Riding Into Love. Nicki Night

always had wild tales for the guys. The song changed and the woman Drew had been dancing with when Alana first arrived ran over to him and dragged Drew to the dance floor. For the next three and a half minutes, she gyrated against him, flipped her hair and bent over, giving him a wide-ranging view of her backside. A crowd formed around them, cheering them on. Drew looked like he enjoyed every minute of it.

      The song changed again. This time it was one of Alana’s favorites. She stood and started dancing, singing along with the artist. Lost in her own musical euphoria, Alana swayed to the beat with her eyes closed. She felt a pair of hands on her waist and opened her eyes to find Drew dancing in front of her.

      Drew leaned close to her ear. “Can I have this dance?” His low, husky tone sent shivers down her back.

      Still dancing, Alana shrugged. Drew took her by the hand and led her to the center of the living room where Blake’s coffee table usually sat. Together they danced song after song until both were glistening with sweat. His sexy moves taunted her, reminding her of the few intimate encounters they shared in the past. He was as skilled at dancing as he was at making love. The room felt warmer and that wasn’t just because she was burning calories. Drew’s presence caused enough heat to spark global warming.

      “I really need a break,” Alana panted, but when she tried to leave, Drew pulled her close to him and kept dancing. Laughing, she gave in and danced until the chemistry between them sizzled and threatened to catch fire, consuming the two of them in front of the entire room.

      Alana finally peeled herself away from his magnetism, leaving him on the dance floor. She had to. Being so close to him was getting the best of her. In the short amount of time it took her to grab a bottle of water and chug half of it down, the woman whom Drew had been dancing with earlier had sidled back up to him. A sly grin played on her lips, but little did she know that Alana was grateful to be able to get away.

      It was well into the night before the party began to thin out. Alana eventually found out the name of Drew’s old friend, who remained by his side almost until the end. Alana, Blake, Cadence, Chey, Hunter, Drew, Stacey and a few others sat comfortably in the living room laughing and joking around. The ladies had removed their shoes and sat on the couch and the floor. Stacey sat so close to Drew that a toothpick wouldn’t have fit between them. She stretched her lean frame over Drew during every exaggerated laugh, finding everything that he said funnier than anyone else in the room had. It was almost sickening. Alana wondered if anyone else had noticed, but she wouldn’t dare make mention of it. Despite Stacey conspicuously throwing herself all over Drew, Alana continued to catch the penetrating stares he cast her way—so intense that she stopped looking in his direction all together.

      Stacey could have Drew for all Alana cared. Entertaining him would challenge all of Alana’s new rules and could only lead to the despair that she wanted to protect herself from. Still, she felt a twinge of jealousy.

      Alana stood. “Cay, let me help you clean up before I head home.”

      “Oh yes. Thanks!” Cadence stood.

      It wasn’t Alana’s intention, but that broke up the party. Everyone else got up to help clean. Blake turned up the music as they carried ravaged food trays and empty liquor bottles to the kitchen. Drew stood and Stacey followed his lead.

      “Sit down, Drew. It’s your birthday. You don’t have to clean up.”

      “That’s very nice of you, Cadence, but I wouldn’t feel right sitting here watching everyone else work.”

      “I’ll help too,” Stacey said, and finally pitched in.

      Drew grabbed a garbage bag and Stacey started filling it with cups and plates that people had left behind. Blake took down the decorations and Hunter and Chey folded up the tables.

      Within a short time, the men were moving the furniture back into place, making Blake’s condo look like his home again.

      Alana headed to the coat closet. Drew was on her heels and Stacey was on his. Alana figured that would allow her a clean break. She needed to put as much distance between her and Drew as possible.

      “Bye, guys!” Alana hugged everyone. “It was nice meeting you, Stacey.”

      “You too.” Stacey’s smile was unconvincing.

      “Blake, don’t forget we have a board meeting next week,” Alana said, referring to The New York Association of Attorneys, a professional organization she, Hunter and Blake were members of.

      “Oh yeah. I’ll be there. I’m still trying to get your friend here to join.” Blake pointed a thumb in Cadence’s direction. She rolled her eyes at him.

      “That won’t happen! It’s just not her thing,” Alana teased. “Are you coming, Hunter?”

      “I’ll be there,” he replied as he helped Chey into her coat.

      “Great. Oh, Dr. Smell Good.” Drew began playfully calling Chey that when he first tried one of her fragrant skin-care products. “Don’t forget about my body scrub. I’ve already used up the last one you gave me. It was amazing.”

      Chey chuckled. “I’ll send some with Hunter next week.”

      “Thanks, girl. That will be perfect. I’ll send the money back with him.”

      “Good night, all. I’m pooped and I need to get these boots off. The balls of my feet feel like I’ve been walking on hot coals.” Alana grimaced.

      “That’s from all that sexy dancing,” Drew said, and winked.

      Alana looked at Drew sideways and shook her head. Everyone laughed, except Stacey.

      Blake and Cadence saw everyone to the door. Alana held her gloved hand over her pashmina to keep the frigid air from reaching her neck as she hastened to her car.

      “Alana!” At first, Alana didn’t hear Drew calling her. By the time she turned to respond, he was already approaching. “Hey, Drew. What’s up?”

      “I was going to walk you to your car.”

      “What about your friend?”

      “Stacey? She’s in her car.” He dismissed any notion that there was anything deeper. “She lives nearby. She’ll be fine.”

      “Oh. Okay. You don’t have to walk me. I’m parked right across the street—see?” Alana pointed to her car. “It’s cold out here.”

      “I know I don’t have to. I want to.”

      That statement gave Alana pause. She swallowed hard but kept up her stride. “That’s nice.” Drew accompanied her across the street and waited for her to get in and start the car. Alana lowered the window. “Thanks again, Drew. You really didn’t have to do this.”

      “Listen—” Drew said and Alana’s stomach tightened.

      “Yeah?”

      “I’m home for a few weeks. We should hang out.”

      “Sure. I’ll tell Cadence to set something up. She’s become quite the planner since she and Blake got together.”

      “I meant just you and me.”

      “Us...together...without anyone else around?”

      “Just you—” Drew pointed to Alana “—and me.” He pointed to himself.

      Alana temporarily lost the ability to form a reasonable thought. She couldn’t say what was really on her mind, which was hell no! Buying a few moments, Alana took a deep breath.

      “Listen, I know you just broke up with your dude.”

      Alana promised to get on Cadence’s case for announcing her breakup to the world.

      “I figured it would be good to hang out.”

      Alana hated that Drew was so charming. His eyes and those plump lips beckoned her. She remembered her rules.

      “Sure,”