Every Year Ch. 02

"Stevan, Amanda. Amanda, Stevan. He works with me at the firm. He just got promoted to partner actually." she said with a wink.

Mandy resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she looked at Stevan and smiled. Her friend was so transparent and she only prayed that the man realized he was being set up.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Amanda." he asked politely in a smooth, deep voice reminiscent of Barry White. He took her hand and brought it to his lips.

She had to admit, the man was hot. He had to be at least six foot two and even though his skin was very dark, it looked smooth and creamy like melted chocolate. He had a neatly trimmed horseshoe mustache and eyes as dark as his skin. Mandy gave a genuine smile at his gesture and couldn't help the flush that took over her cheeks.

"It's a pleasure to meet you too, Stevan. Please call me Mandy." she said breathlessly. She couldn't believe she was reacting that way towards a man she was ready to write off just seconds before.

Erica glanced between the two of them beaming at her job well done. They barely acknowledged the other two people standing with them as they made small talk with each other.

Once they were deeper inside the club, they made their way to the second floor of the building where the actual dance floor was located. The bottom floor was a bar/lounge area and the third floor was for VIP.

The three floors of the club gave Trio its distinct name. After finding a booth, Mandy wasted absolutely no time before heading to the bar area on the second floor. She ordered two shots and took them quickly before ordering and grabbing another drink to head back to their table. She wasn't expecting to meet anyone but if she got drunk enough only pure will-power would be able to keep Stevan out of her bed tonight.

The club was decorated with silver and blue tinsel and red stars adorned the walls and ceiling. The air was warm and people were clustered so close together you could hardly tell were one clique ended and another began.

There were red and blue strobe lights and the DJ was spinning remixes to hip hop Christmas songs. It was very in the holiday spirit. Mandy was halfway through with her drink when she started giggling uncontrollably at a story one of their other friends told. She was seated right beside Stevan in the booth and he had his arm draped casually across the booth wall over her.

Erica realized she must have snuck a few shots in before returning to them. 'Probably why she declined Stevan's offer to buy her drink for her. Sneaky girl,' Erica thought.

Mandy was definitely feeling the effects of the alcohol. She turned towards Stevan and gently placed her hand on his thigh before asking if he wanted to dance. The feel of her warm hand on his thigh made him want to groan out loud, but he fought off his growing erection to take her hand and lead her to the dance floor.

She grinded on him to the sound of Destiny's Child Twelve Days of Christmas and Stevan could no longer control the growing bulge in his pants. He grabbed her hips and grinded his hard-on into her firm and supple bottom. She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck before looking up into his eyes. He licked his lips slowly before capturing hers in a kiss that almost took his breath away. He wasn't expecting to get laid when he accepted Erica's offer to come out but it would take a lot of will-power that he didn't have to stay out of her bed before the night was over.

Mandy opened her eyes and came face to face with a pair of brown eyebrows over radiant green eyes. She sucked in a breath and pushed herself away from who she thought was James Bronson. She spun around to see a very confused Stevan staring back at her. She rubbed her temples and closed her eyes for a moment. She was imagining things; maybe she was as crazy as she thought. Stevan gently grabbed her arms and asked her if she was okay.

"I'm sorry, Stevan." she said over the blaring music. "I'm just, never this forward with a guy," she lied. "Plus the alcohol... I think I should head home. I'm not feeling very well."

She could tell he was disappointed but he led them back to the table so she could get her things. He offered her a ride home but she opted to take a cab instead. She did give him her number and that seemed to make him a little happier but she doubted she would go out with him. She was at too weird of a place in her life.

Mandy threw her clutch and coat onto her couch and went straight to the bathroom to remove the pins from her hair. She had only been awake for three hours and she was already exhausted again. After slipping into a tee shirt and shorts, Mandy buried herself under the covers and closed her eyes. It wasn't long before a strange feeling came over her and she was sitting upright in her bed staring into a pair of green eyes.

Her heart was pounding in her chest but the eyes had a calmness to her that caused her to relax. Slowly they retreated until she realized that they were attached to a woman with long brown hair. She was in a green party dress the color of her eyes and had a butterfly tattoo on her left arm. She looked like she was sad as she stood at the foot of her bed. Without moving her mouth, the woman spoke to her.

"I need you, Amanda. You must help me. I can't rest until you do. Please go to my brother. I need you both. You can help me. I know you can."

The woman started to fade away and Mandy wanted desperately to call out to her, but she was struck motionless and couldn't even move her mouth to speak. Just as quickly as she appeared, the woman was gone.

Realizing she could move again, Mandy jumped out of her bed and sprinted to her office. The woman didn't tell her the name of her brother, but Mandy already knew. She picked up the receiver and hit the redial button. She knew he wouldn't be there but she had to tell him somehow. Dr. James Bronson's dead sister wanted them to help her and that's exactly what she planned on doing.