Chapter Twenty-Three
As soon as we arrived at the club we would be going to, we were ushered through because apparently Ashton and Nate knew the guy on the door. The security guy didn’t even look twice at me, which was fantastic considering I wasn’t actually old enough to be in the club in the first place. As we made our way through the crowd, Ashton seemed a little tense; he practically stuck himself to my back as we walked past a group of guys who were eyeing me. I wasn’t quite sure if he was trying to do his job properly, or if he was just being possessive, I had a feeling it was a mixture of both.
I followed Nate to the far side of the club, seeing Seth, Wayne, and Ryan standing there flirting with a couple of girls. Even though he’d only left us just over an hour ago, Ryan’s lopsided smile told me he was already slightly tipsy.
When we stopped and exchanged pleasantries, I spotted a pretty blonde girl standing alone at the bar. I touched Nate’s arm. “Right then, let’s find you a woman,” I chirped. “You like blondes, I bet.”
“Yeah, I like anything that’s female,” he agreed, laughing.
“Okay, I’ve got you a suitable candidate. Try not to make a fool of yourself, alright?” I joked. “Who wants what to drink? My round,” I offered, looking around at them all. Everyone answered with beer, apart from Ashton who just took my hand.
“I’ll come with you.”
I tugged my hand out of his and stepped closer to him, smiling reassuringly. “But I’ll be right there. There’s no need to worry, I promise. You can even still see me,” I murmured, going up on tiptoes and planting a chaste kiss on his cheek. “Please? No one even knows me here,” I whispered so that no one else could hear. He sighed, and his shoulders tightened as his eyes scanned the bar before he finally nodded in agreement. I grinned triumphantly. “Great, what do you want to drink then?”
“Orange juice.”
I frowned at that. “Can I put vodka in that?”
Ashton shook his head sternly. “No, Anna,” was all he said. I knew that was a definite no, he only used my actual name when he was serious.
Walking off before he could change his mind, I made my way to the bar, squeezing in next to the blonde girl I’d scouted for Nate. I smiled at her. “I love your dress, it’s gorgeous.”
She smiled before brushing the skirt of her red dress gently. “Thanks! I got it on sale. It only cost thirty-five bucks, can you believe that?”
“No way, that’s awesome,” I gasped, looking down at it enviously, wondering if I could ask Ashton to hunt out this mystery store so I could buy one before we left to go back to school. The barman stopped in front of me and smiled expectantly. “Hey, can I have four beers, an orange juice and a rum and coke?” I asked, praying he wouldn’t card me.
He didn’t even bat an eyelid as I reeled off my alcohol order. While he was making it, I turned my attention to the girl again. “Are you here on your own?”
She sighed and frowned, looking around quickly. “I’m supposed to be meeting friends, but I’m a little early.”
“Do you want to come over and wait for them with us?” I asked, raising my eyebrows innocently. “I’m with my boyfriend and his friends.” I nodded over to where they were. They’d snagged a table, so were now sat around it, laughing and chatting.
Her gaze flicked in that direction and her eyes widened. “Wow, they’re freaking hot!” she gasped. I chuckled and nodded in agreement. “Which one is your boyfriend? Ah, I bet it’s the one with black hair, he hasn’t taken his eyes off you yet.” She nudged me in the side, smiling.
I grinned, looking over to see that Ashton was indeed watching me like a hawk to make sure I was alright. “Yep, that’s him,” I confirmed. “You can wait with us if you want, it’s no problem. It’s better than standing here on your own.”
She nodded in agreement, smiling gratefully as she picked up her drink. “I’m Michelle, by the way.”
“Anna.” When the barman set a tray down on the bar, I slid my money across the wood and then we made our way across to the boys’ table. “Guys, this is Michelle, she’s going to wait with us for a bit for her friends,” I introduced, nodding at her.
Nate’s face lit up as he stood. “Hi, Michelle. I’m Nate.” He took her hand and looked straight into her eyes, leaning in a little too close for an informal greeting. A blush spread across her cheeks.
I laughed and turned my attention to Ashton, who looked like he was finally relaxing now that I was back at his side. On quick inspection, I noticed that there weren’t enough chairs with Michelle here too, so I smiled and sat myself on Ashton’s lap, placing his orange juice down in front of him.
“So, what will it take for me to get you to drink and enjoy your birthday?” I inquired.
He grinned, shrugging. “I don’t need to drink to enjoy my birthday. I’ve had the best day of my life with you today.”
My insides melted as I pressed myself closer to him. I still wanted to see him loosen up though. “Please? Just a drink or two, I’ll do anything you want,” I offered, raising one eyebrow suggestively.
He gulped, and I could almost see the dirty thoughts running through his mind. “I don’t want anything,” he protested, but at the same time he licked his lips. I was no body language expert, but that subconscious move told me that he wanted something.
Raising my hand, I ran one finger around the collar of his shirt, tracing his skin with my fingertip. “There must be something that you want, or that I can do for you,” I whispered in his ear. My skin prickled as I thought about all the things that I could do as a bribe for getting him to have a drink with me. There wasn’t that much that I wasn’t up for tonight. Tonight I would make sure he had a spectacular birthday. I smiled and pulled away teasingly, making him groan. “One drink and you can name your price,” I offered, smirking at him.
“Baby Girl, come on, I can’t. It’s not that I don’t want what you’re offering because damn, that sounds like the best offer I’m ever going to get in my life, but I can’t do that, I won’t,” he answered sternly.
I sighed and shook my head. I’d keep working on him; he’d cave eventually even if I had to insist that he suck a shot from my belly button. “You will by the end of the night,” I disagreed knowingly. He shook his head sternly and smiled confidently, both of us sure of the outcomes. He’d give in though, I was sure of it, he wasn’t that strong.
Giving up for now, I turned my attention back to Nate. He and Michelle were locked in the middle of a full scale makeout session. I smiled and shook my head incredulously. The stories that Ashton had told me about his best friend being the master of seduction were clearly not exaggerated.
Two hours later and I was having a fantastic night. Michelle’s friends had turned up a little while later, so she’d made her exit – not before keying her number into Nate’s cell phone and telling him to call her later. I’d made sure not to drink too much; I’d only had three drinks before moving onto orange juice too. Nate and Ashton’s other friends were growing on me more and more by the second. Los Angeles was turning out to be everything I thought it would be, and more.
“Ashton, your turn for drinks, bud,” Nate announced, knocking on the table to get his attention. Ashton groaned and stood, sending me a meaningful look that told me to stay put and not move. I watched as he deliberately walked to the corner of the bar so that he could still see me easily. I grinned and shook my head at how overprotective he was. Nate turned to me and smiled. “So, where did you two meet anyway? Ashton never said.”
Okay, time for some fun; let’s see how gullible Nate is! “We met in a strip club, I gave him a dance,” I lied, shrugging casually.
“Shut up! You’re a stripper?” Nate cried with wide eyes.
“No!” I snapped, faking horror.
“Oh, sorry, I just thought when you said… oh, never mind,” Nate stuttered, smiling apologetically.
“I’m most certainly not a stripper. I’m a lap dancer,” I replied, trying not to laugh as he chok
ed on his beer.
“A lap dancer?” he asked, shocked.
“Yep, there’s a big difference.”
Ashton came back then, setting the drinks down on the table. He smiled but didn’t ruin my game as he slid into the seat next to mine.
“Really? You’re serious?” Nate inquired.
I grinned. It looked like Nate was extremely gullible after all! “Yep,” I nodded, trying to keep a straight face.
“Well, how much, Anna? I’ll take one,” he chirped, grabbing his wallet out of his pocket, grinning like crazy.
“How much you got?” I leant in as he opened his wallet.
He counted for a couple of seconds. “Fifty eight dollars and twenty five cents,” he answered, looking at me hopefully.
I waved my hand dismissively. “Nowhere near enough,” I replied, scrunching my nose up. Ashton laughed, so I turned to him and raised one eyebrow. “You, on the other hand, can get one for one drink. Two drinks will get you a private one. And for three drinks, I’ll do it in my sexiest underwear,” I offered. He groaned and a pained looked crossed his face.
“I’ll buy you three drinks, Anna,” Seth interjected, jumping up quickly.
I shook my head, smiling apologetically. “Sorry, Seth, your price is much higher. This one’s just for my man,” I explained. I scooted to the edge of my seat, pressing my side against Ashton’s as I leant in closer, leaving our mouths millimetres apart. “Three drinks is all it takes. I might even forgo the no touching rule, seeing as it’s your birthday.” My body was begging for him to accept, I would definitely forgo the no touching rule they usually had for lap dances.
“I can’t,” he whined, looking at me pleadingly.
I shrugged nonchalantly. “Offer expires at midnight, that’s when your birthday is officially over.” I ran my nose up the side of his, listening to my heart thumping wildly in my chest.
“Anna, please?” he begged, closing his eyes.
“Anna please… what?” I asked, nibbling on the edge of his jaw.
“You’re killing me,” he moaned, shaking his head. I pressed my lips to his, kissing him gently before pulling back and grinning wickedly.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Nate stand and walk off. A minute later he came back and set three shot glasses down in front of Ashton. “You’ve only got until midnight before the offer expires, Taylor. If I were you, I would drink them the hell down, right now,” he suggested, looking at me longingly.
Ashton glanced at his watch and groaned. “It’s ten to twelve now.”
I smiled. He was definitely wavering. “Well, how about you do one shot and I give you a taster, and if you like it you can do the other two,” I offered. I watched his face as the offer sank in. He wanted it badly. As if unable to help himself, he picked up one of the glasses. My stomach clenched in anticipation of having to give him a lap dance in front of everyone, but the alcohol in my system was giving me the confidence. Putting my hand on the bottom of the glass, I guided it towards his lips, watching his face as he tried to decide.
Before he could make up his mind though, a fight broke out in the bar. I didn’t even get the chance to flinch before Ashton was out of his seat and had yanked me to my feet, pushing me against the wall as he stepped in front of me protectively. As sounds of a struggle rang out, I hooked my fingers into his belt loops and stayed still and quiet, just like he had taught me to.
Within minutes, it was broken up and two drunks were thrown out of the bar. Ashton turned to face me, cupping my face in his hands as he bent and planted a sweet kiss on my forehead. “I’m not having a drink. Now don’t ask me again,” he said sternly. His tone told me that this was the end of the conversation. I nodded in agreement, knowing he wouldn’t change his mind now. That little fight had spiked his protective instincts, he wouldn’t waver again.
When we got back to the table, he took a seat and gripped my waist, pulling me down onto his lap. Nate shook his head and laughed. “Bud, talk about overreaction. That fight was never coming over here,” he mocked.
“I don’t care. I’m not having Anna near anything like that,” Ashton replied, shrugging.
Reaching out, I picked up one of the shots, pushing another towards Nate. “Cheers.” I chinked my glass against his and then knocked back the shot.
Nate smiled and downed the drink at the same time I did. “Is it after midnight already?” he asked, grinning as he rolled his eyes at Ashton. “I can’t believe you blew your chance.”
“Maybe another night then,” I said shrugging. I hadn’t ruled out the possibility of giving him one anyway if he asked me nicely. After what he was doing for me, I owed him something. If I wasn’t here with him tonight, he would be drinking with his friends, instead of working. I was ruining his birthday celebrations. Ashton looked like he wanted to say something. His mouth opened, but nothing came out. “Cat got your tongue, Pretty Boy?” I teased, looking into his beautiful green eyes.
He nodded. “I guess. It’s just… what’s got into you today?”
I smiled and shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m just having a great time here in LA with you.”
He grinned at me happily. “Well I’m having a great time here in LA with you too,” he replied, kissing my cheek.
“Hotties at three o’clock!” Nate announced, nudging Seth in the side.
“I call the redhead!” Seth said quickly.
“Damn it! I was gonna call the red!” Nate grumbled, clearly annoyed. I laughed and shook my head as they stood up and walked over to the girls with their game smiles plastered on their faces.
“Wanna dance?” Ashton offered, nodding at the busy dance floor. His hand traced my back slowly, causing my skin to break out in goosebumps. I nodded in agreement, and we wove through the crowd.
Dancing with Ashton seemed to spark something in me every time it happened. Maybe it was just the way that his body fitted so perfectly against mine, or maybe it was the close proximity, or maybe it was that his hands rested firmly on my ass. Whatever it was, it seemed to send my body into a frenzy of excitement.
As we swayed to the heavy beat of the song, his eyes never left mine. Everything around us faded into insignificance as I lost myself in his gaze. My heart was racing in my chest as my stomach fluttered with excitement and longing. Raw passion was building inside me, and this time I wouldn’t be able to contain it or stop it. Tonight I was giving him the best birthday ever, and at the same time I was going to allow myself to be happy for once. I wanted one night of pure, unadulterated bliss in his arms, with no guilt about it after, and no regrets. Tonight I was thinking of myself and putting aside what always held me captive to my emotions. Tonight I was going to pretend that what Ashton and I had was real, instead of just being for his job. If we made some rules, and agreed on one night, tomorrow we could pretend this never happened and we could both move on from it.
When the song changed to a slow one, he pulled me closer to him. His eyes didn’t leave mine as the desire raged inside me. My heart clenched as a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. He really had the most incredible smile I’d ever seen. Dancing with him in the semi-darkness, with his body pressed against me and his face inches from mine was easily the most romantic moment of my life and my whole body was tingling.
I gulped, swallowing the lust that made my mouth dry. “Ashton, will you take me home please?” I tangled my fingers into the back of his hair and pulled his forehead against mine.
He nodded, kissing the tip of my nose before pulling back and taking my hand. He led us back to the table, smiling at Wayne and Ryan. “We’re leaving, see you tomorrow. Tell Nate and Seth we said bye,” he said. I waved and let him lead me out of the bar. As we walked the short distance to his place, neither of us spoke, but it wasn’t an uncomfortable silence.
Once we got back to his apartment building and climbed the stairs to his door, he fumbled in his pocket for his keys. I couldn’t wait any longer. The ache for him was actually painful, and I felt like I was t
rapped inside my own body and I needed to get out. Stepping between his body and the door, I went up on tiptoes and pressed my lips to his. His body stiffened, but he kissed me back immediately, pushing me against the door, pinning me there with his body. I moaned into his mouth as the kiss deepened. My whole body was throbbing with excitement.
When his hands slid down to my rump, lifting me off my feet, I wrapped my legs around his waist and kissed him passionately, releasing all of the feelings that had been trapped inside me since this happened two months ago. He fumbled with his keys and then we were inside the apartment. He kicked the door closed behind us and carried me to his bedroom, never once breaking the kiss as he pressed me into the soft mattress.
My hands wandered his back, pulling him impossibly closer as his mouth ravaged mine. Little sparks of pleasure were popping and fizzing inside me, his hands left a burning trail on my overheated skin as they slid down my bare legs, kneading my thighs.
Rules, Anna. Set the rules! My brain was screaming it at me, but my body was lost. My trembling fingers worked the buttons on his shirt, pushing it down over his shoulders as my eyes wandered down his chest and my mouth watered in anticipation.
My mind was whirling: Was it going to be as enjoyable as I remembered? Had I distorted the memory of it and I was thinking that this mind-blowing thing had happened to me, when in reality I was just setting myself up for disappointment? The real thing couldn’t have been as good as I remembered it.
He caught the bottom of my shirt, slowly pulling it up as if waiting for me to protest. I smiled reassuringly and arched my back to make it easier for him. There was no way I was stopping tonight. He groaned and pulled my shirt off, tossing it carelessly over his shoulder as his eyes dropped to my chest.
Wait, rules, sort the rules before this ruins everything!