Chapter Four
The clubs and bars in South beach were unbelievable, one very street seemed to lined door to door with club and party goers, this was definitely the place to be and they walked down the road, stopping it at various bars and clubs as they grabbed drinks, there was just too much to see to just stay in one place too long..
But once they got to a large club named Score they finally decided to stay awhile, the place was very trendy inside with couches against the walls, bright lights and music not to mention it was jammed pack with people..
"we have totally got to dance" natalie said loudly as John looked at her..
"You said your feet are killing you" he said with confusion..
"i got a second wind, lets go" she said as she dragged him onto the dance floor, they had been drinking shots for the better part of two hours now and natalie was feeling, well adventurious, it was amazing what a can of courage could do so to speak..
The techno remix of heaven, formally a Brian Adams song played loudly through the club and John couldnt believe he was dancing to this crap but Natalie was having a blast and well it was contagious and so they danced ridicously as they laughed..
"see i knew you could dance" Natalie laughed as they jumped around like all the other party goers..
"if you ever tell anyone about this i will have to kill you" he said with a smirk as they danced and laughed..And as if John couldnt be punished enough the next song playing was the remix of Listen to your heart, seriously it was like an eighties nightmare, and natalie jumped around as she had a blast..
Two songs quickly turned into four and by then natalie's feet felt as if they would fall off as John lead her off the dance floor, he had to admit he had never ever seen her like this before, to say she was toasted would be an understatement..
They both drank back one more shot as she excused herself to make a bathroom run and John just leaned against the bar as he looked around the crowded club..
"Hey there" a blonde girl said as she came over..
"hey" he smirked as he looked her up and down, yep everything about her was fake, including her hair, damn he loved Miami!
Natalie stumbled her way into the bathroom, surprisingly it wasnt packed and she quickly got to a stall, her head was absolutely spinning as she took care of business, she couldnt believe how much she had drank and how much she danced, yep it was definitely time to get the hell out there before she ended up losing the contents of her stomach.
Being drunk and trying to walk in spike heels was becoming a task in itself as she got out of the bathroom and promply bumped into a tall dark haired guy who was standing against the wall.."sorry" she said quickly..
"No worries" he grinned at her and she walked past him.."hey wait... im Steve" the guy said as he came up next to her..
"and im married" she said quickly as she looked at him, the only thing good about playing a married couple is that she had an excuse to blow off guys..
"damn lucky man" he grinned as he walked next to her..
"thanks, now if you dont mind" she said as she walked but her feet had another idea as she slipped and nearly fell down if it wasnt for Steve's arm catching her..
"are you ok" he asked as she tried to stand..
"Yeah im just a little dizzy" she said honestly..
"come on you should sit" he began and she shook her head..
"My husband will be looking for me" she said quickly, she really needed to leave the club, like now and with another step she stumbled again as Steve grabbed her again..
"God im fine" she snapped at him and then her eyes locked in across the club where John leaned across the bar, he was lost in conversation with some blonde and she huffed, she had a weird feeling, and maybe it was the alcohol but it felt almost like jealousy and it was completley unexpected considering the circumstances..
"i really think you should sit" Steve continued and she looked at the tall dark haired man..
"Actually i would like to dance" the words came out before she could stop herself, and she didnt even know why she was doing it..
"You would?" he said with a look of shock.."but what about your husband" he said with confusion..
"do you want to dance or not Steve" she slurred her words and she dragged him onto the dance floor..
John listened to the blonde ramble on and on, oddly enough he couldnt even find himself concentrating, not even on her large fake breasts, actually he was getting increasingly worried about natalie, she hadnt come back yet..
He scanned the place as Barbie continued to talk and then his eyes locked in on her, Natalie on the dance floor and she was totally making out with some guy and maybe it was the alcohol he had drank, or maybe the situation but all he knew is he saw red as he spun from the barbie doll who called out to him but he ignored her, he was on a mission and that mission was in the middle of making out with some dude!
Natalie pulled back from the guy she was kissing, he really was an overachiever when it came to kissing and it left her face soaking wet, talk about disgusting, but the next thing she saw made her stomach turn slightly cause she saw a pair of very pissed off blue eyes walking her way..
"wow your amazing" Steve said appreciatively towards her..
"thanks i think so too" John said bitterly as Natalie looked at him and swallowed hard..
"Hi" she said with a smile at him but he wasnt smiling at all..
Steve turned and faced John.."do you mind getting your hands off my wife before i tear them off" John snapped as Steve quickly backed up and Natalie huffed as she rolled her eyes..
"you know i was having fun" she snapped at John..
"yeah well fun is over, were leaving" he grabbed her by her upper arm and pulled her off the dance floor..
"hey... hey, dont be rude" she snapped at him, how dare he come in all barbaric like!
"dont be rude? Are you fucking kidding me Natalie, what part of married do you not understand" he said through gritted teeth..
"oh please, you didnt look concerned a few minutes ago when you were oggling the plastic princess" she said sarcastically..
"Your drunk, were leaving" he snapped, he wasnt about to fight with her right now..
"Im not drunk" she said just as she stumbled and he caught her arm..
"Now would be a good time to shut up" John snapped at her as he began to lead her outside..
"who the hell do you think you are" she snapped at him as she tried to yank her arm back but he kept a tight grip on it..
"do you want to blow this whole case out of the water, is that what you want to do" he said dangerously low as he looked at her and she swallowed hard as she looked around..."were leaving, dont make a scene" he said warningly as they made it outside into the cool night air and she finally shut up, for now at least..
John had called the limo driver as they waited for the car by the curb.."I dont know why you are being like this, i was just trying to have fun" she finally said with a huff and he just ignored her, he was really pissed.."whatever.." she huffed.."I dont understand why your allowed to hang all over some chick but i cant" she began as he looked at her now..
"first off i wasnt hanging off of anyone and i certainly wasnt making out with some stranger, you better hope that no one important witnessed your little show back there" he snapped at her..
"its not a big deal, god" she huffed..
"wow you are really pissing me off" he said seriously as the limo pulled up and it couldnt of been better timing, he quickly opened the door as she hopped in and he did too..
Neither of them spoke for a few minutes as they drove back home and reality began to sink in as natalie sat there, the realization that someone may of been watching them filled her with guilt, seriously what was wrong with her, she could of single handedly blown their case out of the water and for what, for some petty jealousy that was completely unfounded and unneeded, this was John for god sake, her damn partner!
"Im sorry" she finally said as she looked at him and he stared out the window.."i...I dont know what got into me"
"i warned you about all of those shots" he said as he continued staring out the window, he was more pissed at the fact that seeing her kissing that dude did something to him, a feeling he wasnt quite expecting, jealous rage, what the fuck?
"Im sorry ok, i may of had too much to drink" she said and he looked at her now..
"we cant afford to have this case blow up in our face" he said with aggravation and she hung her head down, she knew he was right.."thankfully i think everyone was wasted and not paying attention" he said honestly..She continued to stare at her hands as she fidgeted.."dont do it again"
"i wont" she said low as she sat there like a scolded child, hell she knew better then this, she had been on numerous cases with him where she played his wife, she knew how to do this game, she knew well, then why the hell did it somehow feel different this time, that she couldnt quite place..
"whatever...were almost home, i just wanna go to sleep" he said coldly as he stared back out the window..
Has our conscience shown? Are we listening? So I walk up on high
Has the sweet breeze blown?
Has all kindness gone?
Hope still lingers on.
I drink myself of newfound pity
Sitting alone in New York City
And I don't know why.
Hymns of offering.
Have we eyes to see?
Love is gathering.
All the words that I've been reading
Have now started the act of bleeding
Into one.
And I step to the edge
To see my world below.
And I laugh at myself
While the tears roll down.
'Cause it's the world I know.
It's the world I know.
It seemed like they were back at the estate in record time and John was quickly getting out and storming off to the door as she stumbled out of the car, god she had never seen him this mad before, it was really unsettling..By the time she got to the door he was already going up the stairs, two at a time too as she held onto the railing and made her way up slowly..
By the time she made her way into the room he was already in the bathroom as she sat on the bed and began taking off her boots, she didnt like that he was mad at her, he was never mad at her, this had to be a first..,she placed her boots at the side of the bed and walked to her closet, she quickly grabbed a pair of pajama bottoms and a tshirt and put them on, she was glad to be out of that dress, the sound of the bathroom door opening as she got out of the closet now dressed made her look as he walked over to the bed and removed his boots, socks and shirt as he laid down, he still wasnt talking to her and she sighed..
"If you want me to sleep in the other room" she began as he looked at her now, seeing her standing there, dressed in Hello Kitty pajamas, i mean how could he be mad at her dressed like that..
"the bed is big enough" he sighed as she walked over and climbed onto it and laid down on her side looking at him..
"im really sorry, it was really stupid of me" she began as he rolled on his side too and looked at her..
"this is a really important case, i know you know that" he said honestly, his voice lower now, softer..
"I know, it wont happen again" she said low..
"why would you risk the case to kiss some dude" he said as he looked at her and she shrugged her shoulders, she couldnt tell him the real reason, hell she barely understood it herself.."lets agree on no more shots" his face lightened up some more..
"Ok" she said with a nervous smile..
"come here" he said as he laid on his back and pulled her over as she laid her head on his chest and he put his arm around her.."Lets get some sleep, tomorrow is a big day" he said low..
"so your not mad anymore" she said low..
He sighed.."No, im not mad"
"good" she said with a smile.."goodnight John"
"Goodnight Natalie" he said as they both drifted off to sleep..
Natalie woke up before John, it was still quite early and the room was still dark as she stared at the ceiling, the events from the night before were still fresh in her head and it wasnt only the memory of her kissing that guy but it was what lead up to that, she quickly sat up as she looked at John, what the hell was she thinking, i mean hell, she knew him, probably better than anyone and of course they were close and all, they had to be, they were literally depending on each other for survival, figuartively and literally, the idea hit her like a mac truck as her eyes got wide..My god was she developing feelings for him now, after all this time? No, of course not that would be silly, ridiculous..
She watched as he rolled over onto his back and now she got out of the bed, quietly as to not wake him, holy crap what the hell was happening to her, she quickly left the room..
John awoke to an empty room with the sun shining through the blinds, his head was aching something awful but that wasnt it, there was something else, his mind went back to last night, to seeing her kiss that dude, he quickly sat up in bed and ran a hand through his hair, what the hell?
For the first time since forever he had been jealous, like really green eyed, seeing red jealous, he almost laughed as he sat there and held his head, she was like a damn sister to him albet hot but a sister no less, his mind went to that kiss again and now he jumped out of the bed as if it was burning him..
"what the hell" he said as he shook his head, a shower, he just needed a shower, something to help him think straight, that had to be it, plain and simple, he was not, could not, absolutely not have feelings for her, no way, nope, not a chance, he kept telling himself as he walked to the bathroom, he would take a shower and laugh about this when he was done, natalie, he shook his head again and headed into the bathroom..
Natalie sat on the balcony that was outside of the study, she had a cup of coffee in hand, she had watched the sun rise and get brighter as she sipped her coffee, there was no way in hell she was falling for John, no way, it was impossible, the sound of her phone ringing snapped her out of her thoughts as she saw it was Gigi, she answered right away..
"Hey chicka, so i was thinking, tonight, girls night" Gigi began..
Natalie sighed, crap she hadnt told Gigi that she was leaving.."Yeah im gonna have to take a rain check on that one" she began..
"what? Why?" Gigi said with shock.."listen i know you are upset about Cris and all but" Gigi began and Natalie sighed again, cris... crap, double crap..
"Yeah about that" Natalie began.."funny story really, apparently we werent suppose to go out for drinks that day, it was last night" she sipped more on her coffee..
"what? Oh my god Nat, so you went out with him last night, it was just a misunderstanding? thank god, i mean i knew something had to be up, he is totally into you" Gigi began to ramble..
"actually um, im sort of in the middle of a case" Natalie said quietly..
"already but you just got back" Gigi said quickly..
"yeah well what is that saying, evil never sleeps" Natalie sighed as she leaned back in the chair and let the sun hit her face..
"Oh man, this sucks, for how long this time, and what about Cris" Gigi began..
"i dont know how long, and as for Cris, well..." natalie began as she remembered the kiss they had shared, suddenly it hadnt seemed so important now..
"Damn it nat this sucks" Gigi huffed..
"tell me about it" she sighed.."But were suppose to get together when im done"
"he said that? I want details, did he come to you, what happened" Gigi continued..
Natalie shook her head with embarassment as she remembered what had occured.."i sort of showed up at the gallery thats when he told me, i must of gotten my days mixed up"
"yeah well who can blame you, i mean hell half of the time your on some case somewhere, which reminds me, where are you now" Gigi began.."and let me guess he is there" she said sarcastically..
"Miami and of course he is here, he is my partner" Natalie began as Gigi sighed loudly..
"uh god, i swear you just cant get a break Nat" she sighed..
"You know its not so bad, Florida is nice this time of year" Natalie said honestly..
"yeah yeah, i dont care about that, i wanna hear what happened with Cris" Gigi began as Natalie fidgeted some..
"nothing really, i mean we talked" Natalie's voice trailed as she thought of last night, of seeing John with that fake plastic barbie doll..
"what arent you saying?" Gigi said suspiciously..
"nothing" Natalie swallowed hard..
"Bullshit, spill girl" Gigi got all serious..
"Ok fine so we may of kissed" Natalie blurted out as Gigi gasped..
"what? Oh my god Nat this is great, so how was it" she said with excitement..
"geez gi your more excited then i am, it was just a kiss" Natalie began, she was a bit surprised that she wasnt excited about the kiss like she had been the day before, what the hell, cris was a good guy and sexy as hell, she should be thrilled..
"Just a kiss, my ass" Gigi laughed.."who initiated it, you or him"
Natalie sighed as her face turned red..." ok fine, he did and it was nice"
"Nice? NICE? Hell Nat this is what you have been waiting for, he finally kissed you!" Gigi said damn near yelling into the phone..
John heard her before he saw her, with a cup of coffee in hand and freshly showered he followed the sound of her voice, it lead him into the study as he looked around and then he saw the double doors open that lead to the balcony, she was talking on the phone oblivious to him standing by the door as he sipped his coffee, she looked different to him today, a strange feeling came over him, one he definitely wasnt use to when he was around her..
"Ok so maybe it was a little better than nice" Natalie continued , oblivious to John standing there.."I mean i wouldnt be against kissing him again" she said honestly..
"Thats my girl, you get em" Gigi laughed..
The sound of John clearing his throat made natalie turn and look at him as he stood there.."Listen Gi i gotta go"
Gigi sighed.."alright, but listen as soon as you get back were going out"
"deal" natalie said.."talk to you soon"
John made his way over the the edge of the balcony, he had only caught the tail end of their conversation but he knew who they were talking about and it wasnt the guy from last night, it was that damn painter..
"i see you found the coffee" natalie said feeling nervous all of a sudden..
"yeah couldnt go without it" he said as he sipped his drink.."so are you ready for today"
"yeah, and you" she said as she stood now too..
"sure" he said as he turned and looked at her, he had that feeling again, the one that was tugging at the bottom of his stomach, yet again unexpected..But he wasnt the only one who felt it, Natalie did too and it kind of jolted her.
"well we have a few hours before we need to do anything, i um think im going to check out the beach" she said as she sipped her coffee..
"You know what i think that sounds like a good idea" he said quickly, he just needed to act normal and this too shall pass..
"cool, i will meet you down in five?" she said as they made their way to the door, that awkward tension was still there..
"five it is" he said and then they both took off to get dressed in their swim suits..