Riley and Kyle walked through the small pack of people outside the bar and toward the main doors.
"Promise me that you won't get too drunk tonight? We can both have a few drinks, but that's all." Riley pleaded, looking up at him as the security guard stamped both of their hands before letting them into the bar.
"I'll tone it down if you promise to let me have a peek of whatever hot scrap of lingerie is under this dress," he whispered in her ear, his hands moving up around her waist.
"I promise to maybe give you a peek later in the bathroom if I'm tipsy enough," she giggled, kissing his neck as she waved at a few people she recognized from around town.
"Okay. Hey look, it's open mic night!" He suggested to herm laughing as he pointed to the small empty stage.
"No distractions Kyle. Go get us some drinks and I'll find Lacey and Dale. You know what I like," she said, placing her hands on his chest and smiled up at him.
Kyle almost didn't want to let her leave his side. The lusting eyes of many men around him made him want to never let her out of his sight again, but he knew his wife too well. He knew how much she loved him. He knew she would never take an advance from a guy at a bar that wasn't him.
"A beer on tap and a..." He paused, hesitating on what Riley would want to drink tonight, he looked over his shoulder and saw her with Lacey and Dale at a booth in the corner. Lacey was drinking a margarita. "A mango margarita and another order of the nachos my buddy over there has"
"Size on that margarita?" The bartender asked, drying a tall glass and filling it with beer.
"A medium," he said, fishing out his wallet and placed a twenty on the bar. "Bring it all over to that table?"
"Got it. Shouldn't be long on the nachos or your lady's drink," the bartender said, sliding him his beer.
"Thanks," he said, sipping the foam away from his drink as he walked over to the table.
"What did you get?" She asked, turning around and stealing a sip of his beer like she always did.
"I took a wild guess and got you a margarita on the rocks," he said, looking at the glass in Lacey's hand. "Mango? And some nachos to shakes"
"Ooh. You're the best," she said, pulling him down for a kiss. "Beer foam kiss. How... yummy?"
"Sorry," he laughed, wiping it from his mouth before setting his glass down. He kissed her again knowing he made up for the foam when she moaned, leaning into him as he pulled away. She giggled, her cheeks flushed. "Care to dance? I think we can get down to this music for old times sake."
He grabbed her hand, brought her out to the dance floor as the bartender brought his order of nachos to the booth.
His grip tightened on her waist as someone checked her out and they swayed to the slow song.
"I'm not goin' anywhere..." She whispered, smiling up at him as she pressed her lips to neck playfully. "Don't let some guy in a bar get you down. I married you when we were twenty three and will always be your wife for as long as we both shall live."
"I know you're my wife, but that doesn't mean I like them lookin' at you like they do." He whispered, spinning her around.
"Hey... I don't like girls lookin' at you, but I'm not gonna let that that ruin tonight." She said as the music switched to some upbeat pop song. "Still think we can get down to this music?"
"We are Kyle and Riley Parks. No music will stop us from dancing," he laughed, loosening his grip slightly on her waist.
They continued to dance and spin. The lights were twinkling with every step they take, eyes watching this couple dance stupidly and not have one care in the world. Kyle tried the robot which left her in a fit of laughter.
"No.. no.. no." she laughed, grabbing his hands and pulling him off the dance floor with her and back to the booth. "That's enough for now."
"Oh come on. You know I can do a mean robot," he said, his hands searching for a place to settle and landing on her hips.
"I know you can, but let's take a break before I die of laughter." She said, leaning into his chest as she grabbed her margarita and took a drink. "Plus these nachos look fantastic. I want some."
Kyle slid into the inside of the booth and she sat next to him, kissing his cheek as he grabbed a chip and brought to her mouth. She bit into the cheese and salsa goodness, moaning and licking his finger clean of the salsa.
"Mmm don't lick me like that if you don't mean it," he teased, kissing her cheek as he grabbed himself a chip and bit into eagerly. "Mmm it is good."
"Oh no," Lacey said grabbing her margarita glass, taking a gulp as Riley went in for another chip.
"Why the long face, Lace?" She asked, looking at her best friend and tossing the chip into her mouth.
"Taylor Bitch-halter, twelve o'clock." Lacey groaned, finishing the last of Dale's nachos. "ANd to think we were having a good time."
"Oh Lacey. Just think happier thoughts and drink some more." She chuckled, taking a swig of the margarita. "It'll make you fly."
"Beau, look who it is. It's our favorite group of people!" Taylor screeched, pulling her husband and running over to their booth excitedly. "I hope you guys are havin' yourselves some fun tonight! Looks like Riley is sending all the carbs straight to her legs and ass with the nachos."
"Thanks Taylor," she said, covering her mouth as she chewed another bite and looked over at Kyle. "How about you Taylor? How's your night goin' with Beau?"
"Oh it's great! We just got back from New York and decided we would come in and have a few drinks before going home..." Taylor said proudly, reaching out touch hr husband's shoulder, grasping it even if she was in her way. "How's your knee doing Kyle?"
"It's great. Riley makes sure it's stretched out twice a day." He chuckled, grabbing his beer and nodding to Beau "She's got the most amazing hands. Hey man, nice to see ya."
"Nice to ya too Kyle," Beau said, extending his hand to him in a good handshake as he drank from her beer bottle. "If you are ever looking for a construction job, just give me a call bud. I know how it can be out there. I'd love to have you on my team."
"I just took a job with my brother," he said, sighing. "But I'll give you a call if it doesn't work out."
"Sounds good bud," Beau said.
"I bet Riley does have soft hands," Taylor smiled.
"She does," he said, looking at Riley with a smile.
"I know, I do moisturize every day," she laughed, looking at her manicured hands.
"Well we should get going." Beau said, pulling Taylor slightly away from Riley. "The nanny has somewhere to be and Twinkle can't be home alone, right Tay?"
"Beau, I'm fine." Taylor muttered, swatting his hand away. "You're right. We should get going. I'll finish my drink at the bar and we'll leave. Sadly."
"Say hi to Twinkie for me," Lacey said and the whole crew laughed.
"It's Twinkle." Taylor sneered.
"Oh she's sorry Taylor," Riley muttered, trying to hold in her laughter. "You know how us girls get after a few margaritas on a Friday night!"
"At least I don't go out drinkin' dressed like a whore. Where did you shuffle the kids off to tonight?" Taylor scoffed, grabbing Beau's arm.
"Oh bless your heart Taylor. I think that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me." She laughed, smiling at her old friend. Riley would like to call Taylor that, but she could just be such a bitch. "And the kiddos, they are a church sleepover with my mama. Maybe next time instead of the nanny just look around and something will be going on in the community.
"It wasn't meant to be nice," Taylor sighed, rolling her eyes. "Or are you just dumb now too?"
"Oh, I know! What you have never seemed to realize is that I have a whole lot of confidence and your comments have never hurt me, Taylor." She replied, standing up and stepping a little closer to her. "If you thought I'd actually stoop to your level and say something back then you have never known me. Now go run along with your husband in your designer shoes to your big house."
"At least we don't struggle with paying our own bills," Taylor smiled and grabbed Beau's hand forcefully and left. "Let's get out of here. It reeks of desperation in here."
"At least I don't have to force my marriage," she muttered under her breath and turned around to face her friends. "Do I really look like a whore?"
"You look beautiful," Kyle said, pulling her toward him on the seat to kiss her. "You always look beautiful."
"You do look super pretty," Lacey giggled as she took the last sip of ehr margarita.
"You're cut off for a little bit," Dale chuckled, drinking his beer and glancing back at the football game.
The next thing Riley knew, Kyle pressed his lips to hers and nearly knocked all wind from her lungs. She hardly had a moment to react before he pressed his tongue to the seam of her lips and at her grant of access, delved inside her mouth.
It was a sloppy kiss with the strong scent of beer being exchanged in the intermingling of their billowing breaths.
His arms reached up and tangled around his thick, strong neck. In an instant, she was
pulling away and arching up into his broad chest, moaning at the contact of body heat against her own, before she drew him back in and leaned into the back of the booth as he pulled away, nuzzling into her neck to stay close and PG.
"Get a room!" Dale laughed, stealing some nachos. "Or pay the food tax."
"Oh shut up," she said and rolled her eyes at him. "Where's Evan? I thought you he was tagging along Lace."
"Speak of the devil and he will appear," Lacey said, pointing over to the bar.
"I've got another strawberry margarita." Evan said, holding it in front of Lacey. "Yours looked empty when I was getting my beer."
"I just cut her off dude," Dale interswiped it and brought the glass to his mouth. "But I'll steal a sip. You can have it if you drink some of the water. Can you pour yourself some from the pitcher?"
"Yes," his wife sighed and poured herself some. "You're right. I should take some time. Have two sips you'd like."
"I will. It's really good," Dale chuckled, licking the salt off.
Evan had left to get a chair, pulling up a barstool and smiling at Riley. "Hey you." He hugged her. "You look good Riley."
"Hey, Evan." She whispered, eating another bite of nachos. "How's work?"
"It's going great." Evan explained, drinking his own beer. "I'm foreman on this new job over by the park. I heard my big brother is gonna be on the job with me."
"Think you can handle me, little brother?" He asked, high fiving Evan as Dallas scored and the bar cheered around them.
"Well I know if I call your wife, she'll keep you in line." Evan joked and winked at Riley "But I think we'll be fine."
"We'll all be just fine." She said looking up at them both and kissing Kyle's cheek.
It was well past bar close at two in the morning when Riley pulled the truck up in front of the bar and waited for Dale and Kyle to carry Evan out. She didn't mind driving Evan home tonight. THey'd all had their fun which was definitely rare.
The door pushed open to reveal four people. Lacey, Evan, Kyle and Dale.
"Dale, did you see how hot that girl I was dancing with was?" Evan slurred and smiled. "I was this close to gettin' laid man. Why would you take me away from that?"
"I took you away before you got stupid," Dale laughed and opened the backseat of the truck. "You're totally smashed man. Riley and Kyle are taking you home. You can come get your truck when you're sober in the morning"
"Did you see her?" Evan laughed drunkenly, thrusting his hips again like he had on the dancefloor. "Her ass had to be this big. I was all up in there."
"Yes. We all saw her, little brother." Kyle laughed and helped Evan into the backseat of his truck safely. He buckled his seat belt and Evan slumped over, head out of the truck. "You all good in here dude?"
"I'm fine. I just don't feel so good," Evan said and his stomach emptied on the sidewalk, careful not to get any in the truck. Kyle had never been the person to mess with and Evan knew even when he was drunk that he shouldn't puke in his truck. When he finally stopped, he wiped his mouth and sat up. "Ugh that made me feel a little better."
"You sure?" Kyle asked, shaking some upchuck off his shoes.
"Yeah," Evan whispered, chuckling drunkenly. "You know, that girl was almost as hot as Riley looked in her dress tonight dude. She didn't have her rack though."
Riley looked over her shoulder at him and shook her head, smiling at Kyle as he looked at her from outside the truck. He sighed and smiled at her, rubbing his face.
"You're drunk Evan," Riley sighed and rolled her eyes at him. "Just hold your stomach. We just cleaned up in here and don't need any upchuck to stick it up. You'll be home soon. Roll down the window if you get carsick. Come on Kyle..."
"Lunch tomorrow?" Lacey asked, opening the front door for Kyle, wanting to cheer her friend up after hearing Evan just now. "We can talk about all the stuff from tonight." The blonde winked and glanced to Kyle, which made Riley chuckle. "One o'clock sound good?" Kyle hopped in then, kissing her cheek.
"Sounds great! The usual place?" Riley asked with a smile, looking at Kyle.
"How about somewhere different? There's a new place just down the street from here that sounds super good," Lacey said as Riley put the truck in drive.
She nodded, shrugging. "Sounds good. I can branch out," she sighed. "Even if I don't want to."
"Okay. See you then," Lacey smiled, closing the door so Riley could start to drive away.
"Did you have fun tonight?" She asked Kyle, turning the radio on as Evan rolled the window down.
"I had a blast," Evan chuckled from the back seat, leaning toward the wind that came in through his open window.
"I wasn't talkin' to you Evan," she said, looking through the rear-view mirror. "I think it would be best if you just kept your mouth shut and focused on not throwing up."
"So is this the Riley you live with Kyle?" The drunk man laughed and put his head out the window some. "What a bitch."
"Evan, shut up dude." Kyle muttered and looked at his wife with a distant look. It wasn't unusual. He just looked away and then back at her with a soft smile. "I had a good time with you tonight. All the dancing."
She smiled at him and nodded as she drove down the street. A few minutes later, she pulled up in front of Evan's apartment complex.
"Need help gettin' him up there?" She asked, putting the truck in park.
"No. I've got it," he said and jumped from the truck, opening the backseat door and helping his brother out quickly. "Come on, little brother. Let's get you up there. I won't be long." Kyle helped his brother onto his feet and closed the truck's door before helping him up the brownstones steps before into the brought him through the hallway to his apartment on the first floor. "Where are your keys?" Evan gave them to him and KYle opened the door, nearly tripping over beer cans as they came in. "Do you ever clean this place?" He asked, kicking beer cans away. "Or are you a drunk?"
"I clean it enough." Evan grunted, shoving him off and walking toward his bed. "I'm fine. Just go back to her already."
"I'm not done. I need to talk to you about what you said." He said, helping his brother take his boots and jacket off. "What's your problem man?"
"What problem dude?" Evan groaned, kicking his boot off and pulling his blanket open to lay down.
"I never want to see you talkin' to my wife like that ever again," he muttered, kicking more cans away from his feet. "You hear me Evan? I get it. You're drunk and I know you have always loved Riley. I'm not stupid, but she is my wife. You had your chance a long time ago before I even met her and she chose me in the end"
"She chose you because you knocked her ass up. No one wanted her." Evan laughed, sitting back up. He stood up then, pushing Kyle toward the door as he went into the kitchen to grab himself another beer. "She's nothin' but a washed up pageant queen that got stuck marrying her high school baby daddy. You lost your chance to make it in the big leagues and now you're working for me. You don't deserve her. You and I both know it." Evan patted his brother's back as he walked past him again, sitting down and grabbing the tv remote from the side table, turning on the highlights from the game on sport center. "God, Kyle we all know you don't deserve her. Everyone laughs at you."
Kyle took the beer and slammed it against the wall. "Take it back you son a of a bitch," he murmured.
"Truth hurts don't it brother?" Evan walked backward to his bed, pulling his shirt off and discarding it, not even caring about the beer anymore. "Does it hurt that I'm in better shape than you too? I'm the new version of you big brother. Maybe I'll just steal Riley from you one of these days."
Kyle threw his body weight behind his fist that edged closer to his brother's face and it hit his jaw with such force blood pooled into Evan's mouth. He raised his fist again and brought it up to Evan's nose, there was a blunt crack and he released his dark haired head. Crimson leaked from both Evan's nostrils and his nose was twisted right. He drew his fist back again and shook the blood from his hand.
Evan repaid this by punching him in the eye and his fist collided with all his body weight. He punched him again, shoving him back into the wall.
"Don't ever speak about Riley like that again, you hear me?" he asked, running at him and shoving him onto the bed roughly. He was near his face how, his fist in his chest. "Do you hear me?"
"I hear you," Evan spat out more blood in his brother's face, not caring enough to get up.
"Good because next time it won't be just your nose that I break." He grunted, shoving his hands into his chest against before turning around and walking toward the door. "I don't want to see you around for a while. Got it? And fucking clean up dude."
"I got it. Get out Kyle," he said, standing up and shutting the door behind him.
Kyle walked down the front steps of the building. There was blood on his knuckles and hands and even a bruise above his right eye. He came down the steps, shaking the blood from his hand and wiping the corner of his mouth with his shirt.
Riley turned, looking over him.
"Oh my god," she gasped, getting out of the car and meeting him before he even came down the final step. "What happened Kyle?"
"He should watch what he says," he muttered, sitting down on the steps.
"You're so stubborn," she sighed, kneeling down. "Let me see." He covered his face as she tired to look and she looked him in the eye and he put his hands down. "That's what I thought. Now… damnit Kyle. Your eye." Kyle, you've got to stop fighting with him." She said, touching eye softly and then reaching to look at his bruised hand. "Remind me to clean you up when we get home." She sat down next to him and leaned into his arm. "Ugh Kyle. Why?"
He looked over at her and sighed "You deserve someone better," he shook his head.
"There is no one who is better for me than Kyle," she replied and looked over at him lovingly. "Don't you know much I love you?" She stood up, holding her hand out. "Come on. I'm taking you home."
He laughed, standing up and kissing her cheek. He got into the truck and they sat there for a moment before she shut the truck off and climbed on top of him, gazing down at him lovingly.
"You know that I love you more than any other person in the whole world, right?" She whispered, kissing his lips lightly. She pulled back, kissing his jaw, going to his ear and nibbling on his ear lop.
"Riley, I have screwed everything up for you." He sighed and looked down at his feet, ducking his head away from her. "For me and for everyone I know."
"Is that what Evan said to you because you did no such thing," she whispered touching his face softly. She grabbed his hands then, looking at the bruises and cuts on them, even the dried blood. "Remind me to knock him around the next time I see him because Kyle, I love you and I know that I wouldn't be half the person i am right now if it wasn't for you these last twelve years. I love you. I love you."
"I think you've covered that," he said, wincing as she kissed his hand.
"Yeah... I always have," she smiled at him, kissing the side where there wasn't an open cut as she put it down and looked at him seriously. "Next time, please try and walk away from him. I know it's hard for you to control your anger and I know that you think this is the only way you can show your love for me. Just know that no matter what people say about me... I know you love me and if one time you didn't kick whosoever ass, it would mean a lot more than you busting up your hand or face."
"I guess I can try to calm down," he said hitting the seat controls and letting it fall back. She stared at him and he gazed back at her; his eyes burning with the intensity of a thousand suns. "Riley," he whispered, his face now only inches from hers and the warmth of his breath lit her up like a candle. "I want this right now. Will you let me?"
She had every intention of pulling away and driving them home until his hand touched her face. The acceleration of her heart rate had nothing to do with fear and everything to do with what she really wanted.
She looked away as if the outside world held her attention, but after all this time he read her like a book. With a gentle finger, he reoriented her face so that he held the gaze she didn't want to give him, stealing the passion from her eyes in a way that only Kyle Parks can do. There was no smile on his lips, only the hot intensity of his gaze that they both knew was the start of the inferno to come.
One touch and it was over, it had always that way with her.
She felt electricity in her skin, hormones shutting down every instinct to say no and drive home.
Their lips met in a sloppy mess and he pulled the zipper down on her dress, coaxing it from her body with just his fingers. His lips were rough, the same lips she'd been kissing since she was sixteen and he was twenty.
"I love you," she whispered softly and smiled. "So I guess I can make an exception."
"I love you too Riles," he groaned and pulled her lips to his.
Riley sat atop the kitchen counter in nothing but an old shirt of his that didn't fit him and a new pair of panties. She had warm damp rag in hand as she cleaned the area around his eye. They'd gotten home a few minutes ago.
"Ow," he winced and tried to pull away her hand.
"Maybe you shouldn't fight people and your face wouldn't hurt," she said flatly. "Stay still."
"Maybe you could be more gentle," he whined and grasped the counter and she dabbed the cut again. "Ow!"
"Stay still!" She warned, rubbing ointment on and around his eyelid now. She grabbed his hand after and blotted the cloth against the bruises and cuts there lightly before pressing a little harder. "You always get on each other's nerves when alcohol is involved. Why?"
"Hey! I said I was sorry, didn't I?" He said and winced again. "Careful... please."
"What? If you could control your temper and use your words, I wouldn't be cleaning up wounds right now, would I?" She said, pressing a bandaid to his forehead and wrapping an ACE bandage around his fist. "There. Just don't try and do anything stupid. Now if you could kindly move and let me down, that would be great. I'll get you an ice pack.
"You know, it's almost morning." He whispered.
"It is morning Kyle," she groaned, turning back around and giving him the ice pack. "I have to get to bed or I'll be dead when the kiddos are ready for us tomorrow. I feel like crap already."
"I'm gonna go shower." He said, following her kissing the top of her head as they walked down the hallway toward their bedroom.
He'd shut the lights as they left the rooms, the house is empty and quiet tonight. Just the way they liked it.
"Be careful to not get those bandages wet. Take them off and I'll fix them when you get out." She yawned and walked into the bedroom, turning the light on as she walked toward their shared closet. "I'm gonna change and then I'll be in there to take my makeup off."
"Thank you babe. I'll do that," he said, rubbing her back and making his way into the bathroom.
He emerged a half an hour later, freshly shaven and hair damp and saw her sitting there, snuggled up in bed with no makeup. They lights were off and she was lying in bed, the soft glow of the television showing how close she was to sleep as she sat up, rubbing her eyes.
"How was your shower?" She asked as the show went to commercial, not bothering to fast forward through these ones like she usually. "You didn't get those bandages wet, did you?"
"No. I've got them right here," he said, walking over to bed in only a towel.
He sat down next to her and she carefully wrapped his hand again, yawning as she pressed a kiss once she finished.
"Love bites suit you," she said, touching his chest softly as she pulled back. Several scatter across his chest, from several different times but could see the two from tonight. She blushed, biting her lip. "Sorry about those."
"I like them. I'm sorry for fighting with Evan." He said, touching the love bite he placed carefully behind her ear earlier tonight. At least he was careful. He was always careful.
"You were just defending me," she leaned into his hand as it touched her cheek. "I shouldn't be mad at you for loving me enough to do that."
"It's not just that. It happens all the time. I need to learn how to control my temper." He said, standing up and going toward the closet. "I better go get dressed. You've got a show to finish."
She raised the remote and shut the TV off, grabbing his hand. The towel that hung low on his hips dropped to the floor with the tug of her fingers and she pulled him back into bed with her.
"Don't get dressed... we can go to bed like this," she whispered, lying him back into the bed. Her hand moved over his thighs, rubbing them sensually as she cupped him in her hand. "Doesn't that sound good?"
"Yeah," he chuckled, groaning as she grasped his balls, moving over to grab some lotion.
And with that, their night really began.