Page 6 of Sugarplum

Julie shot him a grateful smile. “Of course it’s okay. I really appreciate the gesture, but you two have fun. You haven’t had a night out in like forever.”

“Neither have you,” Melissa pointed out as she pulled down the mirror and began to check her reflection.

“Yippee,” Julie grumbled from the backseat. “You know, I hate weddings. There’s always this expectation that you’re supposed to go with a date, but if you don’t, you’ll be set up by your parents or your friends, or your parents’ friends. The whole notion of not being able to go alone is so archaic.”

“Preaching to the choir, honey.”

Ned turned and shot Melissa a quick look. “Not you, babe. Obviously.” She blew him a kiss, and he grinned as he pretended to catch it.

“Well, obviously what I’m saying doesn’t apply to the two of you,” Julie teased as the car rattled after it hit a particularly nasty speed bump. “Anyway, my point is, don’t worry about me. I think what I’ll have to worry about the most tonight is how many people are going to ask me where my date is, and how many people might actually try to set me up on the spot.”

Melissa snorted. “You really don’t think they’d go that far, do you?”

“Never say never.”

Chapter Three

Two hours later, the wedding was well underway, with loud music blaring from the speakers, and pulsing neon lights fading in and out of view, illuminating the tiled dance floor. Melody and Joshua had gone all out for their wedding. The décor practically screamed money, and Melody was decked head to toe in full glitter, and a stunning dress that probably cost way more than it should have.

Julie never really got the appeal behind big, fancy weddings. I mean sure, the bride only got one night to be the center of attention, but what about the crippling debt? If it were Julie, she would’ve appreciated a small get together way more, with people she actually cared about, and not people she wanted to impress, and instead of spending all that dough on a wedding, she’d probably spend it on a fancy honeymoon, backpacking or something.

Now that was something she could get behind, Julie thought as she nursed her vodka and orange juice. She was sitting off to the side on an abandoned table with her chair tilted backwards, and her high heels lost somewhere underneath the bottom of the table. She had abandoned the shoes an hour after they arrived, and she had no qualms about walking barefoot, though she could see Melissa giving her a dirty look across the dance floor as she stared at her feet.

It wasn’t like anything was going to happen to the shoes anyway, and realistically speaking, even if according to Melissa, it made her ass look better, it wasn’t like anyone was looking, and since she didn’t personally care, then it was pretty much a moot point.

Julie took a sip of her orange juice and ran her hands through her hair, making her already curly hair look even wilder than it was supposed to. She tried to fluff it out, but eventually, she huffed and rolled her eyes at it.

“Do you want to dance?”

Julie’s head snapped up, and she stared into the green eyes of a man who was standing there with his tie looking askew around his neck, rolled up sleeves, and black trousers with what looked to be vodka stains. He had his brown hair swept to the side, and his eyes seemed a little unfocused which meant he definitely had had a drink or two, but he stood up straight which meant he was aware of what he was doing.

Julie briefly hesitated as she considered dancing with a complete stranger, but she figured what the hell, went ahead, and stood up. “I’d love to.” She set down her drink and made her way around the table.

“I’m Dorian, by the way.” He held out his hand. Julie gripped it firmly with his. “I’m Julie.”

He took her hand and led her to the middle of the dance floor. Julie wasn’t much of a dancer, but she tried to ignore her natural shyness, and just focus on the music vibrating through the speakers. The smell of stale sweat and alcohol permeated her nostrils as everyone around her engaged in sensual dancing. The bodies all around her were packed tightly together, lost in their own little bubble.

Dorian tugged on her hand, and pulled her forward, so he was pressed against her body. The breath rushed out of her body as he dipped her backwards then forward. Julie swayed a little, so she clutched onto his shoulders for support. Dorian smirked as he placed his hand on the small of her back. He began to move his hips in slow movements until Julie followed suit.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, her brain was screaming at her to be careful, to not get too comfortable dirty dancing with a complete stranger, but she told that part of her brain to chill and go sip on a long island iced tea. She felt the alcohol coursing through her veins, and it gave her the courage to begin playing with the hair at the nape of his neck.

Dorian smiled as he spun her out then spun her back in, but this time she was facing the front, and her back was pressed up against his crotch. Julie found it strangely enticing and intoxicating to be in that position, so she let herself stay that way for a while as he began kissing her shoulder. Julie felt a vague sense of discomfort at how familiar he was being. A growing sense of panic was beginning to bubble up in her chest as she tried to move away. His arms were locked around her in a vice like grip, so she squirmed a little, figuring that he’d eventually get the hint.

Instead of loosening his grip so she could leave, he tightened his grip and lowered his mouth to her ear. “I like this little ‘hard to get’ game we’re playing. It’s such a turn on.”

Julie swallowed back the bile in her throat as she tried to keep her fear at bay. “I’m not playing Dorian. You’re making me uncomfortable.”

“Aw come on baby, don’t be like that.” The smell of heavy alcohol hit her, and all of a sudden Julie realized just how intoxicated Dorian really was. He was pretending to be sober earlier, which meant that he would be a lot harder to handle right now.

“I’m not your baby,” she hissed as she struggled against his grip. “And if you don’t let go of me right now, I’m going to scream.”

Dorian laughed, but it wasn’t the warm kind of laugh that makes butterflies erupt in your stomach. No, this was another kind of laugh, something altogether sinister, and it made Julie shiver in fear. She tasted acid in the back of her throat, and the cold metallic taste of dread.

“You’re not going to scream because with the way you’re dressed, and the way you look, you’re practically asking for it. You’re lucky I’m even trying to seduce you first. I could just take what I want, and you wouldn’t be able to stop me.” His tone was deadly calm, and filled with a certain kind of malice that had Julie’s fight or flight instinct kicking into overdrive.

Julie opened her mouth to scream, but Dorian clamped his hand over her mouth. Panic flooded her senses as she began to think of the best way to escape. Julie leaned back, and pretended to relax into his embrace, and as he loosened his grip a little, she head-butted him. His grip slackened, and Julie took advantage of the situation by sliding out of his reach. She wheeled around to face him, and he was standing there with a stunned look on his face as he held onto his nose. He spat blood out of the corner of his mouth.

“Slut.”

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