We’d met through mutual friends when I moved countries for university. Months later we were always hanging out. The first time I met him and he smiled at me I knew he’d be dangerous to my well being, but I ignored it. I mean just ‘cause I felt the attraction doesn’t mean he did right? Besides, I didn’t see him that much so I could simply pretend he didn’t affect me the way he did, and hoped that maybe soon he really wouldn’t. I needed to reclaim sanity somehow.
So that’s what I’d been doing. Ignoring how he made me feel every time I met him, but what he made me feel grew with each meeting, regardless of how much I denied it. A few times he’d look at me with his intense, dark brown eyes and I’d feel whatever he was trying to say to me through his eyes shoot through my body from one lady brain to the other. My heart would start beating just a little bit faster the longer I stared back and at some point the cliché of how we were the only two people in the room would kick in. I’m sure our friends noticed but never said anything just in case whatever spell was cast around us would disappear. Then he’d lift the corner of his lips a little and I’d have to look away before his mouth morphed into that perfect smile of his and I’d combust.
Following that through the rest of our night he’d find ways to sit next to me, to lean his arm over my leg, brush his leg with mine and then leave it there, and all sorts of little flirty things.
The next day though I’d dismiss what happened and blame it on whatever alcohol we were drinking at that time. Since he never said anything either it was easy to convince myself that it wasn’t what I thought (or hoped) it was and meant.
Until recently, of course. There wouldn’t be any point in starting a story if it wouldn’t lead anywhere eventful.
*****
I was out drinking with my friends at the same bar he was at. I knew he’d be there so I took a little extra time with my appearance before realizing it’d be pretty pointless considering all the other women that would be there. No one can resist that smile of his. I stared at my reflection in the mirror and judged what stared back. My brown hair fell in natural wavy ringlets down my back. My brown eyes were highlighted by the black eyeliner marking their outline and the thick lashes were made to look even thicker by the mascara I’d brushed on. I tilted my head to the side as I contemplated doing anything else but decided against it. I felt like I’d already done too much. Nevertheless, I’d already made the effort so now I’d make the effort to show him that I didn’t make an effort at all!
I groaned to myself. Women were ridiculous sometimes. I put on my beaded black gladiators and grabbed a denim jacket to wear over my form fitting orange dress before announcing that I was ready.
My roommate, Kate, and I got there and went to greet everyone. We wouldn’t be sitting with them since we’d made plans of our own and I was grateful for that. Everyone knew that ‘elastic band’ theory. I wasn’t trying to adopt it but I wasn’t about to be super eager and agree to ditch pre-made plans just to sit two feet away from him.
God you’re pathetic, Rochelle.
I could tell he’d been drinking for a while because he’d tried to ensnare me with those chocolate eyes of his five minutes into our meeting. He only ever had the courage to do that in front of our friends when he’d borrowed some Dutch courage from his Corona. Luckily I hadn’t been drinking yet so I was able to break away from that. Also, I had a little more will power tonight considering the long internal pep talk I’d given myself for an hour before I got there. I doubted that will power would last very long though, as it already wavered severely.
We made small talk for a few more minutes before my other friends joined us and I had to detach myself from his general vicinity. It was a lot harder than I was hoping and I found myself already trying to make excuses to join our two parties.
Get. A. Grip.
I shook my head internally before leaving with my other friends and heading over to our table.
The drinks were coming in and I was having a great time! I hadn’t really thought of him at all. Soon though I had to excuse myself to use the bathroom and I walked past his table. I could feel his eyes on me and, feeling a little braver myself, I added a little extra sway to my hips smiling to myself. I heard a whistle nearby and, though it wasn’t him, I knew it had to have made some sort of impact. My smile widened.
While I was leaving the bathroom an arm grabbed me and pulled me to a corner nearby. The place we were at was one of those dark, crooked-rooms-everywhere type bar. It had a cool vibe and was relatively safe, at least with all the bouncers and security around I’d like to think it was. Either way I’d never had to worry about being pulled into dark corners before. I was spun to face whoever it was and I could only see brown eyes. It was enough though because, coupled with the singeing my skin felt where he touched me, I knew exactly who it was.
“Daniel what the hell?”
“Shh,” he said, his finger on my lips. One of his arms wound around my waist and pulled me closer to him. I was pressed up against his toned body and I stared up at him, my breathing heavy as he played with my lips with his fingers. His index finger lightly traced the outline of my lips and I thanked every divine being that I hadn’t worn lipstick.
Really Chelle? THAT’S what you’re thinking about?
“What are you doing?” I asked him, trying to pretend that I wasn’t enjoying where this was heading, but even I could hear the slight quiver in my voice as I spoke. His lips quirked into that half smile of his and I knew he could see that I was at his mercy. I was panting like a common street mutt and I knew my face would be flushed and my eyes wide and excited.
“Come with us,” he whispered, tugging us out of the corner.
That confused me, slightly snapping me out of whatever magic he was spelling me with.
“I’m sorry what?”I asked him, trying to get my breathing in check. My body and I were going to have a serious conversation about agreeing with, and not betraying, each other later.
“We were thinking of heading to the pub next door. Come with us.” There was no question in his words and he was pulling me to the exit were I saw the rest of our friends waiting for us. I hoped they hadn’t seen us earlier because I would not be able to deny that away.
“I can’t, I’m here with my other friends so I’m not about to leave them,” I countered, trying to pull myself out of his hold despite how much I wanted to stay in it. I mentally patted myself on the back for not brainlessly following him out.
He stopped and turned to look at me then. Those hypnotic eyes searing mine as he started pulling me towards the exit again. I didn’t even realize he was until one of our friends asked if I was joining them. I realized what he’d done then and tore myself out of whatever spell I was under. I glared at him as he smirked right back at me. There would be no hope for me if he continued to do that. I turned to my friends feeling him staring at me again as I declined and said that I’d only come out to say goodbye and that maybe Kate and I would join them later if they were still out when we’d wrapped up here.
They left then and headed to the pub, Daniel right behind them when he turned to face me again and winked before smiling, then turning back around to join the others.
I stood there shaking my head, my own lips moulding into a smirk as I mentally vowed that we’d definitely be joining them later and he’d regret the game he was trying to play.
I returned to my own party and soon enough everyone was ready to go home. Kate and I weren’t though and I remembered that Daniel and the others were still out. Agreeing that neither of us were ready to turn in for the night, a little too drunk Kate and I headed to the pub Daniel had mentioned they’d be at.
“So, how do you know that Daniel and the rest of them are going to be here?” Kate asked while we’re lined up to get in.
“Well, he told me,” I replied as nonchalantly as I could while my mind replayed how he’d gone about doing that.
“Why don’t you just jump his bones already? It’s so obvious he’s got a constant hard on for you and your vagina practically falls to the floor begging for him whenever he looks your way,” she teases me, as we hand over our ID’s to the bouncers letting us in. My eyes widen at that observation, despite being overly exaggerated, and I worry about how much my body language had betrayed me. Just thinking about him had my nipples hardening in a way that usually takes a little more attention than just wet dreams, or well PG13 thoughts in this case.
Really girls? Now, when I’m about to see him?
I roll my eyes at myself and turn to face Kate, halting our movements briefly. “Please not now Kate,” I beg her as we’re waved over to where the rest of the crew was.
Weaving our way through the compact crowd, Kate glared at the guy that walked away after grabbing at her ass before responding to my request, “Whatever Chelle, but you cannot deny this anymore. What are you so afraid of?”
And with that she leaves me and joins our friends, instantly ditching her belongings in a corner and dancing to the old school RnB blasting through the speakers. She was right though. What was I so afraid of? It was more than a little clear that he was into me and I knew I was into him so why not? I guess the intensity of what would potentially follow was something that had me reeling in my hormones, not that they listened to me anyway.
Fuck this, I guess it’s okay to throw caution to the wind sometimes.
I looked over to where everyone was dancing away as I bought myself a drink and my eyes met Daniel’s. We both took a sip from our drinks holding our little stare and I walked over to where he was, determination straightening my back and thrusting my chest out just a tad bit more. The beat of the music added to the effect of my approach as I walked in time to the music playing. Normally more demure I figured since I was going to do this I’d be free and go all out. I winked at Daniel as I got closer to him, moving my hips a little exaggeratedly in time to the music, and he reacted by raising an eyebrow, a smirk made its way to his lips. His eyes never left mine and I could feel them burn a little my way.
Oh yeah, whatever happens tonight I’m game.
We’d all claimed a more secluded part of the pub where the music was not as current as the other, more crowded section, but that suited us just fine. I was one of those ‘sing at the top of your lungs to the song while you dance’ kind of a person anyway.
The songs playing now had more of a ‘move your hips to the beat’ instead of the usual ‘electronic-y jump around with her hands in the air’ kind of a beat you hear everywhere nowadays, which worked perfectly well with me. Isabelle, one of the girls in our group, pulled me to her and we were moving our bodies and shaking in time to the music. We were the dancers of our group so it usually worked that when we wanted to really dance we’d call on the other for some company. I could feel eyes on us. The other guys in the bar weren’t discreet with their lust for us as our skirts swayed with our hips. I’d had my fair share to drink so I had minimal to no inhibitions, so the stares didn’t bother me as much as they might have otherwise. Besides, I’d declared tonight the night of possibilities.