I chuckle to myself as I take the towel from my hair.
God I am going to miss these guys when I eventually leave.
But I am not going to think about that tonight. No. I am going to have a night off, to let loose and have fun before everything inevitably goes to shit like everything does in my life.
I look at myself in the mirror while I lift the Margarita to my reflection. “To us,”
Then I knock the drink back and I embrace the burn of the tequila down my oesophagus.
***
This place stinks of opulence and sin.
A ballroom fitting for a Bram Stoker novel, with its rich gothic details, marble floor shining under the low candlelight and the large arched windows draped in velvet, pooling like spilled wine. Everyone is dressed in the most beautiful dresses; in every colour you could think of. Creating an undulating sea of technicolour.
“Holy crap,” Corden murmurs from beside me as we walk into the ballroom. “This place is insane. I always wondered what was behind those doors,”
I nod, taking in the scene. With my lectures mainly being on the opposite side of the academy, I haven’t really ventured this way before. I would never have guessed a ball room of this grandeur was locked away, it’s almost untouched by time. I can feel the history here, smell it, taste it.
“Yeah, they only ever let us in here for special occasions,” Piper chirps in from the other side of me. Her arm linked in mine as we head down the small number of stairs into the body of space. As I thought, Piper has fit into the group without any friction. Her personality slipping out more and more as the time goes on. I think she feels comfortable, and that’s all I care about right now. Not that it matters, because Jacob is following close by, attached to her every move like a shadow, a huge handsome one.
A server passes by and offers us all glass of champagne, I take one but tell myself to slow down. We all had three margaritas back in myroom, the last one being made by Corden and by its fiery burn, I assume it was more tequila than anything else.
“Oh, there’s Asher. I’m going to go and say hi,” Piper says as she drops my arm. “I’ll be back in five,” She grins and makes her way over to the other side of the room. Jacob following, placing his hand lightly on the base of her back like it belongs there.
I take a deep breath before I follow their line of travel, and I instantly regret it.
There he is in all of his glory. Black fitted suit that more than likely cost more than my father’s house, black shirt with the buttons at his collar opened, hair perfectly messed up and a smile on his face that lights a fire in my belly. The bit that ruins it; the evil sucubitch gripping his arm in a vice, like he might dissolve into the ground if she doesn’t keep in contact with him.
She chats away with the older woman on the other side of Asher, like she belongs there. And I guess she does.
Piper interrupts and Asher’s attention immediately shifts to her, scanning her from top to toe like he is searching for an injury. His mouth moves but I am too far away to hear anything. I know I should look away, but I am glued to him, even my eye site gravitates towards him like he is a magnet. Corden and Deena chat to another couple of girls and I nod my head enough to seem like I am included in the conversation. Piper points over to us and before I can quickly glance away, our focus locks in on each other and my surroundings disappear.
Even the oxygen in my lungs freeze.
My body comes alive in a way that doesn’t make sense. How can he have an effect on me that no one else seems to have.
His gaze sweeps appreciatively down my form, from my face to my cleavage, scanning over the cut-outs that show my sides all the way to myhips and then down the train of deep red material until it pools on the marble floor.
When his eyes meet mine again, they have darkened. No, his pupils have widened. His Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows, and a devilish smirk lifts his left cheek.
“I’m hard from just the sexual tension between you too right now,” Corden interrupts finally pulling my attention away from the inevitable train wreck that is awaiting us. “It’s disgustingly delicious,”
I clear my throat and laugh. “I have no idea what you mean,”
“Yes, you do,” He links my arm with his and pulls me closer. “Darcy might be on his arm right now, but his attention is solely on you,” He grins. “I knew that dress would make him drool,”
I raise my brows. “You got me this dress to attract Asher’s attention?”
“Erm, duh,”
“Well, it was a waste of time. There is nothing between us, I don’t even like him,” I lie.
“Is that right little vixen?” Asher’s deep gravelly voice sounds from behind me and my stomach drops. I slowly turn, bracing myself to face both Asher and Darcy. But instead of the blonde on his arm, Piper grins back at me, her gaze shifting between us in delight.
“It sure felt like you liked me the other night in the billiard room,” I feel my cheeks redden as Asher shifts closer. “Or in the bathroom,” He leans down so his mouth is closer to my ear, his intoxicating scent wafting over me. “Or even tonight, as your chest heaves and the blood vessel in your neck pounds in my presence,”
“That’s just me holding back from kicking you in the nuts,” I grit out knowing he won’t believe me.
