Nineteen

by E. S. Carter

  Jesus, how I’d like to punch this prick in the face!

  He nods keeping his face neutral and begins to prepare the drinks, he places a chilled bottle of Cristal on the bar first, followed by five champagne flutes.

  I glare at him again, even though he is not looking at me and grab the bottle of Cristal while heading back towards the table, a waitress follows me with the glasses.

  H has swapped his seat and is currently chewing the ear off Miss Sinful, she is nodding and smiling but I notice not really speaking. Hmmm, is she shy? I shouldn’t imagine anyone who looks like that would be shy! Why would she be? Christ, every man in this place, who isn’t gay, would probably sell his right arm to get close to her.

  I slow my pace down, taking my time to get back to the table, wanting to look at her for as long as possible without everyone knowing that I am.

  I can honestly say I have never seen anyone more stunningly attractive than she.

  Her long tousled hair begs to be touched, her skin is flawless, like porcelain, her lips sinfully full and an edible deep pink colour and those eyes are . . . . well, they are . . . . mesmerising.

  On nearing the table I can clearly hear her voice, even though the music is blaring. She pouts at H, before laughing loudly telling him she is only teasing.

  I feel a harsh pang of jealousy in my chest, why is she flirting with H? More importantly why is he flirting with her?

  Even though he is my best, well actually my only friend, I could cheerfully knock him out right about now.

  ‘Teasing about what?’ again my voice comes out sounding far more severe than I wanted it to, it almost sounds like a warning.

  She doesn’t even look up at me, in fact she turns away.

  What the fuck? I have never been ignored by a woman, ever!

  Who the hell does she think she is? Rage bubbles in my throat, a feeling I’ve never had to deal with before in this situation, women literally fall at my feet, they would do so naked if I asked and here was Miss Sinful not even interested in looking at me let alone anything else.

  Well two can play that game!

  I place the Cristal in the centre of the table and the waitress comes over and starts placing the rest of the drinks in front of us. What on earth is that awful looking concoction in a jug? It must be the cocktail the girls were drinking before we came, I hope Ray got something right.

  H looks impressed at the bountiful amount of drinks being placed on the table and then takes the piss by asking if I bought the whole bar, I laugh as I tell him I put it all on Nate’s tab.

  Nate on hearing his name being mentioned manages to tear his attention away from ‘Tallulah’. That is 100% most definitely not her name, he gives me evils before raising his glass and proposing a toast. It seems it is Miss Sinful’s birthday tomorrow.

  ‘To Scarlett, let’s help her see this year out with a bang’.

  We all raise our glasses.

  Scarlett? Nope, that is also definitely not her name either!

  I risk a glance over at her and her face is aflame with all the attention. Just as I’m about to look away she catches my gaze. My god she is simply divine. Her face is as beautiful and as sinful looking as her amazing body, yet those eyes; they seem to look right into my soul.

  I fear if that is the case, she will see the real me and know that I only take what I want from a woman before moving on.

  With that thought in my head I have to force my eyes away from her. I cannot let her see who I am, why I do not know, all I know is that the thought unnerves me. What the fuck is going on?

  I look away for what seems like forever but is likely just a few minutes, before she stands abruptly and asks ‘Who’s up for a dance?’

  H and her pretty in pink friend eagerly agree and for some utterly ridiculous reason, knowing that H is going to be dancing with her pisses me off, so I stand quickly, risking looking at her again and into those spellbinding eyes. The intense look she returns literally takes away my breath.

  Shit! This is not good! I do not do whatever this is.

  I quickly manoeuvre myself into the seat vacated by Miss Pretty in Pink and watch as the trio moves away from us and out of the VIP area.

  I need to find someone to take home and fuck and I need to do it quickly before this damn ‘Scarlett’ has me losing my mind.

  Just at that moment, the delectable Miss Fuck Me Legs Havers strides into the VIP, her gaze zeroing in on me instantly.

  Now this is a woman I can indeed do and do her all night long until she begs me to stop, maybe that is all I need, a good shag to get rid of the imprint those beguiling eyes have left on my soul.

  What the hell has just happened?

  Stumbling quickly and ungracefully to my feet I attempt to extricate myself from Mr Beautiful’s arms, it’s not an easy job for a few reasons.

  I am unable to regulate my breathing and catch my breath

  This stupid bloody dress has moved up my body almost making me look obscene and

  He doesn’t seem in any rush to let go.

  Flustered, I manage to correct my wardrobe malfunction while moving my limbs out from his hold and gaining some much needed breathing space. No longer feeling his touch leaves me oddly bereft.

  I mumble a quick apology and an offer of Thanks to Mr Beautiful, careful not to meet his gaze again and then I look around at the others on the table.

  Spontaneous laughter erupts between Liv & Nate ‘Bambi, Bambi, Bambi’ Nate greets me mockingly, ‘Are you ever going to stay on your feet tonight or are you going to continue to launch yourself at any unsuspecting male in the vicinity?’

  ‘It seems Scarlett has a new and improved pulling technique, for years I’ve been trying to get her to flirt with guys and tonight she is literally throwing herself at their feet!’

  They both continue to laugh at me.

  ‘Yeah yeah, laugh it up guys and Thanks for asking if I’m ok, so glad to see you’re concerned’ I scowl and sit in the last seat available, which just happens to be next to Mr Beautiful.

  Even sitting this close to him is making the hairs on my arms stand on end and is producing a weird, deep, vibration in the pit of my stomach.

  Bloody hell Campbell get yourself together before you make yourself look even more of a fool!

  ‘Refill Scarlett?’ Nate gestures to his Grey Goose bottle on the table.

  ‘Umm no Thanks Nate, I’d like to try and stay on my feet a bit more than I have been so I will go grab my own drink but thanks for the offer.’

  Rising to stand at the exact time Mr Beautiful does, I feel his gaze on me and his smooth voice penetrates directly through the music ‘Let me get these.’

  He turns before I have chance to refuse and strides towards the bar, my greedy eyes follow him the whole way.

  ‘Sorry I should have introduced you all, this is Harry or H for short and that’s Jake my younger brother.’ Nate smiles knowingly at me as I try to tear my eyes from Mr Beautiful, aka Jake’s retreating back.

  Harry grins over at me ‘Alright?, it’s awesome here isn’t it? Are you a regular?’

  I try to answer but my mouth is not cooperating, it is refusing to open and feels like sandpaper, so I just nod, all the while trying to swallow to release some wetness into my parched mouth.

  ‘Scarlett is it?’ Harry moves seats to the one Jake has just vacated in order for me to hear him over noise of the club.

  I smile and nod again, Jesus I must look like a moron!

  ‘Mute are you? he laughs ‘Well at least I hope that’s what the problem is or else I’m starting to feel quite ignored’ he laughs again.

  ‘Ss, sorry, I’m so thirsty it feels like hard work to get any words out, Yes I’m Scarlett, I guess you have already met Liv . . I mean Tallulah earlier.’ Busted! Or maybe not, as Harry hasn’t appeared to notice my mistake.

  ‘Yes, she seems a lovely girl and Nate is pretty taken with her, let’s just say she is just his type’ he winks.

  ‘Yes it does look like
they are hitting it off famously, I’m glad that you have joined us as I would have ended up feeling like a bit of a spare part’. I offer him a genuine smile.

  ‘I can’t imagine you would be without company long’ he smiles and then quickly adds when noticing my rising blush ‘That is if company is what you are looking for.’

  ‘It’s my birthday tomorrow, I’m just here to celebrate the passing of another year, I’m not looking to get laid if that’s what you mean’.

  Now its Harry’s turn to blush, ‘Sorry’ he mumbles ‘I didn’t mean to sound like I was offering, in fact I’m not offering’ he continues to mumble on and I look at him confused ‘not that you’re not hot . . . . I mean you are . . it’s just I have the woman of my dreams waiting for me at home . . Oh Jesus, am I digging myself a hole here or what?’ He looks totally embarrassed.

  ‘It’s OK’ I laugh, ‘I get it, you just aren’t that in to me’, I finish with a pout.

  ‘Jesus, no, like I said you are smoking and in another situation I would totally be trying to tap that, not that I’d stand a chance but . . ‘

  I laugh out loudly ‘It’s OK Harry, I’m teasing.’

  ‘Teasing about what?’

  That smooth, deep voice that could only belong to one person comes from behind us, I feel butterflies explode in my stomach just at the sound of him and my mouth dries completely.

  I shift to the side slightly just as Mr Beautiful places a bottle of Cristal in the centre of the table, he is followed over by the waitress who puts down five champagne flutes and turns to a second waitress behind her, swapping trays and continuing to place a variety of beer bottles, shots and a cocktail jug filled with the same coloured liquid as we have previously been drinking.

  Christ, was he buying drinks for the whole club? A little overboard to say the least!

  He sits and casually starts pouring the Cristal into the glasses, never looking at me or even acknowledging me.

  ‘Jesus J, did you buy up half the bar?’ Harry shouts over at him above the music, he then grabs a beer bottle, downs half its contents in one gulp and follows it with a shot.

  Mr Beautiful looks up at him, shooting him a sarcastic smile and passes me a glass of champagne, again never looking directly at me.

  Shit does he find me that hard to look at? I mean I know I’m no Liv but just to be polite he could have glanced at me or spoken!

  ‘It’s OK’ he laughs over at Harry, ‘I just opened a tab in Nate’s name’. Harry laughs and raises his bottle in salute.

  Catching his name in the conversation draws Nate’s attention away from Liv ‘Did I just hear my name be spoken in vain?’

  ‘Not at all Big bro, I was just explaining to H how generous you are with your bar tab’.

  Nate glowers at his brother before releasing a big grin, ‘And why not, seeing as we are celebrating! Tallulah tells me it’s your birthday tomorrow Scarlett, I know it’s impolite to ask a lady her age so we’ll just toast to your health instead.’ He gives me a genuine smile and raises his glass of Champagne. Everyone else follows suit.

  ‘To Scarlett’ Nate toasts, ‘Let’s help her see this year out with a bang!’

  ‘To Scarlett’ everyone says, chinking their glasses together in unison.

  I can feel myself blush but I manage to smile at everyone, even risking a glance over at Mr Beautiful. My eyes instantly meet his and my stomach flips as if some tiny gymnast is doing a whole Olympic standard routine on my insides.

  His gaze is fierce, I swear I can feel the heat coming straight from his eyes but he doesn’t smile, or even flinch and after what seems like eternity he breaks the connection and glances out over the dance floor.

  I take a sip of my Champagne to steady my frayed nerves and end up downing the whole glass. Harry nods his approval and slides me over a shot. Ah what the hell, I’m going to need all the help I can get tonight by the looks of it, so I take the small glass and knock back its contents, the liquid inside burns as it runs down my throat and I have to stifle a splutter.

  Jake is still looking away from us, well from me to be more precise. I can’t help but feel a little deflated even though he is obviously way out of my league.

  Ah sod this! Standing abruptly I decide to take myself away from the situation. ‘Who’s up for a dance?’

  Liv looks over at me totally shocked but manages to stop herself from a full, opened mouthed gape.

  ‘I’m in’ she smiles at me standing, ‘Hell yes, I could do with a good boogie’ says H also standing. Nate shakes his head still smiling, ‘Not me I’ll just watch you guys having fun and H busting his choice moves from here thanks’.

  Mr Beautiful says nothing at all, he just looks over at me again with that piercing gaze of his before sitting in the seat next to Nate.

  Well that’s it then, time to remove myself from his company before I make myself feel anymore stupid than I already have. I can’t believe I’m even upset that someone as totally stunning as him has blatantly ignored me, it’s par for the course, snap out of it Emma I tell myself, go show Liv and everyone else that you know how to have fun, I mean 19 is slowly slipping away and you will never have this night ever again, so man up and enjoy yourself.

  Linking my arm through Liv’s I lead us away from the table and away from Mr Beautiful.

  The DJ fades in the next track and good news; it’s one of our favourites! Liv and I start to sing as we make our way to the dance floor.

  ‘Let’s go get lucky Scarlett!’

  We giggle as we hit the dance floor, I’ll be damned if I’m going to let some guy who is most definitely not for me ruin my night!

  H joins us, throwing some very dodgy looking robotic moves and we both laugh again. It feels as though the DJ has turned the music up, if that’s at all possible and I lose myself to the beat, not caring if I look bad as all eyes were 100% on H, who I am sure was now trying to recreate the ‘Thriller’ dance.

  Who needs Mr Beautiful to want me anyway! With that thought in my head I totally let go and get absorbed by the music.

  My dance moves feel laced with heat, heat that came from my thoughts of a beautiful man with a hot gaze.

  Now this is easy.

  The delectable Mrs Havers has been eye fucking me from across the VIP area for the last twenty minutes, even Nate has noticed her blatant and unwavering come on.

  ‘So I’m guessing the gorgeous Eastern Chick who hasn’t taken her eyes off you since she got here is a recent conquest?’ Nate smirks at me.

  ‘No, not recent but soon to be Bro, just biding my time. No point coming across too eager now is there?’

  ‘I’ve taught you well young Jedi’ he states proudly raising his glass to mine.

  I do not reply to Nate’s jest, as much as I’ve been giving the delicious Vanessa looks that are sure to be making her knickers wet, my mind is still absorbed with thoughts of Scarlett and I cannot help but look often for her on the dance floor.

  She does not possess the same confident sexuality as her friend in the pink but I can tell through her movements on the dance floor, it’s definitely in there, just waiting to be brought to the surface.

  They both attract more than their fair share of attention whilst dancing, despite H trying his best to hog the limelight with his dodgy dance moves.

  I feel a possessive rush come over me whenever another man attempts to enter her personal space and I feel positively furious if someone attempts to dance with her or even touch her.

  What the hell is going on with me? I don’t even know this girl and have barely spoken to her but her sinful body, immensely beautiful face and enchanting eyes have wreaked havoc with my inner self.

  How can someone look like that yet appear to be oblivious? The innocence pours from her every pore only adding to her allure.

  ‘Earth to Jake’ Nate kicks my leg under the table rousing me from my thoughts of her and snapping my focus back to him.

  ‘Eastern Chick approaching, you might not be wanting to show her you’r
e eager but she certainly is’ he laughs and looks across the VIP towards the edible Mrs Havers who is indeed making her way towards us.

  I watch her every step, drinking her in, as she sashays sensually towards us.

  She never breaks her eye contact with me and doesn’t stop until she reaches our table, allowing me to rake my eyes all over her lithe, firm body.

  I look back up at her face just as she leans slightly over me, her hand reaches for my champagne glass and takes it from my grasp.

  She slowly raises the glass to her lips and takes a long drink, draining its contents. She never breaks eye contact for a second and on lowering the glass she runs her tongue slowly over her juicy, red, bottom lip in a blatant invitation.

  Rising from my seat I tilt forward just enough for my mouth to whisper into her ear ‘Thirsty?’

  She turns her head slowly towards me, her breath hot and heavy in my ear, her lips just grazing it slightly ‘No, not thirsty, hungry’ she exhales.

  This woman has seduction 101 down to a tee and I’m not complaining!

  ‘I’m sure I can help with that’ I lean in closer allowing my lips to come into contact with her soft skin as my fingers lightly graze the top of her shoulder.

  ‘I’m sure you can Jake’ I can feel her smile even if I cannot see it as she brings her body even closer to mine, yet we are still barely touching.

  ‘I can’t leave just yet but I will let you know when I can, just follow my lead and meet me outside, I’ll have a car waiting’.

  With that she turns and goes back in the direction she came from, leaving me standing there.

  So she knows my name, that’s interesting. It shows that I have indeed peaked Mrs FML Havers’ interest.