“Well, if you include destination and then a certain area on my body, then no, we didn’t do it all.”
His pupils darken as he pulls me flush against his chest. “Maybe we should rectify those.”
“Hmm, maybe,” I tease.
He leans down, pressing his lips to mine. I press against him, clutching his jacket. When he pulls back, his pupils dilate. “Tease.”
I shrug. “Are you having a good night? I feel bad it’s our first official date and I’ve been wandering around.”
He brushes my hair off my shoulder. “As long as you’re having fun, I don’t care. I’m glad you’ve enjoyed tonight.”
I wrap a strand of his hair around my finger, fluttering my lashes up at him. “Are you sure? Because you don’t seem okay? You seem off. Was it your sister?”
He lifts me up, spinning me around until he lands me on the stool. He steps between my legs. “I won’t get into now, but I’ll tell you later. I don’t want it to ruin the night.”
“I won’t let it,” I promise, seeing the hurt flickering in the depth of his eyes.
He sighs. “Eloise has made up some bullshit that isn’t true about me. My sister is feeding off it,” he explains. “I’ll tell you the rest when we don’t have prying ears.”
I nod, understanding he wants privacy. “Okay.”
He tilts my chin up. “I am going to tell you, but I’m not letting them ruin tonight. It’s what they want.”
Giving him a lopsided grin, I then pull him closer. “Have you enjoyed tonight?”
Pressing his lips to mine, I soak in the warmth. “I have. It’s been one heck of a date.”
“I didn’t embarrass you?”
He gives me an annoyed look. “Not once.”
My shoulders sag. “I was a little worried.”
He smirks, shaking his head. “Babe, you know how to have fun, to let yourself be free. Don’t ever apologise for that.”
“Most people can’t handle the weird.”
“The weird is what draws people to you.”
“Really?”
He pulls me against him. “But I’m the only one who matters. Remember that the next time Rampage walks past.”
I giggle. “I think he has a thing for Harriet.”
Drew scans the bottom floor of the event room we’re in, stopping at something and groaning. Seeing his dad still trying to master the Gangnam Style dance, I begin to laugh.
“He’s so wasted,” Drew groans.
“Who is with Nora tonight?” I ask, laughter spilling out of me when he gets one of the older ladies to do it with him.
“She’s okay on her own, but I know tonight she has a friend staying over with her. I will warn her about Dad though.” He pauses to groan as his dad lands flat on his arse. “Yeah, I think it’s time for him to get into a taxi.”
“Ohhhh, I need to go for wee. I’ll meet you in the lobby.”
“I think most people are leaving now too,” Drew confirms.
They are. The ones who don’t want to continue listening to club music, head for the lobby to wine and chat. The rest of us are living it up in here dancing until our feet scream not to.
Leaning up on my toes, Drew grins, lifting me at the waist so I can kiss him. I love kissing him. And so many times tonight, he’s found more reasons to do it. Not that I’m complaining.
Pulling back, a shudder rolls over me. A good one. A really good one. “Can we have sex tonight,” I blurt out.
He leans down, capturing my lips once more. “Yes, because I’ve been dying to know what you are wearing under this dress.”
I run my hand down my dress. “Not a lot if I’m honest. You’ll be disappointed.”
He laughs, pulling me close. “Never change who you are, Charlotte.”
“I won’t,” I promise, then gently push him away. “Now go get your dad sorted. I want to have sex.”
The guy walking past begins to choke on his glass. His gaze runs up and down my body before turning to Drew. “Lucky fucker.”
I leave Drew to sort his dad and head for the toilets, yet when I spot Harriet and Gabby, I make a beeline for them.
“Toilet break?” Gabby asks, spotting me.
“Yes, then I’m going home because I really, really want to have sex with Drew.”
She high-fives me before grabbing Harriet’s hand. “I don’t know why he keeps staring my way when he has all those girls hanging off his arm.”
Gabby snorts. “Admit it, you want to ride his bone.”
“I do not.”
“You so do,” I declare.
“You two are so unfair.”
We reach the lobby, and seeing the toilet sign up ahead has my bladder weakening. I really do need to go. We rush inside, and I quickly take care of business before going to the sink to wash my hands.
Harriet looks at me through the mirror. “He’s good with you. I like him.”
“I like him too.”
“Me three,” Gabby sighs wistfully. “The way he picks her up just so she can reach his lips. Dudes. Sigh.”
“He’s only done that a few times,” I remind her, shaking my head.
She shrugs. “Still hot.”
“Come on, I need to meet him outside.”
Eloise has other plans, blocking our path at the door. There’s a dark smudge under her eyes, like she has been crying. If we had been friends I’d be hugging her right now. Because despite everything she has said to me, she seems like the kind of person who wasn’t hugged enough as a child.
“Are you okay?” I ask.
She angrily wipes at her cheeks. “What do you care?”
“Dude, tone it down,” Gabby presses.
Ignoring her, Eloise turns to me. “He’s not going to love you. He won’t even stay with you. This is just a short fling for him, another way to get back at his mum.”
I fiddle with my clutch. I might not know for certain what the future holds or what Drew wants, but I can’t believe her words. “No, it’s not.”
“Please tell me she’s not an ex,” Harriet bites out.
Gabby stands on my other side, crossing her arms over her chest. “I never get why they always make this scene.”
“She’s not his ex,” I whisper from the side of my mouth. “They had a one-night stand.”
Eloise laughs bitterly. “You think you are better than me? You aren’t. We’re meant to be together.”
“If you were meant to be together, why aren’t you?” I ask softly. Even being a bitch, I still can’t find it in me to be mean back to her. She looks truly devastated.
“Because of you,” she screeches. “This wedding was meant to be our chance to rekindle what we once had and you are taking it away from us. If you were any kind of descent human being, you would leave him alone and let him be happy.”
“I’m not trapping him,” I whisper.
“She’s the best human we know,” Gabby snaps, swaying slightly.
I beam, patting her arm. “Thank you.”
“Yes, you are. You are putting a wedge between Andrew and Grace. And now even Natalie. How can you do such a thing? You are an embarrassment to him. I saw him tonight. He couldn’t even look at you. No. But he looked at me,” she tells me, pointing to her chest. “We’re planning on having a family together.”