Page 17 of Touch in the Dark

I shake my head, touching my throat where the ghost of his finger lay against my skin. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I say.

My treacherous eyes move to the left. Nick is looking at Archer, I don’t know if he saw the move Chase just made, touching my neck. Archer is looking at me. He grins and winks when he sees he caught my eye. I nod back then look at Chase whose brows are halfway up his forehead.

“Archer then?”

“No,” Is it getting hot in here? I glance around for a server, wanting more alcohol. “What do you mean you read body language?” I try to change the subject.

Chase keeps his gaze locked on me for a few beats then gives a small shrug. “I’m a forensic psychologist.”

I was not expecting him to say that. “When you said you were a doctor, I assumed you meant a medical doctor,” I turn fully to face him. He deserves my full attention. Nick Chambers has plenty of attention from all the other guests at the party. He does not need mine. “You kept that under your hat. So, what do you do exactly, it sounds interesting.”

“I work in the criminal justice system. A lot of what I do is court based, professional opinions, mostly on defendants, some witnesses.”

“Wow, so you help put the bad guys away?”

“If that is what my expertise calls for,” he says with a slight shrug. He spots a server and takes a couple of glasses of champagne. “You were looking for this,” he hands me the glass.

“You’re reading me right now,” I take the glass. “That is oddly…disconcerting.”

“It’s a bad habit that carries out of work, I try not to over analyse everyone I meet. I just couldn’t help but notice how you changed when you looked over there,” he points.

I turn but Nick and Archer are no longer there. Without wanting to, my heart rate spikes again as I search for them. Where is he?

“I don’t want to up the anxiety factor here, but Rem did say you were trying to get over someone. I never expected it to be someone like him.”

“Him? No, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I squeak. “Stop it!” I force a laugh, realising he has seen right through me, so I admit defeat. “I’m not talking about this and you’re going to stop trying to figure it out, deal?” I hold out my spare hand. He eyeballs me, obviously wanting to explore this more but decides to take pity on me and shakes my hand. It is clear there isn’t going to be anything between us. Both of us know it. I’ve sabotaged it, all because of Nick Damn Chambers.

Jenna and Adam find us a little later. Chase is so dumbstruck it’s funny. I introduce them and watch Jenna eyeing him up. She nudges my arm, but I surreptitiously push her back, widening my eyes in a ‘shut up’ gesture.

“What?” she whispers, angling towards me better. “He’s hot.”

Adam keeps him occupied enough that neither of them hear us. “Remi gave me him.”

“Is he a gigolo?” her big dark eyes widen.

“Oh my God,” I blurt. “No. He’s a forensic psychologist. A gigolo,” I laugh, for the first time the tightness in my chest easing. “Remi thinks I need to do something to get over…” I clam up.

Jenna gives a sympathetic look. “If it’s any consolation-”

“Nope, don’t want to hear it. It isn’t helpful.”

She shifts slightly. Her friendship with Nick really grew over the last year and she’s torn. Ultimately, she gets it, she’s been in my position.

“Well, I say go for it,” she says, leaning closer.

I glance up and see Chase looking over at me. Crap, maybe I should. Finally just shake this off, this infatuation and sorrow. We were barely together long enough for it to have caused this much heartache. What if I am just clinging to some ideal about what we had, when none of it was real. Am I still waiting for it to happen? We live on opposite ends of the country. I’ve seen him linked with other women since we broke up. If breaking up is really what it can be called.

I’m living in a dream world, imagining something more than what it really was. Yet, I can’t bring myself to give in with Chase. Maybe it’s the way Remi went about it, wanting me to use him to get over Nick. If I am going to get over Nick, it must be organic. I must meet someone myself, not have a booty call forced on me. Remi meant well but this isn’t the way to help me.

I manage to slip away from them, Jenna having joined the conversation with Adam and Chase. I try to spot Remi but he’s with a large group of people on the patio, including Jordan, who is waving his hands around emphatically as he tells them a story. I smile, I like Jordan, he is up front about what he is, he doesn’t apologise for anything. I don’t really know what he’s like now he’s in a relationship.

I head to the bathroom, the one on this floor is occupied so I decide to slip downstairs to the main bedroom floor. I can use the bathroom there, or just go to my room. I scold myself, I’m not running away. I can face anything. I don’t go to my own room, instead using the main bathroom on this floor.

After using the facilities, I touch up my lipstick, fix my hair and straighten my dress. Makeup has always been my armour, my passion, one thing I’ve always been amazing at. Working with Remi is opening lots of doors for me. It’s time to focus on me, on the positives in my life.

Fuck Nick Chambers. I’m moving on.

Then I walk into the hallway and slam right into him.

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