Author's note: Thank you, guys, for the reviews that you've been giving! Makes me so much happier to post more! Now, I know Sydney and Nathan are a little too perfect…and probably have way too much time in the bedroom, but that's the beauty of fiction, right? It kicks real life in the ass!

When Sydney walked through the doors of the club she was greeted immediately, as well as affectionately, by a platinum blonde man. "Sydney!" he shouted, all but running to her. "Honey, I simply don't see enough of you, you know that!"

She smiled brightly. "Hey, sexy," she said, mocking seduction. She hugged the man as Nathan trailed behind her.

"Look at you." He eyed her in a way that would have suggested so many dirty things if he wasn't so obviously flamboyant. Sydney had done her best to "pull out all the stops" so to speak. She wanted to fit into the glamour of the club as well as look enticing for her…date. She went for the best friend of so many women: the little black dress. Her curves were hugged in a rather precise manner, enticing to anyone interested in woman's body and her ample cleavage, which had been a source of self-consciousness and embarrassment until her late twenties, was very much on display. She had gone full glam with her makeup, her lips deep red and her eyes dark and smoky. Her hair was curled and pulled into an intricately messy up-do, leaving her neck exposed and, she hoped, vulnerable to a particular set of lips. The last piece of the puzzle? Silver heels which would no doubt wind up under a table somewhere when her feet could no longer stand them. "Stunning, sweetheart."

"Thank you," she blushed, knowing she had just gotten one hell of a seal of approval.

"And who might this be?" the man asked, approaching Nathan.

"He might be the man who has been gracing my sheets…as well as other areas," Sydney purred. She looked at Nathan and winked. "Jared, this is Nathan Gardner. Nathan, Jared."

Jared extended his hand and Nathan took it. "Pleasure."

"Very nice to meet you," Nathan said, a bit unsure of Sydney's introduction.

He looked at Sydney, then back at Nathan. While his look was simple, it was certainly alluring. Wearing perfectly tailored black trousers and a red button down shirt, with the first 2 buttons undone, he looked fantastic. He had tried to shave, but Sydney convinced him that the stubble he was sporting was sexy…he listened to her. He was letting his hair grow out just a little, something he usually never did, and the ends had taken on a slight wave. "Honey, he's a dreamboat, isn't he?"

"He is," she replied, beaming.

Jared's lips curled into a wide smile. "He's the birthday present?" Sydney shrugged. "Oh, no, no, no…Arlen's been after you for months to, well, you know we gossip like school girls all the time, but…you've been a selfish little thing with this one, haven't you?" Sydney was quiet, waiting to see just how much Jared knew. "I don't blame you a bit, Syd. I know how he can be with you, he's going to be thrilled!" The man went over a few details with her before heading to the back of the club.

"So…welcome to Pegasus, Nathan." She took his hands in hers. "I warned you that it was going to be a little different and…"

"Have I told you yet that you look gorgeous?" Nathan asked, interrupting her.

She bit back her smile. "A couple times." She laughed, unable to help herself. "Funny thing is…I'm going to have to be the one making sure none of the men here hit on you, not the other way around." She playfully slapped his rear. "I mean, look at that thing!"

He began to sway his hips, saying, "I have no…idea…what you're…talking about." He laughed and Sydney knew she wasn't going to have to worry about him being uncomfortable at all.

A couple of hours later, the club was decorated and the lights were dimmed. By no means was the establishment closed to the public tonight, on the contrary, for Arlen the more the merrier, but it was certainly tailored for a party. One portion in the back was roped off for Arlen's guests. Here a large cake was displayed and the catered food was set up. Everything was perfect when the guests began to arrive.

"Nathan," Sydney said quietly, after greeting the fifteenth or so person, "I want to play it off a little, have some fun with it?"

Nathan smiled. "Honey, if it's all right with you, I have a little something in mind, hm?" He teased her neck with his lips, not giving her what she wanted. "Remember when I said I wanted to make a spectacle of us?"

She raised an eyebrow. "I may vaguely recall something."

"Seems like the perfect setting for something like that, wouldn't you say?"

"Nathan, maybe it's just me, but I feel you've been getting a bit bolder over the last month or so."

He made full contact with her neck and her back arched. "You know that 'freeing' thing you mentioned in the bedroom?"

"Uh huh."

"I think…" He widened his eyes and backed away from her, then turned on his heel and headed to the restroom. Sydney smiled to herself, so thankful that man was in her life.

"Oh, Honey!" Arlen had all but squealed from behind her. She turned and he gasped. "Oh, Honey! Happy birthday to me. Look at you!"

Sydney blushed, happy with Arlen's approval. "Well, only the best for you tonight, right?"

"But I didn't dress you…or do your make up…or…"

"Hey! I am capable of taking care of myself time to time, aren't I?"

He smiled at her. "Well, sure…but it's just so fun to play Barbie with you."

She rolled her eyes. "Arlen, I am now, nor have I ever been Barbie-like." She felt a small tinge of discomfort. She felt that so many other women there were far more attractive than she…and it was then she realized just how much Nathan had changed her. He made her feel desirable and beautiful no matter what the circumstance. She instantly felt better.

He hugged her. "This is…oh, Syd. This is simply too much this year!"

"Well, you didn't want any presents, so your party needed to have a little something extra, hm?"

He was still holding on to her. "Thank you, Sydney." It had been a difficult time for Arlen. Losing his sister, taking full responsibility for Jess, adopting Kayla…and having David move in. It's not that it was a bad change, just a slightly stressful one. Sydney wanted to make sure that his night was special.

"You're welcome, Arlen. I love you, enjoy yourself tonight."

"I love you too…Nathan?" He was still hugging Sydney, but terribly confused.

"Happy Birthday, Arlen," Nathan said, nonchalantly.

Slowly, he let go of Sydney. "Uh, thank you. Syd didn't tell me you were coming."

He played things off perfectly. "Well, she needed some help getting a few of the things here and asked if I wanted to tag along. I hope that's okay."

"It's…fantastic." He eyed the man up and down. "Don't be surprised if someone here tries to snatch you up…and it won't necessarily be a woman."

Nathan threw his hands up. "Do I give off some sort of vibe or something?"

Arlen laughed, the sound pure joy. "No, honey, you just look so good that people won't be asking before they try and take you home."

"I'll make sure and protect him," Sydney said, playing along. "Now you go be the birthday boy." Arlen went off and Sydney turned her attentions to Nathan. "Not gonna lie, I might let a guy hit on you just to see what happens…"

"Syd!"

She smiled and walked a little closer to him. "Now, I do have to remind you that Arlen and David are…who they are and our relationship is what it is…"

"And I'm worrying…"

"No, no, I'm trying to ask if you can be…" She took a breath. "You know the two ways I dance and I already told you only one is seen here…and Arlen and David don't just dance with each other."

"Wait, you think I'm going to get jealous?" he asked, chuckling.

"I'm just warning you that it sometimes looks worse than it is."

He rolled his eyes. "I'm pretty sure I can handle it."

"Okay, just a fair warning."

"My God, you look beautiful, darling." David had just sauntered up to Sydney's side, a sly smile on his face. David kissed her cheek, his arm sliding smoothly around her waist. "Everything looks wonderful and Arlen's ecstatic…and Nathan's here?"

"Yes, he is. He helped me get some of this together since you were working today."

"He looks delicious, doesn't he?"

"Eyes off…"

"Then dance with me." Sydney didn't have a moment to object before David had pulled her into the growing sea of people. He pulled her body close and nuzzled closely to her neck. "Thank you for all of this," he whispered. "I wish I could have done more myself, but…between the baby and the hospital…" He spun them, his body all but grinding into hers and Sydney caught sight of Nathan, his mouth already hanging open. She tried to hard not to laugh.

"He deserves it."

"And you?" His lips were next to her ear, his hands on her hips.

"What?"

"Love, dressed like that…looking so very tempting. What is it you deserve? We could give Arlen quite the birthday treat."

She laughed and pushed David away. "You gave this up a long time ago, loverboy."

"I know." His voice changed, but Sydney didn't notice. "Can't I admit to missing it from time to time."

She enjoyed walking away from him. "Wouldn't want it any other way."

Nathan lasted five minutes before finding a way to get Sydney into a dark corner. "He was all over you. His hands, his face was at your neck, his groin was all…grindy!"

"Damn, I wish we would have bet money!" She kissed him chastely. "I tried to warn you…and I don't care what any woman says, jealousy is hot." She ran her finger along his chin. "I'm thirsty."

Nathan smiled. "Cherry Coke?"

"Yes, please."

Nathan made his way up to the bar and waited his turn. Before he could get the bartender's attention, he bumped into the person next to him. He turned to his left and was greeted by bright blue eyes. "Sorry," he said, his voice kind.

The man next to him smiled. "Well, hello."

"Hi, uh…"

The man's smile grew. "I don't know what you're ordering, but I'm more than willing to buy."

"Oh, no, that's not…I'm getting my friend a…" He pointed at Sydney, who was across the room and witnessing the scene. Suppressing immense laughter.

"Oh, you know Syd, huh?" The man waved to her, Sydney waived back. "Here for Arlen's party?"

"Yeah." He got the bartender's attention. "Cherry Coke."

"Well, that's a tame drink. Sydney's usually a cocktail girl here."

"Oh, um…just getting what she asked for."

"I'm Jack."

"Nathan." He picked the drink up from the counter and Jack slid a bill to the bartender. "Oh, you really don't have to do…"

"And what are you having?" Jack asked, leaning closer. "You look…like whiskey."

"Wow, that obvious, huh?" For a moment Nathan thought that Sydney may have set him up, but he didn't think she'd give away a detail quite like that. "Uh, no. I don't drink."

"Do you dance?"

"Not the way you think I do," he answered, his voice still pleasant.

"And how do you know what I think, Nathan? I, for example, dance in two very different styles."

"My partners wear heels. Thanks for her drink." Nathan began to walk away and heard Jack laughing.

"I do heels!"

Nathan found his way back to Sydney and took a sip of her drink before handing it to her. "Friend of yours?"

"I knew you were going to get hit on tonight! I'm just a little disappointed that it was Jack. He's the furthest thing from subtle here."

"I noticed."

The evening went on for a little while before Sydney gathered everyone around Arlen's cake. He beamed as his friends, along with a few family members, surrounded him and happy tears fell from his eyes. He cut his cake and as those around him began to indulge in the red velvet delight, a beat began to pulse through the club…one that Arlen knew Sydney was particularly fond of.

"Hey you, don't wanna love you on the telephone. You're hanging up and now I'm all alone. Baby you got me doin' dirt, doin' dirt, doin' dirt." Maroon 5, Sydney's guilty pleasure. Arlen was going to take her onto the dance floor when he noticed that someone else already had. "And now I wanna find you but you're on the run. My heart's exploding like a burning sun. I know you like it when it hurts, when it hurts, when it hurts."

Nathan and Sydney were moving a bit shyly together; Sydney, it appeared, trying to do her very best to stay out of her "white girl dance" territory. Arlen watched closely, seeing something in Nathan's eyes. There was something dark, but safe. Something…

Arlen's eyes widened. "Oh…okay…"

"Hold me we're dancing in the dark of the night. You're shining like a neon light…" Nathan's hands were on Sydney's hips; she was over being shy and she wasn't dancing in an embarrassing manner. "I light you up, when I get inside. So won't you touch me? 'Cause everybody's watching us now…" Nathan twirled her so her back was to his chest and he fully ground against her backside, his hands wandering her stomach unabashed. "We're putting on a show for the crowd…So turn it up baby make it loud." There was no doubt to anyone watching, Nathan had rhythm and was using it to his full advantage.

"Someone listened to my iPod well when he had it," Sydney said over the music. "You put thought into this."

He turned her again so they were face to face. "Just a little." He pulled her closer. "God, you're incredible." He put his lips to her ear. "And you're here with me…"

Sydney's stomach twisted, excited. "Say it, baby, I know you want to, especially after seeing me with David."

"You're mine." Nathan actually growled the words as his hands shamelessly wandered her body.

"That's right." She pressed herself to him and he felt the heat radiating from her.

"Oh, fuck it." He kissed her, open mouthed, erotic, his tongue sliding along hers…

The music continued. "So right now, I wanna leave with you right now, I wanna be with you all night, get in the car let's go…Yeah let's take it home, let's take it home, let's take it home…"

Arlen started to jump up and down…clapping like a five year old. "Happy birthday to me!"

The couple on the dance floor continued to indulge in one another; their mouths hungry and their bodies hot. "So right now, I wanna leave with you right now, I wanna be with you all night, in the car let's go. Yeah let's take it home, let's take it home, let's take it home…" When the song ended, they tried to find their way to a dark corner, but were intercepted.

"How long? You tell me right now, young lady!" Arlen was trying to sound stern, but he couldn't stop laughing. Sydney didn't answer, only nuzzled into Nathan's shoulder. "Okay, fine then, how about you, Mister…hot dancing man? Hm?"

"Hot dancing man?" Nathan asked, laughing back.

Arlen looked at Sydney. "If you could have seen the two of you out there…he banishes the bad dancing and makes the slut look…good."

Sydney laughed now, curious as to what they must have looked like. She really hadn't expected Nathan to move the way he did and she was incredibly turned on. "I love him," she blurted.

Arlen hugged them both. "It's about freakin' time! Come on, how long?"

"January," Nathan confessed, thinking that Arlen's mood would change.

"We could have had a fantastic night together." Jack was standing behind the couple. "But you two are both adorable and hot, so I'm far less upset than I could have been." He slapped Nathan on the rear and kissed Sydney's cheek. "Keep this one."

"Yeah, honey," Arlen said, his smile still wide. "Keep him."

***"Doin' Dirt" – Maroon 5***