“Where’s Karma?” I could barely say his name. Fucking Karma. Not for me, not at all.
“Gents.” She shrugged like she didn’t know and really couldn’t care less.
“He isn’t buying you a drink?”
“My round,” she replied, rolling her eyes. “Who are you anyway? The date etiquette police?”
“He should be buying you a fucking drink,” I said, getting closer now, whispering into her neck. She smelled like Love Heart sweets and candy floss and I wanted to devour her.
“I buy my own drinks.”
“Stop playing hard to get.” I didn’t know who I was saying this for, me or him.
“I’m not playing hard to get. I am hard to get.”
I laughed as I leaned on the bar. “You build walls, barriers, and barricades, and you know what? Bloody moats and a portcullis that you set on fire.” She gasped and took a deep breath, her breasts almost bursting through their lace cups. “Who’ll be there to scale your fucking walls, Skye?”
I will. I will.
She tilted her head and smashed my heart into millions of pieces “Well, I guess it will be Karma tonight.”
“No.” I grabbed her arm as she pulled away. Her cocktail sloshed over the side and onto her skin. I wanted to taste it, lick her where she was wet.
“No?” she repeated, a spark of something in her eyes.
“He looks like Jesus if Jesus lived in the 21st century and had a penchant for Ugg boots and beads.”
“Where’s Margot?” she asked, tipping her head. “She’ll be waiting for you.”
“She can wait,” I growled.
“That’s no way to treat a lady,” she replied. “Or your date.”
“Why did you bring him?” I asked. “You’ve not seen or heard anything from him for months.”
“Why did you bring her?”
Because I want to get you the equipment in order to film. I want you to rest your ghosts. Because I’ll do anything for you.
“Answer me first,” I said, unable to stop myself.
“I’m going to find Karma.”
“Answer me.”
“Go and find Margot,” she said, but that was the last thing I wanted.
“We need to talk.”
She left me at the bar, cursing myself. I didn’t know what to do, prop it up all night to avoid Margot or follow Skye to be tortured as she danced with the almighty. I ordered a tequila shot, downed it and followed it up with a swig of beer. The alcohol raced through my blood stream, settling at the top of my spine with a warmth I welcomed.
“Mate,” Matt said as he put down a twenty-pound note on the bar. “Skye just told me Margot is a porn director.”
“Yep.”
“She’ll have seen some things in her time. Want me to give you a few tips?”
“I’m not sleeping with her,” I gritted out.
“Have you seen Stace?” I turned to find Skye, her hand on Matt’s shoulder.
“She’ll be dancing somewhere.”
“What are you two talking about?” She asked Matt and as he whispered into her ear, her beautiful smile dropped as he started laughing.
“What did he say?” I asked urgently.
“Something about tips.” She grimaced. “I don’t need to know about your sex life, thanks.”
“He’s joking,” I replied, wrapping my arm around her waist, pulling her to me. “He’s found out she’s a porn director and…fuck, why I am even talking about this?”
“Come on, you must have thought about it,” she asked. “She’s seen a lot of action. It would be enough to give anyone performance anxiety.” The closeness of her was just what I needed. My hand stayed against her waist, I could feel the sharp edge of her hip bone, the curve of her ass. I started stroking her there, trailing circles and smoothing the arch. She sighed a little, I felt it against my chest, against all of me. “Standards will be high, William.”
“You don’t think I can meet those standards?” I said, my mouth against her ear, challenging her. I saw goosebumps erupt across her skin and for a second I lost myself, allowed my thoughts to meander through what we could be if we only allowed ourselves.
“I wouldn’t know,” she replied, a little circle of her hips hit me in my aching erection.
“Can I talk to you?” It came out through a moan, her smile told me she’d caught it too.
“Nope,” she replied, moving away from me and towards the dance floor where Stacey and Margot were swaying to the music. Skye joined them, arms raised above her head, her corset going one way and her amazing breasts going the other. Watching this unfold was not helping my situation. She was dynamic on the dance floor, confetti and bright lights. She wasn’t self-conscious or reserved, she went for it. Full throttle and then some. She was singing the lyrics with Stacey, eyes closed, heads swaying, a dance routine choreographed after countless boozy nights. The glitter she’d smoothed onto her bare skin was catching the light. She was sparkles and moonshine and fuck, I really wanted her. I wanted to thread my arm through hers, take her home, fuck her, love her, make her come.
Make her mine.
“You joining them?” Matt asked beside me. “I always worry that I’ll lose an eye when they’re in full force.”
“Why do you think I wear these specs?” I replied, adjusting them.
He laughed before glancing at me. “You like her, don’t you?”
I swallowed hard. I didn’t want to talk about Margot. “She’s…nice.”
“Nice?” he repeated, shaking his head in disbelief. “You watch her like she’s the only person in the room.”
I spat my beer out and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. “Wait…who are we talking about?”
“Skye,” he replied. “Who did you think I was talking about?” I tried to protest, opened my mouth and closed it again. Words didn’t come because I was sick and tired of lying to myself. “Remember, I’m an outsider looking in on this,” Matt continued. “From the moment I met you both I knew there was…something.”
“It’s complicated.” It was. Where would I start explaining what that something was?
“I know a lot about complicated,” he replied, tapping my beer bottle with his.
“It was different for you and Stacey. You don’t have history like we do.” I laughed. “And Stacey didn’t hate you at first sight.”
“She doesn’t hate you, man.” He cocked his head to where she was dancing. Skye was watching me but looked away quickly when we caught each other’s eyes.
“She’s with Jesus,” I replied, making the sign of the cross. Matt laughed.
“He’s an interesting character. Stace said they went out for about a month. It’s funny how he’s here tonight, you know, after Skye found out you were bringing Margot.” He slapped me on the back as he made his way to Stacey. She was mouthing the words to South of the Border something along the lines of pushing up and sweating on her. You couldn’t wipe the smile off his face. For a second I envied him. As his hands reached her waist and they moved in sync together, I felt jealous that he could so freely show his infatuation for her and I was holding back in the shadows, like I’d done for years.