Chapter 1

How to heal a broken heart? By drowning it with pink cocktails. Well, that was Natalie’s plan when she downed her third pink concoction ordered by her friend Makayla.

The trendy club in Brooklyn Heights was packed to capacity and the three girls were lucky to get a booth near to the bar and further way from the DJ booth.

“He was a dick, anyway. You are better off without him,” Aniyah said, twirling a yellow umbrella in her cocktail glass.

Natalie sighed into her drink. “He really did have a nice dick and knew how to use it too.”

The group of girls bursted out laughing.

“You know what they say. To get over a guy, you get under another one and that tall drink of blond has been eyeing you all night Nat.” Makayla said, her honey-colored eyes twinkling with mischief.

Natalie rolled her eyes. Aaden dumped two weeks ago. This night out was meant to get her mind out of the depressive state it has been in, not get entangled with another man.

 

She couldn’t help but glimpse at the man Makayla was talking about. He was with a group of muscled man, who looked like they could fit in at a bodybuilding competition. The blond­—as named by Makayla — leaned against the bar counter, holding a beer. While he smiled at what his friend was saying, he caught Natalie’s eyes. A slight grin curved his face before his attention moved back to his friend.

A warmth flooded her body that she knew was not from the alcohol laced pink cocktail. She took a healthy gulp of the drink and glanced around the club and its palm tree themed wall murals. The colorful murals darkened and lightened from the pulsing laser lights.

Bodies danced to the electronic beats, while groups of people filled the booths and tables situated around the dancefloor.

“Come on, I have enough drinks in me to attempt dancing,” Aniyah said, sliding off the black leather booth. Her voluptuous body was encased in a black dress that left nothing to the imagination.

Aniyah raised Natalie up with her hand. “Up you go Nat, let’s dance off that man. He’s not worth the brooding.”

That man was supposed to have been her fiancé, but instead of proposing, he announced that he was marrying a woman his family had arranged for him. 

As they joined the gyrating bodies, Natalie lost herself to the beat and the smooth voice of the lady singing about letting the music carry away the tears. She let the music wash over her and move her limbs in a sensual dance that soothed her aching heart.

 

Feeling like she was being watched, Natalie glanced around and saw the blond man leaning against the wall near the dancefloor, he’s eyes intensely staring at her. When he saw that she had caught him looking, he smirked and took a swig from the beer bottle. His broad muscled chest stretched his white t-shirt that was paired with dark jeans that hugged his toned thighs.

 

Natalie shimmied near Aniyah and did a sexy twirl around her friend. They danced around each other until a tall, dark, bald man approached Aniyah and danced with her. Her throat parched from dancing and the heat from the sweating bodies that danced around her, she decided to head to their booth for some water. A body stopped her track to the booth. She halted to see who stepped in her path.

A chiselled oval face, dark bushy eyebrows lined eyes that looked black in the dark club greeted her nut-brown eyes. He smiled, revealing straight white teeth.

“I like the way you move,” he said.

She rolled her eyes. Not another damn chat up line. She thought she was done with those after being in a relationship for three years. 

He laughed. “I’m sorry, that came out wrong. Let me start again. My name is Palmer, and you are?”

“I’m thirsty. If you’ll excuse me.”

Natalie stepped aside to walk toward the booth.

“We’re heading in the same direction. My friends are talking to your friend Makayla.”

Makayla giggled at something one of the Hulk-looking man uttered, playfully touching his biceps that looked hard like steel.

“What kind of protein shakes are these guys drinking?” Natalie mumbled.

“Not shakes. Lots of weights and running with tactical gear,” he said.

She glanced up and saw that his tall frame was next to her and must have heard her even through the booming of the electronic beats.

“Tactical gear? Are you guys’ Army?”

Occupants of a nearby table left, and he led her to it. The booth that Makayla sat was filled with his friends, so she followed him and sat on a soft, red leather stool.

She could feel his gaze, like a lick of fire travelling down her body until it lit a flame at her core. She squeezed her thighs to ease the pressure. Why did a stranger bring out such primal emotions out of her?

 

***

Palmer placed his empty beer bottle on the table, his eyes scanning her up and down, taking in the way the green dress clung to her curves. Her Terra-Cotta skin darkening with the pulsing laser lights, her black hair falling in waves to her shoulders. Her heart-shaped face and plump lips pulled him in that he forgot that he was staring like a heart sick teenager looking at the prom queen.

“Do I have something on my face?” she said, a frown creasing her beautiful face.

“Uh?” He waved over a waiter, hoping the distraction will hide his embarrassment of being caught ogling.

She smirked. “Do I have something on my face?”

“No. Just appreciating.”

“Appreciating what?”

“Hi sir, what would you like to have?” The waiter said, giving him a reprieve from Natalie’s question.

“I’d like a beer and…” He gestured to Natalie.

“I’ll have the Pink Lady please.”

“Sure. A beer and Pink Lady coming up,” the waiter said as he ambled back to the bar packed with patrons.

“So, what were we talking about?” he said, grinning.

“I was asking what you were appreciating?”

“The lady across from me.”

A tiny smile tugged at the end of her lips. “You are not bad yourself. The shakes are working.”

A chuckle bursted out of his mouth. “Not shakes, but training.”

“So, you said. What is the Army?”

“We were in the military. But we’ve retired now.”

She raised her shaped eyebrow, glancing at the group crowding the booth. “All retired?”

“Yeah. It’s my first night here in New York and the guys wanted to take me out for a ‘welcome to the city’ drink.”

The waiter disturbed their conversation as he sat the drinks down on the table.

Wet condensation slid down the bottle as he gripped the glass and took a sip. The bitter flavor coated his mouth and throat as he swallowed. 

“Oh? Where you from?” she asked as the cocktail glass touched her lips. The plump lips opening to take a drink. He briefly wondered what those lips will feel like wrapped around his cock. He felt a twitching in his jeans and focused his mind on the question. Right where he was from.

“Utah. Well, a small town called Kamas. My family owns a ranch there.”

“Far from home. So, visiting or working in New York now?”

He took another swig of the beer. “I’m still deciding that. But maybe you could convince to me stay.”

Natalie smiled and brushed her hair behind her ear. “I don’t know, I just met you.”

“And what do you think so far?”

“I think you are cocky.”

He laughed. His Adam’s apple bobbing with his laugh. “I’m just confident. Have to be in my line of work.”

“Right. The military.”

“Yes. You have to be confident in your decisions or else people die.”

Aniyah approached them with the bald man in tow. The two had their hands clasped together.

“Hey girl. I’m going to leave,” Aniyah said, winking at Natalie.

“Do you want us to go with you?” Natalie said, a smirk twisting her lips up.

“Oh, no. I’m good. David here will take me home.”

“Alright then,” Natalie said, standing up to give her friend a hug. “Be safe. Text when you get home, okay?”

Aniyah smiled and waved goodbye as she and David made their way to the booth where Makayla sat.

“I think I should go home, too. The pink cocktails are weaving their magic on me.”

“Are you saying you are drunk?”

“Nope. Just feeling a buzz.”

He rounded the table, moving closer to her. “How about a strong coffee at my hotel?”

Natalie smiled; her head tilted to the side as she gazed into his hooded dark eyes. “Strong coffee, huh?”

“Yep. Great for clearing the head,” he said, his index finger scratching his heavy lower lip.

“Coffee sounds fantastic.”

“Great. But before we go, knowing your name would be great,” he chuckled.

She smiled. “Natalie.”

“Natalie. Let’s go and say goodnight.”

He clasped her hand. She felt the callous on his hand as he led her to the booth. Palmer tapped his friend Gavin’s shoulder. Gavin was busy flirting with Makayla and had a slight frown on his head as turned his head to see who was disturbing him. A grin broke out on his face when he saw Palmer.

“Leaving already?” Gavin said.

“Yeah. I’m sure I’ll see you tomorrow?” Palmer asked.

“Yeah. We won’t miss your first day.” He gave Palmer a hearty slap on the shoulder. That would have knocked a smaller man down to the ground.

Palmer turned his attention to Natalie, who was hugging Makayla goodbye.

Natalie gazed at him. A sultry smile on her face. He placed a hand on the small of her back, guiding her out of the club.

When they were outside, the balmy summer’s night warmed her already heated body from Palmer’s touch.

“So where to?” she asked him. Her hand clinging to the black clutch bag.

“My hotel isn’t far from here. It’s next to the East River,” he said, gesturing toward the Brooklyn Bridge.

“Lead the way then,” she said, holding on to his biceps as they strolled to the hotel.