I look back down to my hands, “When she left, all of the memories that were spread throughout the house did too, even the ones of his parents.”
“Who is she?” Jasmine asks.
My eyes fill with unshed tears, “You’ll have to ask Knox. It’s not my story to tell.”
Summer clears her throat loudly. “Let’s get your hair up, Jas, and then I’ll help Rhea real quick and we’ll be on our way.” Summer says, steering the conversation in a different direction.
As Summer finishes up with my hair, Tanner pops in, his eyes go wide at the site of me. I glance over at Jasmine and she gives me a ‘told you so’ smile.
Tanner stalks right over to me and kisses me until we’re both breathless. “Cabs will be here in like twenty minutes.” He whispers against my lips.
“K, Sugar Lips,” I coo as I reach up and wipe my lipstick from Tanner’s mouth.
“You guys are so cute.” Summer says as she applies some lip gloss to her lips.
I wink in Tanner’s direction. Then quickly glance at Summer, “Thanks.”
Summer and I come down and we are both yanked into our men’s hands.
Jasmine asks Jeremy and Cade, “So who’s going with who?”
Cade answers, “Those four can go together and me, you, Jeremy and Knox will go in the other cab.”
I turn in Tanner’s arm and he kisses my neck and my need for him grows. Jasmine looks over Jeremy’s shoulder down the hallway, I guess she’s looking for Knox, but he’s nowhere to be found. “Where’s Knox?”
Jeremy shrugs and says, “He’s in his room still, I think.”
Rex speaks up beside me, “No, he’s not but I know where he is.”
Rex takes the stairs two at a time and disappears upstairs while Tanner ushers us outside. Summer and I go over to the one cab and the driver opens the door for us, we both slide in the back. Cade, Jeremy and Jasmine walk over to the other one and the driver opens the door for them too. Cade jumps into the front while Jeremy and Jasmine slide into the back. A few minutes later Rex and Knox walk out from the house, Knox stops to shut and lock the door while Rex climbs into our cab.
“He alright?” I ask Rex.
He shrugs, “I never know these days with him.”
A short time later we pull up beside Club Mango and the line wraps around the corner. “Damn,” Rex whistles, “Business is doing well, huh?”
I exchange a knowing glance with Tanner, “It’s doin’ well.” The club is bringing in more money than we were ever expecting it to. And, of course, being summer time helps a lot too.
Summer runs over to Jasmine and throws her arms around her. “Twenty minutes and then I’m getting your ass on the dance floor, girl.” She says excitedly.
Knox walks over to Dylan the body guard, they shake hands and Dylan opens the side door for Knox to enter. Knox looks back over his shoulder and nods his head for us to follow. He holds the door for all of us to walk in.
Tanner and I have redesigned Club Mango just a little bit in the last year. The second floor has about six, twelve by twelve rooms, three on each side of the club. There is a huge red U-shaped couch with a black leather square table placed in the middle. The lighting is set low, giving the floor a light sparkled look. Each room is set up the same way but just a different color. The center of the second floor overlooks the dance floor below. There is a bar along the full wall that only has a few people sitting around it. I walk over and glance over the railing to all the people dancing to the music. The DJ is set up on a stage right along the back wall. All of his equipment is spread out in front him and he’s bobbing his head to the beat.
“Jas!” Summer yells over the music.
She turns in her direction and holds up a shot for Jasmine. She walks over to where our group is holding up their glasses.
“A toast,” Jeremy says and holds his shot glass up. “To good friends, good music and good f**king sex tonight.”
I roll my eyes as Cade throws his head back and howls. Knox, Rex and Tanner shake their heads laughing. We all tip glasses and take our shots. The tequila burns as it makes it way down to sit in my stomach and warm me.
After a few more rounds of drinks, the effects of the alcohol kick in for everyone. Jasmine grabs Summer and me and drags us down to the floor below. Timber by Pitbull and Ke$ha starts blasting from the speakers. Summer, Jasmine and I hit the dance floor and our bodies start swaying to the beat as we sing at the top of our lungs. I grab Jasmine’s hand, wink at her and lip sync “Let's make a night you won't remember,” then she spins and grabs Summer and sings to her, “I'll be the one you won't forget.” These girls are a lot of fun to hang out with and fit in perfectly with our group.
We’ve been at it for a while before the boys come down. Rex, followed by Jeremy, Cade and Tanner, make their way over to us. Rex goes to Summer and Tanner comes to me. Cade and Jeremy close in on Jasmine and I look around for Knox wondering where he is. Gas Pedal by Sage The Gemini comes on. Cade steps up behind Jasmine and places a hand on her hip and Jeremy steps in close to the front of her. Jasmine is sandwiched between Cade and Jeremy and they start rocking their hips.
“This isn’t gonna end well.” Tanner shakes his head.
I glance up and see Knox taking a pull from his beer staring at them. “I don’t know, babe, they might be on to something here.”
Tanner spins me in his arms, “I might be on to something too.”
Forgetting the scene unfolding in front of me, I focus on the man who has me wrapped in his arms. He’s my center, my universe, my everything. Looking at him now I take a moment to reflect on the fact that life is so fleeting, time is passing us by every second of the day. And I won’t take this moment with Tanner for granted. With all of the tragedy we’ve had over the past five years, I don’t hesitate to lean in and give Tanner the most sensual of kisses while swaying my body up against his. Right now we are two people in a club surrounded by hundreds yet we connect as if we are the only ones left on the planet. I pray that Tanner is “on to something too” as we continue our dance.
And he was, all night long. It was like a marathon with no finish line. Just two people helplessly in love running towards feelings, living in the moment, enjoying what we both have to offer each other and reveling in the fact that things seem to be returning to normal.
9
~ Age 27~
Tanner
We just got home from the Bahamas where Knox and Jasmine had a small wedding. It was beautiful and very low key. Just our little family, Knox and Jasmine, Rex and Summer, Jeremy and little Ava, Cade and Rhea and I. No one else needed to be there.