Page 25 of Dance With Me
“I’ll be fine. I have my phone with me if I need you.” He moved off the dance floor and made his way to the men’s room.
He’d just finished and was washing his hands when someone stepped into the bathroom. It was Joe, his eyes glassy. He obviously hadn’t stopped drinking and appeared even drunker than before.
He stood to relieve himself, and Seb continued to wash his hands, trying to delay his departure and not peek. Joe moved to stand next to him as Seb dried his hands.
“Having a good time, Joe?” Seb asked, smiling at his reflection in the mirror. He would not let their earlier conversation get to him.
Joe snorted as he washed his hands. “I think you know the answer to that one. I’m not one for dancing at the best of times, so why Clare thought it was a good idea to bring me here, I don’t know. Alcohol seems the only way to deal with it at this point.”
“Aww Joe, it’s not that bad. Perhaps you should dance with me, instead? I could teach you a few clubbing moves.”
“Won’t your boyfriend mind?”
Seb raised his eyebrows and looked at him. “Seriously? We’ve talked about this before, Joe. Dom is just a friend… a good friend. I’ll thank you to remember that and not give me shit about it. Don’t you think I have enough going on in my life at the moment? I don’t need more enemies, Joe. I need friends.” He looked at him, a steely determination in his gaze. He didn’t want to fall out with Joe, but he was being a complete arse at this point. Seb was so angry with him.
Joe had the decency to look embarrassed and dropped his gaze. Seb turned to leave, but Joe grabbed his arm, not hard but sufficient to get his attention.
“Sorry, I’m being a dick. Ignore me.” Joe looked into his eyes, and he really did seem sincere. “I want to be your friend; I hope you know that.”
They stared at each other, oblivious to their surroundings. Joe still held his arm, his touch searing into Seb’s skin.
The door banged open and they moved apart, the moment gone again. Seb knew he needed to get out of there before anything else happened that one or both of them would regret.
“I need to get back,” Seb said and touched Joe’s chest. “Good night, Joe.” He turned and walked out of the bathroom. Home. He needed to go home.
Chapter Fifteen
Joe
Earlier on Friday night, and against his better judgement, Joe got ready to go out. He’d dressed in his dark jeans, his favourite brown boots, and his blue shirt. He’d styled his hair and gelled it on top. He used a little of his favourite cologne and checked himself out in the bedroom mirror.Not bad.
He went downstairs to see if Clare was ready. She waited in the hallway, phone in hand, as she called their ride. “Taxi will be here in about 10 minutes. We’ll have time for a drink before we go,” she said as she disconnected the call and walked into the kitchen.
She got out two shot glasses and the tequila. It was going to be one of those nights. Clare was dressed to the nines. She wore a short black dress with no sleeves and a pair of black high heels. Her make-up was immaculate, and her hair was up with tendrils falling around her face. Any other time, Joe would have been more than happy to have her on his arm. Tonight, he was dreading it.
The meal went fine; he sat and chatted to one of the consultants from the hospital but managed to keep away from Clare. She was more than happy knocking back the Prosecco.
They moved onto the club where she proceeded to ignore Joe and spent more time on the dance floor with her friends. A little later, Joe was sitting at the bar with Neil, the consultant, and they talked about the upcoming wedding. Joe listened, but Neil’s comments became a little more personal, talking about how they would miss Clare when she eventually got ‘knocked up’ as he put it and telling Joe how lucky he was to have a woman like Clare. Joe was more than happy when Neil got up and moved to the dance floor.
He’d drunk a fair amount by this time and jumped out of his skin when he heard a familiar voice.
“Fancy seeing you here.” His dick hardened as Seb’s warm breath ghosted over his ear. They chatted and as Seb pointed out his friends, a jealousy he’d not felt before surged as Dom blew a kiss their way. Joe knew Dom was just a friend, but he felt irrationally angry and his mouth engaged before his brain could catch up.
The alcohol Joe had already consumed that evening impaired his thought process. He just had to go all caveman on Seb and practically chased him away. The way Seb called to him, though, the way he dressed. Those fucking jeans should have come with a warning, and the eyeliner, Jesus Christ, it made him hard just thinking about it.
Watching Seb walk away from him, Joe knew he’d fucked up, and as he watched him dance with Dom, his jealousy roared to life again. He was ready to tear Dom a new one. He had his hands all over Seb when Joe wanted it to be him. He closed his eyes as he imagined his hands stroking Seb’s bare skin, kissing those plump lips. He drank one drink after another, his eyes never once leaving Seb.
He was about to leave the club when he saw Seb make his way to the bathroom, and on instinct, he followed.
He stepped into the men’s room just as Seb was washing his hands. He couldn’t show that he’d just gone in to speak to him, so he went through the motions of pissing and stepped next to Seb to wash his hands.
Seb had rightly called him out for his behaviour and had walked away. Joe hoped he hadn’t just ruined any chance at a friendship with the man. He’d have to wait and see. He should definitely not drink around Seb anymore. It turned him into a complete fool.
He left the bathroom but couldn’t see Seb and his friends anywhere, so he made his way back to the bar to get another drink. Turning to the dance floor, he saw Clare and Neil as they danced together, a little too close for colleagues, as far as he was concerned, and when one of Clare’s friends said something to her, she looked his way and stepped away from Neil, laughing as she did so.
The barman put his new drink on the bar, and Joe drank it down in one. He was more than ready to go home. Walking over to Clare, he took her gently by the arm. “I’m ready to go when you are,” were the only words he spoke to her. She pouted but followed him out of the club.
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