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Girl I’m coming for you, are you coming for me?”
It’s impossible not to think of the way he went down on me in that hotel room, and how he made me cry out his name as I came. My face flames, but luckily it’s dark and nobody’s looking at me.
And now… oh my God… they’re all starting to unbutton their jackets, and while they sing they toss them into the audience, then proceed to take off their waistcoats and shirts. Once they’re naked from the waist up, as the guitarist goes into a break, as one, they all jump down, walk up to their partners, and pull them to their feet.
The music’s too loud for me to hear, but I see Juliette inhale as Henry goes up to her and holds out his hand. And then I have eyes for nobody except James, as he appears before me.
“Come on, Aroha,” he says, raising his voice above the music and holding out his hand. “Water under the bridge, right?”
He’s moving his hips from side to side, bare-chested and gorgeous, his eyes alight with mischief. Even if I was still annoyed with him, I’d find it hard to resist him right now. Holding out my hand, I let him pull me to my feet. He slides an arm around my waist and pulls me up close to him, and I lift my arms around his neck as we begin to dance.
My heart hammers as we move to the music. Ohhh… he’s so sexy, and we move so well together. ‘Dance is a vertical expression of a horizontal thought’ could never be more true than right now, as he sings the lyrics in my ear, “Ice cream, you scream, scream for me!”
“Aaaaah!” I yell, pretending to scream, and he laughs and spins me around, catching me before I can fall over.
Ah fuck, what’s the point in holding onto grudges? It’s just a bit of fun, and it doesn’t mean anything. I play up to it, winding my hips against his, and he pins me to him, matching every move I make. Ooh, that’s hot, and when he finally releases me so he can join the others on the stage again, I feel a pang of disappointment.
But it’s only temporary. They finish their dance, and we all clap, and then immediately the DJ starts playing Nine Inch Nails’ Closer, another steamy song. The guys all don their shirts and jump back down to us, and everyone starts dancing again.
As James murmurs the lyrics in my ear, heat floods my body, and I have to stifle a groan. This guy… he’s driving me crazy. The lights flash around us, and it’s hot, and I feel as if I’m going to melt.
The music changes without a pause, and for a moment I think he’s going to stick with me. But then Alex announces it’s time to change partners, and James smiles and turns to Juliette, and that’s the last time I see him for a while.
I knew it didn’t mean anything though, right? It was just a bit of fun. I dance with Henry, and Alex, and Damon and his brothers, and in the end I’m having such a fantastic time that I stop thinking about it. It’s a wonderful evening, and when it finally winds up around two a.m., I head back to the minivans with Gaby and the others, tired and longing for bed.
James is in the other van, and when we get to the hotel, he takes another elevator up to our floor. I’ve just reached my room when I turn and see him coming out, laughing at something Henry has said, and I watch as he strolls down the other end of the corridor and lets himself into a room.
I go into my own, let the door close behind me, head into the bedroom, and flop onto the bed. Why am I disappointed? It’s obvious nothing’s going to happen between us. And I wouldn’t want it to, anyway. What happened before was a mistake, and we both know it. It’s best we stay friends, and at least now we’ve got over that little blip, and there’s a more pleasant atmosphere.
Still, I sigh, thinking about how he murmured in my ear what he wanted to do to me like an animal, and it’s a long, long time before I finally get to sleep.
*
The next day, it’s the wedding rehearsal.
In the morning, I have a light breakfast sent up, then visit the hotel’s gym. I don’t get much of a chance to use one because I can’t afford it, so I use the treadmill and the exercise bike, then visit the pool and have a swim. Afterward, I spend the morning in my room, just enjoying the peace and quiet. I have lunch sent up and eat it while watching TV. Then I take my time getting ready, and finally join the others in the lobby at two-thirty, ready to go to the church for the rehearsal.
James is there, but he keeps his distance, and although we exchange a smile, we don’t talk.
We go to the church, which is a lovely, old, non-denominational building, which I like, and the wedding organizer runs through the ceremony. Afterward we go back to Brooklyn Heights. Dinner is a sit-down affair, and I sit with Gaby, Tyson, Juliette, and some of the guys from Auckland, while James and Henry are at another table.
Speeches follow the meal, and then finally it’s time for music and dancing.
It’s a glorious day, and I’m so pleased the weather is good for Damon and Belle. The setting sun floods the terrace with golden light, and everyone seems to be having fun.
I dance with the girls for a while, and then the music changes to a slow song. To my surprise, Alex comes up to me and asks if I’d like to dance, and I let him take my hand and turn me into his arms, and we move slowly to the music. I’ve known him longer than James, since I first met Gaby at high school. Like James, he’s three years older than me, and he appears reticent and serious, but it’s relatively superficial, and he has a very dry sense of humor. I still find him a little intimidating, though, just like I do James and their other friends. Maybe it’s because they’re all wealthy businessmen, despite their young age, and I’m just… me.
“Are you enjoying yourself?” he asks.
“I’m having a great time,” I say honestly. “I’m really glad I came.” Out of the corner of my eye, I see James dancing with Juliette. He looks so handsome in a smart navy suit with a light-pink shirt. All the young, single women here have their eye on him, and I’m not surprised.
I look back at Alex and find him watching me with a smile. “Shut up,” I say.
“Why don’t you just tell him how you feel?” he asks.
“He’s not interested in me, Alex.”
“What makes you say that?”
