A Wilde Christmas Ch. 02

The next morning, Wynter and her cousins woke up early to get a light breakfast before walking around downtown Fort Worth. Wynter's wallet and camera were put to work as they shopped and explored the area. She took her time taking photos of the western architecture of the buildings, beautiful murals, whimsical water fountains, and her cousins when they let her. Every once in a while, Liberty made her put her camera away to shop or take photos with them. By afternoon, they all were holding multiple shopping bags and worked up an appetite. They stopped at a popular BBQ joint and stuffed themselves for lunch. When they returned to the hotel, all Wynter wanted to do was go to bed and sleep for the rest of the day, but Liberty set up a spa afternoon for them. Wynter was able to get a nap, but then she had to get up, take a shower, and head to the hotel spa. They checked in for their appointments and were taken back together. After changing into their robes, they split up to start treatments.

"Did you do this all the time in Houston?" Grace asked Wynter, tugging uncomfortably at her robe as they waited in the steam room together. Wynter was not surprised Grace didn't love the spa experience. She was an active tomboy who would rather be with her horses than be pampered at a spa.

"Not all the time. Spa trips were more like special occasions. Pedicures, manicures, waxing, brows, and lash extensions are all the time." Wynter listed, slightly exaggerating. She only did them monthly when she lived in Houston.

"Urgh, I don't know how you do it. It's too much work." Grace shook her head.

"It's not work, it's self-care that makes you feel pretty." Wynter countered.

"Speaking of self-care, how are you holding up? For real." Grace questioned her.

Wynter took a deep breath, opting to be honest with Grace. Grace was a great listener, less likely to give advice like Valentina or call her out like Liberty. She was attentive and sympathetic but didn't press or try to solve her problems. "I'm ok. Really. I don't know if I'm better, I just know I'm tired of being upset."

Grace nodded. "I get that."

Wynter knew she did. Her heart was broken by her first love, and Grace hadn't been in a relationship since.

"Does it get better every day like they say?" Wynter asked, hopefully.

"Kinda. One day, you'll wake up and it won't hurt anymore. Then another day, it'll hurt so much you can't breathe." Grace said, softly. As many emotions Wynter felt after discovering her ex sleeping with her step-sister Denise, nothing compared to the pain she heard in Grace's voice.

"Grace.." Wynter started, holding her hand.

"I'm ok." She smiled, sweetly, squeezing her hand reassuring before letting it go. "Those days come less frequently until they don't come anymore."

After hearing the pain in her voice, Wynter wasn't convinced, but she let it go.

"The more I think about it, the more I realized I was more angry than anything else. I kept waiting for the anger to go away so I could feel sad, but it never happened. Then the lack of sadness makes me think there's something wrong with me. Like something missing- maybe something that Michael and my dad saw-" Wynter said, thoughtfully.

"No Wynter, there's nothing wrong with you. Any man worth a damn would be honest, not a cheater. And your dad's head has been up his own ass for so long he doesn't know up from down or left from right." Grace said, hotly.

Wynter let out a surprised giggle. Grace was soft-spoken and sweet, so to hear her curse and rip her dad and ex a new one took her by surprise. A pleasant surprise. Grace giggled too, and after a moment, they were both laughing.

"Grace? Wynter?" An attendant called for them at the door. Wynter and Grace composed themselves before leaving for their treatment.

After a relaxing afternoon of massages and facials, the girls went to their room, excited for a night out. They ordered appetizers from room service and Valentina popped champagne while Liberty forced them all to take whiskey shots. They turned on some music and in between drinking and snacking, they got dressed and did their makeup together.

After much deliberation and outfit changes, Wynter looked her final outfit over in the mirror critically. The blue satin pants hugged her butt perfectly, and the floral blue corset she bought earlier that day clinched her waist and flaunted her full breasts. She loved it- it was the perfect combination of sexy and chic. Her makeup was flawless- she took the time and effort to accentuate her healthy brown skin, her eyes pop with a neutral smokey eye, and her lips luscious in a deep rose gloss. The wig she chose was a chocolate brown with long, alluring waves. The only thing she questioned was her mother's hair barrette. She adored it- it was one of her mom's custom-made accessories with "Wynter" spelled out in rhinestones and sparkly snowflakes dangling from the clip. She coordinated her whole outfit around it and she currently had it as the final touch on the side of her hair, but she couldn't help but question if it was too juvenile for a night of bar hopping.

"You look incredible!" Val danced into the bathroom with her, handing her another glass of champagne. She was dressed up in leather pants, a nude fitted cami, and a cute green bomber jacket. Wynter frowned at her black sneaker boots but did not say anything. She was just grateful she wasn't wearing the awful clogs or manly combat boots she normally wore.

Wynter sipped the bubbly drink before asking, pointing to her barrette, "You don't think it's too much?"

"Do you like it?" Val asked.

"Yeah, but-"

"No buts. Do you, fuck what everyone else thinks."

Wynter thought to herself it was easy for Val to say that: Valentina was light-skinned, thin, and beautiful. She could wear a trash bag and ugly ass shoes and still get praised...

Wynter pushed her insecurities away and focused on Val's message. She was right; Wynter liked it, so that's all that matters. She examined herself in the mirror one more time, loving what she saw.

"Alright, I'm ready! Let's go!"

Wynter was grateful Liberty forcefully told her to leave her camera at home- she was glad to be in the moment with her favorite people as they bar-hopped the Stockyards. They were having a blast drinking, dancing, and people watching, as they bounced from bar to bar. They were about to leave a 4th bar because Grace was the only one feeling the country music. Liberty sucked down the last of her margarita as they made their way down out on the street. A car drove down the street, some rap song blaring out the windows.

"Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. I'm tryna' make something shake." Libby exclaimed before breaking out into a shimmy. She put her maxi romper dress and high heels to work as she danced around the sidewalk, causing both stares of admiration and annoyance.

"Get out of the way," Valentina called to her, motioning her to scoot over. Wynter just smiled watching her and Grace scurried to keep pace with them. Grace looked adorable in a knit dress and cowboy boots, but she was struggling to keep up with Liberty's long strides.

Liberty ignored her, twerking instead. Valentina looked away, appalled and Wynter just watched, amused, but not shocked by her cousin's actions. Liberty strongly believed in work hard, play harder and once she had a few drinks, there was no stopping her. She was more than a few drinks down, and that wasn't counting the shots in the room. A group of guys walking past didn't mind Liberty blocking the way- one even came over and tried to dance behind her.

Liberty immediately pushed him away. "Fuck off!" She yelled before taking off down the street. Wynter laughed while Valentina sighed and took off after her. Wynter tried to get herself together to follow them, but a man in the group caught her attention. He had a boisterous laugh that made her want to continue to laugh with him. He was dressed in black pants, a black sheer paisley shirt, and a black cowboy hat. She noticed the silver chains around his neck, his bracelet, watch, and bedazzled belt with a huge silver buckle. She knew he didn't second guess himself like she did when he got dressed. He just put it on and rocked it. In a sea of men dressed simply in jeans, flannels, t-shirts and button-downs, he stood out completely original and made the look work for him.

Wynter didn't realize she was staring until they were about to walk past each other. He tipped his hat and winked at her. "I like your hair clip."

Her eyes locked with his honey-colored eyes and she was mesmerized by his face. He had golden brown skin, a chiseled jaw covered in a stubble beard, and full lips. It was no wonder he dressed however he wanted; he was fine enough to pull anything off.

"I like your everything." Wynter exhaled before she could even process what she wanted to say. He laughed, and her humiliating moonshine and margarita-induced confession was worth hearing him laugh again.

"Where are y'all headed?" He asked, moving in closer.

"Eh, not sure. Obviously, my friend wants to dance, so after we catch her we're gonna find a place a little less country and more urban, if you know what I mean." Wynter blabbed, looking over his shoulder to make sure she could see what directions her cousins went. She relaxed when she saw Grace stop to wait for her.

"I got you. Let me see your phone." He asked, his tone more of a command than a question. She unlocked her phone and handed it over. After a few moments, he showed her the map app with directions to a pinned location.

"We're headed to this lounge that's doing a hip-hop holiday. Hit me up if you decide to come." He handed the phone back to her.

"I don't have your number... or your name," Wynter told him.

"Yeah, you do." He said, nodding to her phone before rejoining his group.

"See, I told you there's nothing wrong with you." Grace grinned, grabbing her arm and leading her to find Libby and Val. Wynter checked her phone in between strides. She scrolled through her contacts until she found a new one.

Mr. Everything

Wynter smiled before putting her phone away.

Once they found Valentina and Liberty, Valentina told them they were going back to the hotel. Liberty pre-gamed a little too hard and now only wanted to crash. Grace agreed to ride to the hotel with her, telling Valentina and Wynter to stay out if they wanted. Wynter was disappointed but didn't want to split the group. When Wynter stated she was fine going back too, Grace cut her off.

"What about that guy?" Grace asked.

"What guy?" Valentina demanded. When Wynter told her about the guy she just met, Valentina decided they were going. After making sure Grace and Liberty were in the Uber, they made their way to the lounge. It was packed on the dance floor, but they were able to find a spot by the bar. While Valentina waited to order a drink, Wynter typed out a text to Mr. Everything. After a few deletes, she settled on one that she thought was casual and not desperate or lame.

Me: Hey Mr. Everything. We decided to come to the lounge. At the bar right now.

After a minute or two, she saw the read receipt but no response. Valentina got one of the bartender's attention, so Wynter put her phone down to order a drink. The bartender was sliding over their drinks when her phone finally vibrated.

Mr. Everything: Who dis?

Wynter's face flushed as she stared at the phone in disbelief. She took a big gulp of her drink before showing Val the text.

Val gasped at the phone. "Oh no he didn't. How many women did he give his number out to-"

Wynter ignored Valentina's rant when she heard a familiar chuckle behind her. She turned around to see him settling beside her at the bar.

"Just fucking with you. Glad you decided to come." He said, looking her over, intently. His eyes roamed from the barrette in her hair to the toe of her sparkly booties. She couldn't remember the last time a man examined her so thoroughly. She was fully dressed but felt exposed under his heated glance. Exposed, and a little turned on.

Wynter smirked at him when his eyes finally settled on her face. "Glad you decided to stop fucking with me. We were about to leave."

"Naw, you can't leave without dancing with me." He smiled, taking her free hand.

She was thinking about a smart comeback, but she had nothing. She was rendered helpless at his soft, teasing grip and his amazing smile. She was close enough to see the dimple on one cheek and was officially smitten. She handed her clutch to Val before allowing him to take her to the dance floor. They danced around to the hip-hop remixes of Christmas classics. Wynter marveled at the fact that he was a great dancer too. They danced nonstop, the chemistry sparked between them as they moved against each other to the music. Santa Baby played over a seductive beat, and he took the opportunity to spin her around to face him, holding her closer by wrapping both arms around her waist.

She smiled at him, nervously as her body responded to his warm embrace. "This song is the gold diggers anthem at christmas." She said, loudly over the music.

He tilted his head at her. "I don't know; I never thought of it like that. "

"How'd you think about it?" Wynter questioned him.

"A closed mouth don't get fed." He replied in her ear.

She shuddered at his warm breath caressing her sensitive skin. "Fair enough. She's just greedy!"

He grinned. "How old are you?"

"23... almost 24. It's my birthday week."

"Birthday week? So you celebrate a whole week instead of just the day?"

"Yeah." She laughed. "My mama tried to make up for the fact that my birthday is so close to Christmas. My birthday week was always the kick-off of the Christmas season. She made everyone give me presents the week of my birthday so I didn't get a birthday/Christmas gift on Christmas."

He chuckled. "Your mama sounds like a smart lady."

"Yep." Wynter nodded, not wanting to ruin the mood by talking about her dead mother.

"So what do you want for your birthday?" He asked her.

Wynter let out a little chuckle, looking away from him. It was sad she had no idea what she wanted in life. It was damn pathetic she didn't even know what she wanted for a birthday gift. She had to laugh to keep from crying. "I have no idea." She mumbled.

He tilted her chin back to him so he could look her in the eyes. "Repeat that." He said, again demanding and not asking. She liked that about him. He wasn't shy about what he wanted at all. She wished she was more like that...

Fueled by both her admiration and growing lust for him, she stood up on her toes to push her lips into his. He was the perfect height, taller than her at maybe 5 '8 or 5' 9, but not so tall that she had to climb him or he had to stoop low to return her kiss. He just pulled her closer to him as his lips met hers. Their kiss was demanding and sweet all at the same time. She felt heat across her lips, chest, stomach, waist, and thighs- everywhere they touched ignited. She moaned against his lips, and he took the opportunity to slide his tongue into her mouth. Her first response was desire, he tasted delicious and she wanted much more than a taste. Then the realization that she was making out with a stranger in public hit her. She pulled away, abruptly, but didn't get very far as he tightened his hold around her waist.

"Why'd you stop?" He asked, raspily, his eyes searching her face.

"I don't even know your name Mr. Everything." Wynter blurted.

"I don't know yours either." He shrugged, playfully.

"It's Wynter."

"Wynter?"

Wynter nodded.

"I'm Jack."

"Nice to meet you, Jack." Wynter smiled.

He stared at her lips before he asked. "You wanna get out of here?"

Wynter took a deep breath to calm the butterflies going berserk in her stomach. So many thoughts were running through her mind, but she kept coming back to how good kissing him felt. She hadn't felt that way in a long time. Her want overruled everything else. "Where to?"

"Your place?" He rubbed her bare lower back, down to her butt, leaving no guesses about what he wanted to do with her if they left together..

She shuddered. "I'm from out of town and sharing a hotel room."

"We can go to my place." He said, pulling them apart to lead her out of the lounge.

"I gotta tell my cousin." She gasped, breaking away. "I'll meet you outside." When he nodded, she headed to the bar.

She found Val, with 3 full drinks in front of her as she took notes on her phone.

"What are you doing?" Wynter asked, watching her.

"Tasting their signature cocktails. Thinking about creating some for the restaurant. Are you ready to go?" Valentina asked.

"Um, I'm gonna go with Jack."

"Jack? The rhinestone cowboy? Go with him where?"

"His place."

Valentina sighed. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why are you going home with him? To get over Michael, because fucking a stranger is not the way." Val lectured.

"Hell no. I haven't even thought of Michael all night. Jack is sexy and fun and I kissed him and almost orgasmed. I just wanna have fun with him and never see him again." Wynter explained.

Her honesty caught Valentina off guard and she nodded. "Ok, get his last name, find out where he's from, and send me the address. Do not stay the night with him- hook up then leave. Call an Uber, then call me. I'll be up until you get back."

"Ok," Wynter said, grabbing the nearest cocktail and downing it.

They left the bar together and Wynter immediately spotted Jack waiting for her.

"I was worried you changed your mind." He smiled at her.

"No way." Wynter returned his smile. They were smiling at each other until they saw a bright flash. They both turned to Valentina.

"I got your photo. If she doesn't make it home, your face is gonna be plastered all over social media." She threatened him.

"Maybe reach out to the cops first." He said, sarcastically with a smirk.

"Social media will find you quicker." She menaced before hugging Wynter and heading to her Uber.