Lieutenant Commander Stud Read online

“Hello Xander. I’m afraid I have bad news. I was dusting today and broke one of the framed pictures you had on your fireplace mantle. The one of your parents on that trip down to Mexico when you were only six years old. I’m so sorry. I’ll go into town tomorrow and buy you a new frame.”

  Xander knew exactly which photo she was talking about. He remembered that trip fondly.

  “It’s okay Winnie. I’ll just take it and put it in my photo album. Where’s it at now?”

  Winnie pointed to the table in the living room. The picture was one of Xander’s favorites. The smiles and sunshine reminded him that life with his parents wasn’t always bad. They were only human and had gone through hardships just like everyone else.

  Letting his mind wander, he imagined his parents sitting in the front row at next month’s fight. Would they be proud of who he’d become? Would they even care about his success? Despite all the damage they had caused him, Xander still felt unconditional love for his parents and missed them now more than ever. This was a fact that he would never tell a soul.

  Chapter 8

  Xander pulled into the gym parking lot where his crew was waiting to go to the club.

  “About time. What took you so long? Doin’ your hair? C’mon, we probably missed all the pretty ladies by now.” Ronnie was one to talk. His hair always looked like he used a full bottle of gel just to keep it back.

  The best thing about The Dome was that Xander and his friends knew all the bouncers who worked there, so they never had to go through the same hassle as everyone else. Xander stayed at the back of the line as the guys piled into the club, throwing occasional punches at each other as usual.

  This part of the night always hyped everyone up—it was what the group called ‘hunting,’ where they scoped the place out for women they planned to take home at the end of the night. There was a short process to ensure they hadn’t chosen the same chick, then they went into action. Xander scanned the club as best as he could. Through the flashing lights, his eyes stopped as he looked toward the bar. The typical women were there, ordering fruity drinks and bending over the counter to augment the assistance they were already getting from their push-up bras.

  One of the women seemed out of place, like she was wearing a costume instead of something she would normally wear for a night out. From the way she was standing so awkwardly at the bar, Xander wondered if she had ever even been to a club before. She seemed different, not like the other girls that he would normally try to pick up on a Friday night. Never one to turn down a challenge, he decided she was going to be his target. He felt a primal need to wipe away that look of perfection, and felt himself getting turned on at the idea of a good girl gone bad.

  After taking a sip from her drink, she suddenly looked over her shoulder and met his eyes. As he smiled at her, she shyly looked down at her feet, pretending not to notice. Show time.

  Chapter 9

  Molly quickly glanced at her feet, sensing that she was exposed and vulnerable. Even his name made Molly nervous. ‘The Beast?’ What kind of a name was that?

  Where the hell was Elodie? Molly couldn’t see her, and was getting anxious at the prospect of being the only female standing alone at the bar. Fighting the urge to glance back at the handsome stranger was becoming increasingly more difficult, and Molly could feel her pulse getting faster. To avoid letting her nerves get the best of her, Molly turned toward the bartender.

  “I’ll have a shot. On rocks. Or wait. I don’t know— ugh. Just ... whatever you think is best, okay?” The bartender shrugged his shoulders and came back with a shot glass full of something dark brown and viscous. Without questioning what the mystery liquid was, Molly tossed her head back and gulped it down. A fire burned at the back of her throat, her eyes watered, and she choked for a moment, but she quickly began to feel more relaxed as the warmth spread from her belly throughout her body. Her rigid self-control dissolved and she found herself skimming the room looking to find him again.

  After less than thirty seconds of looking, Molly found him leaning against a wall by the dance floor. He wasn’t alone. But he wasn’t with his boys either. A blonde-haired girl with shorts barely long enough to cover her ass was standing against the wall too, twirling her hair and clearly flirtatious. Molly felt a pang of envy as she saw how effortless it seemed for this girl to flirt with him. It was apparent that the blonde had spent most of her time craving attention from guys, and despite her envy, Molly decided she didn’t ever want to come across as that desperate.

  As Molly watched him smooth back his hair, she realized that he was noticeably more muscular than the guys he came in with. His arms seemed nearly almost as wide as her thighs, and she imagined what it would be like to look up and see him towering over her, flexing every muscle in his body. She noticed his big hands too, and the tingling sensation between her legs returned.

  Molly tried to deny the fact that she was completely entranced by this total stranger, but something about him was doing things to her that she hadn’t known she was even capable of. Of course, she had been turned on by guys before, mostly in movies and magazines, but this was new. Whatever it was, she could feel herself becoming comfortable with this unfamiliar new perspective.

  “Hey Mols! Molly? Girl, what’s got you so wrapped up?”

  Molly snapped out of her daydream and found herself back at the bar, staring at a sweaty and very drunk Elodie.

  “Oh, hey El. Sorry, I just—wow, you look like you’ve been having some fun,” Molly said, trying to clear her mind of her previous thoughts and regain her normal reserved demeanor.

  “And you look like you’ve been having some hot and heavy eye contact. Let me guess, that group of guys over there?” Elodie pointed towards the guy Molly was interested in and the rest of his friends.

  “Mols, I don’t mean to crush your dream here, but those dudes are nothin’ but trouble. I’ve seen that guy with the leather jacket in this club more times than I can count, and let me be the first to say he’s nothin’ special. Just your average douche bag trying to get under anything with a pulse. By the looks of it, I’m assuming the rest of them aren’t any different. Don’t waste your time, girl.”

  If anyone was going to be right about the kind of guys at this club, it would be Elodie. The Dome had been Elodie’s go-to club for most of her weekends during her time at school, and Molly had heard more than her fair share of stories about its shady characters.

  “Okay, enough about boys. We’re here to have a good time, and like you said, I need a night to stop thinking about grades and what I’m going to do with my life after all of this is over.”

  Elodie’s smile grew from ear to ear and she grabbed Molly around the waist.

  “You owe me a dance, pretty lady,” Elodie said, in her best manly voice.

  “Just this one, handsome fella.”

  Chapter 10

  Elodie grabbed Molly’s hand and led her to the dance floor. The DJ was playing a bass-heavy set and the floor was packed front to back. Most of the people were grinding like Elodie had been, and although Molly was aware of that type of dancing, she hadn’t seen it happen in person before.

  “Mol! We have to get to the middle!” Elodie yelled, continuing to pull her further into the crowd. Elodie navigated around dancing couples, holding Molly’s hand until they reached the center.

  The middle of the dance floor was as hot as a sauna, and Molly could feel herself sweating already. “It’s so hot in here!” she yelled into Elodie’s ear.

  “I know! The sweat only makes you look sexier though!”

  Molly wasn’t exactly feeling sexy, but being around Elodie somehow always made her more confident, like it was contagious. Now Elodie put her hands on Molly’s hips and started moving them smoothly from side to side in an attempt to get Molly to start dancing to the music. After a bit of coaxing, Molly loosened up as she put her hands on Elodie’s hips.

  “Just do what I do, Mol!” Elodie started running her hands through her own hair, closing her eyes
and moving her head back and forth.

  Molly mimicked Elodie, and soon found herself beginning to understand what Elodie meant when she said it felt sexy to be sweaty and dancing in a room full of people. The energy was unlike anything she had experienced before.

  Elodie moved her hands from her hair down towards her chest. Unlike Molly, Elodie had large breasts and the dress she was wearing barely held them in. Although the corset Elodie had given her was uncomfortable to say the least, Molly couldn’t help but love the way it gave her small frame the illusion of curves that she’d never experienced before.

  Tracing the lines of her body, Molly looked around the room to see if anyone was watching her. Everyone on the dance floor seemed only to be interested in the people they were dancing with, and it wasn’t until she looked behind her that she saw someone staring in her direction.

  Molly felt herself blush, but decided she wasn’t going to look away from him this time. She couldn’t tell if it was the drinking, the dancing, or the combination of both, but she wanted him to see her. At what other time would she ever feel this sexy? It wasn’t every day she could be convinced to go dancing at a club while wearing skin tight clothing.

  Molly wanted any excuse to go back to the bar. ‘The Beast’ didn’t seem like much of a dancer, and she wanted to take her newfound courage for a spin.

  “I’m tired, El! Let’s go grab a seat back at the bar and take a break!”

  Elodie shook her head, smiling. “You go back! I’ll meet you there in a second. This is my jam!”

  Back at the bar, Molly grabbed an empty stool and checked her phone for the time. Only 10:30pm! Excited that the night was still young, Molly looked at the drinks laid out on the back of the bar, trying to decide between the cherry flavored looking one and the clear, bubbly one beside it.

  “I’d recommend the Long Island Iced Tea. Jerry makes the best one in town, and trust me, you don’t even taste the liquor. Unless you want to.”

  Molly turned to her left and saw him standing right there in front of her. Now that he was up close, she saw that he was even more handsome than she’d thought. Molly took a deep breath, remembering that she was still the same confident and sexy woman that had left the dance floor just moments ago.

  “I don’t mind a little kick. Does it taste better if someone else buys it for you?”

  Molly was surprised by her own boldness, and had to clamp her mouth shut to stop herself from apologizing. Unsure of whether or not she’d just crossed a line, she let out a quiet sigh when she saw him laugh.

  “I would never let a beautiful woman like you buy yourself a drink,” he said as he winked at Molly before flagging over Jerry the bartender.

  “Jerry, will you get this lady one of your famous Long Island Iced Teas?”

  Molly felt her hands trembling. Folding them onto her lap, she contemplated what her next move should be. Act natural, she thought, but this was as far from natural for her as it was for a pig trying to fly. Thank God for the alcohol.

  “So, where’s that friend of yours you were dancing with?” Immediately, Molly slumped in her chair. He wasn’t looking at me. Of course, he wasn’t, he was checking out Elodie.

  “Oh, that was Elodie. She’s still dancing. We met at the university. She’s really cool, kind of like a big sister to me. I mean, not like a cooler, older sister, but more like a—”

  Chuckling again, he said, “It’s okay. I’m sure she’s not as cool as you. One thing is for sure… she doesn’t have better dance moves than you.”

  Molly felt herself blushing again. His voice was like molten lava, and she was melting right there in front of him. Molly was about to confess that the whole time she was dancing she was just copying Elodie, but stopped herself before uttering the words.

  “The drinks help. So, you were watching me dance? I would say I’m flattered, but now I’m thinking that you must have just been bored.”

  This time he didn’t laugh. He looked away from his drink and stared deep into Molly’s eyes, biting on his lips the way he did when he first saw her.

  “I couldn’t be bored looking at you even if I tried.”

  It was as if everything suddenly happened in slow motion. One minute Molly was alone at the bar, trying to order a drink for the second time in her life. The next minute, she was staring into the eyes of the most beautiful man she had ever seen, watching him as he moved closer and closer toward her. Molly felt a warm hand on her knee, and a thumb grazing her cheek.

  Before she could say anything, she felt his lips on hers. Molly pulled away, but not before kissing him back.

  “I’m sorry, I just ... I don’t even know your name. The bartender told me they call you ‘The Beast,’ but I don’t really know why.” Molly instantly regretted her hesitation, thinking of the girl he was flirting with before, and knowing she definitely wouldn’t have pulled away. Stupid morals, always getting in the way of fun, Molly thought, as she looked down at her feet.

  “That’s just my name when I’m fighting. I don’t go by that name when I’m buying groceries, or you know, kissing gorgeous women like you. It’s Xander.”

  Xander, that’s a much better name she thought.

  “It’s only fair that you know mine too then. I’m Molly, Molly Tompkins.”

  Molly thought of being back in school and how she would introduce herself to other girls. Most of them would pretend to like her, and then never call or text to hangout after saying they would. Elodie had been the only friend to stay true to her word, never ditching or leaving Molly hanging.

  “Well… Ms. Tompkins, it is my great pleasure to meet you.”

  Xander leaned back in toward Molly. This time with his hands gently placed on either side of her neck. Molly was surprised by the strength of his hands, and even more so by the thrill she felt from being handled in that way. Without hesitation, Xander placed his lips onto Molly’s, starting with a light peck, and then prying her lips open with his. She felt his tongue searching for hers, and tried to think back to what she had seen in the movies. What if she was too slobbery? Was she supposed to put her tongue all the way into his mouth? Whatever she was doing, it was working.

  What are you doing Molly? Making out with a total stranger in a club? Molly knew this was completely out of character, but she was finding it easier to fend off these invasive thoughts with every passing minute. Molly stopped over-thinking and started just doing what felt natural. She began to sink further into his lips, taking her clasped hands from her lap and placing them onto his thighs. His legs felt strong. Molly’s hands were small next to his thighs, and she pictured how the rest of his body would look compared to hers.

  Now Xander pulled away instead of Molly, but not because he was uncertain.

  “Can you wait here for one minute? I promise I’ll be back, I just want to grab something from my friend.” Molly wasn’t sure what he could possibly have to grab, but trusted him nonetheless.

  “I’ll be here, Xander.”

  Minutes passed and Molly was convinced that Xander wouldn’t be coming back. He probably found someone more experienced. Who am I kidding? One kiss and I bet he could tell I had no idea what I was doing.

  While thinking of all the things she could have done differently, she heard a jingle from behind her.

  “Ms. Molly Tompkins, would you like to go for a drive with me?” Xander stood, keys in hand.

  “Haven’t you had too much to drink?” Molly tried to recount whether or not she had seen him drinking earlier that night.

  “I only had a few sips from that iced tea, I’ll be fine. Plus, where I want to go isn’t far. I can’t wait that long anyway.”

  Xander had a devilish smile, and even though it made Molly skeptical, she felt an unexpected craving for his touch. His lips were like a drug, and as far as she could tell, she was hooked.

  I can’t say no to him. Saying no to a drive with Xander might mean she’d never have the chance to kiss those flawless, round lips again. What does he mean he can’t
wait that long? For what exactly? Molly shook her head, she wasn’t going to mess this up.

  “What do you say? Don’t leave me hangin’ here. I’m just a guy, dangling some keys in front of a girl, hoping for a chance.”

  Molly giggled at Xander. This tall, well-muscled ‘douche bag,’ as Elodie had referred to him, was standing in front of her looking like he was the desperate one now. She appreciated his vulnerability and it made her trust him even more.

  The truck was an old, baby blue pick-up. Molly tried not to act too excited as she thought back to her favorite romantic scenes and how close this looked to when the characters went to make love for the first time. No, he doesn’t want to have sex, does he? Have I been misleading him? I’ve never even touched a guy down there before.

  As if Xander could feel her nervousness, he took her hand in his and squeezed it tight.

  “There’s no pressure, Molly Tompkins. I have this hayfield I like to go out to when I need to do some thinking. How does that sound?”

  Molly had spent a lot of time stressed out about school, and when she wanted to escape she would imagine being a farm girl, spending time among the cows and hay bales with the sunshine beating down on her back.

  “That sounds perfect, Xander.”

  Xander walked around the passenger side and opened the door for Molly. I guess chivalry isn’t dead after all, she thought, as she hopped up onto the seat.

  Xander pulled out of the parking lot and started driving down the main road leading out of town. Molly knew this city like the back of her hand, but after a few minutes of driving, she realized she didn’t know exactly where they were headed. “Where is this hayfield anyway?” she asked, looking around, trying to find a landmark she recognized.

  “It’s not far from here. You probably don’t recognize any of this because the dirt road I took is pretty much hidden unless you know what you’re looking for. Like my little secret. Well, and the guy who owns the property.” The road was bumpy and Molly could feel the liquor churning in her stomach.