I tip the glass to my lips and have every intention of telling this guy that yes I do want to dance, just not with him, when I cast my eyes up over the mezzanine balcony and almost choke on the shot as it glides down my throat. My gaze meets black. Up in the VIP section, leaning against the rails, is David. He stares straight down at me, looking as devastatingly beautiful as ever.
What the hell is he doing here?
Now I know I’m drunk, but I can’t even use that as an excuse for the way my heartbeat dips between my legs at the sight of him. David in a suit is utter perfection. David in a fitted black shirt and jeans? Fucking mouth-watering. My skin starts firing off sparks of electricity as I watch his gaze slowly rake down my body, his eyes narrowing as he takes in the shimmery-gold mini dress that barely grazes the top of my thighs.
The guy next to me slides a hand around my waist, and it may be a trick of the light, but I swear David’s gaze turns ice cold as he tracks the movement.
I’m about to shake off the man’s touch when a tall blonde in a tight red dress sidles up to David and drapes an arm over his shoulders. She looks like a model, and I can’t help the acidic burn that spreads in my gut.
Is she another escort? Did he come here with her? Is he going toleavewith her?
My hand finds my chest, rubbing away a sudden bout of heartburn.
She’s the type of woman I would envision with David, Ithink bitterly as my shot starts to come back up my throat. One who looks like a Victoria’s Secret model with legs that last for days. David’s cold eyes flick back up to meet mine, sending what feels like an electric shock to my heart. Anna obliviously shoves another shot in my hand.
Fuck it.
I down the shot while holding David’s frosty gaze. Then I grab the man’s hand from my waist and pull him back through the mass of people to the dance floor, feeling the heat of David’s eyes on me the whole time. Anna whoops from beside me, no doubt ecstatic that I’ve already broken my ‘no more men’ rule less than twenty-four hours after making it, but I couldn’t give two shits right now. What’s the harm in a little dancing?
Somewhere deep down I know that I wouldn’t be doing this if my blood hadn’t been practically replaced with alcohol. I’m dancing with a man purely to try forget another, but it feels too damn good to stop. I move my hips to the music, not daring to look back to the balcony to see if a certain someone is still watching. I’m careful not to rub my ass too close to the man behind me, but it seems he doesn’t get the memo as he settles his hands around my waist and slowly, as the song progresses, presses firmer into my back until he’s grinding into me from behind. The crowd is too condensed for me to step away from him, and a growing sense of unease builds under my skin. I’m not leaving with anyone tonight, and the way he’s pressed up against me makes me believe he doesn’t have the same qualms. My will-power cracks and I look up towards the balcony where I last left David glaring at me.
He’s gone. So is the blonde.
A sick feeling creeps up my throat. Did they leave together?
The urge to escape this dance floor and this handsy guy becomes overwhelming. I grab Anna by the shoulders and hitch my head towards the entrance of the club. Thankfully Anna catches on immediately and grabs my hand, pulling me, but the man’s hands tighten around my waist.
“Where you going, huh?” He says into my ear, grinding into me harder, and my heart lurches into my throat. I throw what I hope is a subdued smile back over my shoulder at him, but I can’t be sure because the music seems to be getting louder and louder in my head, to the point of distraction.
“Bathroom,” I lie. “Be right back.” He releases my waist and I follow Anna through the crowd, and my shoulders sag with relief as we make our way around the outside edge of the dance floor. My head is spinning now as the effects of those last two shots kick-in, and I know it’s time to get home before the contents of my stomach make a re-appearance.
“You don’t look great,” Anna’s two heads say as they swim in front of my vision. She leans in closer to look me in the eyes, but I can’t focus.Shit, this isn’t good.
“I don’t feel great.” My words are slurred and I fight to stop my eyelids from drooping. Exhaustion comes out of nowhere and covers me like a weighted blanket. Anna’s hand grips my elbow, and she tries to lead me to the exit. “Let’s get you out in to the fresh air.”
I stumble after her, but a sharp tug on my dress pulls me back, releasing me from Anna’s grip.
I’m whipped around until my front slams up against a firm chest and a forearm presses into my back, keeping me in place, and if I’m honest, upright.
“Where do you think you’re going?” I recognise the guy’s voice from the dance floor, but I can’t see his face as he holds me firmly in place, my gaze level with his throat.
“Let her go. We’re leaving,” Anna says from behind me, and even though I’m drunk, the edge of panic I detect in her voice makes my heart rate kick up a notch.
“She doesn’t want to leave. Do you, babe?” The man asks, his hot breath whispering at the top of my head as he speaks into my hair. “We were having fun.”
I push weakly against his chest. “No, I need to go,” I think I say, but I can’t be sure as my words come out even more slurred than before. My head spins like a top and I sink my weight further against his chest until he’s practically carrying me. Something is wrong. I know I drank a lot, but I’ve never lost sensation in my legs before.
“See? She wants to stay. She’s practically throwing herself at me.”
No. No, I want to leave, Anna.
“Let her go!” Anna’s yelling now. Her hand grips my shoulder and she pulls, but the man’s hold on me tightens. Then the jerking stops and Anna’s hand falls from my shoulder as a voice cuts through her screams.
“I suggest you release her right now.”
The new voice is deep. Smooth. Commanding.
It somehow calms my pounding heart.
