This was the result of sexual frustration and heartbreak. He hadn’t had sex in fifteen months and considering Amber was the only person he’d ever been with, the times they’d made love were few and far between. Now here he was single for the first time in eight years and pressed against his best friend who curved in all the right places…
Air. He needed air.
Nick took her hand. After the show they just put on, he wasn’t about to leave her on the dance floor. She was coming with.
“Let’s go for a walk.”
“All right.”
He ignored Anthony and Pike’s wide-eyed stares as they passed, lancing through the crowd of drinkers until they exited through the front door. The chilly weather engulfed him, freezing the exposed skin of his neck and face, bringing him back to himself. This is good. Exactly what he needed.
“Damn, it’s colder than a well digger’s ass in January,” Nick said.
Noel dropped his hand and laughed, taking a few steps ahead of him. The halter shirt left her upper back and arms exposed and he noted the expanse of gooseflesh across her skin in the dim outside lights. When she turned back around, Nick almost swallowed his tongue when he saw her nipples hard and pushing against the cotton of her shirt. Either she wasn’t wearing a bra or the thin material of one didn’t hide much.
Stop staring at her chest, you fucking pervert!
“You sound like your dad,” Noel said, closing her eyes. “It feels good though.”
“Yeah, it was hot in there,” he said. “Sorry I dragged you out like that.”
“It’s all right.” I get it. Probably just drank too fast. Alcohol gets you all hot and bothered.”
Nick blinked at her choice of words and cleared his throat. “That’s probably it. I really do appreciate you…well, what you did in there. I probably looked like an ass when they walked in.”
“Don’t mention it. It was mutually beneficial.” She released a shaky laugh. “The last thing I wanted was Trip thinking I cared he’d dropped me without actually doing the deed.”
“I’ll go back in there and punch him, if you want.”
Noel shook her head. “Like Anthony said, we were just fucking. Nothing to be upset about. Even if I was, he’s not worth it.”
“He’s not, but if it would make you feel better…”
“Nah.” Noel cracked her knuckles with a smirk. “Want me to rip out Amber’s bleached blond hair? I’m pretty sure it’s all extensions, but I may get lucky.”
“Thoughtful, but I think her brother is with the police department now.”
Noel scoffed. “Darin? Ha! He likes me better than her. He’d applaud.”
“You’re probably right.” Nick smiled, already feeling more like himself. “Did you see that guy Amber was with?”
“I did.”
“And?” He felt like a tool asking, but Nick’s pride still stung that Amber had walked in with a Norse god on her arm.
Noel wrinkled her nose, which made her look younger. Adorable. “Too much hair for my tastes. I’m not interested in men who have you hocking up hairballs after one kiss.”
Nick laughed, tension easing out of his shoulders. “Not into beards and long hair, huh?”
“Not particularly. I like my guys clean-cut. If they do have a little scruff on occasion, that’s fine. Just need to keep it trimmed.”
The air seemed less charged outside and he wondered if the cumulation of loneliness and alcohol had been the catalyst behind his abrupt break with sanity. This was Noel. They’d been in each other’s lives since infancy. Was she amazing and beautiful? Absolutely, but he’d always known that. Never acted on the knowledge to see how things went.
The only time it crossed his mind was when he got home from bootcamp. They’d gone to a bonfire out at the lake and they’d been sitting at the fire together. The flames danced across her skin and when her brown hair fell forward, he’d brushed it back. Silky soft, it slipped through his fingertips slowly. He remembered staring at her lips right before she jumped up and left to get them another beer.
Amber sat down in her place and the thought hadn’t crossed his mind again. Until now.
“Is that why Pike never had a chance? Too fuzzy?” he teased.
She shook her head. “Pike is my buddy. I don’t go there with people I actually care about. It’s hard enough saying adios when it’s casual, but add in feelings?”
“What do you mean?” he asked.