Impulsively, I powered off my phone completely. Feeling the tiniest hint of victory, I slipped my cell back into my pocket. Tonight, for once, I was free.
There was no way Stefan could follow me now.
Tori
Chapter 7
Spinning across the dance floor, I reveled in the high energy and party atmosphere of the club. So far, the night had been a crazy whirlwind of drinks and dancing. The loud music and crush of writhing bodies were a thrill, exactly the adrenaline rush I needed to get my mind off of everything that was happening in my life.
Still, despite the fun I was having—shaking my ass alongside Lila and Audrey as the bass thumped deliciously in my ribcage—I couldn’t help wondering what Stefan’s reaction had been when I hadn’t shown up for dinner at seven. When the outfit he’d laid out for me remained there. Unworn. Untouched.
Was he still waiting for me, at home or at his father’s penthouse? Was he worried that something might have happened to me? Somehow I doubted it. He was probably just pissed.
I tried to forget about him. To throw myself fully into the music, the sweat and the crush of the club. The pink cocktails Gavin was happy to buy me, how happy my friends were.
A familiar pop song came on, reinvigorating my hip shakes, and I spotted Gavin dancing toward our trio across the packed dance floor. I flashed him a small wave, figuring he was just mingling in the crowd, but he took it as an invitation to beeline past Audrey and start dancing up on me. Laughing, I turned the other way. I hoped he’d take the hint that I wasn’t interested in male attention. But his hands were hot against me as they circled my waist from behind, and then I felt his body pressing into me along with the beat. It felt good, but it also felt wrong.
Wriggling away, I tried to keep a few feet of space between us as we danced. Every time he’d move closer, I’d take another step back. I wasn’t sure why I still cared about propriety after seeing Stefan practically dry hump that model at the fundraiser, but my wedding vows still meant something to me. When I found myself pushed by the crowd back into Gavin’s arms, I finally ducked away to a new spot on the dance floor and dragged Lila with me so I’d have a partner.
Lila loved being the center of attention, and she didn’t mind putting on a show. As we danced, she put her back to me and slid down to the floor as if I were her personal stripper pole. Then she danced back up and locked her arms around my neck, snaking her hips suggestively against mine. She flashed me a wink and licked her lips and I couldn’t help but giggle.
“You see that hot guy over there?” she shouted. “Three o’clock, black button-down.”
I glanced over and saw exactly who she meant. “Yup. He’s definitely checking you out.”
“Mission accomplished,” she said, turning to give him a head nod.
When he started making his way toward us, I gave Lila’s shoulder a squeeze. “Go get ‘em, tiger,” I told her. “I’m going to get another drink!”
Though I tried to avoid our bodies making heavy contact on the floor, it was still fun to flirt with Gavin between songs. When I got to the bar, he had a round of bright blue shots ready and waiting. Diane, who I’d only ever seen dance to Tori Amos, perched on a stool sipping hers.
“It’s a shot!” I said. “You’re supposed to knock it back all at once!”
She smiled. “I’m taking it easy tonight. Got an early class tomorrow.”
I nodded. “Well I’m glad you’re here,” I told her. “I know it’s not your scene.”
“Always happy to be with my friends,” she said warmly, sliding a shot over to me.
I grabbed it and held it up toward Gavin. “Cheers to friendship,” I said.
He grinned and raised his own shot. “Cheers, Tori,” he said. We clinked the tiny glasses and down the blue liquid. It tasted like passionfruit.
“What is this stuff?” I asked him.
“It’s delicious!” Diane agreed, still drinking hers in baby sips.
“Some kind of fruity French vodka?” Gavin said. “I figured you’d think it was pretty.”
“It’s very pretty,” I said, laughing. Then I downed another.
There was something very sweet and chivalrous about him—the dance floor grinding notwithstanding. He was kind and attentive to me and all my friends, making sure we had a drink in hand and a smile on our lips. And amid our innocent flirting, there were moments where I could forget what my life had become and let myself fall into the fantasy of starting over.
The stool beside me opened up and Gavin dropped into it. Diane drifted off toward Lila.
“You look incredible tonight,” he said, his lips hot and close to my ear as he leaned in to be heard over the loud music.
I shook off the goosebumps and looked down at my outfit. “This old thing?” I joked.
