My tongue unconsciously chases across my upper lip, and I can almost taste her lip gloss.My pleasure centres all light up when her mouth sets into an egregious smile.
Mustn’t cause a scene…
Really, mustn’t cause a scene.
The disappointment on the face of that kid who saw Kira in my room and sussed everything out still haunts my every waking moment.If it gets out that I’m besotted with her, he won’t be the only outraged former fan standing up and shilling to the world about my betrayal of our supposedly common values.Frankly it’s a surprise that my sedition hasn’t already been reported.
Maybe it has on some low level.I haven’t exactly checked out the gossip sites.
Having seen me and made eye contact, Kira starts heading my way.No, no, not good.
In my panic, I spill my drink right down the front of my shirt.
“Butterfingers.”Chase chuckles.“Exactly how many of those have you had?Or are you still in the habit of knocking back a bottle of Thunderbird before you hit a party?”
“Totally, I still do that.”I never did that.That was Ronnie and Emilia’s trick.Probably Chase’s too.
“Do we need to go and get you dried off?”He turns his head towards the loos.Ha—I am almost tempted to allow him to guide me there, but until the person who is out to destroy me is safely behind bars, there’s no sense in drawing unnecessary attention.Chase Woodrow and I going hand in hand into theGENTS’would definitely start a rumour or three.
“I reckon I can manage to sponge myself off.”
“I’ll take care of this for you, shall I?”he offers, palming what remains of my drink.I’ve no doubt it’ll have disappeared by the time I return, if I return.The benefits of hiding out in the club toilets for the night are becoming more apparent by the second.Kira’s almost close enough to reach out and catch me when I flee past Chase to the men’s room.
There’s a constant scrum of people in and out of the rest area.Too many preening prima donnas in attendance for the mirrors not to be in high demand.I make a show of cleaning up with a wad of paper towels, but the club is so inferno hot, there’s barely a damp mark left by the time I actually catch a glimpse of myself in a decent sized mirror.
I’m going to have to face Kira at some point and talk to her.However, now isn’t the right moment.That conversation needs to be had in private, not bellowed so that we can be heard over the loud music, or conducted in sign language that anyone can eavesdrop upon.
Of course, it occurs to me as I stand here trying to blend in and not look as if I’m hiding, that Kira might actually follow me in here.A male stick figure on the door didn’t stop her on the night of the gala dinner, so it’s unlikely to hold her off now.
So, contingency plans—I need them.Step one; lock myself in the nearest empty cubicle.Step two; refuse to come out or say a word, and hope she gets bored and gives up.Step three; find an alternative exit.That’d be just dandy, if there was such a thing, but there’s not even a window in this underground cavern.There is a cleaner’s cupboard though.It’s an option, if by some miracle it’s not locked.
What my sadly lacklustre plan doesn’t include is a clause for what to do if someone else I’d rather not talk to turns up.
Adam Bask’s face lights up when he spots me loitering in the toilets.I watch in horror as joy spreads across his face, until he’s sporting a grin so wide and salacious he’s in danger of eating himself.He makes me an open offer, right then and there from the other side of the room with numerous people watching.Let’s fuck.Right now.It’s what you’re here for, and it’s what I’m offering.
Only, he’s erroneous in that assumption.I’m hiding, not cruising for company.
I don’t want to deal with his shit right now, so I pretend he’s not blatantly propositioning me and tumble through the exit instead.
What the hell am I doing, stumbling from pillar to post like the devil’s about to bite my arse?That’s not something I should be afraid of.It’s not like he hasn’t already taken many a painful bite.
Still, it’s okay.I can handle Adam and his machinations.They’re nothing I haven’t managed before.Kira though, she’s a whole other board game, and she’s waiting for me right outside the door as I return to the brickwork cellar bar.
She’s waiting, and she’s drop dead gorgeous in her cold, bristly fury.
God, I’m an idiot, imagining for a second that I’d managed to purge myself of all the X-rated thoughts I’ve entertained about her.The truth is all I’ve accomplished over the last few weeks is to tune out the insidious longing she inspires.There’s no ignoring them now.They’re baying through megaphones.This woman just isn’t like any other woman.She speaks to me on some primal level, to the caveman in me.That Neanderthal doesn’t give a shit about modern concepts such as orientations and gender preferences.It just accepts she’s hot, and the best outcome imaginable is one where I get to fuck her from every conceivable angle.
Cue instant hard-on burgeoning in my pants.
I’m so frozen from coming face to face with Kira that I forget about Adam until his breath whispers against the edge of my jaw.He’s right behind me, an unyielding presence against my back.“Name the place.”
Only Adam could interpret me turning tail as a sign of encouragement.
Kira’s shoulders pull back sharply.I think she heard his words, and drew a reasonable conclusion.The frostiness of her expression increases tenfold, and transforms her into a sort of ethereal witch I can imagine shagging in a snowstorm.Not that she’s going to let me anywhere near her ever again.The only intimacy I’m likely to receive from Kira Carter-Wells is an almighty slap that leaves my ears ringing and my cheek scarlet.
It’s no more than I deserve.
She’s patient though, and controlled, which means she doesn’t just storm forward and do it.Thus, I’m trapped between her and Adam.
