Excerpt..Love at First Dare

“To Isa, may she never bed another creep as long as she lives!”

Isabella Chapman, Isa to her friends, raised her glass in toast.  It had been their idea to whisk her away to New Orleans after she had caught her fiancé with another woman.  She and Charles had been college sweethearts and had planned to be married next year after he graduated from med school.  That was until she caught him in her bed with an intern.  To add injury to insult, he had responded not as the guilty party, but coolly informed her that if she hadn’t been such a cold fish he wouldn’t have had to stray.  That was what had hurt Isa the most.  She considered herself a good lover, a little reserved when it came to the types of things Charles had wanted, but he had always been patient with her, not pushing what she wasn’t ready to do.  His infidelity had all but destroyed her.  She had moped around her Texas apartment for three months until her friends had had enough of the dark circles under her eyes and the shell of the person she had once been.  They had whisked her away to the Big Easy, New Orleans, to relax and have some much-needed fun.

Tonight they were at a local bar.  It couldn’t be called a club, for the atmosphere was a tad seedy.  The lights were all but off so it had a mysterious feel.  The place was about half-full of locals, as the bar was off the main tourist scene, so the girls could experience the real heart of New Orleans, its people.  There was a local band playing on the stage at the end of the bar, and Isa and her friends, Alessa, Naomi and Kat had no trouble finding a table close by so they could enjoy the music.  The genre was a mix of rock and blues with a little hometown flair.  Cajuns sure knew how to put passion into everything they did.  

Isa broadened her smile when Alessa looked at her narrowly.  “I’m really glad you three did this for me.  I feel relaxed already.”  Of course, the shots of tequila didn’t hurt either.  After four shots, she was sure her face was glowing from the heat.  She put her hands to her cheeks and then ran them through her hair.  The thick dark auburn tresses fell back into place, her natural curly hair looking like she had just tumbled out of bed.  Her stylist had called the cut shabby chic.  It looked unruly, untamable and was the absolute envy of all who saw her.  It wasn’t just her hair, though.  Isa’s eyes were the color of honey, only adding to her exotic features.  Add to that her tall curvaceous body and high perky breasts and she was nearly the perfect package.  Many a man had turned her way as she had walked to her seat in front of the stage.  The server had brought two of her four shots from men hoping to meet her.  She accepted the drinks and smiled politely at them, but that was as far as they got.  It wasn’t that Isa was a prude; she just had had her share of men just looking for a good time.  Her heart was shattered and it would take a while to put it back together again.

“Well, while we want you to, ahem, relax,” Naomi said, “That’s not quite what we had in mind for you tonight.”  She gave the others a knowing look and they all smiled.  Isa had seen that look before and she didn’t like it.  That look had gotten her into trouble when they were all in college at the University of Texas, and it usually involved lots of alcohol and warm bodies.  She glared at them.

“What are you three plotting?” she asked, an uneasy feeling settling over her like doom.

Kat spoke up, her Texas drawl apparent.  “Isa, we’ve decided that it’s time for you to stop mopin’ around and have some fun.  Old Charlie was yesterday’s news, darlin’.  You need to cheer up and move on.  So, tonight we’re gonna help ya do just that with a little game of Truth or Dare, minus the truth, of course.

Isa looked at them nervously.  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Her friends looked at each other and Naomi spoke up.  “You just never mind about that.  We’ll talk about it later.  Right now, we need another round of tequila.

"Waitress!  Bring us another round!”

The girls remained tight-lipped about their “plan” for another hour and two shots later.  By then Isa was feeling great, her inhibitions were down, her tragic love life a blur.  She laughed and sang and flirted with the growing crowd of guys at their table.  The music was setting her mood; the band played one upbeat song after another.  The musicians were all male, all good looking, the vocalist in particular.  He played acoustic guitar, his voice deep and rich and sexy.  He was tall and thin, with black hair shaved close to his head.  He was really getting into the song he was singing, his eyes closed, his face alive with emotions.  He wore a black long sleeved t-shirt, the sleeves pushed midway up to reveal a tribal tattoo that began at the wrist and traveled up his arm to disappear under his shirt.  He wore an earring and had a thin, close shaved beard that ran along the bottom of his strong jaw line.  Isa watched as he finished his song, one from the 70’s, and as he finished he opened his eyes and looked right at her.  She was staring into the most beautiful gray eyes she had ever seen.  

Her breath caught in her throat, her eyes locked on his, unable to look away.  His eyes focused only on her for what seemed like an eternity, then he blinked and the spell was broken.  He turned to one of the other members and they began a slow sexy ballad.  As he sang, he looked at her, watching her face for emotions.  She remained still, enraptured by his voice and his eyes looking at hers.  Isa felt as if they were the only two people in the bar; that he was singing only for her.  Her face became flushed; she felt an incredibly delicious shiver run down her spine and below.  When the song was over, he told the crowd the band was going to take a quick break.

“….don’t you think, Isa?  Isa?” Alessa was saying something to her; what, she didn’t know for her attention had been on the singer.  

“Earth to Isa.  What’s gotten into you?  You were spaced out for a while.”

“What?  Oh, I’m sorry, I was just thinking.  What was it you said?”

“I was saying that it was time to put our plan into action.  Say goodbye to your pain, Isa, cause your life is about to change.”  Alessa turned to Naomi, who grinned.

“What our overly dramatic friend is trying to say is it’s time for Dare or Dare.  Isa, you need to get Charlie out of your system, and what better way to do that than find someone to take his place?  It’s a perfect solution.  You’re in a city where no one knows you.  We dare you to pick someone out of this bar and go talk to him.  Strike up a conversation.  Get to know him.  Then, take him to bed and screw Charles right outta your head.”  

Isa stared at her friends like they had all grown two heads.  “You’re saying you want me to have sex with a complete stranger.”  Grey eyes appeared in her mind.  Not a good thing.  

“I could never do something like that!  You three are crazy!”  Her gaze went back to the singer, who was walking by their table to get to the bar.  He passed by slowly, his eyes on her alone.  When he passed by she looked back at her friends, who were staring at her curiously.

“Did you just check that guy out, Isa?”  Kat laughed.  “Well, looks like you have your stranger, darlin’; all that’s left is goin’ to meet him.”

Isa panicked.  “What?  No, you guys are nuts.  I would never go up to a man and introduce myself!”  Her traitorous eyes returned to the singer at the bar.

Alessa grinned.  “That was the old Isa.  Tonight you’re turning over a new leaf.  And honey what a leaf he is.  He’s hot!  If you don’t go up there I will.”  Her eyes looked at him like he was a piece of meat on display at a butcher shop window.  

Isa experienced a moment of jealousy, then shook her head.  This was preposterous, she didn’t even know his name.  It might have been the tequila, but just the thought of Alessa talking to him had her pissed.

She looked at her friends, especially Alessa.  “Not if I get there first.”  She got up and walked toward the bar, and the singer with the incredible grey eyes.

Xan didn’t know what was going on with the gorgeous creature at the table by the stage.  He was singing, caught up in the moment, and when he opened his eyes, he saw her.  A vision with auburn hair and honey eyes.  He had been stunned for a moment, almost messing up the song, but he’d recovered.  She was staring at him with eyes that were captive.  Her whole body swayed to the beat of the music.  He pictured that body moving beneath him in the throes of passion.  She was beautiful.  A vision.  And she had looked at him like he was the only person in the room.  He had changed the tempo for the next song, wanted to sing something slow and seductive to her.  She responded like he had hoped.  Her body slowed and she looked like she was having trouble sitting still.  After the song was over, he took another break, even though they had just had one.  His band mates looked at him like he had lost his mind, and he had, to the fiery redhead at the front table.

He had walked past her table, looking at her, willing her to follow him to the bar, but her friends were talking to her so she turned her head to hear what it was they were saying.  He walked up to the bar and ordered a beer.  He took a long swallow and turned to look at her again, then saw her get up and come towards him.  She had a determined look on her face as she got up, but the closer she got the more nervous she became.  By the time she got up to him she looked as if she were going to bolt, but then he saw her mentally shake off the fear and come to stand in front of him.  Her eyes were even more mesmerizing up close.  She held out her hand.

“My name is Isa.  I wanted to come and tell you that you’re awesome.”  She realized what she said, blushed, then corrected herself.  “I mean an awesome singer.  The whole band is killer.  You guys are terrific.”  She seemed to realize that she was rambling.  She smiled and started again.  “Hi.”

Xan realized he had to say something.  He shook his head out of the clouds and smiled back, taking her hand in his.  He could have sworn he felt a tremor run through her.  Or was it through him?  “Hi.  And thank you.  I’m Xan.  I’m glad you liked the set.”

Isa was mesmerized by his thick Cajun accent.  “Xan.  That’s an unusual name.  How did your parents come up with that?”

“It’s short for Alexander.  My younger brother couldn’t say it when he was little.  He started calling me Xan and it kind of stayed with me.  Your name is just as unusual.  Have a name your little sister couldn’t say?”  He smiled again and noticed her eyes darken with approval.  He smiled one more time, just to see them do it again.

“Actually, my friends call me that.  My name is really Isabella.”

“I like it.  Me, if I were your friend, I’d call you Bella, because you truly are beautiful.”

Isa lowered her eyes and blushed.  No one had ever called her Bella before, and certainly not because she was beautiful.  She looked at Xan and smiled again, this time in thanks for the wonderful compliment.  He was the one who was gorgeous.  She took the time to look him over, and he smiled when he realized what she was doing.  “Listen, I have another set then we’re through for the night.  You’ll stick around til I’m finished?”  

“Sure.  I’ll be sitting at my table when you’re done.”  

“Cool, see ya then, Bella.”  Isa watched him walk back up to the stage and pick up his guitar.  She walked back to her table and her waiting friends.  

“Well?  Was he as yummy in person as he is on stage?”  Alessa looked at him while she said it and Isa smiled, knowing her friend never kept her feelings hidden.  You always knew what kind of mood Alessa was in.  Right now, her mood would make a sailor blush.  

“He was very nice.  His name is Xan and he asked me to wait until his last set was over so we could talk.”  She looked at him again, on stage and looking very sexy.  He walked up to the mic and smiled.

“This one is for Bella.”  They started playing a Van Morrison song, something about being as sweet as some kind of honey.  He watched her the whole time he played, and she blushed from all the attention.  Her friends noticed, of course.

“Did he just call you Bella?  Oh my God, that is so sexy!  He is definitely the one!  Good going, Isa!  Or should we call you Bella now?”  Naomi laughed at that, and Alessa and Kat joined her.  Isa’s blush deepened.

“Would you three quit!  It’s not like that!  He is a very nice guy.  I’m not about to play into your fantasy about sleeping with a stranger to get Charles out of my heart.  It’s not gonna happen.”  But somehow, as those words came out of her mouth, Isa knew they were far from true.  There was something about this sexy singer, she wanted to know more about him, to see him smile again.  As if he read her mind, he smiled right at her and she melted, her insides turning to mush and her limbs became weak.  She felt the heat all the way to her panties, which were a little moist.  No, she thought, it wouldn’t take much to get her to go home with Xan.  She imagined his body over hers, moving in a slow, rhythmic motion.  She could feel his hands exploring her heated body, his mouth on hers.  Isa shook herself back into reality.  He smiled at her again, knowing what she was thinking.

The girls took another shot while waiting for the band to finish up.  By now, Isa was flushed, but she didn’t think it had anything to do with the alcohol.  By the time the set was finished and the band began to take down their equipment, she could hardly stand it.  Her friends teased her about it but she hardly heard them, her attention on the man singing on stage for her.  When they were through packing up he walked over to their table, the other band members following.  

Xan looked at Isa.  “Hello again, Bella.”  His voice was raspy from singing so much and it made the way he said her name that much more sexy.  Add his Cajun accent and Isa could hardly contain herself.  She smiled at him.

“Hello Xan.  I want you to meet my girlfriends, Naomi, Alessa and Kat.”  She made the introductions and he responded in kind, introducing the rest of his band.  The drummer was Teddy, the bassist Jon, the lead guitarist was Mick.  Everyone shook hands and the guys grabbed some chairs to sit at their table.  Xan sat next to Isa, his chair so close to her she could feel the heat from his thigh touching hers.  It was all she could do not to touch him.  She looked at his arm and the tattoo he had, and wondered where it stopped.  It was incredibly sexy.  Isa didn’t know very many men with a tattoo, and certainly not one as hot as Xan.

A slow song came on the jukebox and Xan looked at Isa.  “You’d like to dance?”  The way he spoke really showed his heritage.  Cajuns spoke English the same way they talked in French – Cajun, not Parisian – almost everything was said kind of backwards.  They were often kidded for the way they spoke.  Joking was furtherest from Isa’s mind, though.  She wanted nothing more than to feel his arms around her and his body touching hers, so she agreed.  He led her onto the small dance floor and twirled her around before putting her next to his body.  The dance floor was empty except for them, and it felt like they were the only couple there.  The floor was set away from everything else, so all the noise of the bar was absent.  Isa felt as if they had stepped into another room, just the two of them.  As she went into his arms, her whole body trembled at the contact, and she was sure his did too.  He held her close, and for a moment they just swayed to the music in silence.  Then he looked down at her and smiled that heart-stopping smile.

“So, tell me about yourself, Bella.  What you doin’ in New Orleans?”  One hand held hers and the other spanned her back, rubbing sensual circles up and down her spine.  It was all Isa could do to stand up, much less talk.  He was looking at her, his eyes intense, knowing how her body was reacting to his touch.  

“Um, I had a bad breakup with my fiancé and my friends kidnapped me to help me get over it.”  She thought about the dare they had challenged her with and blushed.  He saw her face flush.

“What you thinking about, shâ?”  Xan asked her as his arm pulled her closer, his desire evident.  Isa recognized the French endearment.  Living “across the river” in Texas she heard it all the time, had used it herself sometimes.  She blushed again and looked away, not able to meet his eyes.

“Well, they decided that I should meet some stranger tonight and, um, get Charles out of my mind for good.”  She looked down, lest he see her own desire.  Her hand strayed up around his neck and she settled herself a little closer to him, if that were possible, because they were as close as could be as it was.  
Xan took her chin in his hand and made her look at him.  “How you supposed to do that?”

Such dreamy eyes.  

“Do what?”

“Get your fiancé out of your mind.”  He smiled his slow sexy smile and she gasped, unable to breathe.  How could a complete stranger have this effect on her?  Isa didn’t know, but she was keen on finding out.

“Oh, um, they said I should, um, take him to bed and um...well never mind what they said, cause it’s crazy talk.”  She blushed again and lowered her head onto his chest.  He felt so good, his body taut and aware of hers.  He smelled like musk and sweat and beer.  A dangerous combination.  Her other hand found its way around his neck.

Xan’s body stiffened as she put her other hand around his neck.  The little minx had no idea what she did to him.  Or maybe she did.  She looked up at him with those honey eyes, no trace of shyness in them.  She was as turned on as he was, he could feel her nipples getting harder against his chest.  He brought her closer so he could feel them even more and she gasped again.  She wanted him too.  His hand went from hers to the back of her head, his fingers winding themselves in her hair.  It was just as soft and silky as he had imagined on stage.  The only thing on his mind during the last set was losing himself in her eyes, his hands grabbing a hold of that mane.  He had to have her.

“I could take your problem away.”  He looked into her honey colored eyes, lost for the moment.  She was looking up at him, wondering what he meant.  He tipped her chin and her mouth automatically opened a little, her tongue ran across her lips in anticipation.  He lowered his head slowly, savoring the moment before he took her mouth.  Her eyes were halfway closed, but he could see her desire still.  When his mouth was as close to hers as he could go without touching them, he looked at her, his eyes asking permission.  She closed her eyes and sighed, and he touched her lips with his, a whisper at first, a tease, then he couldn’t stand it any longer and he kissed her.  She melted into him and her arms tightened around his neck.  He tightened his hold and his tongue opened her mouth to accept him, which she did hungrily.  She tasted like salt and lime and liquor.  He groaned and deepened the kiss.  His tongue caressed hers, promising the same to other parts of her body.  His hand wound tighter in her hair and she moaned in appreciation.  By then she had discovered his tongue ring.  Her fingernails raked against the back of his neck and it was like an electric current ran through his body.  His lips ground against hers as he lost control, his tongue dancing with hers.  He drank her in deeply.  He couldn’t get enough of her kiss.  Trying to control himself, he regrettably tore his mouth away from hers.

It took a while before either of them could speak.  Xan’s voice was husky with passion and he looked at her with grey eyes so intense she thought she would come right then and there.  Then he cupped her cheek with his hand, ever so gently and said her name.  “Bella.”  The way he said it denoted possession, but she didn’t care.  She was his for the night.

The moment was ruined and they were dragged back to the bar as Alessa, with impeccable timing, walked up and informed them that the rest of the group was going to grab a bite to eat and did they want to come.  Isa didn’t trust herself to speak, so she looked at Xan.  He shook his head at Alessa and told her he would give her a ride.  Alessa, not missing a thing, grinned from ear to ear and promptly kissed Isa on the cheek, telling her to enjoy the ride.  She winked at Xan and walked off to meet the others.

Isa took a moment to compose herself, her body still responding to Xan’s kiss.  She looked up at him and saw he was staring at her with those smoldering grey eyes.  Her breath caught once again and she wondered if she would ever get to take a normal breath again.  He smiled a slow, sexy, I-want-to-take-you-home smile and she all but nodded.  Xan took her hand and led them back to the now empty table and sat her down.  She was glad he did, because she couldn’t have made it on her own.  Her whole body was weak from that mind numbing, incredibly sensual kiss.  He ordered drinks for them and they sat in silence until they arrived, her hand still in his.  She took a drink of her beer, glad he hadn’t ordered her a shot.  She put the cool glass up to her cheek to cool them off and he smiled at her again and broke the silence.

“That was some kiss back there.”  He watched her trying to compose herself.  He kept hold of her hand, tracing slow, lazy circles on her palm and wrist.  “I had to drag myself away from your mouth.  I wanted it to last forever.”  His touch traveled up the sensitive part of her arm, to the inside of her elbow.  He brought her arm to his lips and kissed it, his mouth open and wet and oh so hot.  She moaned, then caught herself and looked around, wondering who had heard her.  He kept his mouth on her arm, his tongue making the circles now.  Oh who cared who heard, as long as he kept it up.  She closed her eyes and moaned again, this time letting herself go, just enjoying the sensual feeling running from her arm straight to her belly, where the flame that had been there during his kiss was now burning hotter.  She felt it further down, the place between her legs wet and tingling.  She opened her eyes, dark with passion, with unbridled desire and looked at him.  

It was Xan’s turn to lose his breath.  Her eyes had turned darker, her breathing shallow, and he was sure that if he kept kissing her arm she would experience an orgasm.  So that was just what he did.  He moved closer to her, one hand holding her arm to his mouth, the other snaking beneath the table to her thigh.  He thought he must look like Don Juan, or Casanova but he didn’t care.  She tasted good.  

His hand rested lightly on her thigh, and she gave a small shudder.  She was holding her breath, anxious to see what was to come.  He didn’t waste any time showing her.  He was glad she was wearing a skirt, the material silky and the hem high on her legs.  His hand caressed her thigh and widened the path to her womanhood.  She gasped, then moaned, her thighs spread wider, waiting for his hand to find the mark.  He crept up her thigh, leaving a burning trail wherever his hand travelled.  She was breathing quick shallow breaths; Xan was afraid she would pass out.  She squirmed, her body begging him to go faster, to relieve her of the sexual frustration she was feeling.  He held back though, going slow, taking his time, just grazing her panties right above her pleasure trove.  

Her eyes flew open, she looked at him with sex in her eyes.  He moved from her arm to her mouth and drove his tongue between her lips, parting them hungrily.  He skimmed the rim of her panties and slipped his hand inside, his palm over her sex.  She all but flew out of the chair.  It was a good thing he was kissing her because her moans grew louder.  He dipped a finger in to test how wet she was and found she was soaking.  He rubbed her sex, his finger moving across her in the same motion as his tongue in her mouth.  She squirmed and bucked against his hand, her nails ran across his neck.  She felt as though she couldn’t take anymore so he quickened his pace, rubbing and pinching her sex until she went absolutely still and clenched his hand with her thighs.  She moaned against his mouth for several seconds as wave after wave of an orgasm washed over her.  When it finally subsided her head fell against his chest and she stayed there until she could look him in the eye.

Isa could hardly move, hardly breathe, as she came back down to earth and the man who had just made her come.  She kept her head on his chest and slowed her breathing, trying to gain some of her composure back.  She couldn’t believe she had just experienced an orgasm in a public place, let alone with a man she didn’t even know.  She had never done anything as wanton in her whole life.  Charles had always wanted to do things like this but she had always told him no.  Now here she was, letting a stranger do exactly what she told her fiancé she would not do.  What had gotten into her?  What was she doing?  She was appalled at her behavior and lifted her head to tell Xan she wasn’t normally this slutty.  Then her eyes met his and the desire in them stilled her tongue.  He was incredibly turned on by what he had just accomplished, she could tell by the bulge in the front of his jeans.  She stared at it a few more seconds and then looked at him again.  He didn’t say anything, his smile gone.  He got up and held out his hand.  She took it, knowing they were going to finish what he had started.