Burning Desires

“Matt… are you okay?” Jade asked him and placed her soft hand on his arm.

I’m proposing to my girlfriend, I’m proposing to my girlfriend. Matt chanted inside of his head as he saw the very visible hickey on her neck. Brian was known for constantly marking his territory, and a hickey was the way to do it. Get yourself together, Matthew! You’re going to propose to your girlfriend. There is no room for doubt. Especially, hot, cute, and amaz--stop it!

“I’m fine,” Matt spat and stormed out of the house. He only came because he left something for Brian to sign for the upcoming tour. It was important, otherwise, he wouldn’t have come. Now he was pissed as hell. He should’ve known seeing Jade would make him doubt himself.

He got back home and saw his girlfriend in a wonderful dress. His doubts started to melt away. Her brown eyes twinkled.

“I wish we would go out more often,” she said with her pout on her lips, but then turned into a grin. “I can’t wait to have everyone together.”

“You look so sexy,” Matt grinned too and wrapped his inked arms around her. “I love you.”

“Love you too, last night was so amazing!” Val giggled.

Matt chuckled. “You had been holding out on me.”

She laughed. “No, but I did get some great trips from this… expert, you could call her.”

“A prostitute?” Matt gaped at his girlfriend.

Val laughed again, but harder and smacked his chest. “God no! You moron, just someone. Why did it have to a prostitute?”

“You said ‘expert’,” Matt quoted her.

“Right, but you have a dirty mind, she’s actually a stripper. She was so friendly and taught me everything did last night.”

“Hmm, maybe you should ask her to join--ow! Jeez, woman, just a suggestion,” Matt laughed and then pecked her lips.

“A very nasty one,” she pointed out. “Now let’s go or we’re going to be late.”

“Right,” Matt said and watched as his girlfriend left the room. The engagement ring in his pocket now seemed to weight a thousand tons.

The car ride was semi-silent. They talked a bit, but nothing in particular.

Matt’s headlights hit his friends as he pulled up in his Escalade. He noticed Jade first, and she looked extremely hot. He shook his head and turned off the car. He got out and walked around and opened the door for Val.

“Come babe,” Matt said and interlocked his fingers with Val.

Val immediately recognized her strip dance instructor.

“Oh, my, God, you’re the stripper that saved my sex life!” Val exclaimed.

It made Matt tense. Jade was the reason for the AMAZING sex last night? Jade was the reason Val knew all of those new tricks and that pole dancing?

Everyone else found it funny how Val just blurted that out.

“Saved it? Oh I doubt that hon you got natural talent,” Jade said with a smile that made Matt’s heart melt. “you wanna take it as a compliment or insult is on you.” She laughed and Brian placed his arm around her waist.

Matt’s other hand clenched into a fist.

Val smirked. “Leave it you, Syn…”

Jade almost frown at her comment. What the hell was that supposed to mean?

Jade decided to let it go. She didn’t want to create trouble. Jade was kindly introduced to the other girls, except for Michelle because apparently she and Brian had a bad history.

They walked inside of the bar and sat down with a pitcher of beer.

“So, what do you do?” Leana asked as she leaned close to Jimmy.

“I’m… an exotic dancer,” Jade said simply.

“Wow, that sounds like fun,” Lacey giggled. “Do you make a lot?”

“I made enough.”

“Made?” Gina asked with a raised eyebrow. “Did you quit?”

Jade looked around unsure if she should tell them.

“Jade,” Brian stepped in, “is going to be one of the dancers at the next tour.” Brian kissed her temple.

Matt just decided to ignore them and enjoy his night out. He had to come to terms with everything.

“Aren’t you guys going to like Europe and stuff?” Leana asked with a grin.

“Yup!” Jimmy raised his beer mug. “Off with their heads!” Jimmy said with his horrible English accent.

Everyone laughed.

“You’re lucky,” Leana sighed. “We have to wait here until they come back.”

The night seemed to get better and better. Jade was welcomed with open arms by the girls. They asked how she saved Val’s sex life and Jade explained she gave her a few pointers. Val admitted she needed the help. Matt just remained quiet and his friends took notice of it.

What was he supposed to say? ‘Yeah my girlfriend suck ass in the sheets until a stripper I have possible feelings for gave her pointers that made the whole thing better than ever before’?

“How did you meet Brian?” Leana asked. “I’ve never seen him so smitten.”

Matt quickly looked at Brian, and did notice something different about his friend. There was a smile on him that he never saw before. He always had it when he talked about Jade, or was around Jade. Did Brian have feelings for Jade?

Brian did have feelings for Jade. He liked pretending to be with her because it just brought them closer. He knew it was wrong of him because she had feelings for Matt and Matt definitely had feelings for her, but he thought he could be a better boyfriend for her. He would treat her right and he was single. He had no relationship with anyone else. But he would wait until Jade realized Matt wasn’t just going to give up Val.

“Well, he and I met where I used to work, he would come and we got talking,” Jade smiled and placed her hand on his leg.

Matt quickly drowned his beer. Now it would be a better time.

“Hey, guys calm down,” he said as he stood up.

Everyone looked at him.

Matt only glanced a bit to Jade and saw the worry and hurt in her eyes. It was like she already knew what was going to happen.

Matt dropped to one knee. Girls around squealed in happiness. He pulled out a ring from his back pocket.

Val’s eyes watered and her right hand over her mouth.

“Valery DiBenedetto, will you marry me?”

Gasps immediately went around, including Jimmy.

“Oh my god!” Jimmy squealed.

“Yes!” Val shouted and Matt placed the ring in her left finger.

Everyone clapped, except for two. Jade just watched in amazement, and not the good kind.

“Excuse me,” Jade said quickly and before anyone noticed she got up and walked away from the horrible scene that made her heart ache and her mind wobble.

Matt hugged Val, but watched as Jade left the bar with Brian right behind her.

He regretted leading her on. He wished it would’ve worked out differently.

He really, truly cared for Jade.