The moment we entered into the club, I felt like I’d been transported into an 80s MTV video. People seemed to take 80s night very seriously and went all out with costumes. I saw Adam Ant with war paint dancing with a Toni Basil look-a-like waving her pom-poms.
As he walked through the club, almost everyone we passed shouted out his name. He waved back, keeping his arm around me. It was as if he wanted to make sure people knew that I was with him, sort of like he was showing me off to his friends. Weird. I’d never thought of myself as a trophy date, but that’s what it seemed like.
I expected that he’d drag me around, introducing me to his football friends. Instead, he placed me at a table and headed straight for the bar. The bartender, dressed like Boy George, gave him a friendly smile, glanced at me, and placed a shot of tequila on the bar. Travis shot his head back and downed the brown liquid.
What was wrong with him? It was like he was bracing himself for something.
He came back to the table with our drinks. Again with that strained smile. I sighed and drank my long island iced tea.
“Want to dance?” he asked after I finished my drink.
“I’d love to.”
He downed the remains of his drink and took my hand. He moved slowly to the center of the dance floor. It was as if he wanted to make sure people were watching us.
I thought I heard him mumble something like, “You can do this.”
Before I could ask him, “do what?” he pulled me to him, pressing me against his chest.
As we danced, his hands were all over me. But it didn’t feel like he was getting off on it. And neither was I. It felt like a security pat down. When his hands slid down my butt, I jerked back surprised.
“What’s wrong?” He gave me a sexy lopsided grin.
I was an idiot. Here was a perfectly normal, sexy guy that every single girl in the club was drooling over and who obviously wanted me and I what? Thought of him like a brother?
Damn that Cooper! Why couldn’t he drink his coffee somewhere else and stay away from Jitters? Seeing him in class was enough.
“Nothing.” I slid his hands back into place on my butt. Maybe I just needed to give it some time with Travis. Greg thought he’d be good for me and my dear friend had never let me down. I really should give him a chance.
We danced like that for a while, and then the song changed to something more upbeat. “Frankie Goes To Hollywood” wailed in my ears to relax. Turning, I pressed my back into Travis and waved my hands into the air, forcing myself to comply with Frankie’s command. His hands glided across my abdomen pulling me tighter against his rock-hard body.
Flashes of light blinded me as we danced. Travis’s hands brushed against my bare thigh, but all I could think about was the dream with Cooper and his hands all over me.
Travis’s hands glided up my waist and then brushed lightly against my breast. I jerked back and grabbed his hands pushing them down. Was I ready for this?
“Relax,” he said, his hot breath hitting against my ear.
I giggled as he repeated the word in sync with the song. He sang into my ear as he slowly glided his hand back up.
Relax.
I giggled again at the thought. My body was starting to feel more light and . . . relaxed. Or maybe it was the iced tea. Either way, I was finally ready.
I was about to place my hand over his, when there was a sudden rush of air, and Travis was gone.
“Hey, man! What the fuck?”
I spun around. Flashes of red, green, and blue danced over Cooper’s face as he stood behind Travis with a hand on his shoulder. Sapphire eyes blazed as he looked at me, his chiseled jaw tense. Cooper was raw masculinity, making Travis look like a boy playing dress up. My eyes drank in every single inch of him as if he were water and I’d been lost in a desert for months: the dark slacks, his narrow waist, and up to the black shirt that strained against thick muscles as he gripped Travis.
His eyes held mine as he spoke to Travis. “Excuse me for interrupting your date.” He sneered the word. “I thought you’d want to know that you’re car is being towed.”
“No way. It’s a rental.”
I snickered. Travis couldn’t be that dense.
“I assure you, Mr. Brandon, rental or not it is being towed as we speak.”
“Shit!” Travis dashed across the dance floor heading to the door.
My jaw dropped. He did not just leave me alone here. The music changed and a cello played. The cool sounds of “Sweet Dreams Are Made of This” filled the club.
My eyes flicked to Cooper, who was looking way too self-satisfied.
“You did that on purpose,” I snarled.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. I was merely being helpful.”
My eyes narrowed. I wasn’t buying it. “You had his car towed, didn’t you?”
“And why would I want to do something as sophomoric as that?”
“You said you didn’t want me to date Travis. That’s why.”
“A mere suggestion. You think much too much of yourself.”
“Why you—you—”
“You’re not in any condition to find a way home, Ms. Ashford. Come with me.” His hand clasped my arm and electricity charged through my body. My breath caught at the immediate reaction to his touch. Why, oh why, couldn’t I feel like that with Travis?
“I can call a taxi.” I jerked my arm out of his hand. “I’m not stupid.”
I spun on my heel way too fast. The heat, pounding music, and flashing lights made me dizzy. I took a step forward and down I went.
My face.
Cooper’s chest.
His intoxicating, incredibly muscular chest.
The moment our bodies locked, I lost all control. My fingers crawled up his body, tracing in the smattering of hair that peeked out of the “V” of his unbuttoned collar and up to his heavily-scruffed chin and lips. Those perfect lips. The moment I touched them, they parted slightly. I wondered what he tasted like. I licked my lips in response.
I gazed up, my fingers relishing the feel of his rough stubble. He stood motionless, studying me as the strobe lights danced over his handsome face.
The beat of the music pounded against my chest, and I found myself swaying. Slowly he moved with me.
The alcohol was definitely making me stupid, because if I were smart, I wouldn’t latch on to my professor, my incredibly sexy and hot professor, the way I was doing now, pressing my body against his, urging him to dance.
I couldn’t help myself. My hips moved with his. Pressing harder into his body the way I did with Travis. Only this time when his hands moved over my waist holding me to him, my body lit on fire.
Immediately, my hands traveled up his abs. I silently moaned as my fingers traced the eight-pack beneath his shirt. When I locked my arms around his neck, I pressed harder into him and moaned at the feel of him hardening against me.
Suddenly, he snatched my hands, tearing them off his neck. He spun me around, placing my back side against him. He swayed with the music, grinding his lower body into my backside, creating a delicious friction. I tossed my head back onto his shoulder surrendering myself to him.
Lifting my arms, I searched for the back of his neck. He ducked his head and slid his nose against the side of my neck. I shivered at the touch of his hot tongue as it swept up the side of my neck, and let out a soft moan when he latched his teeth onto my earlobe.
I ran my fingers through his hair. It was so soft. When I pressed my butt deeper into him, and he let out a soft groan. The sound of it made me throb. I wanted more. I needed more. If this was a dream, I didn’t ever want to wake up.
Skillful hands roamed up my body, rested underneath my breasts, and I melted into him. It felt right having his hands touch me like that. Then his thumbs brushed against the underside of my breasts stroking me.
“Jackson,” I moaned.
He froze. My heart pounded, and I wondered what I’d done wrong. Gently, he turned me to him. His face was a mask as he spoke.
“Let’s get you home, Ms. Ashford.”