“Besides, you’re the only hot dude I want, ace.”
“Gee, I’m so happy to hear it,” he mutters dryly, making me laugh again.
“Has Lucy turned her phone off yet, Nat?” I call to her. She’s texted the poor woman ten times already.
“No, smart ass. But she just sent me the cutest picture of Liv and Sam sleeping on the couch.” She shows it to me and we both ooh and aah over the sweet photo.
“I need a beer,” Luke says. “Nate, can I buy you a beer?”
“Yes, please. I need it too.”
“You both know you love looking at that baby,” I smirk.
“Yes, but we’re men, Jules. We keep our feelings to ourselves.” Luke nuzzles Natalie’s neck and I make a gagging noise in my throat.
“Keep your hands to yourself, pal, and we’ll be fine. Jesus, why do I come out with you?”
“Because you think I’m cool and handsome and witty.”
“And modest,” I quip and we all laugh.
I do enjoy these people.
Oasis, the bar we’re trying out tonight, is fairly busy, darkly lit, and loud with rock music. The cover band is currently playing a Maroon5 song, and doing a pretty good job of it, which is a good sign for us as Natalie and I are big Maroon5 fans. We find an empty booth and all have a seat.
“This is fun,” I say as I look around the busy bar. The dance floor is good-sized and fairly full of dancers in various stages of intoxication. There are two pool tables in the opposite corner from the stage, both are being used at the moment. The bar itself is long and big, with three bartenders running back and forth filling orders.
A cocktail waitress in a tight white t-shirt and short black skirt with black apron approaches our table to take our orders.
“Hey there, ladies and gentlemen, what can I getcha?”
Luke orders beers for himself and Nate, and Natalie and I each a margarita. He knows how we like them.
“The music is great! Get a couple drinks in me and Natalie and I will be bustin’ some moves.” I smile shyly at Nate.
“You are beautiful tonight in this red dress,” he murmurs in my ear.
We always dress up on premiere night. It’s tradition.
I’m wearing a halter-style red chiffon dress that flows down to my knees. The back exposes my shoulder blades, but all-in-all, it’s pretty modest. My hair is up in a twist, and I went a little more dramatic with my makeup tonight. I am wearing black Louboutin stilettos.
I’m rocking this dress.
Natalie is also gorgeous tonight in a black one-shoulder dress, also chiffon, that floats to her knees. She’s wearing her pearls and red Louboutins.
Luke is movie-star handsome in his black slacks and white button-down shirt with black jacket, and Nate is just delicious in black slacks and black button down, with rolled sleeves.
I trace his tattoo with my finger and smile up at him through my eyelashes. “You look mighty fine yourself.”
Nate leans down farther with a smile and whispers, “I can’t wait to get you out of that dress and fuck you senseless.”
My thighs tighten at his words and I lean over to whisper back in his ear, “No need to get me out of it, ace, I’m not wearing any underwear.”
I lean back and grin as he clenches his eyes shut and whispers, “Fuck.”
I laugh as the waitress delivers our drinks and we settle in to discuss the movie.
“Okay, so we’ve established that Hugh is hot,” Nate narrows his eyes at me and I smile innocently and take a sip of my drink. “But what did we think of the movie?”
“Action, sex, blood, stuff blew up… it was fantastic.” Nate salutes Luke with his beer and takes a sip as we all laugh.
“I liked it too,” I nod. “I’m getting used to the blood, but I’m not sure if that’s a good thing, the sex was hot, as was Hugh.”
Nate tickles my ribs and I laugh. “It’s just too easy to tease you!”
“I thought it was pure producing genius,” Natalie adds. “Obviously the man who produced it was intelligent, sexy, and incredibly handsome.”
“Well, that goes without saying, baby.” Luke kisses her neck and I roll my eyes.
“Puke.”
“Are you saying I’m not sexy?” Luke asks me with a raised eyebrow. “If I remember correctly, your opinion was very different the first time you met me.”
“Well, now that you’ve had your hands – and other things that make me throw up in my mouth - all over my bff, you can never be sexy to me again. Besides, you were Movie Star Luke then. Now you’re just Luke, my seriously cute brother-in-law.”
“That’s the sweetest thing you’ve ever said to me.” He wipes an imaginary tear from the corner of his eye and I throw an ice cube at him.
The waitress delivers refills on all our drinks and Luke changes the subject.
“So, I hear you have a beautiful home on the beach, Nate.”
“I do.” Nate laces his fingers in mine and kisses my knuckles, then rests our hands on the table between us. “Julianne and I would love it if you three would join us there for a weekend next month.”
I smile up at him, delighted with him, and he kisses my forehead.
“I would love that! I love the beach.” Natalie nods enthusiastically. “I’ll bring my camera and take some photos of you guys too.”
“Cool.” I grin over at her. “Maybe we should set up an appointment with you in the studio.”
Natalie’s eyes go wide, and then a lazy smile spreads across her face. “Anytime, sweetie.”
“Uh,” Luke frowns over at me. “Is that a good idea?”
“What are you all talking about?” Nate asks, and I giggle to myself.
“Have you told Nate what kind of photos I take, Jules?” Nat asks and sips her drink, not giving any indication that we were just in the studio earlier this week.
I shake my head at her and wink.
“Well?” Nate asks me.
“Can I show him?” I ask Natalie.
“Sure.” She shrugs and Luke grins as I pull out my iPhone and scroll through my photos until I come to the ones that I snapped of the canvases hanging on the studio walls, specifically the ones of the naked couples in various sexual positions, and show them to Nate.
His eyes go wide, and then he thumbs through each of them, then back through them again, and hands my phone back to me.