Millie
“I’m so sorry, Millie.” Jane clutched my arms. “My brother is an asshole who doesn’t know when to shut his mouth.”
“It’s okay. I think he’s kind of funny in that obnoxious kind of way.”
“He’s not funny.” Her wide eyes were earnest. “Millie, I love you and I love my brother, but trust me when I say he’s a player, and he has a different woman every night of the week.”
“Maybe he doesn’t have them as often as you think.” I shrugged. “Maybe, he’s all talk.”
“Trust me when I say he’s more than all talk.” She sighed. “Look, I know he’s funny and cute, but he breaks hearts. He’s been doing it all his life. He can’t commit, not even to a puppy.”
“Did something happen to him? Some huge heartbreak or something?”
“Not that I know of. He’s always been a player. Him and his baseball friends. They all seem to just want to be with as many women as possible.” I can see the contempt in her eyes. “I would never date an athlete.”
“Yeah, me either.” I nodded. “The football players in Iowa were revered like gods. They could get any girl they wanted, but not many of them were monogamous, from what I know.”
“I know you want to find love, Millie.” She put a gentle hand on my arm. “My brother’s not the one to give you the love that you need.” She wrinkled her nose. “I’m sorry, I sound like some old aunt or something, don’t I?”
“It’s okay. I appreciate it.” I gave her a quick hug.
And I was being honest. I did appreciate her looking out for me. I could already tell that Marco was full of himself and a player, but for some reason that only made me want him even more. I loved his feisty, cocky side. It also didn’t hurt that he was gorgeous. He was the sort of guy that you could just stare at all day and night and be happy. You wouldn’t even have to talk. His eyes were mesmerizing. His smile was boyish yet sexy, and his body! Damn, this boy was on fire. I could only imagine the things he could do to me in the bedroom.
I stifled a groan. Maybe my horniness was getting in the way of my good sense. Marco was a guy that I should stay very far away from. He was bad news, and I didn’t want to get involved with a guy who didn’t want a relationship. I was looking for love. I was looking for the real deal.
I was just having a hard time convincing my body that the promise of good sex was not going to be enough.
We walked back inside of the bar and I could feel Marco’s eyes on me. I was pretty sure he knew why his sister had taken me outside and I wondered if he would back off now. I looked over to the bar and saw the blonde still standing there staring at Marco, looking frustrated. I’d seen her rubbing his crotch and whispering in his ear, and I wondered what she’d said to him. Had he been tempted to sleep with her? Would he have spent the night with her if we weren’t there?
“Penny for them.”
Marco’s deep husky voice jolted me from my thoughts. His eyes were gazing at me in amusement.
“How much did Jane offer you to stay away from me?”
“What?” I blinked as he laughed. “Nothing, why?”
“She offered me a hundred dollars to leave you alone for the rest of the night.”
My eyes widened. “And yet you’re still here.”
“It would take a lot more than a hundred dollars to get me away from you.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah.” He grinned. “Maybe a hundred and twenty.”
“Funny.” I laughed. “She was warning me that you’re a bad boy and a player and to stay away.”
“You don’t like bad boys?”
“I don’t mind them.”
“So then, what’s the problem?”
“I’m not so sure I’m interested in players.”
He stepped closer to me. My skin warmed as I stared at him. I wanted to touch his arms to see how firm his muscles were, but I resisted.
“Well, what Jane doesn’t know can’t hurt her,” he whispered and then winked at me, his eyes searching mine.
“You’re really, really full of yourself.” I took a step back, needing to create some distance between us. “Do you really think I’m going to give you a blow job or whatever?”
“Do you want to?”
“Marco.” I swallowed hard. “What do you think?”
“I think you very much want to take me into your mouth.” He grinned wickedly. “But then again, maybe I’m just projecting because I very much want to take you into my mouth and lick up your juices. Are you very wet for me right now?”
“What?” My voice was high, even as I pressed my thighs tightly together. “Of course not.”
“Liar.” He winked at me and then groaned as Jane approached us.
“The drinks are here.” Jane grabbed my hand. “Come on, Millie, let’s do shots.”
“Okay.”
My panties were moist, and I could feel Marco’s eyes burning into me as we walked away. When we reached Magnolia, Birdy, and Olivia, I took an offered shot glass. We counted to three and downed our shots. As I put the glass down, I realized that Marco was still staring at me.
“So, that Marco really seems to be into you,” Olivia whispered as she and Birdy cornered me into a small group, both of them waiting for me to respond. “I guess our deal is off the table.”
“I’m not going to do anything with him,” I said quickly, blushing. “Anyway, he’s not into me.”
“Girl, he wants you.” Birdy took a large gulp of her cocktail. “Bow chicka bow wow.”
“Birdy!” I laughed. “How much have you had to drink? That’s not going to happen.”
“Why not?” Olivia asked. “He’s gorgeous.”
“But he’s also a player, and Jane has been adamant I don’t have anything to do with him.”
“Oh, yeah?” Olivia nodded. “I guess if he’s a ladies’ man, she doesn’t want to see you get hurt.”
“But he lives in LA, so it’s not like anything could happen anyway.”
“I knew it! You do want him,” Birdy whisper-shouted. “I totally get it.” She nodded toward Marco. “He’s got that charisma that makes you want to experience at least one night with him even though you know you’re going to get burned.”
“I don’t want to get burned.” I sighed. “Yes, he’s cute, but I’m looking for something real. He can’t give me what I want.”
“He can give you one hell of a good night, though,” Olivia joked. “Mix that Latin blood with your fiery redhead-ness and, man, I think you guys could ignite a bonfire.”
“He’s damn hot,” I agreed. “I’ve never seen a man as cut as that. He looked like his body was chiseled by a sculptor.”
“He’s all man, that is for sure.” Birdy nodded. “How old is he, again?”
“I think he’s thirty. That’s what Jane told us before.”
“Prime of his life.” Olivia looked at me. “But you do you, girl. We don’t want you getting hurt.”
“Let’s forget about him. Let’s see if we can get our flirt on with someone else.” I looked around the bar and saw a group of four guys staring at us from a booth. “What about them?”
Birdy and Olivia looked toward the booth, and both of them grinned.
“Let’s get our flirt on, ladies.” Olivia turned away from the guys and smiled. “We don’t go over to them, though. If they want to come to us, they see us here. Remember, we’re beautiful, strong, independent ladies, and if a guy wants us, he needs to approach us. We don’t run after any guys.”
“Cheers to that.” I held my glass up, and we all clinked and took a drink. Within minutes the group of guys stood up and headed over to us and as we all smiled at each other, I knew it was much better to flirt with one of these guys as opposed to Marco. A tall skinny guy with blond hair sauntered over to me, his blue eyes eager, and said hello.
He was the sort of guy I should be dating.