I walked inside of the country club to be greeted by Valary. She looked beautiful, as always. If only she didn’t speak I would have been able to take it all in.

“Wow, you’re actually on time. I’m shocked.” She chuckled, giving me a kiss on the cheek.

“Look at you sexy, God I love it when you go James Bond on me…more like James Boner.” Jimmy attacked me with hugs.

All of the guys were here. Brian with Michelle, Johnny, Zacky with some girl he probably met an hour ago at a bar, and Jimmy. Leana would be here with Jimmy if it weren’t for her modeling career. Right now she’s in Spain doing a spread for some magazine. While we were all happy for her, I know Jimmy hates seeing her only a couple of months out of the year since she travels so much.

I linked arms with Val as we headed towards the ballroom for the benefit. All of the tables had reserved cards on them with the names of attendees. We found that we were seated at one table, luckily.

“Alright, I need a good, stiff drink…or ten.” Brian chuckled getting up to head to the bar. I began to follow before I looked up and saw the bar at the far end of the room. She was here…and she was absolutely stunning.

“Hey man, I’ll catch up with you at the table. I’m uh…I’m going to go over to the other bar.”

My eyes wouldn’t leave her. Her burgundy lips. The way her dress hugged every curve of her body. The way her hair laid around her face perfectly. My feet couldn’t take me to her fast enough. I watched as she served the man in front of me. He bought her and Pixie both a shot, and I could tell by the tone of his voice that he was eyeing both of them. Jealousy began to rise in my throat like a raging fire.

I cleared my throat so he would know another customer was behind him. He saw me towering over him and quickly rushed away. I smirked as I approached her. She was breathtaking.
There was no other descriptor for her.

As soon as she flashed her perfect white smile against those burgundy lips, I was a goner. That was it for me.

We exchanged conversation back and forth. Her voice was almost more heavenly than it was earlier today. I didn’t want to leave her, but Pixie reminded me that my fiancé was waiting for me at our table. I sadly walked away from her, wanting to stay next to her for the rest of the night.
I was beginning to feel guilty about my thoughts and feelings. I shouldn’t feel this way. I shouldn’t think about Ivy like I wanted to ravish her.

I did want to ravish her.

When I got back to the table, Valary and Michelle were going on about wedding details while the guys were concentrating playing a game of Buffalo.

Buffalo is a drinking game in which the players must drink with their non-dominant hand. For example, I’m right handed, so I would have to drink with only my left hand. If another player sees me pick up the drink with my right hand and they call buffalo, I must chug the drink right then and there. Even if it’s a brand new full drink. It was basically just a sure fire way to get
drunk.

It also gave me an excuse to use my right hand on purpose so I had to go get a new drink every so often.

“Did you see Ivy and Pixie over there? They sure do look damn fine tonight.” Brian smirked nudging my arm.

“Who are they?” Zacky asked nodding his head towards them.

“They both work here. Today was their first day. Ivy caddied for us on the golf course. Pixie was in the dining hall today but she had a run in with Val that wasn’t so pretty.” I chuckled.

“Which one is the brunette?” Zacky smirked staring Pixie down.

“The brunette is Pixie. I’m not sure if she’s single or not, but you could try. Just don’t touch Ivy, that one is Matt’s.” Brian chuckled taking a large chug of his drink.

“Pixie…she’s fucking gorgeous, man.” Zacky let out a deep sigh.

I picked up my drink with my right hand, giving the guys a second for someone to catch me.

Another rule is, if they call it after you started drinking it, it doesn’t count and you’re safe. It has to be called from the moment you pick it up to the point where it touches your lips.

“Dude! Fucking Buffalo! Damn Matt you’re always the one that lasts the longest out of us.” Jimmy laughed.

I inhaled the rest of my drink and slammed the glass on the table, licking the smooth liquor off my bottom lip that was residual.

“Looks like I need another drink. Wanna go with me Zacky? No one is up there, it’s a golden opportunity to talk to Pixie.” I chuckled getting out of my chair.

He excitedly agreed and began walking to the bar with me.

“Back so soon?” Ivy smirked.

“Yeah…the guys thought it would be fun to play a round of Buffalo. I’m not doing so hot.” I
chuckled dryly.

I watched her intently as she poured me a drink. Her perfect hands wrapped around the whiskey bottle. The way her eyes narrowed in concentration, trying not to spill it. I could tell she was slightly nervous.

“Ugh…just thirty more minutes until we can have a smoke break.” Pixie chuckled.

“You aren’t working the whole benefit?” I asked confused.

“No, we promised Mr. Smith we would work for the first two hours, just while things were intense and busy. Then once it slowed down we could join the crowd. We have a table set up in the back. It’s just one across from yours.” Ivy smiled.

“Yeah, plus since we came to help for this thing, he gave us a get out of work free pass for tomorrow so we don’t have to come in since we’ll be here for a while. Thank Satan.” Pixie sighed pouring herself a shot that Zacky paid for.

“Do you want a shot? By the looks of your shaky hands it looks like you need one.” I chuckled nodding towards Ivy.

Her cheeks blushed slightly as if she thought no one could tell. It was highly adorable.

“Uh, yeah. That’d be nice. What’s one more out of fifteen gonna do anyway?” She chuckled.

“Wait…you’ve had fifteen shots? Ivy you can’t drive home tonight.” I shook my head.

“One, you’re not my father. Two, Irish, remember? Three, I have now twenty five minutes until
we are off for the night. This benefit still has at least three more hours to go. I’ll cut myself off once I’m off bar duty and drink water the rest of the night.” She let out a small burp and excused herself before downing another shot.

I watched as she closed her eyes and let the alcohol slip down her throat. I wanted to run my tongue along that perfect throat. Let my teeth graze against it while my arms wrapped around her waist. Let my hand slowly slip into—

“Matty here you are, I’ve been looking everywhere for you. I want you to meet some friends.” Val spoke, eyeing the girls with a hint of disgust on her face.

“Yeah, uhm, the guys were playing Buffalo and I needed another drink.” I rubbed the back of my neck.

“Funny…the bar right next to our table has no one in line. You could have gone there.” She seethed giving the girls one last glance before pulling me away from the bar.

I rolled my eyes as I was forced to go towards people who didn’t matter to me, and leave someone who did. I wanted to make sure she was going to be safe. I wanted to make sure some creep didn’t come in and slip something in a drink for her. She only had twenty minutes left. I was going to keep an eye on her from across the room in case she needed my help. It relaxed me knowing Zacky was still up there talking to Pixie. I trust him to shove away any creeps.

We stopped in front of a couple who looked highly familiar, though I know I had never met them before.

“Sweetheart, this is Charles and Andrea Scott.” Val smiled introducing the couple to me.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, I’m Matt, Valary’s fiancé.” I grinned.

It was almost hard to push the words ‘Valary’s fiancé’ out of my throat. Like the words didn’t belong there. Like they shouldn’t have been spoken.

“It’s wonderful to meet you, Matthew. We’ve heard so many great things about you from Valary here.” Charles smiled shaking my hand.

“Good things I hope. What brings you to the benefit tonight?” I asked taking small sips of my drink.

“Oh, Charles and I have attended this club for years now. How long has it been, darling? About twenty five years?” Andrea mentioned towards her husband.

“I say that’s about right. We started attending right after our daughter was born.” He grinned.

“I didn’t know you had a daughter! I bet she’s absolutely beautiful. Does she live in the area?” Valary smiled.

“Yes, actually. She is working here tonight. She’s right over there at the bar. That’s our little Ivy. Well…not so little anymore, but it feels just like yesterday that she took her first steps. She’s grown into such a beautiful and strong young woman, we couldn’t be more proud.” Charles beamed.

I looked over at Ivy once more, slightly panicking because I was meeting her parents without prior knowledge that those were her parents. I wanted to make a good first impression.

The look on Valary’s face after realizing that Ivy was their daughter was priceless. I wish I could have taken a photo of it. I’d set it as my background on everything I own.

“You should be proud of your daughter Mr. and Mrs. Scott. She’s doing a great job here for it only being her first day. She caddied for me and my friends today out on the golf course. She is very respectful and very beautiful.” I grinned.

I could feel Valary’s hand tense up around my arm. Oops.

“Thank you, son. That means a lot.” Charles smiled finishing off his drink.

I saw Ivy staring at us from across the room. She realized I was talking to her parents and from
then on her eyes never left us. I don’t know much about their relationship, but she looked like she wanted to dig herself a hole. After speaking with them for a bit longer, I looked up and realized that it was nine o’clock. Ivy and Pixie closed down their bar and grabbed their things as quickly as they could to go outside and smoke.

I dismissed myself from Valary and Ivy’s parents, slowly making my way to the golf course where I had seen this angel for the first time today. When I reached her, she was laying in the grass looking up at the stars, trying to get her nicotine fix to calm down from their hectic shift.

“Your dress is going to be ruined.” I chuckled taking a seat next to her and lighting a cigarette of my own.

“Sometimes you have to live in the moment, Matt. Here, lay with me.” Ivy smirked patting the spot next to her.

How was I supposed to say no?

I looked around and noticed Zacky had began walking with Pixie across the course. They seemed to be hitting it off well.

I scooted next to Ivy and laid in the grass. It was so relaxing out there. I felt like I could finally breathe.

“They’re beautiful aren’t they? The stars. You rarely get to see them at night living in the city.” She sighed.

“I could name something more beautiful than the stars that’s here tonight.”

“Oh, yeah? What’s that?” She asked inhaling the smoke into her lungs.

“You.” I smirked.

She looked into my eyes and smiled shyly. Like that was the first time she’s ever been called beautiful. The air was cool against our skin. The night sky set a scene that was worthy of our company. Her face was a few inches away from mine, and my lips desperately wanted to meet with hers.

I bit my lower lip, studying her face carefully as she did the same.

“You said you didn’t work tomorrow…didn’t you?” I asked continuing to stare.

“Yeah…” She breathed. I could tell the tension was killing her.

“Spend the day with me.”

I meant for that to be a question, but it came out as a statement.

“Don’t you have other things to do then see a stranger you just met? You have a wedding to plan for Christ’s sake.” She chuckled.

“Yeah well, the stranger I just met keeps me wanting more of her. I can’t help it.” I breathed.

The more I looked at her, the harder it became to breathe.

“…Fine. I’ll spend the day with you. Be sure to make it worth my while.” She grinned, putting her cigarette out in the grass and standing up, brushing her dress off.

I exhaled my last bit of smoke as I watched her saunter away.

“Pick me up in the morning. Let’s say nine.” She smirked, tucking a strand of her bangs behind her ear before continuing the walk away from me.

I rolled over onto my back once more and continued to start at the universe. Thanking it silently for putting such a beautiful soul in my path.

Notes

http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=204946343 Charles
http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=204946682 Andrea

Hello loves!
I hope everyone is having a great Tuesday! I can't believe it's already August...I have no idea where this year has gone! I hope you are enjoying the story. Seems like Matt was getting a little hot and heavy there. Stay tuned for more updates, and remember, comments keep me going!

xxoo,Leagh