"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 c.o.c.ktail waitress in a tight white t-shirt and short black skirt with black ap.r.o.n 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 b.u.t.ton-down shirt with black jacket, and Nate is just delicious in black slacks and black b.u.t.ton 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 f.u.c.k 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, "f.u.c.k."

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, s.e.x, 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 s.e.x 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, s.e.xy, 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 s.e.xy?" 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 a and other things that make me throw up in my mouth - all over my bff, you can never be s.e.xy 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 s.e.xual 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.

He takes a long gulp of his beer, not looking any of us in the eye. We're all watching him, smiling, and finally he looks at Natalie and says, "If I weren't so in love with my girlfriend, and didn't respect your husband like I do, I'd attack you right here on this table. Those are f.u.c.king hot."

We all bust out laughing, Luke high-fives Nate, and Natalie blushes just a bit.

"However," Nate continues, "I don't think I'm comfortable with anyone, but especially you, Natalie, taking photos of me making love. We'll keep it in the bedroom, thanks."

"Well," I add, "Not just the bedroom..."

"Ew," Natalie wrinkles her nose and I smile smugly at her.

"Not as pretty from the other side, is it friend? Okay, no s.e.x pictures. But I could use some studio time."

"Absolutely, when?" Nat asks and winks, enjoying our deceiving banter, then looks over at Nate with a frown. I look up into cold gray eyes.

"What?"

"Why?"

I squeeze his fingers and lean in to whisper in his ear, "Your birthday is coming up, ace."

"Next week work for you?" he asks Natalie, making us all laugh again and I'm relieved to know that he's going to love his birthday gift.

Suddenly, the band breaks into another hot Maroon5 song and Natalie and I grin at each other.

"Shall we?" I ask her.

"Sure," she responds.

The boys let us out of the booth and I take her hand as we stride out to the dance floor. We join the sea of bodies and begin to move. Natalie's body is gorgeous; curvaceous and naturally graceful, and she moves with ease on her tall stilettos. I'm thankful for many years in martial arts cla.s.ses that gave me balance, and a natural rhythm, and I swing my hips and arms with the song. I close my eyes and turn in a tight circle, getting lost in the music.

When I open them again, the boys have joined us, Luke wraps himself around Natalie and moves against her, all tall blonde and s.e.xy, and suddenly Nate is pressed to my back, his hands on my hips, his face in my neck.

"You are so f.u.c.king hot, baby," he growls against my ear.

I grin back at him and he leads me through the rest of the song, then through two more, his body pressed close to mine, sending fire through me.

Finally, the band plays a slow Matchbox Twenty song, and Nate wraps me in his arms and sways me back and forth, his hands on my hips. He kisses my forehead and I lean against his chest, enjoying the slow music and being in my man's strong arms.

When the song ends, Natalie and I decide we need to get off our feet for a bit, and the guys decide to try their hand at some pool. They escort us back to the table and then go claim an empty pool table.

"d.a.m.n," I mutter as I take a sip of my drink and watch Nate lean over the table to take a shot. His a.s.s fills out those slacks so nicely.

"Our men are hot," Natalie comments with a grin.

"Very hot," I nod and we giggle. "I'm so glad we did this. I've missed you."

"Me too. Who knew a year ago that our lives would be so different?"

"Right? I know that it's all good stuff, and I'm thankful, but I miss you."

"Well, we'll have to make the effort to see each other more." Natalie checks her phone and I smile at her.

"Why don't you just call her?" I ask.

"I'm sure they're fine," Natalie responds as her phone pings. "Oh! She texted me. Yep, they're fine." She smiles widely.

I glance over to the pool table and find Nate's eyes trained on me. I grin at him and the side of his mouth turns up in a lazy smile, and I feel the hit straight to my loins.

Jesus, he does things to me.

"Well, h.e.l.lo, gorgeous."

My head twirls and there is DJ, a man I was briefly involved with two years ago, standing at the end of our table. I was so caught up in Nate, I didn't even notice him.

"Hi, DJ." I respond unenthusiastically.

"Nat," he winks at Natalie and she glares at him.

Things between DJ and I did not end well.

"So, how you been, Jules?" he asks, a c.o.c.ky grin on his too-handsome face. DJ is handsome; tall, toned and dark-haired. He works at the gym I used to work out at, and was my trainer for a while.

"I'm great, DJ."

"Glad to hear it. And to see that you're maintaining that sweet body of yours." He winks at me and my stomach rolls. He's an a.s.shole. I want him gone, and I pray that Nate is too busy with his game to notice him.

"Thanks for stopping by, but Natalie and I are enjoying our drinks, DJ. Have a good night."

"Mind if I join you?"

Jesus, no one ever accused him of being smart.

"Yes, we do mind. Goodbye, DJ."

"Oh, c'mon, don't be like that." He runs his fingers down my cheek, and I catch his wrist in my hand and pull it away from me.

"Don't touch me. Just go away."

"Or what, Jules?"

"Or I'll have to kick your a.s.s," Nate murmurs quietly behind him.

Chapter Twenty Six.

f.u.c.k.

I look over and Nate and Luke are both standing behind DJ, Luke with his arms crossed over his chest, watching, and Nate glaring at the back of DJ's head, his gray eyes hard and narrowed.

DJ turns around and offers Nate his c.o.c.ky smile, the one he thinks is charming, and winks at him. "Hey, dude, I got this. I f.u.c.ked her a few years ago, and if I play my cards right, I'm hoping to f.u.c.k her again later tonight."

I hear Natalie gasp, and then everything happens in slow motion. Nate bares his teeth and grabs DJ by the shirt and physically drags him away from our table, past the bar, and right out the front door, with Luke right behind him.

Natalie and I look at each other for a heartbeat, then scramble out of the booth and follow them outside.