"Come on Jackie, just one dance." The annoying blonde who's just draped herself over my lap begs for the fourth time tonight. 

I instinctively glance down at the sweaty dance floor where people appear to have lost all their inhibitions.  Bumping and grinding like a swarm of horny teenagers in a sweat-filled orgy with a slag, who's already thrown herself at my mates, sounds incredibly dull.

"You should go with Julie, after all, we are celebrating." Christian announces, slapping my shoulder and giving it a shake.  I'd usually have words if anyone were to do that back in London, but it's something I've come to expect from my American colleagues. 

"I don't dance." I shrug, offering my simple truth as an excuse as I rub the five o'clock shadow that's just begun to spike uncomfortably on my cheeks. 

I hadn't even expected to go out tonight, nor had a loud night club sounded appealing in the slightest, but my publisher Christian insisted.  His wounded look after I shot them down the first time, persuaded me. 

It's not as if I wasn't pleased to hear my novel was nominated for the National Book Awards.  On the contrary, I was in an especially good mood. I'd even finished unpacking my office in record time, although, old habits die hard so I've always traveled light.

It just so happens I tend to stand out in places like these. I never bother to dress to impress, unlike my colleagues with their freshly pressed pinstripe suits and hair neatly aligned in place with gel. 

My style is more careless, comfortable and casual.  When I initially arrived in sunny Phoenix, Arizona I strode right into Walmart grabbing a few pairs of dark jeans and some basic black and white v-necks.

"What about you, Christian?" Julie asks as she leans closer to my publisher and curls one of his short blonde locks around her finger. I reflexively thread my fingers through my own chocolate brown hair which has unavoidably fallen in my eyes.

"Oh no hun, I'm getting a bit too old for that." He answers kindly.

Despite the fact that he's barely much older than myself, my publicist has always considered himself an old soul.

"I'm sure Alex would be up for it." He suggests, gesturing to my publicist, a man with much looser morals and a dick eager to fuck anything that moves.

"In a minute sweetcheeks." Alex replies with a scummy grin before smacking her ass, knowing full well Julie will be easy pickings later since we've all already turned her down.

It's not that Julie's desperate, she could have any number of men, especially since she makes it clear sex is always no strings attached. 

I don't hold it against her, on the contrary, I usually love a woman with an insatiable appetite. However, no strings attached doesn't seem to have applied to our brief encounter.

Our group seems to have a difficult time relieving ourselves of her and her two like-minded friends. Although, watching Alex's spiderlike fingers rub circles in her ass, I second guess if the others mind as much.

"We need to discuss your gameplan, Porter.  We've already agreed your playboy persona won't play well with the judges." Alex reminds me.  "We need to find a girl to agree to play the part."

"Play the part of what?" Julie asks, nosing her way in our conversation.

"He wants me to find a girl to settle down with for show." I answer. "He doesn't think the judges will take kindly to a romance novelist known to the press as a womanizer."

"I'm thinkin' family woman, well-to-do, got her shit together and all that jazz. We'll get a family together and build you a whole new image. The press will have a field day, finally an inside look to the mysterious J. Porter." Alex theatrically suggests. "Now, I've got a few contacts I'm sure would be willing to play the part-"

"I'd do it for you." Julie interrupts, flipping her platinum blonde hair over her shoulder.

"Not quite the sweetheart look I had in mind." Alex disputes, his dark eyes briefly lurking on the golden miniskirt exposing her long legs. "Plus, we need someone who can stick to him like glue.  The last thing we need is the tabloids publishing an infidelity scandal."

"I can do it, consider tonight my audition."  Julie decrees before sitting in my lap once more and lovingly rubbing my back with one arm.

"How is this, Jackie?" She inquires sweetly as she fiddles with my hair.

I glare at Alex, knowing full well this won't end well.  I agreed my image needed work and trusted in my, albeit, shady publicist to come up with a plan but this is not what I had in mind. 

I'm actually proud of 'After All', my latest novel. But I'd have never agreed to this if I knew Julie would have ended up playing the part of my other half. I shouldn't have shown up tonight in the first place.

Angry thoughts fume through my mind as I debate on which harsh words would get her off my lap fastest before the waitress appears to take our order.

"Good evening Ladies and Gents-" The waitress stiffens and silence rings through the air. I'm still steaming over the blonde glued to my lap when I look up to see what stole her tongue. I realize her gaze has fallen on me.

Intrigued, I take my metal lip ring between my teeth and stare right back. I've never been one to shy away from confrontation.

Her wide eyes nervously lock with mine, and I'm unsure if it's a matter of intrigue or just an inescapable awkward moment, but I'm unable to look away. Her eyes glimmer against neon lights in the loud dark nightclub and I find myself desperately wondering their color. 

Before long, she catches herself staring and her head snaps towards the others. Grateful for the reprieve, I take the opportunity to fully examine the woman who's captured my attention.

Long sun-kissed brunette hair lies brushed over her shoulder in a spiral as if she'd been annoyed with it tickling her face, but didn't bother tying it up. In her all-black outfit, it's obvious she's intending to blend in with the other employees, leaving too much to the imagination for my own taste. 

Regardless, my gaze subconsciously wanders her body. My inquisitive eyes roam past her ample breasts, curve around her hips, down to the flare in her jeans, until I find myself yearning to know what's underneath.

I realize I've been caught gawking as my gaze meets hers again, but unlike my new waitress friend, I don't shy away. Even through the neon lights I notice a shade of pink glowing on her cheeks as she fiddles with an empty tray.

"A round of your top-shelf whisky for us all." Julie orders condescendingly before straddling her legs over mine. "And try not to get any drool in it."

My vision is suddenly obscured by Julie's freckled breasts and by the time I've shoved her to the side, my new waitress friend is gone.

"Bloody hell, Julie." I groan. "What was that?"

"I think she did a tremendous job of showing you're hers." Alex claps, laughing in a puff of air. "We'd have to clean up your look though Julie, something more wholesome." 

I groan at the idea of being put through that again while Julie and her girlfriends excuse themselves and head to the bar.

"How about our waitress?" I offer when Julie is clearly out of earshot.

"Don't kid yourself, she's out of your league buddy." Alex scoffs.

"Bullocks." I counter as I watch him brush his greasy black hair back with a comb he snatched from his pocket. "It's in the bag."

"You think she'll agree to be used as a pawn?" Alex nods his head side to side. "No way dude. She'll bail the second you tell her and if so, we're using Julie."

"Then we won't tell her." I growl, more so irritated that I feel the need to prove myself to my own publicist.

Alex simply smirks as he leans back into the cushioned red couch, ready for a show.

I thread my fingers through my hair and eye the stairway that I know she'll be strutting through. It's been a while since I've been nervous when it comes to courting a woman, but I remind myself it's only so I'm not stuck with Julie.

Before long, I spot the woman from earlier skillfully carrying a tray full of amber-brown liquid over her shoulder and gliding our way. 

I clear my throat to catch her attention but she purposely avoids looking my way.

Does she know?

I quickly search the ceiling for cameras but unless they're cleverly hidden, I don't think our privacy has been invaded.

"Here you go gentlemen, can I bring you anything else?" She asks politely and I realize this is the first time I've actually heard her gentle voice.

Julie's voice is ridiculously high pitched as if it hadn't aged passed preteen, yet, my new waitress friend has a more soothing tone. I catch myself wondering what it would sound like if she were to narrate one of my audio books.

"Thanks, Babe." Alex's thick scratchy voice invades my thoughts and I narrowly avoid rolling my eyes. "What's your name?"

I watch her nose scrunch and can't stop the smirk in the corner of my lips as I realize she finds him just as putrid as I do.

Christian, one of the kindest men I've met since I arrived in Phoenix, quickly puts an end to Alex's crudeness and attempts to cover for him.  No doubt to spare the young woman's feelings.

"You left so quickly, we didn't get an introduction." Christian corrects with a kind smile.

"My apologies." The waitress offers. "Since your friend shouted her order at me I thought you had to be parched, so I didn't want to doddle."

I can't help the chuckle that escapes my lips.  I hadn't expected her to be humorous and I certainly love the subtle insult she hurled at Julie. I only wish she'd been here to hear it.

Startled by my laugh, she turns wide-eyed as if she'd forgotten I was there. I catch her gaze only long enough to notice the bright blue-green hue of her eyes before she quickly turns away again.

Damnit.

"She's got spirit, I like her." Christian states unphased. "I'm Christian and this is Alex."

"That man there is Jackson." He says pointing in my direction, earning me another gaze.

Ocean eyes.

My smile fades and I clear my suddenly itchy throat. For the first time, I'm feeling just as awkward as she was when she arrived in the VIP section.

I briefly nod and drop my gaze, dismissing the unnatural feelings that waved through me.

"My name is Maggie, and I'm yours- Your girl for the evening- I'm-" She freezes in place, wide ocean eyes burning a hole in my head but I dont look up.

Alex smiles while leaning back casually on his couch, clearly enjoying the show.

I find myself embarrassed for the girl, wishing it were just her and I experiencing this awkward moment alone.

"I mean-" She stops to clear her throat. "If you need anything else, please don't hesitate to ask. I'll be sending someone up to check on you shortly."

"Wait, you're not coming back?" My head snaps in her direction. The eagerness in my voice surprises both myself and my new awkward friend Maggie.

My brows scrunch together in confusion as I try to make sense of what the hell is screwing with my head.

"Well, this really wasn't supposed to be my table." She admits. "I'm just helping out a friend."

Christian and Alex begin conversing quietly, suspiciously staring in our direction.

The moment I turn to find out if Maggie's heard them, she's gone.

"She's perfect." Alex claps my shoulder and gives me a good shake.  "Guess she doesn't realize she's out of your league, huh? Must be because she's just a waitress."

I scowl a warning in his direction and he surrenders with his hands in the air.

"I just say it like I see it." Alex admits.

"You're bloody lucky I don't say it as I see it." I growl.

"Now, Now gentlemen." Christian attempts to keep the peace. "It will do no good to be at each other's throats, besides, I think you should go after that young lady Jackson."

I stand and nod, finding myself unexplainably eager to catch up with Maggie.  I shake the thought from my head, reminding myself I'd accept just about any reason to excuse myself from here.