Read Online Aced by Ella Frank, Brooke Blaine - Free Book Online Page A

turned, and as the crowd parted to let him by, Russ nudged me to follow. As Russ trailed behind me, I let Ace lead us through a hallway that opened up into a tremendous living room and kitchen, and I won’t even pretend that I wasn’t checking out the way Ace’s designer black pants molded so perfectly to his ass. He was dressed in all black tonight, which somehow made him more potent. When Ace reached the bar, he held up three fingers to the bartender and then faced us, and with his hair freshly buzzed and his blue eyes piercing, the guy was fucking magnetic.
    “So is this a weekly thing for you?” I asked when we stopped beside him. “Wild parties, open bar, people everywhere?”
    Ace’s eyes twinkled. “I prefer my gatherings a bit more…intimate.”
    And didn’t that make my cock twitch. “Then what’s the occasion?”
    The bartender set three shot glasses in front of us, rimmed with what looked like salt, as well as a lemon garnish.  
    Oh God. I had a tendency to get naked and dance on bar tops when tequila was involved, so if this was how the night was starting off… shit . Not good. Not good at all.
    Ace handed us each a shot and said, “It’s called a birthday party, and since I’m the birthday boy, you’d be smart to let me have my way tonight.” Then he winked at me. “Bottoms up.”
    The meaning behind those two words had me hesitating for a moment before licking the—oh fuck, was this sugar?—off the rim and downing the shot. The burn was minimal and the taste was sweet, and as Russ tossed the lemon into his glass, he said, “A lemon drop? Little girly for you, don’t you think?”
    Ace gave a toothy grin. “Fruity is my flavor of choice lately, haven’t you heard?”
    I snorted, and they both looked my way. “I’m sorry, but that is the last way I’d ever describe you.”
    “Oh…?” Ace’s eyebrow shot up. “Care to enlighten me? After all, it is my birthday.”
    As he and Russ looked at me expectantly, I swallowed. Hard. Huh. Hard is also a word I’d use to describe him…and the ache between my thighs when he’s around. What the fuck was I supposed to say that I could say out loud?
    Ace’s brow dropped infinitesimally as he sensed my hesitation. “Don’t worry about it. I’m just fucking with you.” Then he took a lowball glass from the bartender and squeezed my shoulder. “Enjoy the open bar, guys. And maybe grab something a little more manly for Russ next time.” With a cheeky half-smile, he walked away, disappearing into the crowd.
    “I’m gonna get us a real shot. Tequila okay?” Russ didn’t wait for an answer before he leaned over the bar to place his order.
    “Actually, I’d prefer the girly shit,” I said, and Russ gave me a quizzical look over his shoulder.  
    “Seriously?”
    “Yeah, seriously.”
    He shrugged and switched up the drink order, and then turned to face me. “I didn’t mean that in a bad way, it’s just…I mean, I never pictured Ace Locke walking up to a bar and ordering a fucking lemon drop.”  
    “Well, that’s the difference, then, isn’t it? He didn’t even have to ask for one, they just knew what he wanted. That’s badass if you ask me. Plus, it tasted a helluva lot better than that shit you’re about to force down your throat.”
    “Gonna have to agree to disagree there.” Russ handed me a glass and held up his own. “Cheers to the next twelve weeks, where we’ll be wet and covered in seamen.”
    I choked out a laugh before throwing back the shot. I’d like to be covered in one seaman in particular…
    I licked the mix of sugar and lemon from my fingers. “I’m a little sticky.”
    “That’s what he said,” Russ replied without hesitation.
    I laughed again. “I asked for that.” Then I scanned the room, looking for a restroom. It was probably back out toward where we came in. “I’m gonna go wash up and then I’ll be right back.”
    “Try not to get too clean,” he said, with a gleam in his eyes. “Or