“Same old gold digger looking for something exciting?”
“Probably,” I say, unconvinced.
“You don’t want to let her get away.” Ryan elbows me and gestures across the room with his head. I see Jake, one of my teammates, approach her and another girl.
“You should do something.”
“I have no intention of doing anything.”
“Ian…”
“Don’t start with me.”
“Maybe you could…”
“Stop.”
“She doesn’t seem too bad.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about.”
“Well then, what is it?”
I sigh. “That’s not the kind of woman you can forget about after a night or two.”
“And you picked up all of this insight by having a two-minute conversation with her?”
“I just know, that’s all.”
“And that’s a bad thing?”
“A fucking disaster.”
Ryan shakes his head in disapproval as I force myself to watch the scene playing out a few metres in front of me.
Jake approaches the girl and smiles at her.
I sit up straight on my stool.
Jake talks to her, unloading all of his charm, and she blushes.
I feel my stomach burst into flames.
Jake offers her his hand. She looks at her friend, who nods, then accepts it and follows him to the dance floor.
I jump to my feet instinctively.
Jake puts his hand on her bare back and lets it slide down slowly to her waist and she tilts her head to the side in surprise, perhaps a bit uncomfortable with the gesture.
I rest my elbow on the counter behind me.
Jake whispers in her ear, and she smiles again: mouth, eyes and face.
Everything.
Every part of her is smiling.
And my legs are shaking.
