Nineteen

by E. S. Carter

  I pull a pouty face and we both giggle as we make our way back to Randy Ray and his delicious drinks.

  Forty minutes, three cocktails and two shots later, I find myself squeezed onto the packed dance floor with a large group of girls celebrating a hen night on one side of us and various, lecherous men penning us in on the other sides. Some of these seem interested in the hens, many of them obviously interested in Liv and one who has Octopus arms interested in me.

  ‘Scarlett’ I say inwardly to myself, ‘You can’t half pull them!’

  Trying to get Liv’s attention when she has lost herself to the music isn’t an easy feat. I manage to catch her eye and nod vigorously towards the VIP area but she purposely isn’t taking the hint, she is too busy strutting her stuff to some RnB track that the DJ is pounding out.

  I, on the other hand, am busy fending off Mr Octopus and all of his eight hands. Something Liv finds extremely funny and she damn well isn’t going to help me one bit!

  The DJ fades into the next track and it all gets a bit too raunchy for me when on comes Beyonce singing about being a ‘Naughty Girl’, I might shake my thing to tracks like this in the privacy of my own bedroom (or Liv’s) but me dancing to this in public, isn’t a good idea.

  I am hot, sweaty and parched. My mouth feels like I have swallowed the Sahara.

  Grabbing Liv by the hand I attempt to lead her from the dance floor but she’s totally lost in the music and not budging, she flicks her hand to me and mouths ‘You go, I’ll be there in a minute’ before turning herself around and continuing to sway seductively to Beyonce’s heavy breathing.

  Realising she isn’t going to move any time soon, I give a mild glare to her back before retreating towards the VIP area. Someone grabs my hand as I move through the crowds and a random guy makes a hand gesture to me that looks like ‘Would you like a drink?’ in fact I hope that’s what he meant. I softly shake my head, pull my hand from his grasp and keep heading towards the safe haven of the VIP.

  After ordering another of Randy Ray’s cocktails, I sit back on one of the oh so comfy, womb like chairs and scour the dance floor looking for Liv. I spot her almost immediately, bumping and grinding with some tall, dark, Italian looking stud who is so not her usual type. I’m glad she’s enjoying herself; I’d hate to dampen her night.

  Fifteen minutes or so pass before I realise that this exclusive little area is slowly becoming full and I no longer have a direct view towards the bar or the roped off entrance.

  Liv has now left the dance floor with the Italian Stallion and is casually leaning sideways against the downstairs bar as he orders them both drinks.

  She must have remembered that I was alone and possibly looking for her, as her gaze travels up searching for me in the VIP area.

  When she spots me looking down at her she waves, a big beaming smile on her face and then holds up her hand to indicate five minutes.

  Yeah right, I’ve been ditched, something Liv has a habit of doing but I can’t blame her, it is my own fault, I’m not very good at this whole socialising thing.

  Taking a deep breath I resolve that for once I am not going to do what I normally would, which would be to go check on Liv, assess that everything is ok and then sit in a corner somewhere waiting for her to decide when we could go home (I would never leave her in a club, ever.)

  No tonight I am going to have fun and in order to do that I need more drinks!

  The bar is quite busy by now and another bartender has arrived to help Randy Ray serve the waiting VIPs, also waiting in the wings were two stunning, blonde, waitresses, bustling drinks to waiting tables.

  I decide I’d rather go to the bar myself than request a waitress and spot an opening as someone else moves away. Standing quickly I focus on the opening by the bar, guessing I could squeeze myself in easily.

  I am so focused I do not notice someone else walking straight into that spot at the exact same time. The resulting bump sends me stumbling towards the floor, my ankle giving way in my ridiculously high heels and I am only saved from falling flat on my backside by a strong arm that grabs at my waist.

  Flustered I look down towards the tanned, muscular arm that has wrapped itself around me and is slowly pulling me back up.

  I let my eyes glide up towards his face and meet the smiling hazel eyes of a man I can only describe as very handsome. He has dark brown hair, a chiselled jaw line, strong nose and a friendly yet assessing smile that is currently giving me a cheeky grin.

  ‘Hey are you ok Bambi?’ he smiles. I nod my head nervously not really knowing what to say as I must look like such an oaf, stumbling around, trying to be something I so obviously am not.

  ‘Let me get you a drink.’ He nods at Ray behind the bar, who quickly finishes serving the person he was currently attending and comes directly over to us ignoring the other customers waiting.

  ‘Usual please Ray and Bambi here will have a….?’ he smiles over at me waiting for my answer.

  Damn, I sure as hell can’t ask him to get me a sexy beach thingy, what the hell am I supposed to say? Get yourself together Campbell, you are acting like a fool!

  ‘I’ll have the same please.’ I smile nervously.

  ‘What the same as me? But you don’t even know what I’ve asked for.’ He lets out a small laugh.

  ‘I’m sure it will be fine’ I say standing up straight and tilting my chin a little higher ‘I can handle my drink Thank You very much’. I try for a sweet smile and fail.

  ‘Yeah Bambi, I can see that!’ he lets out a heartier laugh and turns to look back at Ray.

  ‘Get the girls to bring them over, Thanks Ray’. Ray nods back at the stranger, who motions for me to sit with him using a gallant outstretched arm that says silently ‘After you’.

  Feeling a little apprehensive but remembering the vow I’d made myself not five minutes ago, I attempt to walk towards the seating area as gracefully as I can muster in these damn forsaken heels. Then I try and sit down as elegantly as I possibly can in this ridiculous, second skin of a dress.

  The stranger follows and sits in the chair next to me, then smiles before he looks out over the dance floor below.

  One of the gorgeous, blonde waitresses arrives with the drinks a heartbeat later and carefully places them on the table. I spy two glasses of clear liquid over ice so I pick my glass up and give a bold smile as I put it to my lips.

  He looks at me waiting, one eyebrow is quirked up and I know he is eager to see my reaction to ‘his usual’.

  I take a huge sip and he gives a hearty laugh at the shock that has taken over my face. I’ve just downed a straight vodka over ice.

  I stifle a splutter and choke down a cough, determined not to make myself look any more idiotic than I already have, to which he laughs again, picks up his glass and knocks it back straight draining it dry, except for the remaining ice.

  ‘Another one Bambi?’ he asks raising his empty glass to me.

  Oh my god what am I doing? I curse silently at myself as I force a sweet smile back on my face and I find myself saying ‘Why the hell not!’

  He throws his head back laughing at me again, Am I really that funny? Or just weird and he’s humouring me?

  He motions over to one of the waitresses and holds up two fingers, then points down towards our table. She goes to walk away and he calls her back over her shoulder. I hear him say ‘Don’t bother with another two drinks, just bring us a bottle’. The waitress nods and he turns his attention back to me.

  He holds out his hand to shake mine and leans in closer. I lift my hand to his and he gently encircles it with his own.

  ‘Bambi it’s a pleasure to have caught you tonight, I’m Nate’ he grins.

  Before I can offer a reply he continues ‘So Bambi, what brings you here alone on a Saturday night, or are you with someone?’

  Getting a little annoyed at being constantly called Bambi I squeezed his hand a little tighter, a force of habit with my handshakes it seems.

  ‘My name is Scarlett,
not Bambi. Thanks for saving me from falling flat on my backside at the bar Nate but it really isn’t necessary to buy me another drink, the first drink was apology enough’.

  ‘Apology?’ his eyebrow rises at me again and back comes that hearty laugh. ‘I think you will find Bambi, sorry I mean Scarlett, that it was you who barged into me. I was just swift enough to save you from bruising your arse on the floor’ he smiles at me again ‘Scarlett eh? With eyes like yours I think Bambi suits you better’. I blush and look away, He knows I’m out of my depth here and that I stand out like a sore thumb.

  Bambi is starting to feel like she is being hunted by a wolf.

  Thankfully the waitress comes back quickly and places 2 fresh glasses and a bucket of ice on the table, followed by a large bottle of Grey Goose vodka. He smiles and dismisses her before placing some ice in each glass and covering it in the clear liquid from the bottle.

  There is no way I can drink more than another one, maybe two of these or else I will be passing out, I’ve already had quite a bit to drink since we left Liv’s.

  Handing me a glass, I thank him and look out to the dance floor.

  ‘So Scarlett, where are your friends, or have you been ditched?’.

  Scanning the bar that Liv had previously been stood at I find she is no longer there and feel a little panic rising, that is until I notice her striding through the crowds and back towards us in the VIP area.

  ‘Actually Nate, my friend is on her way back I can see her heading towards us now. I quit dancing as my feet were bloody killing in these shoes so I needed to take a load off’. I absentmindedly rub at the top off my feet in my heels and Nate leans in to whisper in my ear ‘I don’t mind if you want to take them off, as long as they don’t smell’. He looks at me with a mock serious face and I laugh, a laugh he returns making dimples appear at the sides of his cheeks.

  See this getting to know people isn’t so hard after all.

  Then Liv walks into the VIP area and as soon as Nate spots her his posture changes.

  His eyes had been friendly and flirtatious whilst talking with me but they gain a lustful look as soon as he lays eyes on my beloved best friend.

  Liv notices I am not sitting alone and a face splitting grin breaks out across her face, she strides purposefully towards where we are sitting and has yet to realise that my companion hasn’t taken his eyes off her.

  She walks straight by him still smiling at me, leans over and kisses my cheek, whispering in my ear ‘So who’s the guy? You didn’t waste any time Miss Scarlett!’

  Dropping herself into the seat the other side of me, she takes the glass from my hand and takes a deep gulp. Her face screws up instantly and she is just about to ask what the hell am I drinking when she spots him.

  I feel the energy change between us all as the mutual attraction between them both is obvious. Taking another look at Nate I realise that he is indeed, very much Liv’s type and judging by Nate’s face, she is very much his.

  Clearing my throat loudly I realise I had better make the introductions. ‘Tallulah this is Nate. Nate graciously saved me from falling on my arse when these ridiculous heels you made me wear, gave out from under me’. Neither one says anything so I continue ‘I hasten to add this happened only because he had ungallantly barged into me at the bar in the first place’.

  Nate’s laugh rumbles from his chest ‘Bambi here is telling untruths, she, in a rush to get to the bar and quench her obvious thirst for alcohol barged into me, she is just lucky I was there to save her from falling spread eagled on the floor just like Bambi did on the ice’.

  We all laugh and Liv adds ‘Yes that sounds like my girl’ and then in a lower more flirtatious voice and looking up at him through her eyelashes, ‘Thank you kind sir for saving her’. Nate smiles back at her and those dimples I got a brief flash of earlier, return.

  Oh Jesus, it is all getting a bit heated around here to say the least, the air between these two is electric. I need to give them some space before I turn into a wall flower.

  I stand up and almost fall over again, so in an effort to try and maintain my composure, I straighten and pull down the hem of my skirt. God that vodka feels like it has gone straight to my brain!

  They both look at each other and laugh at my clumsiness.

  ‘Yeah yeah, laugh it up you pair! Bambi is going to the little girl’s room, that’s if I can find it and then I am going to get myself something to drink that doesn’t take a layer of skin off the lining of my throat’.

  Mock bowing I walk away and leave them to undoubtedly get to know each other better.

  The trip to the ladies and back can’t have taken more than fifteen minutes and on returning to the VIP area I notice two others are now sitting with Nate and Liv at our table. Both are men and both have their backs to me as I approach.

  I am literally two steps away from the table when the darker haired one of the two turns around, seemingly about to call over a waitress.

  His eyes hit mine almost immediately, my breath catches in my throat and my next step falters. I have never seen eyes like that before, deep Mediterranean blue, framed by long dark lashes.

  There in front of me, sitting with Liv & Nate, is the utterly beautiful man she bumped into on the way in here tonight.

  He is, if possible, even more attractive than that earlier first glimpse of him showed. As well as those utterly devastating eyes, he has strong masculine features, dark, almost black, slightly over long hair with a hint of waves and the most sinful shaped lips I have ever seen.

  Beautiful is the wrong word for him, addictive would be better, as once you take a look, you just cannot tear your eyes away.

  Why is he sitting there? He must be here attempting to woo Liv after their earlier brief encounter.

  Oh great, more Liv admirers, this night is just getting better and better. Soon I will fade completely into the back ground and be swallowed up.

  With that thought in my head, I stumble again, straight into Mr Utterly Beautiful & Addictive’s arms.

  What the hell has just happened?

  Fanned all over my face are dark caramel, waves of hair. Sitting in my lap is Miss Sinful, arms and legs everywhere, hair covering her face and her dress has risen up almost to the very tops of her thighs, 1cm more and I swear I might lose control if I glimpse what is underneath.

  Shit! What the bloody hell is wrong with me? I’ve only seen this girl from behind and caught a brief glance of her eyes and I’m almost coming apart at the thought of her sitting in my lap!

  She, very ungracefully, attempts to untangle herself from me and it takes all my self-control to not hold her there and brush her hair away from her face. I am that desperate to see those eyes again.

  Tugging at the hem of her dress, she manages to get up with her dignity intact, well if you can call landing in a strangers lap dignified, then she mumbles what I think was ‘Thanks’ before moving away from me towards the empty seat on my right.

  Nate and Miss Pretty in Pink roar with laughter and start taking the piss out of her, calling her Bambi and accusing her of throwing herself at guys all night. I do not need to look at her to feel her embarrassment; she shifts uncomfortably in her seat, directing her body away from mine.

  I want to look at her again, to drink in those eyes and finally get a look at her whole face but I’m feeling uncharacteristically flustered.

  Fuck! This is crazy!

  Nate offers her vodka, which she quietly refuses. I take this as my chance to escape and get in the drinks, I need to remove myself and find some equilibrium. I have never been lost for words (or actions) in the company of my potential prey before and I’ve not even seen this girl properly yet, it’s making me more than unsettled.

  We both rise to our feet at the same time and I can’t help but run my gaze over her figure.

  She is both firm and shapely, her curves seem to be womanly perfection encased in a precious metal, I feel my blood heat before rushing towards my groin and tingles run down my spin
e almost making me shiver.

  ‘I’ll get these’ I say in a voice more stern than I wished it to be, I was teetering on the brink of my control, a sharp exit was needed.

  Striding away from our table towards the bar, I feel her stare at my back, I don’t know how it is possible but I feel her intense gaze pierce through me and I almost know the exact moment she takes her eyes away from me.

  Reaching the bar I nod over towards Ray, who nods back indicating he would be over to serve me as soon as he was done with his current customer.

  I know Ray from school, he is the same age as Isaac and like me, an aspiring actor, only Ray has managed to get a few bit parts on some well-known soap operas so he thinks he is flying high with his career and cockily thinks himself above me.

  ‘Hey Jake, what can I get you?’ he asks politely. I guess even Ray knows which side his bread is buttered, after all Nate pays his wages so it isn’t like he is going to gloat at me while on the job.

  I turn and glance back at our table wondering why the hell I didn’t ask everyone what drinks they wanted.

  ‘I’ll take five Peroni’s, five Tequila shots, a bottle of Cristal and whatever the two girls sitting at our table where drinking before we got here’

  Ray looks over at our table and smiles.

  ‘Nate’s girl is fine but the one in the silver dress is just begging for it, think she’s got a thing for me too’ he gives me a leering grin and I raise both my eyebrows in wonder.

  ‘Ray, why would you think I asked for your opinion of our female guests, Nate’s female guests?’ I ask emphasizing his boss’s name.

  ‘I asked for some drinks, any other opinions you can keep to yourself and stay away from both the girls you see sat with us here tonight, OK?’