sighed, closing her eyes like she’d had a weight lifted off her shoulders. She shrank by at least three inches, making me feel even bigger than I was.
