Chapter Thirty-Six
Greer
“Areyousureyou’reokay?” Jessie asks as I hug her for the hundredth time tonight.
“Of course. I’m thrilled for you and Ethan. And I can’t wait to get started on helping you organise the wedding. Oh, and the hens’ night.” Jessie knows me well and can tell right now I’m faking it until I (hopefully) make it. And she knows enough not to press me.
I’m thrilled for them. I am. But right now, it’s taking all my effort not to charge up to Josh and kick him in the balls.
“Now get going and do the rounds with your new fiancé and leave me to find another drink somewhere.” I push Jessie towards Ethan, and they disappear into the crowd.
I’m about to turn and head towards the bar when a fresh glass of champagne appears over my shoulder.
“Could this be what the beautiful woman is looking for?” a deep voice asks, and I spin to see Ethan’s friend Guy dangling the glass in his long, elegant fingers.
“Why, thank you, kind sir. It is indeed what I was looking for.” I take the glass and down half of it in one gulp, earning a grin from Guy.
I’ve known Guy about as long as I’ve known Josh, although I haven’t seen him for a few years. He’s gorgeous in aGQkind of way. He’s also charming, smart, witty and successful. And an even bigger man whore than either Josh or Will, or so I hear. It occurs to me that a bit of harmless flirting from a good-looking man might be what my bruised and battered heart needs.
“Do you know what else I need? A dance.” I gulp the rest of my champagne, put the glass on a nearby table and look at him expectantly.
“Your wish is my command, princess.” Guy bows low, takes my hand, and leads me to the crowded dance floor on one side of the garden.
The champagne and dancing go a little way to cheering me up, and my fake-it-‘til you-make-it plan seems to be convincing others, if not me.
Guy is a flirt, and it’s not long before he’s moving closer.
“You know, Greer, I’ll bet you look gorgeous first thing in the morning. All rumpled and sexy.” His lips brush my ear during a slower number.
I hold back a snort. “Do lines like that ever work for you?”
“Oh, it’s no line, baby. I’ve been picturing it all night. I’d like to find out firsthand if I’m right.” He slides closer still, moving sinuously against me as one hand trails up and down my back.
I’m about to tell him no when his body suddenly jerks away from me. Well, this is unpleasantly familiar.
“What the fuck are you playing at, man?” Josh shoves between us and everyone around gasps, moving back to give us space. They’re making a scene.
“What’s your problem? Greer and I were just dancing.” Guy tries to step around him, but Josh is having none of it.
“Well, go and find some other girl to dance with. Greer doesn’t need your type hitting on her.”
“My type? What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You know exactly what it means. Take your hit-it-and-quit-it approach somewhere else. She deserves better.” Josh looms over Guy, who is shorter and lighter than him, but Guy doesn’t back down.
“Fuck off. What business is it of yours?”
It’s taken me a moment, but I finally snap out of my stupor.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” I round on Josh, moving to stand between him and Guy.
“Nothing is wrong with me. I’m saving you from being hit on by this fuckboy.”
There’s a loud gasp from the crowd, including Guy, who now looks like he might punch Josh, despite the size difference.
Josh tries to move me to the side, but I slap his hand away. My heart is pounding. My tongue is about to run away with me, and I’m powerless to stop it.
“You know what? Fuck you, Josh. You don’t want me, but you don’t want anyone else to have me either? Well, you can’t have it both ways. Get out of my business once and for all and leave me the hell alone.”
