Entanglement Read online

  Emmy excitedly clapped before jumping up onto the stool. Maria shook her head before taking her own, climbing up as Jennifer moved to stand between her girlfriend’s thighs. “You really need to relax,” Jennifer spoke, looking her over.

  “I’m fine,” she replied, risking a glance around the busy bar to see if she could catch a glimpse of Nate.

  “You are anything but fine,” Maria spoke as the young bartender walked over to them, placing a bowl of popcorn in the center of the bar top.

  “Hey ladies,” he spoke with an easy, welcoming grin, “what can I get ya?”

  “I'll have a Long Island Iced Tea,” Jennifer spoke, getting her usual.

  “Dark and Stormy,” Maria quickly added, the bartender shifting his look to Emmy.

  “Mint Julep,” Emmy spoke. The young man patted the bar top lightly with a nod before reaching underneath to grab the ingredients needed for the drinks.

  Unable to sit still in her seat, Emmy sat up straight looking from one side of the bar to the other, hoping to get a glance at him. “You realize you look like a schoolgirl about to see some boy band member, right?” Jennifer burst out laughing at Maria’s comment, earning a glare from Emmy.

  “I do not,” Emmy retorted, but sat back down on her stool just in case it did look a little overeager. She'd hoped he'd be the one to serve them, so she was more than a little disappointed when the other bartender had come up. Still, the night had just started. He had to be around here somewhere, so maybe he'd serve them at some point later.

  “We are at the bar, he is a bartender, you’ll see him soon enough, Emmy,” Jennifer reassured her. “Just remember he can see you as well, so tone down the stalker-like behavior.”

  “You’re just wanting to be friends anyway, right?”

  “Right.” Emmy replied sharply, shooting daggers from her eyes as she saw Maria smile, clearly aware she was getting under her skin. Shaking her head, Maria looked at the young bartender just as he began to place their drinks down.

  “I thought Nate was working tonight?”

  “Yeah, he normally would be, but he had a family emergency. His sister’s not even here tonight like she normally is.” Giving Emmy a wink as he sat her drink down, the young man took the money Maria had placed on the bar top.

  “That sucks,” Emmy mumbled, pulling her drink to her. Maria and Jennifer giggled, watching her take a large sip as if to fortify herself.

  “Maybe that’s a good thing,” Jennifer spoke suddenly.

  “How is this a good thing?” Emmy asked.

  “Well, now you can enjoy some drinks with us, and then, maybe venture out and meet someone random.”

  Choking on her drink, Maria shook her head as both women glanced her way. “Emmy doesn’t do…random.”

  “That’s the point,” Jennifer added excitedly. “Nate not being here is a good thing, gives you the chance to get over this goody good thing you have happening all the time.”

  “Hey, I’ve got no goody good thing hap… happening,” Emmy spoke softly, leaning over to take another drink to save face, as she knew damn well Jennifer was right.

  “The hell you don’t,” Maria added.

  ”Gee, thanks.”

  “It’s not a bad thing, Emmy,” Jennifer spoke again. “You've just never given yourself the chance to let loose. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you drunk, and I know you’ve never been late for work. I think before you try and hook up with the town’s most eligible bachelor because, let’s be honest, you weren’t coming here to be his BFF, you should maybe,” she turned to look back at Maria, “what do they call it when men sleep with a bunch of women before they settle down…”

  “Sow their oats,” Maria answered.

  Jennifer turned, her smile wide. “That’s it!”

  “Are you really serious right now?” Emmy asked with a laugh. This conversation was so out of her element.

  “Why not? Men do it, why can’t women?”

  “I couldn’t do that even if I wanted to. It’s just not me. Random one night stands don't interest me, I have to at least know the person enough to be comfortable with them first. It doesn't mean I want a relationship, but just knowing someone first is important to me. Anyway, what if Nate and I do hit it off? You think I want a bunch of guys coming up to him later, telling him they hit that?”

  Maria laughed again at the deep tone Emmy spoke the last words in, which were so out of character for her that it was immediately hilarious despite the seriousness of the conversation for them.

  Jennifer slapped Maria on the arm before spinning back to face Emmy. “One then. Come on, everyone needs that one fling in their life.”

  “Maybe that’s what Nathaniel will be?”

  Laughing, Maria shook her head as she finished her drink. “Please, woman, you’ve probably already named the kids, the dog and painted Hawkins on the mailbox.”

  Emmy hated to admit it, but both girls had a point. She had never really lived; she had never done anything without thinking through the outcome first. She could blame part of it on her parents and the way she was raised, but a lot was simply her own personality as well. She was cautious and careful, always aware of how her decisions affected others. She always had been.

  Before she left the house that night, she'd swore to herself she would do something, anything she hadn’t done before. The man she was there to see and get to know wasn’t there. Perhaps that was a sign to allow herself to give up control for a single night, to stop attempting to plan everything and simply see where the night took her. If she dared.

  The night played on like any other girls night at Riggs. Crowded. Loud. People bumping into each other and nearly having to shout over the music that pumped through the speakers. The three friends drank, talked, danced and enjoyed one another without the worry of impressing anyone. They spent the night in their own little circle until it was nearing the morning hour and Maria was ready to get home. Motioning for Emmy to follow them, they stopped as Emmy shook her head.

  “I’m going to find another way home,”

  With a look of concern, Maria walked over to her, putting a hand on her forearm. “You sure you really want to stay? We were just messing with you, you know? You're you, and we love you just the way you are, quirks and all.”

  Emmy laughed, leaning in to hug her best friend; Maria was always a protective person. “I’m not drunk so,” she stepped back with a wide smile, “I promise. I’ll be fine.” Emmy couldn’t deny she was nervous to be there alone, but she needed to do this. She might meet someone, she might not, but she would, at the very least, remain there until the last call and be forced to take an Uber home.

  She would not let this night go to pass and not try to do something different. No one would likely approach her at all with her friends there, and she knew she wouldn't go up to anyone either... they'd talk her out of it if they knew the person. Giving Maria another nod in reassurance, Emmy glanced around the bar again. She was doing this.

  Maria sighed before looking for the bartender. Once she'd sighted him, she yelled to get his attention. “Gavin!” As he waved, he moved towards them, depositing the empty glasses into the sink. “Take care of my girl.” Gavin nodded his head with a chuckle, knowing the situation without words before continuing with his circuit around the bar.

  “I’ll see you in the morning,” Emmy muttered, a nervous smile gracing her lips. Giving her another hug, Maria took hold of Jennifer’s hand and spun around to head from the bar, leaving Emmy alone. Re-taking the stool she'd claimed as her own, Emmy ordered another drink, careful to give a mental reminder to pace herself. While alcohol might dull the nerves, she didn't want to get sloppy drunk and make stupid decisions or put herself in danger, either.

  Another hour passed, the bar starting to empty, and Emmy was still seated at the bar alone. She hadn’t put any effort into looking for someone, spending every second at the bar since her friends left, still nursing the same drink. She had never planned to have a one night stand, it wasn
’t her and she didn’t want anything like that. As boring and normal as it sounded, Emmy was more the relationship type of girl. She'd thought she could do this, but maybe it simply wasn't in her.

  She wouldn’t tell her friends that though, knowing their relationship was courageous. Growing up where they did, living the lifestyle they did wasn’t fully accepted by everyone. However, Maria was Maria and she wasn’t about to live her life for the comfort of others. Emmy had known the woman long enough to see that being out, open, and who she was made her happier than she had ever been.

  Emmy sighed, knowing her friends would understand if she came home without achieving her goal. It was a big one, perhaps she should have started smaller. Why wait until last call? Pulling out money for her drinks, she tossed it onto the scarred bartop. Emmy turned to jump from her stool, but instead of her feet hitting the floor, she fell into someone. “Excuse me,” she spoke, looking up with embarrassment.

  That smile faded the second her eyes landed on the man before her. He towered over her, his dirty blonde hair a mess on the top of his head, his strong jaw framed by a beard that grew thicker and slightly longer at his chin.

  His blue eyes drilled into her, as though they saw into her soul. She knew she must look like a fool staring at him in silence, hoping her mouth didn’t fall open in awe. She didn't dare say anything, though. She wasn't sure if she'd simply make an embarrassing sound of sheer admiration, or say something incredibly foolish.

  “Here ya go, man,” the bartender spoke as he held out a beer. The connection broken, he reached around her to take the offering. Smelling his cologne, Emmy’s stomach instantly twisted in excited knots as she worked to not let out a moan or anything else that would make her look insane. Remaining still, she closed her eyes the second she heard him talk.

  “Thanks, mate.”

  English! Her mind screamed at her. Opening her eyes, she met his once more before he gave her a smirk, turning to move from her. Emmy remained frozen, watching him return to a few friends in the game room. Had he been there the entire time she was? Was she just noticing him now because the bar was slowly emptying? Turning, she placed her hands on the bar top as she motioned Gavin over to her.

  “Who is that?”

  Gavin leaned over slightly so he could look in the direction she had indicated with a nod. “Kyle or Jeremy?” Returning her eyes to Gavin, she tilted her head with a 'duh' like expression.

  “Oh,” he spoke with a chuckle, “well, Kyle is the one lining up a shot, Jeremy is the one drink…”

  “Jeremy,” she answered quickly.

  “Jeremy Drake.”

  “Tell me he’s single,” she asked softly..

  Gavin nodded his head in the affirmative. “Last I heard.” He was perfect was the only thought that went through her mind. Even though Gavin opened his mouth to say something further about the man, Emmy just wasn’t hearing it.

  “Thanks, Gavin.”

  Turning from the stool, she exhaled deeply. “Here goes nothing,” she whispered to herself before walking toward the game room with a slow stride. Jeremy glanced over at her as he took a drink from his bottle, their eyes meeting again.

  This was it.

  Chapter Three

  Everything was a blur from the moment he lowered his beer and gave her a smirk. That devilish look was enough to make her knees go weak. Not because she was instantly in love despite what her friends thought, no, love was the farthest thing from her mind when she looked at him. Jeremy screamed intensity, danger, adventure, and she craved it. He became, without a word passing between them, pure desire.

  Was he made of pure electric energy? It was all Emmy could think as she felt an undeniable pull to him, the tiny hairs on the back of her neck lifting when their eyes connected. He was like a magnet, a simple glance was able to floor you, bowing before him. He stood tall, strong, confident. There was no doubt that he knew the power he possessed.

  Why would an English God be in Baycliff, Alabama? Emmy nearly laughed at the question that went through her mind. Closing her eyes, turning her back toward him to gather herself, she placed her fingers to her temples. “Get a grip,” she spoke in a soft whisper to herself. At least he was single, she wouldn’t be part of some cheating scandal or have to deal with a jealous girlfriend or wife.

  This was it, she thought again. She would have her adventure. Emmy would pick up a man in the bar and go back to his place. She would do the walk of shame with a cheesy smile on her face. She would allow this stranger to have parts of her she’d never imagined sharing. Closing her eyes, Emmy exhaled slowly, working to keep calm and collected when introducing herself.

  As she turned back to him, she opened her eyes, surprised to find him now standing much closer. His cologne wafted over her like a siren's call. His eyes, such a deep blue, burnt into her memory immediately. She felt her knees grow weak, palms turned clammy, her stomach in nervous but excited knots.

  “H…hi,” she finally stuttered out, earning a grin from him. He never spoke, which was more unnerving than she cared to admit. It was as if he was waiting for her to make the first move, to see if she dared. “My... my name is Emmy.”

  He remained silent for a few seconds longer, his searing gaze locked to hers, the intensity almost overwhelming. As Kyle patted his shoulder to signal that he was leaving, Jeremy didn't even acknowledge it, he was so focused on her.

  Emmy didn’t know what to do, she now understood exactly what a fish out of water felt like, just flopping around gasping for air. Did he find her strange staring at him? Did her mouth fall open the first time she saw and heard him? Did she have something in her teeth? The questions tumbled through her mind, followed by many more about him, yet she couldn't bring herself to ask any of them.

  Finally, Emmy squeezed her hands into fists. She would not let this moment pass due to nerves and being unsure of herself… this mystery man before her was one of the sexiest men she’d ever seen. “Can I buy you a drink?” She was proud of herself. Her voice barely wavered.

  There was no history of their lives given. She hadn’t recently lost her parents, sold her childhood home and worked to start her life over. Emmy didn’t want to know his past loves, his favorite color or hell, even his middle name. She didn’t care where he was born or what he did for a living. She just wanted to experience an adventure she normally wouldn’t.

  Pressed on the side of the brick building an hour later, the chill from the air was stopped by the heat generated between them. His body was firm against hers, his hands leaving a trail of fire across her skin. His lips moved across hers with a fierceness that had a light moan escaping. She couldn't recall ever being kissed like this, as if the person simply wanted to devour her.

  If he hadn’t been holding her up, Emmy would have slipped to the ground, her shaky legs not able to steady her weight. Running her hands up his tattooed arms, she gripped his biceps, using the weight of his body to press her tighter against the building. As Jeremy's hands slid between her and the brick facade to give her ass a rough squeeze, she whimpered softly, stretching up on her toes in response.

  There was no thinking straight, Emmy was lost in him and the power he had over her. Her fingers ran over his broad shoulders, pressing down as though to lift herself further into his arms. It was more brazen than she ever imagined she could be, awkwardness gone, shyness a faint shadow in the distance. As he lowered his lips to the nape of her neck, her eyes closed as her head fell back to rest against the building. “Jer…Jer…” she worked to speak.

  His lips lifted as his gaze rose to her. She could feel his stare, her body growing hotter like just having his attention focused on her was enough to cause immediate combustion. There was no romance to this, no beautiful story to be told. There was simply lust, desire, passion, rawness.

  “Yes,” he answered. She could feel things inside her awakening, feelings and desires she would only know about through an erotic novel came to life in his arms. Her heart raced, her breathing quickened... an
d all she knew was how much she wanted this man.

  Lifting her hands, she slid her fingers through the back of his thick hair. At the squeeze of his hands on her ass, her feet left the ground. Emmy wrapped her legs around his toned frame, excited knots pulled at the pit of her stomach, a slickness forming between her thighs. His lips quickly found their way to the opposite side of her neck.

  She was ready, she wanted to feel him claim her, not giving their surroundings a second thought. From the second he touched her cheek inside Riggs, everything else began to fade to silence. She felt her hips drop slightly, the bulge confined in his pants rubbing against her. Her fingers slid down the collar of his shirt, her lips parted with a soft moan just outside his ear. She was waiting breathlessly for him to take her, to stop the torture his touch was causing when a sudden bang, just feet from them, intruded into their world.