‘What the hell am I doing here?’
Those words went on and on in Navy’s mind while sitting in a booth near her friend and roommate. The ice cubes in her glass clinked together as she stirred her vodka-cranberry drink and took a sip.
“Hell, Navy… Could you at least pretend you’re having a good time?” Paige leaned in and yelled against her ear to be heard over the music. “This is the hottest nightclub in Seattle… Look at us! We’re absolutely fabulous and we’re getting a ton of male attention tonight.”
As if to make her point, Paige waved to a group of men at a nearby table who were looking in their direction.
“I’m so sorry, Paige,” Navy yelled back.
Well, she wasn’t that sorry since all Navy really wanted was to go home. But she cared deeply about her friend and didn’t want to ruin her friend’s night out. Paige had put a lot of effort into dragging her into that nightclub.
Earlier that evening, at home, Navy had spent far too long preparing… Seeing herself in the mirror, with that hair-do and the make-up… well, it was too much… She was about to change into sweatpants and a t-shirt and curl up on the couch when Paige had selected her littlest black dress and strutted into Navy’s room proclaiming it the one.
“‘This is THE DRESS for you… The perfect one to wear tonight… Babe, every guy in the club is going to be drooling over you once you enter wearing THIS,’” Paige had assured her.
“‘Great…’” Navy had replied, without much enthusiasm. “‘I hope all that saliva comes out at the dry cleaners.’”
But Navy was forced to admit, thanks to Paige’s instruction and final touches with styling, makeup, and hair techniques, she had never looked better.
“Paige… Listen… I’m getting such a headache. And I should really get home. Finals are coming up. And we’ve got that early class tomorrow…”
Navy grasped for any reason to not be at ‘The Sin Nightclub’ on a Thursday night.
“Oh, my God, girl!!! You’re practically living the life of a nun!” Paige huffed in frustration.
“I’m not… I’m just an introvert, and it’s super trendy right now…”
‘It’s okay being introverted,’ Navy thought defensively.
Words she wouldn’t dare say to her friend. It’s good for a female to be a little mysterious… And who’s more mysterious than a girl who never leaves her house?
“Either way, you’re not going anywhere!”
Paige pulled on Navy’s wrist until she was seated at the table with her.
“Don’t worry about class. Professor B. invited some guest-speaker… So, it’ll just be some old, old, old colleague of his. They’ll turn down the lights and we can nap in the back of the class.”
Navy opened her mouth, but Paige plowed over her, running her fingers through her own flawlessly styled, bleach-blond pixie haircut.
“Come on! We’re here to have some fun. For the past few years, I’ve watched you lock yourself in your room, hibernate in the library and never take a minute to look up from your books. We are graduating in two weeks, Navy…” she reached out to grab Navy’s hands in her own, “and I need to see you act like the beautiful, exotic, sassy young thing that you are before we part ways, become old hags and never see each other or have any fun ever again.”
Paige took a long pull on her beer.
“Please, babe! We need to act young and stupid… this one last time…” Paige pleaded. “For heaven’s sake, BE IRRESPONSIBLE… for once! Live a little with me!”
Navy laughed.
“For your information, I have a lot of fun.”
Paige raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced.
“I really do…”
“Are you kidding me? Staying home on Friday night and binge-watching some TV series isn’t the type of fun that a single twenty-five-year-old woman should be having. Especially a complete knockout like yourself. When was the last time you had sex?”
Her mouth dropped open… Navy was shocked that her friend would even go there.
“Excuse me?!”
Paige smirked.
“That’s what I thought…”
She relented.
“Okay, when was the last time you were even kissed? Like properly kissed?”
Navy remained silent.
“Let’s make it even simpler… When was the last time you had a date?”
This time, Navy sighed. Her best friend was right. It had been so long since she’d been on a date, or gone to a club, or even let herself focus on anything but her studies. Far too long… And she was twenty-five… Such a nice age to find the right guy… if there was such a thing.
But Navy had no time for such nonsense… She was so close to the end. She’d spent every waking moment of the past five years working diligently toward her goal, completing her master’s degree in Business Administration.
For the entirety of her short adult life, it was her dream to pursue a career in hotel management, running an upscale resort hotel. Probably on a beach somewhere... Most definitely somewhere hot.
She dreamed of a life in Miami, or the Bahamas, or any other exotic location in the Caribbean. Somewhere where the sun was always shining and the sea was always blue… She could only smile at how close she finally was to that life.
“We’re part of the hospitality industry, Navy,” Paige continued, pressing her argument, at which she was so talented. “So, in order to be successful, we need to monitor trends to stay on top of our game. And at least one small part of that, my friend, includes visiting nightclubs and having fun! Trying new drinks, networking, schmoozing a little, and learning to talk to people to get information about things they like and things they don’t.”
“Really?” Navy asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Yes, really… Getting a sense of what’s hot and what’s not… And this place is hot, by the way. Don’t you want to be at the top of your game, Navy?” Paige finished with a smile.
Her friend was obviously proud of herself for putting their girls’ night out in terms of their studies, knowing Navy would respond favorably. Paige knew it was her only hope of getting her to stick around.
Navy smiled back at Paige. She loved her friend dearly, despite the fact she sometimes wanted to strangle her. But once again, her friend was right…
“You have such a big mouth, Paige… You could’ve been a lawyer, you know?” she said with a laugh.
“Yeah… One in our family is quite enough…” she replied shaking her head. “So… am I right or… am I right?”
Navy sighed and brought her glass to her lips and drank back a fortifying gulp. When the glass was empty, Navy slammed it down on the table.
“Fine! You win! Let’s have fun.”
Then she stopped and looked at Paige quizzically.
“How do we have fun?”
“Welcome to ‘How to party right! 1.0’. My name is Paige Turner and tonight I’m going to be your teacher… Let’s start by getting more drinks.”
Paige stood, picking up Navy’s empty glass and her own empty bottle.
“That round didn’t last long enough.”
Paige straightened her crop top and smoothed her hands down over her skinny leather pants and she made her way back to the bar. Navy pulled out her phone to check her email. Nothing new!
Then she flicked through some I***a pictures that some of her friends had posted, people her age going out to clubs and having parties. They somehow managed to juggle their studies and their social lives. She scrolled lower and lower and saw more friends having drinks at pubs and eating in restaurants, hiking, playing paintball, and riding on party buses.
Navy tapped on the icon to view her own profile. There were no pictures, and at no time had she ever ridden on a party bus. Was Paige right? Had she let a good part of her twenties escape her without getting out there and doing wild things?
‘Girl, you’re twenty-five… You’ve never gone skinny-dipping or drunk a bottle of wine by the ocean. You’ve never traveled the world… Never took chances… You are nothing more than a wuss…’
She looked in disgust at her mostly pathetic I***a profile and grimaced.
‘Take a break from this absurd existence, Navy… Live a little! Go crazy! Have some damn fun tonight or die trying!’
“And you just might,” she whispered to herself, as Paige walked back to the table, holding two fresh drinks for them. “That was quick,” Navy remarked, accepting her glass.
“Yeah, but I schmoozed the hot bartender earlier, so when he saw me walking up, the good lad skipped everyone else at the bar to serve ‘yours truly’.” Paige smiled.
“Nicely done, I say…” Navy proffered her glass in salute and Paige clinked it with her beer bottle. “So, teacher… What are we going to do?” she asked.
Paige pursed her lips, deep in thought. Navy watched her as she scanned the club, searching for inspiration.
“How about a little… ‘truth or dare’?”
“What?” Navy scoffed. “Paige, babe… We aren’t twelve anymore. I’m not going to play such a game.”
She giggled. It seemed that the vodka in her cranberry was working its way through her brain.
“Okay, how about dare, then?”
“Mmm, Paige… I don’t know...” Navy said with hesitation.
“Listen, you said you wanted to have fun, right?” Paige pleaded. “Come on! I’ll do anything you dare me to do.”
“Well, that’s easy for you,” she replied, smiling broadly as she put a comforting hand on her friend’s arm, “because you, my dearest Paige, have no shame whatsoever...”
Paige laughed.
“Even so…”
She continued scoping out the club.
“Oh, I’ve got it!”
“What?”
Paige pointed to the bar. Well, she was actually pointing to a gorgeous… god who was standing next to it, chatting with the hot bartender.
“See that guy?”
‘Am I blind? How could I possibly miss a man like that?’
“Yeah, of course, I do.”
Paige pasted on her most devilish smile and directed it at Navy.
“Very well, then... Because you, sweet girl, are going to walk up to him, wrap your arms around his neck and you’re going to kiss him like you’ve never kissed a man before.”
“Are you out of your damn mind?! No way in hell! I’m absolutely not going to do that,” Navy exclaimed.
“It’s a little harmless dare, Navy… Come on! What have you got to lose?”
“Hmm, let’s see… My pride? My dignity? Should I go on?” Navy trailed off.
She glanced at that magnificent man... It looked as though he had left work and decided to hit the club. He wore tailored pants that showed off his very nice, round butt. He had unbuttoned the top button of his shirt and had rolled up his sleeves.
Her breath just got caught for a second… She saw him laugh as the bartender said something to him. What could it hurt to walk up to him and kiss him?
‘It’s not like I’ll ever see him again…’
Navy thought of her sad, little, unexciting social media profile… She slammed her glass down, sloshing some of the pink liquid over the edge and onto her fingers and the table.
“Okay!”
She looked determinedly at the man.
“I’ll do it!”
“That’s my girl! Go and make me proud!” Paige exclaimed as Navy walked away from the table.
A satisfied smile appeared on his lips, and Victor glanced around his packed nightclub. He was the owner of all this… If there was one person to thank for the popularity of ‘The Sin Nightclub’, it was only him and his busy social life. In fact, he owned all twelve ‘The Sin Nightclub’ located throughout the States, from Vancouver to Miami. His nightclubs were the perfect gathering place for celebrities and professional athletes… Even some members from a few of the most important European Royal houses graced his establishments. And quite often, his picture was posted on gossip blogs right alongside them, with headlines like ‘Victor Lands a Princess’, ‘Mr. Hook and the Heiress’, and ‘Nightclub Mogul Parties Hard with the Dream Team’. Victor shook his head, chuckling at the latest story linking him with the daughter of a senator. He was young, single, rich, and good-looking. That’s what people saw when they looked at him. When people saw a
‘Was it me? Did I just do that? Did I just go straight to that gorgeous piece of man and shoved my tongue in his mouth?’ Wobbling slightly, Navy returned to Paige. But it seemed that while she was gone, her friend had made a… friend of her own. Navy watched Paige as she talked to a guy who had taken up residence at their booth. Feeling kinda bold after two drinks and a quick session of French kissing, Navy scooted in on the far side and looked straight at the stranger. Looking at her and Paige, that guy thought he was getting lucky. He started smirking at Navy, in his head already planning a threesome.“Not going to happen… Beat it, buddy!” Navy exclaimed. She hooked a thumb over her shoulder and scowled. When he left with a confused shrug, Navy buried her face in her hands.“Oh, my God… Paige, what did I do?! I can’t believe I kissed a stranger! I went to him, put my arms around his neck, and stick my tongue down his throat… And now
The next morning, Navy awoke with the worst hangover of her life… Not that she had many in her life to compare it to but this was definitely the worst one ever… maybe in the history of mankind! She groaned at the buzzing alarm on her cellphone and, with her eyes tightly shut, felt around her night table for it. When she couldn’t manage to turn it off with her eyes still closed, Navy threw it into the pile of dirty clothes in the corner of her room. But much to her despair, doing so did nothing to silence the dreadful noise, Navy groaned and pulled her quilt over her head. Once Navy managed to roll out of her bed, she pulled on a tank top and a pair of shorts.“Never again…” Navy whispered. She padded barefoot to the kitchen, where she found Paige sitting at the narrow breakfast bar, with her head on the table… Thankfully, her friend had managed to make some coffee.“Kill me… please…” Navy said to Paige. “This time I mean it…” “Too much work…
After one of the most uncomfortable hours of his life, Victor said goodbye to the class and wished them luck in their future careers. He shook Professor Behar’s hand and quickly left the classroom. He stopped in the hallway outside to pull out his cell phone to see how many calls, texts, and emails he had missed. There were many of each, and Victor sighed. Once again, he thought of the empty PA’s desk in the corner of his office and remembered that he had to get on with hiring someone new. Vincent wasn’t coming back, no matter what price Victor offered him. Victor put his cell phone to his ear when he felt the soft touch of a hand on his arm. He turned and saw her. ‘Navy Remington.’ The woman he saw last night, the one from the bar. The woman who had been sitting front and center during his talk. How many times was he forced to tear his gaze from her, only to have it roam, out of his control, back in her d
Curled up on the couch with a wool blanket over her legs, Navy settled in after she reached for her bowl of popcorn. She didn’t care what Paige thought. Curling up on the couch and binge-watching TV series was fun. ‘All the fun I need, in fact.’ She queued up the next episode and sat back, letting the plush couch cuddle her in a way that no man would ever know how. ‘Well, Victor Hook might know how, I’m sure.’ The man looked as wicked as sin, and those strong arms she’d felt wrapped around her, and those delicious lips she’d touched with her own, would certainly know how to hold and caress all of the most sensitive parts of her body. Realizing that she had been lost in thoughts of Victor Hook and not paying attention to the beginning of the episode, Navy stopped to rewind it when her phone rang. She picked it up to look at the screen and frowned when she didn’t recognize the number as she brought it to her ear.“Hello?” she m
Victor already regretted it. After he had sent her off to the HR department, Victor sighed and rubbed his hands through his brown hair.“Damn! What was I thinking hiring her?” he whispered and sighed. In the short time Navy Remington had been in his office, Victor found it impossible to think of anything but how her copper hair shimmered, the scent of her perfume, her sharp green eyes, and her amazing smile. How could he be expected to get any work done with her sitting in his office, day in and day out? Since the night that Navy had kissed him, she was all he had been able to think about. All Victor wanted to do, more than anything, was kiss her again and feel her hair in his hands. His hands were itching, willing to rip that amazing-looking suit from her body and feel her soft skin against his own.“Vic, my man… You’re in deep trouble… One of your own making,” he said and groaned in frustration. “Well, she’s here now. You’ve got to m
Around seven o’clock, Navy entered her apartment. She knew that Victor was staying late for a conference call to settle some things with a presentation he would be giving at an upcoming conference in Las Vegas. She had offered to help him and stay just in case, but Victor didn’t want to hear about it and dismissed her, sending her home, to rest and prepare for the next day.“‘Really, Victor, I can stay… It’s no problem…’” she told him.“‘You already did what was asked of you. For today, you’re done. Have a great evening, Navy,’” Victor replied and without adding another word, left the office. It still felt like a brush-off, all the same. She couldn’t shake the feeling that he was uncomfortable being in the same room with her, and Navy wondered why he hired her if her presence made him so grouchy… so cranky? Navy made her way to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of red wine, and when Paige ran into the kitchen to greet her, she poured one fo
Victor put the finishing touches on his presentation, and, satisfied with the result, sat back in his chair. The upcoming trip to Las Vegas was a critical turning point for him, personally and professionally, and he couldn’t leave anything to chance. His plans of expanding his empire were still a secret, but he knew that the Las Vegas Strip would be the place to start if he wanted to make an entrance people would notice. And there was only one person who could’ve helped him accomplish that… He was the most important name on his investors' list. Ben Randall, the most influential name amongst all. He desperately needed an appointment with the businessman but, so far, Randall hadn’t taken any of Victor’s calls, and that frustrated him to no end. He thought about the presentations and workshops that he and Navy would be attending during the conference. This trip would also be an extremely good opportunity for her as well, and he developed their sche