Page 41 of Life of the Party

I giggled with her, almost hysterical, totally giddy.

“Want a drink? I think the waitress is coming around.”

“I want a rye.” I decided, vaguely remembering the night I came to the Aurora with Riley when he made me promise not to drink anything on drugs.

I shrugged the dim memory off. If Riley really cared, he wouldn’t be moving away forever without telling me. He’d be there with me, telling me not to drink.

“Come on, baby.” Charlie swept her drink up, her eyes lit blue as she grasped my hand. We stumbled our way into the VIP room, crowded with Serpentine fans. It was so much different stepping through the door this time. I smiled at everyone I saw.

Tom was leaning against the wall in a thick leather coat, talking to two other men about his age. He nodded at me. Lucas and Jimmy were settled at the bar, with girls surrounding them on either side. They clinked some shots together and then threw them back, to the delight of all the women.

I followed Charlie and Zack, but I was looking only for Grey. Finally, I spotted him and Alex stepping out of the little back room that adjoined the VIP section. I knew now—because I knew them—that they’d been doing blow back there. Probably the same place Grey disappeared to the first night I met him.

I shook my hair back and suddenly wished for a mirror.

“Charlie.” I whisper-hissed. I couldn’t take my eyes off Grey. “Do I look okay?”

She turned and gave me a discreet once-over. A smile crept over her lips. “You look fucking hot, Mackenzie. Go knock him dead.”

I laughed at her. “Did I mention I love you?”

“Go.” She smiled and gave me a little push.

Grey and Alex were now in the centre of the room, around the group of people settled on the thin leather couches and chairs. He hadn’t noticed me yet…or maybe he had and was ignoring me. Either way, I didn’t want to go right to him. I brushed my hair back and walked towards the bar, conscious of my tight-fitting black dress, the tall leather boots that hugged my calves. I hoped Charlie was telling the truth. I wanted to be hot; I wanted Grey to want me.

I ordered another drink, sudden butterflies in my stomach. The waitress plunked the rye on the bar and I took a shaky sip. I knew the moment I turned to look behind me Grey and I would see each other, but the anticipation was like a drug. I took a deep breath, lit a smoke, and finally turned around, leaning my back on the bar.

It was instant. I could feel his eyes on me before I met them. Grey’s gorgeous face was caught in an expression of amazement that betrayed his normal cool. His blue eyes were wide, his mouth open slightly. I delighted in his reaction, watching as his gaze swept over my body, slowly, as if he were savouring every moment. My pulse began to beat rapidly, even faster than before. I bit my lip and looked at him, met his eyes when at last they returned to my face. He had composed himself by then, his expression slipping easily back into the calm, collected Grey he showed everyone.

It was too late; I knew the effect I had on him. I’d seen the evidence in his face.

I smiled gloriously and took a drag of my cigarette.

“Hey, Mackenzie, right? Can I have one of those?” Jimmy disrupted our moment, shouting at me from his spot just down the bar. I turned my smile to the young faux-hawked man.

“Of course.” I nodded, slowly letting my eyes slip from Grey’s gaze. I walked down the bar and handed Jimmy a cigarette.

“I ran out.” He explained.

“Sure.” I turned to look back at Grey. He had moved as well, almost mimicking my movement, so we were in the same proximity as before, just in different places in the room. Our eyes met, and a slow smirk lifted the corner of his mouth. I grinned.

This continued throughout the evening. Slowly we moved around the room, finding some excuse to keep from actually meeting, staring at each other whenever we had the opportunity. It was like a bizarre dance we were doing, and though there was space between us, the heat between us was unreal. The thrill of anticipation.

Eventually, there were no more excuses, no one else to talk to, nowhere else to stand. Just Grey and I, coming slowly together as if it were the most natural movement in the world. We stopped close—close enough I could smell his delicious scent, could feel the heat coming off his body. We looked at each other a moment.

I could barely breathe.

“Damn, girl.” He looked down into my eyes and chuckled. I knew he was referring to my wide, black pupils. I shrugged without looking away. Then, wordlessly, his handslid down my arm, from my elbow to my hand. I shivered at his touch. He took my hand in his and gently pulled me from the room.

We emerged back into the loud, rowdy part of the club. The party was still going strong. I wanted to die with happiness as Grey led me through the crowd, his hand around mine. The women staring longingly at him would turn in surprise as we passed, glaring at me when they realized we were together.

I didn’t care. They could all hate me, I didn’t care. I was with Grey.

“Kryptonite” by Three Doors Down was playing. We found a space on the dance floor, but we didn’t need much room. Grey placed his hands on my hips, pulling me near. I looked up at him as we moved together. He smiled, his lips curving against his stubbled cheeks, his tanned skin. I pressed my hands against the top of his chest, trailing them slowly down his hard torso, feeling each and every muscle defined beneath my fingertips. I bit my lip and looked up at him, into the full, scorching gaze of his deep blue eyes.

It took mere moments until we were kissing. He pulled me toward him, burying his hand in the curls at the back of my neck to bring me closer yet. I wrapped my arms around him, running my fingers through his hair. We moved together in time to the song, but neither of us was dancing anymore. We kissed feverishly, almost desperately, as the song played through…and the next, and the next…

His hands were on my arms, my back, my hips, scorching through the thin black fabric of my dress as if I were wearing nothing at all.

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