“I can see how you fit in perfectly with the two of them, Talia.” Lili’s voice was laced with a genuine contentment.
They smiled at each other and Talia ran a hand down my back. Peering into her eyes I could tell she was a million miles away. I was too. I wondered if we were thinking about the same memory.
It was sophomore year. Chase’s parents were in the Hamptons at a black tie affair, leaving the Colton Manhattan penthouse the place to congregate for the weekend. Kimi’s idea, of course, the girl loved New Year’s Eve. Chase and I raided his father’s beer fridge and threw our first high school party. We had introduced the girls to Beirut and succeeded in getting them all wasted, but the highlight of the night was Kimi suggesting the hot tub. Enough said. Giggling, the girls ran upstairs and came down in, well, practically nothing, as far as my sixteen-year-old eyes could see. Let’s just say a hot tub hard-on was the least of my problems when Tal jumped out of the steamy pool and flew to the bathroom. Soaking wet, I held her hair as she puked her guts up and moaned in distress. She eventually passed out cradled on my lap on the cold marble floor, wedged between the clawfoot bathtub and the toilet. We not only missed butchering Auld Lang Syne, but five hours later I was convinced my back was broken. Not that I cared, it was the first night I ever slept with a girl. Who the hell was I kidding? That was the highlight.
“Asspuck, this place looks freaking awesome. It came out perfect. You didn’t need me. It’s probably better I didn’t come. I would’ve tangled the crap out of those gorgeous strands of beads, me and Christmas lights ... total effing nightmare.” At this point Dodd and I ordered drinks since Sierra hadn’t come up for a breath yet. “Besides Layla was a whiney drooling disaster, but Dodd owes me now, so I’m feeling a Lili-Sierra day, and soon.”
Talia stood off to the side witnessing the spunk, sass, and nonsense spewing from Sierra’s mouth. I warned her.
I handed my blonde beauty her Prosecco and interrupted the stream. “Uh-hmm, this is Talia Pryce, our old friend.”
Dodd introduced himself and politely shook her hand and Sierra did what Sierra does. “Talia, oh my god, how rude am I blabbing away. It’s so nice to meet you. And wow, my god, that dress is to die for.”
“You must be Sierra, it’s lovely to meet you. And you look beautiful tonight.”
Sierra shoved past me and took her elbow. Talia followed her pull and glanced in my direction. I shrugged and smirked. Good luck with that. Instantly the women turned their backs on us, forming a perfect triangle. I chuckled to myself. Lili hit the nail right on the head, my TP fit in seamlessly. The muffled chatter jumped from dress designer who, nail polish color what, join us for spa day when. Dodd and I discussed a few deals he was working on in the area, several that had longterm potential.
“Give you six months, my friend.”
Ha, if that. I pointed my bottle at Sierra.
“Let me know when you need a realtor.” He shook his head and gave me a yup, no sac eye roll.
Men were good like that, certain things never needed to be verbalized. A simple chin salute said enough. While we drank as a sign of XY camaraderie, I couldn’t help but zero in on the gossip.
“No, you’re lucky. My girls would be spilling all out of that dress. I would look like I was working the party, if you know what I mean.” Only Sierra could carry on what sounded like a polished civilized conversation about her tits. Or Talia’s tits for that matter. “Double sided tape?” And just like that tit placement became an art project. My ears perked up waiting for that answer. That dress hadn’t budged.
“No, actually, it’s a tighter fit than it looks.” No tape, no bra. Was it time to leave yet?
“Hun, Stella McCartney could have hand sewed that dress on me, it wouldn’t matter. You only get away with that when you look like you ... one kid later my boobs are around my waist, wait—that’s right, I don’t have a waist. Crap, I need to get back to Zumba. Speaking of, you-” Sierra pointed to Lil, who raised her eyebrows as if to say what did I do. “You better pace yourself. You promised you would give it a try and come with me tomorrow. It’s a new year, no freaking excuses. Besides I could poke my eyes out running. Come on, Talia, you agree with me, right?”
Tal raised her hands up to plead the fifth. Ha, she looked like me. “You ask me they both sound pretty painful.”
Sierra contorted her face in a really unattractive way. “Don’t even tell me you’re one of those genetic freaks, I can’t...”
Lili almost spit out her champagne.
No offense, but women were stupid when it came to body image. Sierra was bent over her supposed baby weight. I couldn’t tell the difference. She was a beautiful woman. And from the way Dodd spent half the night eye fucking his wife, my guess was he wasn’t complaining about any new curves. Probably the opposite.
Talia laughed at Sierra’s candor. “Umm, well, I guess there’s that, but I try and get to the yoga studio as often as possible.”
Spandex yoga pants, ass-shaking Zumba, bare tits taped or not taped to dresses … male torture. Before I lost my gentleman status and my pants tented, I cut in on the estrogen pow-wow. “Ladies, if you don’t mind, I’m going to steal Talia. We have a date with the dance floor.”
Talia cocked her head to the side, discreetly bit her lip, and smiled. I surprised her. This was only the beginning; I was just getting started.
“Huh. I wouldn’t have taken you for a Maroon 5 fan, Ace?” No shit, I had balls, not a vagina. I wouldn’t have taken her for one either. She loved classic rock as much as I did back when, but I distinctly remember this song blaring the night I called her. Guess some things changed.
“What’s not to like? Have you seen Adam behind the drums? Enough said.” The half-pint spitfire chimed in and then looked to her husband for affirmation. Really? Dodd petted Sierra’s chunky highlights, shook his head and kissed her. Smart guy.
Talia slipped her fingers between mine. “No argument, he’s attractive. But I’ve seen better behind the drums.”
No one would have noticed, but her eyes spoke volumes. The room suddenly got ten degrees warmer, tightening my shirt collar and pants. This woman had the ability to make me feel sixteen again. Un-fucking-real.
On that note, I glided my other hand down her back to its new favorite spot on earth and led us away. I couldn’t care less if we danced to the Jeopardy theme song, I was done sharing and wanted her body pressed against mine. And now.
Lili clocked our joined hands, goofy smiled, and air mouthed, “Go get ‘em, ACE.”
Son of a bitch, I really had four sisters.
By the time we made it underneath the illuminated glass beads, the club version of “This Love” was almost over. That was a good thing. A really good thing. Tal and I fell into step immediately. Chest pressed to chest, her sweet breath bathed my cheek as my mouth hovered over her ear. I positioned my right leg high between hers while her right arm roped around my neck, mine guiding our rhythm from her lower back. This girl knew how to dance. Always did. Her movements were soft and fluid, not overly provocative. They didn’t need to be. Her long lines accentuated every sway of her hips and every curve of her back. Our bodies radiated enough steam to heat a sauna and not from our energy exertion. As close as we were, her pelvis never grazed mine, but there was a fire in her eyes, making the tease that much hotter. My dick was hard as a rock and all I could think about was how exactly I was going to tease this woman as soon as I got her alone. Slow then fast, then slow again, sinking my fingertips into every inch of her until her naked body danced like she was right this second. If the song hadn’t ended it would have taken all of two beats pressed against her and I would have been sixteen again. And I sure as shit didn’t need lyrics to tell me what I already knew. I had no choice, I was never saying goodbye to this girl again.