Over the Line

Chapter Ten

"You're such a natural." Zander guided Remi to an empty high top where they stood watching bodies grind on the dance floor. "Everyone always loves you."

"You're one to talk. Girls have been falling over themselves trying to get your attention all night." Remi leaned in to talk to him over the music.

"That's because they don't know I'm on the practice squad." He laughed.

"You could still have your pick." Remi nudged him with her shoulder as a small, brunette ran up to her.

"Oh my gosh, it's so good to see you!" She shrieked and threw her arms around Remi.

Wide eyed Remi turned to Zander and he just shrugged. "Um, do I know you?"

The girl quickly introduced herself as Carmen and explained that some creep had been making advances on her all night. She explained that her friend had bailed to hook up with some guy and then advances got worse. Carmen acted like she knew Remi and Zander to try to deter him and apologized for being intrusive.

"Oh my gosh, not at all!" Remi grabbed the woman's arm stopping her from leaving. "I'm so glad you came over and I'm really sorry about your friend."

"Thank you. You're so sweet!" Carmen smiled brightly. "Would you want to go dance together?"

Remi felt a little bad for the woman being abandoned and was feeling adventurous enough to join her. As they made their way toward the dance floor the woman shouted to Zander. "Don't worry, I'm not going to steal your woman. You can join us if you like."

Carmen quickly clarified and assured Remi she wasn't trying to instigate a weird threesome or anything like that.

"That's good because we're not together anyways." Remi swayed her hips to the tempo and held hands with Carmen as they danced.

"No way! Well that man wants you, I promise you that." Carmen declared moving in sync with Remi. She didn't respond and spotted Zander still standing at the high top intently watching her every move. "And it looks like you want him too."

"I don't know. He's my best friend. Since we were kids." Remi explained over the thumping bass as they danced around each other.

"Well there's something there." Carmen grinned.

When Remi looked back again a long leggy blonde was trying to snuggle up with Zander. The fire tore through Remi again, but this time she didn't try to fight it. Instead she told Carmen she'd be right back and let the liquid courage march her right up to him and the woman. Remi took the half drunk double shot of bourbon from his hands and slammed it back.

"Dance with me." Remi grabbed his tatted arm and pulled him towards the dance floor. The blond just starred stunned as he left without a word.

The dance floor was crammed, so they squeezed close together moving through the sea of bodies back to Carmen. Somehow they had made it to the middle where everyone was tightly packed. The crowd went wild when the DJ dropped into a new song and bodies were swaying. Remi danced sandwiched between Zander and Carmen. Zander snaked his hands around her hips and Carmen shimmied facing her.

After about and hour of dancing, Remi was starting to sober up some. A yawn escaped her lips and didn't go unnoticed. Zander reached his left arm across her chest and pulled her back closer. "I better get you home."

Remi relaxed into him and felt a wave of tiredness wash over her. Zander's grip tightened a little and his other hand wound around her waist protectively. He was right. She'd been up since 7, hadn't gotten much sleep the night before, and it was somehow nearly 2 in the morning.

Carmen made her way out with them and scooped an Uber that was just dropping someone else off. She thanked Remi for rescuing her and the girls exchanged numbers. Zander had also called them an Uber, saying he was probably okay to drive but would much rather not take the risk.

When the SUV stopped in front of them Zander helped Remi and slid in after her. Without much thought, she leaned back into him closing her eyes. Zander pulled his arm from between them and stretched it across her shoulders. The driver took a speed bump way to fast and Remi's hand landed on his solid upper thigh supporting her from falling further. It remained there the rest of the trip as Zander drew circles in her arm.

When they pulled up to Zander's condo, he lifted Remi out of the vehicle. She thought he'd set her down because she was more than capable of walking herself, but he didn't until they were on the other side of the locked door.  The tension between them was thick. They hadn't said more than a handful of words to each other since Remi ripped him from that leggy blond's claws.

In the dark it was impossible to decipher the emotions hiding on Zander's face. She could feel his intense gaze pinning her to the floor. Remi felt her breath catch in her throat as her eyes met his. What was going through his mind, she pondered. Remi sucked her bottom lip between her teeth and stared up at him.

Zander prowled closer, eyeing the way Remi sucked her plump lip. "You sure were in unique form tonight."

"What do you mean by that?" Remi screwed her face up unsure which specific part of the night he was referring to. She kicked her sandals off and dropped her clutch in the entry table.

"Flirting with star athletes. Dancing with strangers." The look in his eye said there was more he wanted to say, but lacked the words.

"And by dancing with strangers you mean Carmen?" Remi pitched a perfectly shaped eyebrow at him.

"And flirting with Lance," he prompted.

"I'm surprised you noticed anything beyond that leggy blonde." Remi rolled her eyes and started down the hall.

"So you admit you were flirting then?" Zander followed closely behind grabbing her hand before she slipped away.

"It was harmless." She fired back.

"It didn't seem that way, RT. It seemed like Lance wanted to lie you down and ravish you at the bar." He whirled her around, so close she took a step back into the wall.

"That's a bit dramatic, Z." She protested. Lance hadn't made any advances on her and was rather polite the whole evening. It was especially nothing considering the way women threw themselves at Zander.

"I know the way he thinks." Zander argued.

"You know me better than that. Besides, you're one to talk. It seemed like you had a buffet of women waiting to come home with you." Her jealousy poked its head out again.

"There was only one woman I wanted to bring home tonight." Zander inched closer, locking Remi in a stare off. His hand grazed her cheek and fell to the base of her throat.

"And who was that?" Remi challenged him, meeting searching his hazel eyes for a sign.