Fate (Choices #2) (3 page)

Chapter 5
             

              After a quick nap, I decide to get ready and go out to Club Bliss. No way I’m sitting around the house waiting on Eric and Declan to bring the girls back. I’ve got too much shit on my mind to have to deal with that.

As soon as I hit the botto
m step, Seth confronts me. “Brody, tell me you’re not leaving too! Eric and Declan are taking those girls out tonight. How lame is that?”

I look around, and the pledges are getting the house ready for the party. I’m tempted to stay, but I’m just not feeling it. “
Yeah? I was thinking about going to Bliss tonight. Wanna go?”

The look of excitement
on his face tells me I’ll probably regret this. “Oh, hell, yeah! We might get some strange tonight.” I shake my head and wonder how he gets through life.

We wander through the house, taking a few shots along the way. I notice a short blonde standing on the deck. She’s not the kind of girl you’d forget, so I’m pretty sure she’s never been here before. When I catch her eye,
I don’t look away. I want her to know I’m watching her. I allow my eyes to slowly travel down her body and back up to meet her eyes. After an instant of hesitation, she smiles. Yeah, she’s interested.

Leaning against the wall, arms crossed on my
chest, I wait for her to make the next move. She doesn’t make me wait long, and I smile as she slowly makes her way to me. “Hey, I’m Corrine. Do I know you?” She looks straight into my eyes, bold and straightforward.

“Brody. And you just stole my line.” She’s cute enough. Long blonde hair, green eyes.

She giggles and tries to play innocent all of a sudden, but I know better. She’s not innocent by a long shot. “Yeah, well, you were looking at me like you knew me.” She looks up at me through hooded lashes.

“Not yet, Corrine, but I’d like to
.” Her eyes light up, and a smile spreads across her face. Ok, so maybe I went overboard with the charm. “I mean, I could get your number, but I have somewhere else to be tonight.” She actually looks a little disappointed as she reaches for my phone and programs her number into it. I watch her walk away, thinking I might get lucky if she’s still around when I get home tonight. It’s time to get out of here.

I’m already half-lit when Seth and I walk into Club Bliss. I’m not 21, but a brother bartends here, and we can sneak drinks from him.
After slamming back two Jager shots, my head swims. “Damn, dude, you might want to slow down. I need you to be my wingman.” That boy only has pussy on the brain.

There are several floors i
n the club, and each one has its own theme. I can’t tolerate country music, and techno gets on my nerves, so we’re stuck with the pop rock floor. Taking the stairs, I catch myself checking out every brunette who walks by, wondering how they compare to Quincy. I’ve always preferred blondes, but it looks like my tastes are evolving.

“
Oh, man. Do you see those two over there?” He asks, pointing at two girls standing by the dance floor. “I call dibs on the redhead.” He doesn’t give me a chance to answer before walking toward them. I follow but stand back as he introduces himself then me. I’m not interested in either of them, but maybe Seth can get laid tonight.

“Y’all
wanna dance?” The redhead asks.

Seth enthusiastically nods, wrapping his large hand around her waist. “You coming, Brody?” It doesn’t look like he needs my help, so I shake my head.
I glance at the friend, a short brunette. She’s pretty, but I can’t look at her without seeing Quincy’s face.

The three of them head out onto the floor, and I watch as Seth gets sandwiched between the two girls. He
bumps and grinds against both of them as he pumps his fist in the air. He's in heaven.

I
decide to get another drink, but as I turn away, I see
her.

My
 breathing hitches as I watch Quincy dancing by herself. Her arms are raised over her head, and I can tell she's totally lost in the moment. She sways and moves to the music, and I'm hypnotized. Her body may be small, but she has curves in all of the right places. Perky breasts. I’d say a large B cup. Curvy hips. Round ass. She’s not trying to call attention to herself, but I can’t take my eyes off of her. She's in her own world, and I want to go there with her.

L
ooking around, I wonder who she's here with, but I hope she's alone. I feel like an ass for wishing her date with Declan didn't go well. Again.

B
efore I can convince myself it's a bad idea, I walk out onto the dance floor and make my way to her. A few girls grind against me, trying to capture my attention, but I have one girl on my mind. My fingers burn to touch her. Just once.

When I put my hand on her hip, she pulls away from me, ready to give me an earful. But when she looks over her shoulder, the fire in her eye
s fades. She smiles shyly, and my good intentions fly out the window. Grabbing both her hips, I lean into her. “Don’t run, baby. I saw you dancing, and I couldn’t resist.” My mouth is close to her shoulder, and she shivers against me. All I can think about is touching, kissing, and claiming that skin. Close to her ear, I plead, “Dance with me."

Sh
e doesn't speak, but her shoulders release as she relaxes against me. When she begins to move her hips, I lose all sense of time and place. My mind is consumed with each touch of her skin on mine, every bead of sweat that trails down her neck, and the intoxicating scent of her body. Not wanting to scare her away, I resist the urge to pull her against me.

The music slows, and I position my leg between her thighs, careful to avoid my erection.
 She stares up into my eyes, and I forget that we're in a crowded club. It no longer matters that she was with Declan earlier, and I don't care who she came here with. All I am sure of is that I want her to leave with me. 

Rolling my hips into hers, desire flas
hes in her eyes. Her inhibitions melt away as she begins moving against my leg. As the lights flash and our bodies crash into each other, she comes alive under my touch. Wanting, needing to touch her bare skin, I wrap one arm around her waist, pulling her tighter to me. I slide my hand under her shirt, caressing her lower back with my thumb. Closing my eyes, I breathe deeply, attempting to reign myself in. But when I open my eyes, I can tell she's feeling exactly what I am. She wants more, and I will give it to her if she will let me. 

My eyes search her face, coming to rest on her lips. She is simply beautiful. Long braid, innocent eyes, and damn, that sweet, pink mouth. There's only one thing standing between us, one person holding me back.

Instead of kissing her, I lean forward, resting
 my forehead against hers. I can no longer tell where my body ends and hers begins. Nose to nose, hip to hip, we move as one, our breaths mingling together. And as delicious as she looks, she smells even better. It's not perfume, just the slight hint of vanilla mixed with
her
. I know it's wrong, but I want just one taste. As I move my lips along her jaw, to her neck, all I can think about is the soft skin of her shoulder. 

As I lift my eye
s, ready to make my move, I spot Declan standing near the edge of the dance floor, his eyes glued to us. When our eyes meet, I can sense his confusion, a silent question in his eyes
.
Pushing Quincy away, I put distance between our bodies. Her eyes, perplexed, follow mine. When she sees Declan, she stiffens but doesn't move away. 
What is he doing here?

 
"Are you with him?" I just need to know that one thing.

“No! Yes! I mean, we came together, but we aren’t dating.”
 Fuck me. This girl is going to kill me. 

“When you have a clear answer, you come find me. But I won’t do it like this.” I should have kn
own he brought her here. I can't believe this shit. First on my agenda: find Seth. Second: get the hell out of here. Oh, and take a leak as soon as possible.             

When I head down the darkened hallway to the restroom, I spot the redhead Seth was dancing with earlier.
I grab her wrist as she walks by. “Hey, do you know where Seth went?”

Predatory. That’s the only way I can describe the way she looks at me. Smiling,
she leans forward to say something and ends up stumbling into me instead. She has that drunk let’s-get-naked-look on her face as she pouts, “He’s with my friend, and I’m all alone now.” I know exactly what she wants.

             
I look around, thinking he might be close by, and see Quincy walking toward us. Her head is down, and she doesn’t see me yet. I react before I have a chance to consider the consequences of what I’m about to do.

             
“Well, we can’t have that now, can we?” I push Red backward into the wall, and her arms wrap around my neck, pulling me close. I can smell beer on her breath, and I know she’s trashed. I’m not into redheads, but I’m not looking to fall in love. I just need someone to take my mind away from here. Away from
her
.

             
I lean down, and she reaches up to pull my head to hers. When she pushes her tongue into my mouth, I back away to gain some control. “Wanna get out of here?” She nods, and I reach for her hand.

My eyes meet Quincy’s just
long enough to see her distaste, as if I’ve somehow offended her. She’s the one who came here with someone else and then got all up on my shit when we were dancing.
I don’t owe her anything.

            
 
I grab Red by the hand and lead her through the club and out to the parking lot. She points to her car, and I follow her. As soon as the door closes, she has her hand on my crotch. We aren’t going anywhere because I know she’s blitzed. That should make me feel guilty for what I’m about to do, but it doesn’t. Girls know what they’re doing when they play this game.

When she leans over to kiss me, I push her head down. She smiles up at me, promising
a good time. I unzip my jeans and push them down just enough to expose myself. She grabs me with a little too much excitement, but I lean back and close my eyes. As her hands and mouth move on me, my mind is back in the club. Quincy is pressed against me, and I can feel her shiver in my arms. I smell her shampoo, feel the heat of her body. When I think about my thigh between her legs, that’s enough to push me over the edge.

But
I open my eyes to reality. Red is sitting up, smiling at me. I put my junk away and make an excuse. “Hey. I’ve got to get up early. Can you tell Seth I walked home?” Disappointment shows on her face, but she agrees. After writing her number on a napkin, she shoves it into my hand.

I watch her walk back into the club, maki
ng sure she’s gets back inside Ok. Girls who give head in a car to a guy they just met… well, they have to know you aren’t going to call for a date. On my way home, I crumple the napkin in my hand and throw it down. In the past, this sort of thing wouldn’t bother me, but now, I just feel like shit. All I can think about is Quincy with her big, brown eyes and sweet country accent.

            
 
I close my eyes and remember the feel of her in my arms, her arms around my neck as our bodies moved together.... it drives me crazy. That's not the first time I've been on a dance floor with a girl pressed up against me, but it is the first time I've ever really
danced
.

Chapter 6

             
I didn’t sleep worth a shit last night. The party ran late, and it took everything I had to stay in my room. Several times, I stood up, ready to go check Declan’s room to see if he was home yet but ended up pacing in my room instead.

             
My mind was all over the place. Declan is perfect, the kind of guy I’d want my sister to date, but that doesn’t mean I want him with Quincy. Does she like him? Are they still together? Is he fucking her???

Holy hell.
She’s not mine. I’ve had a few girlfriends, only one I’d call serious, but I never lost a wink of sleep over her. Not even when we broke up. Not with the total mind fuck she put me through either, but that’s a different story.

It’
s Sunday, and I’m sure no one is alive yet. Declan is usually the only one who gets up early on Sunday because he goes to church with his family. He’s probably the only one without a hangover from hell, too. He really is a great guy, and I hate the part of me that hopes this thing with him and Quincy doesn’t work out. There are plenty of nice girls out there for him, but only one girl has gotten under my skin this way.
And I can’t have her.

             
I roll over and look at the clock. Damn, it’s already 11:00AM, and I’m supposed to meet my mom for lunch in an hour. She came up for a trip to the cabin with her sisters. When I go up with the boys, we drink, hike, and generally, there isn’t a lot of talking going on. When my mom meets my aunts up there, they call it 'bonding time', whatever that means.

I drag my sorry ass to the shower and throw on some clothes before running out the door with wet hair. Seth is just getting out of his car, and he turns around with his signature smirk on his face.
“Brody, man, where the hell did you go? You missed a helluva night!”

             
I cringe inside because I know I’m going to have to listen to details later on. “Yeah? I had to get home early. I’m meeting my mom for lunch.”

             
“Do me a favor and tell her if she ever gets tired of your old man, I’ll be waitin’ for her.” He laughs when he sees the look on my face. That sick bastard is always talking about how hot my mom is. I almost kicked his ass once when he informed me that she was a MILF.

             
“Not a fuckin’ chance.” I shake my head to erase the mental picture.

             
“Aww, Brody, don’t be such a cock-block.” He finally coaxes a laugh out of me, but the sick part is that I’m not sure he’s joking.

             
I jump in my car and drive to Ali Babba’s. It’s my favorite Greek restaurant in Knoxville, a tradition, really. It’s where I ate my first gyro and learned how to say “Tzatziki” sauce. After UT football games, it’s the place to go. When I walk in, my mom is waiting for me. And even though she's my mom, I can see that she’s beautiful. With her long, dark hair, slim figure, and sense of style, there aren’t many women her age that look as good as she does.

             
I find myself smiling as I walk toward her, and I think that if I ever get married, I’d want a girl like her. As soon as I think it, I pause, and the smile slides from my face.
Oh, come on.
The “M” word? Seriously?

“I’m so glad we’ve got this chance to see each other. With school starting, I was afraid you’d have all of that fraternity stuff going on.”
When my parents started dating in college, my dad was in a fraternity, so she understands the commitment and time it takes. Most girls don’t. It’s just another reason I don’t do girlfriends.

“Rush is coming up, and we’re planning the bonfire out at the farm.
Nothing to keep me busy yet.” Smirking, I raise my eyebrows. “And what are you and the hens up to this weekend?" I hold up a finger. "No, let me guess. A keg party? Or even better, a stripper?”

“
Ha. Ha. You’re so funny.” She curls her lip, but her eyes are smiling. “We’ve got a full weekend of gossip, reality TV, and more gossip planned.” Exactly why I never go up there with them.

“Sounds wonderful. Not.”
I roll my eyes, but I really do enjoy being able to joke with my mom like this. We eat and catch up. My sister likes school. My dad still works a lot. And then she fixes her eyes on me and takes a deep breath before exhaling sharply. Her shoulders droop, and I know what’s coming but I'm not able to stop it.

“Brody, have you talked to Paige? She’s been calling since school started.” Her brows crease with concern,
and it pisses me off to see my mom upset.

My hands clench on my thighs, and
I take a few calming breaths before I answer. “Mom, don’t go there. Do me a favor and just stop talking to her. She knows my number if she wants to talk to me.”
Why can’t she leave me alone?

“I kno
w, honey, but she sounds so distraught. It’s just that you never told me what happened. You know I would listen. I would support you either way.” She leans back in her chair, waiting for the answers I’m just not ready to give her.

Unable to meet her eyes, I turn my head toward the window and watch the world walk by. “It’s nothing. It was just time to move on.” And that’s what I’m trying to do.

“All I’m saying is that you should just talk to her, you know, explain how you feel. That way, she can move on too.” I hear what she’s saying, but I can’t respond. Instead, I just nod my head and push my plate away.

When it’s time to leave, I pull my mom into a giant bear hug, and I hold on a little longer than usual. I want to reassure her, to let her know I’m not heartbroken.
“Have a good weekend, and don’t get too wild up there.”

“
We always do. I love you, Brody. Good luck with Rush and just think about what I said.” She slides into her car and waves as she drives away.

I pull my phone out of my pocket and see two missed ca
lls from Paige. We broke up over a year ago, but she calls me at least once a week. I can deal with that. But calling my mom? That’s fucked up. Oh no, I’m not heartbroken. I’m mad as hell. What I didn’t tell my mom is that I
have
talked to Paige. Probably too many times, and I’m sick of dealing with her crazy ass. She has crossed a line by calling my mom, and she has no idea what she has done. If she wants me, she'll get me. It just may not be what she wants.

I guess I should just be thankful she doesn’t go to school here
anymore. Last semester, she failed a couple of classes and got put on probation. She moved home to go to the community college there. That’s the only thing that keeps me from going over and strangling the shit out of her.

Running my fingers thr
ough my hair, I take a few calming breaths before dialing her number. I swore I’d never call her again, and I don’t like having to break my promise.

“Brody! I just knew you’d call!” Her voice, all sweet and fake, makes me sick
, and I can’t wait to burst her bubble.

“What the fuck, Paige? Why are you calling my mo
m?” My free hand shakes when I lift it, and I tightly wrap my fingers around the steering wheel.

Silence. And I know what’s coming before I hear the first sob. She could always turn on the tears as if she had a water hose attached. “But…. But you wouldn’t call me back. I needed to talk to somebody.” Blah, blah, blah.
It’s the same story, just a different day.

“Paige, I told you that I wouldn’t be answering your calls anymore. I made that perfectly fucking clear. Do not call me. Do not call my family. It’s time to move on. You got that?” So, yeah, I try to be respectful, but s
ometimes, that's just not an option.

When all she does is cry, I hang up
, and I do something I should have done a long time ago. I block her number.

I’m already out of sorts when I get back to the house
, so when I find the guys watching a game on the TV in the main room, I grab a beer and join them. Declan watches me walk into the room, and his eyes never leave my face when I sit across from him.

When
Seth notices me, he yells, “Hey, Bro, when does your mom want me to take her out?” That draws several snickers and outright laughs from my friends. All of them, at some time or another, have met my mother and made similar statements. But today, I might actually kill him.

I take a long drink from my beer and lean forward,
resting my elbows on my knees. “Seth, don’t ever mention my mom again.” The smile drops from his face. “I mean it, dude. I will make you eat those words when I kick your ass.” For once, he doesn't have a smartass comeback.

I slowly stand and walk out of the room with everyone watching my back. As I turn the corner, Declan catches up to me. “Hey, Brody. What just happened in there? You know he didn’t mean anything.” Always the peacemaker.

“Yeah, well, I didn’t like it. I’ve had a shit day, and that was just the wrong thing to say.” I avoid looking him in the eye. I have no desire to see the questions swimming there.

“Ok, man. Just take some time to cool off.” I nod and take two steps before he stops me dead in my tracks. “This doesn’t have anything to do with last night, does it?”

My heart races as I turn around. “What are you talking about?”

“Nothing, man. I just saw you dancing with Quincy. Then I saw you leave with that red
head. Just so you know, Quincy's not the kind of girl you usually bring here.” I meet his eyes as they study my face, searching for the truth.

So I lie. “We were just dancing. I have no interest in her whatsoever.” And tell the truth. “She’s too good for me, man. You know that.”

The look of relief on his face does me in. “That makes me feel better. She said the same thing, but I just wanted to hear it from you.” My stomach flips, and I suddenly feel sick.
She said the same thing.
Except she probably meant it.

He gets that lovesick look on his face before he adds, “I really like her
, and I don’t want anything to mess it up.” The line has been drawn. If I cross it now, it is with the full knowledge that I'm betraying a brother. I can’t even pretend I don’t know.