Page 4 of Avoiding Temptation
He moves as effortlessly with him as he did with the girl, and it only sparks even more questions about my elusive nerdy bad boy student.
The other guy soon gets fed up and, with a laugh, pushes Joe away and pulls a girl into his body before shoving his tongue down her throat. When I eventually drag my voyeuristic eyes away from the couple, I find Joe sandwiched between another guy and a girl. The girl’s at his front, Joe’s hands roaming over her body as her head rolls back in pleasure, but what really holds my attention is that his lips are attached to the guy’s. They kiss like they’ll die without it, and I can’t pull my eyes away.
Something inside me erupts, lust descending to my core like I’ve never felt before. I’ve no idea if it’s him, him and the guy, or just the three of them together, but fuck, it’s hot.
“Jesus, don’t they have any morals? It’s embarrassing,” Eddie tuts, following my stare.
“They’re just letting their hair down and enjoying themselves.”
“They might as well just fuck each other while everyone watches.” I glance up at him through narrowed eyes before finding Joe again. “What? Don’t tell me that you’d rather be down in the middle of that than up here with me?” He hands me a refilled glass as if I should be impressed by the expensive golden liquid I’m supposed to be enjoying.
I don’t respond, knowing that he wouldn’t like or understand my answer, because, yes, yes I really do want to be down there in the middle of all that. I want to experience everything I’ve missed out on with my sheltered life. I want to act wild, to do things my parents would be ashamed of but what normal young people do on a weekly basis.
Eddie manages to drag me away from my spot looking down over the fun below in favour of introducing me to some of his friends. I take one look at their designer suits, handbags and botox, and I know that I’m not about to be making friends with any of them.
I try to smile and nod at all the right times, but aside from being in a different location, I may as well be back in my old life. This is the kind of pretentious bullshit I was desperate to get away from.
My imagination sees me through the rest of the night, and, by my fourth glass of champagne, I’ve almost plucked up the courage to abandon Eddie and his self-obsessed friends in favour of finding my own fun. But just as I’ve decided to excuse myself to the toilets, his hand lands on the small of my back.
“You ready to get out of here?”
A little disappointment settles in my belly, knowing that I missed my opportunity to escape. But am I ready to get out of here? Yes. I was from the moment he directed me up to the VIP area.
* * *
Eddie quickly findsthe taxi he’d ordered and ushers me inside. He slides across the seat until he’s sitting a little too close and, after barking my address at the driver, turns his heated stare on me.
“This place suits you.” His fingers capture a lock of my short black hair as his eyes flit around my face. He knew me in my previous life as a blonde. The first thing I did when I left, before I even got to his place, was find a hairdresser. Gone are my long, golden locks in favour of a short, dark bob. I’d always thought I’d suit short hair, and the excitement I felt at being able to experiment almost got the better of me as I sat in that chair, my head spinning with delight.
“T-thank you.”
It amazes me that he doesn’t mention the other—what I would think is obvious—change, but he seems to have forgotten what colour my eyes were when we first met.
“I missed you when I left. I thought of you often and whether or not I should have come back for you.”
“That wasn’t for you to decide. I needed to wait until the time was right. You’d already caused me enough drama.” I laugh, but it’s anything but amused and more clipped and uncomfortable as he edges even closer.
“We could be really good, you and me,Quinn.”The emphasis he puts on my name makes a shudder run down my spine.
“I’m not sure that’s such a good idea.”
“Why not? You came to me for help. You must have known I’d want more with this second chance.”
Lifting my hand, I place it on his chest in an attempt to make him back off a little.
“You’re my friend, Eddie. I appreciate our relationship more than you could know. But that’s all it is. You know what I’ve left behind and must be able to understand that I just need to be me for a little while.”
“But—”
“No buts. I came here for me...not for you. I came to you as my friend, as someone who could help me. That’s what I need right now. A friend. Can you be that?” I ask, my voice stronger than I thought it would be when I was brave enough to have this conversation with him.
His eyes bounce between mine as if he’s waiting for me to tell him I’m joking. But I’m not. I’m deadly serious. Eddie’s been a really good friend since the day I met him, but that’s all we’re ever going to be.
The taxi slows to a stop, and, when I drag my eyes from Eddie, I find we’re outside my building.
“Thank you for a nice night. I’ll see you at work next week.”
“You sure you don’t want me to walk you up?”
