“Here, have another to drink,” he said, flagging down a roving waiter.
He handed me a glass as the music ended, and I walked to the side of the dance floor, panting from the exertion. I looked around me as I downed another drink, and I spotted Gale in the distance. I frowned as I saw him snuggled up close to Stella, kissing her cheek as he whispered something in her ear.
I suddenly felt furious. Of course, I had just been his toy. I was just another girl to him. He was just some playboy who probably hit on every woman he could find. And I had let myself be manipulated like that. I had only been some plaything to him, but I had been stupid enough to think that there was something special between us.
My heart twinged with jealousy and anger, but most of all, it wept with pain. I had started trusting him. I had ended up developing feelings for him, and now I felt betrayed and crushed. He had led me on. Made me believe he felt something too, but he was just a playboy. That’s all.
He looked towards me, and our eyes met, and I clenched my jaw.
“Jack!” I said. “Let’s dance again.”
I downed another drink and pulled a confused-looking Jack towards the dance floor before putting my arms around his neck and pushing my body against him. I looked around, and I saw Gale staring at me, and I smirked at him. I pushed Gale out of my head, concentrating on the beat of the music. If Gale thought I was some girl he could manipulate and that I would wait around crying for him, well, he was wrong. I was going to show him that I didn’t care.
I looked at him and saw that he was laughing loudly with Stella, his body pressed close to hers. He leaned down and kissed her, and I felt my jealousy rise. I could see that he had been drinking because of the way he slumped when he danced.
I kissed Jack on the cheek, pressing my body against him and nuzzling his neck. Jack held me closer, and for a minute, I felt guilty about using him to make Gale jealous, but my drunk mind pushed the thought away. We continued to dance, and I downed one drink after another, starting to enjoy myself and caring little about Gale.
Suddenly, Gale threw a glass of wine on the ground. I looked up and found him glaring at me, but I ignored him. He turned around and barged away, ignoring Stella as she called after him.
Guilt ravaged me as I looked at Jack’s smiling face. What was I doing? Who had I become? He kissed my cheek, and I forced a smile on my face. Why am I even here?
Chapter 11
Unspoken Desire
Gale Fears
Iwas furious. My head throbbed, and I was well aware that I was utterly wasted. I knew I shouldn’t be here, but I couldn’t stop myself. Seeing Hillary in the arms of another man, dancing and laughing, pressing her body against him. I just couldn’t take it. Stella had been with me, being a kind and loving soul for once, a fact which had surprised me. And even though I was dancing with Stella, I couldn’t help but think of Hillary.
I would hold Stella, but it was Hillary I craved. It was her who I wanted. I would kiss Stella, but in my mind, I saw Hillary, with her eyes filled with merriment and her soft, tempting lips awaiting mine. I wanted nothing more than to throw Stella away, take Hillary in my arms and make her mine, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t escape Stella, no matter how much I hated her.
These past few days had been horrid. I dreamed of Hillary and how much I wanted her. How much I desired her. I craved her touch, to hear her voice in my ear, to look into her eyes once again. And there she was, dancing in the arms of another man. Dancing as if there was never anyone else in her life. Could Daniel be right? Was she, in the end, just a gold digger? Just after wealth and money? She couldn’t have me, so she went after Jack?
The door suddenly opened, and Hillary walked in, looking enchanting in her dress. My body pulsated with desire the minute I saw her, but the anger in me held me back.
“Gale!” she gasped. “What are you doing at my apartment?”
“Erica let me in,” I said. “I need to talk to you.”
“You and I have nothing to talk about!” she snapped.
“Nothing?” I asked. “Why? Because you don’t want anything to do with me anymore? You found another man to play? Someone just as rich and powerful? You wanted money, so now you are going to get it with Jack? What do you need me for?”
“How dare you,” she shot back. “How can you say something like that? After your betrayal? After all that you said to me, you took Stella back without even an explanation to me. It was like I never meant anything to you. That I was just some toy for you to play around with and enjoy. That’s all I ever was! Some entertainment!”
“It’s not true,” I said, marching towards her and pressing her against the wall. “You are special to me. I didn’t use you. I didn’t betray you. I want you. I still want you. Every day without you is horrible. It’s torture. When I am with her, you are all I can think about. Every time I am neary you, even in the same room, I just want to be with you. You are always on my mind. I miss your company, your laughter, your friendship.”
“Then why?” she whispered, tears falling from her eyes. “Why Stella?”
“I don’t have a choice,” I said hoarsely.
“Don’t have a choice?” she whispered. “Why?”
“I can’t tell you,” I said quietly. I wanted to. I wanted to tell her everything, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t risk anyone knowing about the secret, not even Hillary.
“Why can’t you tell me?” she asked, grabbing my collar and pulling me closer. “Why? What’s going on?”
“I am sorry,” I said. “I can’t say anything. I want to. Believe me. But not now. Maybe later, but not right now. But don’t think this is easy for me. It’s you I want, not her. You and I have something special, something I have never experienced before. It’s you who I am meant to be with.”
