Say You Want Me

by Van Mol, Stefanie

  Everyone grumbles an approval. None of us is jumping at the occasion, but again: it’s part of the deal. Over the years, we learned not to argue about it with Joe; he always gets what he wants. We’re almost out the door when he stops everyone in his tracks by adding: “You’re expected to bring a date, and you have to wear a tux.”

  Joe keeps looking at his papers like he didn’t just drop a bomb on us. Thank God I’m not the first one to open my mouth.

  “Did you just say we have to bring a date? And that we have to wear a tux?”

  Max is outraged, and I’m sure he’s not the only one.

  Joe looks up from his papers. “That’s correct.” Before any one of us can start arguing, Joe raises his hand to silence us. “Gentlemen, the man who organizes this event is one of my dearest friends. This dinner is a charity event and all the money goes to a child cancer fund. Besides, a little publicity never hurt anyone.”

  That shuts everyone up. You can hear a pin drop in the room. Who could be against attending a charity dinner that supports a child cancer fund? You’d have to be out of your mind to be opposed to something like that.

  The tux, that’s something I can live with, but the date? How am I supposed to take a girl out on a date without her making too much out of it? Normally I used to call Sophia for these kinds of events, but seeing the way our last meeting ended, I don’t think she’ll want to go with me this time.

  “We will all be there,” Max answers.

  He always takes the lead in our group.

  I guess the search for a date can start. “If anyone of you can score a date, would you kindly ask her if she has a sexy sister to come with me?” I say.

  Everyone laughs. This is how they know me, always the funny guy. But I hope at least one of them takes me seriously, because otherwise I’m screwed.

  When I leave the room, I see Mike standing at the door. I hand him Camille’s bag. He looks at me like I’ve grown two heads.

  “What do you want me to do with this?”

  “Can you give it to Karen?”

  His face turns angry. “How did you end up with Karen’s purse?”

  I put my hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him down. “Before you jump to conclusions,” I say calmly, “that’s Camille’s purse. Can you make sure Karen gives it to her?”

  His mouth forms a silent O, and if I didn’t know Mike any better I’d swear he’s blushing. I cross my arms in front of my chest and watch him, a grin spreading on my face.

  “I think you need to tell me all the dirty details about you and this Karen chick. Is she your girlfriend?”

  “It’s not like that between us. It’s…” He scratches the back of his head. “Kind of complicated.”

  I give him a pat on the shoulder.

  “Don’t worry, we’ll have plenty of time this evening so you can explain the whole thing to me.”

  I walk past Mike and toward the stage; I have to be on time for the sound check, otherwise Max will eat me alive.

  Camille

  Karen and I walk into this tiny bar. Today was just the day I needed. We went to the beach and did absolutely nothing. We were sunbathing all day and got the chance to catch each other up. And I was finally able to start my new book. Karen read all her new gossip magazines. The sun shone all day, and I already have a beautiful tan. Now I’m up to speed with the latest gossip items since Karen told me everything.

  It seemed like a good idea to close the day with a fun evening, so we went home after the beach and changed. We had a lovely dinner, and now I’m in the mood for a cocktail.

  As soon as we walk in, I see Mike standing at the bar counter. I look at Karen and see the guilty look in her eyes. It tells me everything I need to know.

  “How could you do this to me, Karen?”

  “I’m sorry, Camille, but I had to see him tonight.”

  Mike walks toward me and hands me my handbag. Now I’m confused.

  “Jonathan asked me to give this to you.”

  I take my bag. “Thanks, Mike.”

  I look over his shoulder at Karen. I want to scold her for bringing me here, but when I see the look in her eyes, I can’t be mad at her. I see the desire in her eyes; I’ve never seen her look at a guy like that before. Ever since that scene after the concert, I’ve been wondering what’s going on between the two of them. I make a mental note to myself that I need to talk about this with her, because I don’t want her to end up hurt. Obviously she has feelings for him, but when I asked her about them, she was acting kind of indifferent about it. I know her all too well, however. She’s always been there for me, so it’s time for me to be there for her.

  My gaze wanders through the bar. As far as I can tell, Mike’s here alone. So I don’t have to worry about Jonathan being here. Karen runs toward Mike and jumps into his arms. She wraps her legs around him and kisses him. Everyone at the bar is looking at them, but they don’t seem to care about it. I wonder what that would be like. I’m always aware of everyone and everything around me. I’d never do anything like that, but I can’t help wondering what it would feel like to have a guy want me like that — to feel his strong arms around me. To feel wanted.

  I think back to the moment I ran out of the bathroom, straight into Jonathan’s arms. I think of how powerful and strong his arms felt around me, before I noticed who he was. The subtle tingles of pleasure I felt in my stomach when his gaze met mine. Never before has a man had this effect on me. I shake my head to stop myself from pondering it too much. The last thing I want to do is remind myself of those feelings.

  At the other end of the bar, in a dark corner I didn’t notice before, I can hear a group of men shouting and whistling at Karen and Mike. I look over, and I don’t need to get any closer to know who they are. The entire band is here… and that means Jonathan must be here, too. Thank God for Karen—and fortunately that girl’s been my friend for years, because otherwise I’d have just left her here on her own. When Mike and Karen finally let go of each other, Mike takes Karen’s hand and pulls her toward the pool table in the corner, where the rest of the band is.

  Oh, no — no way in hell I’m going over there.

  Karen looks at me over her shoulder and motions for me to come over. I shake my head at her before walking to the bar and sitting down on an empty barstool. The bartender appears in front of me, and I order a glass of white wine. After he hands me the glass, I empty it in a few big gulps. I’m normally not such a big drinker, but I have a feeling that alcohol is going to be the only thing to get me through the night. When I start on my third glass, I feel his presence behind me. I don’t need to look behind me to know he’s there. The air between us crackles with tension, and his presence does more to me than I’ll ever admit out loud. The only thing I can do is keep him at a distance.

  I try to remind myself why I came here. The last thing I want to do is fall in love with Jonathan. And the only way I’ll be able to do so is to stay away from him. So in spite of the attraction there is between us, I try with every ounce of strength that I have not to fall for him. I just have to.

  Jonathan takes a seat on the barstool next to me. I stare down at my shoes, trying hard not to look at him.

  “Why don’t you come sit with us?” he asks. “You’re sitting here all by yourself.”

  I glance over at him and immediately regret it. Why did I have to look at him? I know I should keep my eyes off him, so why do I torture myself like this? He looks breathtakingly beautiful, and I can imagine everybody looking at us and wondering what a guy like him is doing with a girl like me. I drink the last bit of wine that’s left in my glass and signal to the bartender to get me a refill.

  In the corner of my eye, I see Jonathan bringing his beer bottle to his mouth. His soft, pink lips close over the neck of his beer bottle, his Adam’s apple moving up and down while he gulps down his beer. The tip of his tongue wipes away the last bit of beer that’s left on his lips. I can feel the heat rising within me. My fantasies run high as I think of w
hat that tongue could do to me.

  Am I really that drunk that I can no longer control my feelings toward Jonathan? Why does his presence have such an effect on me?

  “I’m sitting here just fine. I don’t like playing pool.”

  His moss-green eyes stare at me, and my nipples get hard just from the look he gives me. I feel the heat rising to my cheeks when I notice his eyes trailing down toward them. He undoubtedly sees what’s going on, because the right corner of his mouth curls up in a smirk when he looks back at me.

  “Are you sure playing pool is the only reason you don’t want to come and sit with us?”

  Jeez, why is he so confident? And why don’t I know how to act around him? Of course he’s used to getting his way with the ladies. I’m sure he has tons of groupies throwing themselves at his feet. For a moment I wonder what that would be like. What if I were just like Karen — not caring about what anyone thought about me or who I was with? What would happen if I jumped him right here, right now? When I look at him, sitting this close to me, I no longer remember why that is a very bad idea.

  Of course he’s not an idiot — he knows what kind of effect he has on me. It’s just a matter of time before he gives up. If he knew how close I am to my breaking point, he’d hunt me relentlessly for sure. He takes another sip of his beer and looks at me again.

  “When you’re ready to admit there’s chemistry between us, you know where to find me.”

  With those final words he leaves me behind and walks back to the rest of the group. I take a deep breath, never realizing I was holding it. When I look over my shoulder, I can see his back—and oh my, even that looks perfect. How can anyone be this perfect? I look around the bar and notice I’m not the only one staring at him. Every female in here is looking at him, practically drooling. A jab of jealousy runs through me. Why am I jealous? It’s not like he’s mine. But I can’t seem to make those feelings go away.

  I quickly turn around before he notices me watching him. Luckily the bartender already gave me a new glass of wine. I give him my most seductive smile. He must have noticed I could use a refill. Because alcohol will most definitely be the only thing to get me through tonight.

  Jonathan

  As soon as I see Karen walk in, I know she’s going to be here all night. She takes a seat at the end of the bar. All the guys at the bar are looking at her, even though she doesn’t notice it. If she thinks nobody will notice her because she sits there all alone, she’s wrong. Before I realize what I’m doing, I’m walking over to her. I take the stool next to her. The chemistry that always seems to be there, is buzzing between us. She doesn’t even acknowledge me. I don’t get what she has against me.

  “Why don’t you come sit with us?” I ask. “Why are you here all alone?”

  She looks up from her glass, but as soon as she sees me, she looks back down. She empties her glass in a few gulps, as if she’s trying to keep herself busy so she doesn’t have to talk to me. Am I such a bad person? She signals the bartender for a refill of her glass of wine.

  I take another swig of my beer to keep me from saying things I might regret later. The only thing I want is to get to know her a bit better. Never before have I been this attracted to a woman. It must be karma that the first woman I’m attracted to doesn’t want anything to do with me.

  “I don’t like playing pool. I’m fine over here.”

  Her voice doesn’t sound convincing. I gaze at her, and the effect she has on me comes over me once again. She’s trying so hard to fight whatever connection there is between us. If I try just a little harder, I’m sure I’ll win her over. I can see all the signs: her breathing has sped up, and beneath her thin coat I can see her nipples getting harder. My mouth curls into a small grin. If she thinks she can scare me that easily, she’s mistaken.

  “Are you sure your dislike of pool is the only reason you’re sitting here?”

  When she continues to ignore me, I decide that it’s better to keep my distance. For now. Clearly my aggressive approach didn’t work on her earlier, so maybe if I give her some space, she might come around.

  “When you’re ready to admit there’s chemistry between us, you know where to find me.”

  With those final words, I leave her behind at the bar and make my way back to the group. I know she’s watching me; I can feel her eyes burning on my back. It makes me smile from ear to ear. Mission accomplished, game on. She has no idea what she got herself into. Once I make my mind up to win something, I do whatever it takes to get it. Because I always get what I want.

  When I return to the rest of the band, my thoughts are all over the place. I take a seat on the bench in the corner; I try not to look at her, but she never leaves my sight. She has this pull on me like I’ve never felt before. There’s something about her that draws me to her. I’ve had this feeling since the first time I saw her, and the more often I see her, the stronger the feeling gets. I’m used to women being all over me, but for some reason Camille’s determined to stay away from me. I wonder why that is? But if she thinks I’ll forget about her this easily, she’s wrong.

  I’m so caught up in my own thoughts that I don’t even realize Mike has sat down next to me.

  “Instead of gawking at her, why don’t you go up there and talk to her?” Mike looks at me with his eyebrows raised.

  It’s the first time this evening I see him without his blonde friend.

  “Tried that. She couldn’t get rid of me fast enough,” I tell him. “Did you know she was going to be here?”

  “I think they’re inseparable,” he says, apologetic. “If I want to see Karen, I have to accept that Camille comes with her.”

  “I don’t know what crawled up her ass and died. Apparently she’s too good to sit with us.”

  Before Mike can answer, his blonde friend reappears. Her murderous look is directed at me.

  “You shouldn’t judge her like that, you don’t know her at all,” she says, almost biting my head off.

  “Is that so? As far as I know, she doesn’t know me either and yet she doesn’t like me very much. What’s with the double standards, Blondie?”

  Karen nonchalantly shrugs her shoulders. “Some things are obvious at first sight.”

  I have to remind myself I don’t punch women in the face, but these two girls are making my blood boil.

  “Whatever’s necessary to make you sleep at night, princess.”

  I wink at her and take another swig of my beer. I take a big gulp and turn around to look at Camille, who’s still sitting at the bar.

  What the…!

  I almost spit out my beer. How is this possible? I’ve only been talking to Blondie for like a second. Apparently Camille was a bit hot, so she took of her coat. All joking aside, that girl has got a fine ass, I can tell you. I’ve seen my fine share of asses before, but this one immediately triggers a reaction inside my pants. It reminds me of the first time I saw her before the concert.

  She’s still sitting on the barstool, but now I can see the little black dress she’s wearing. On second thought: dress may not be the best word for the small piece of fabric she’s wearing. Her short dress rides up when she shifts a little on her stool. The top piece of her dress is see-through, which causes me to notice her black, lace bra. I groan; lace is like my kryptonite. If there’s one thing I have a weakness for, it’s lingerie. Especially lace lingerie. Images pop up in my head of Camille only wearing lace lingerie. Would she be the type of girl to wear a thong or panties? I can already imagine what it would be like to find out: I’d bend her over the back of the couch, her ass defiantly in the air, while I lift up her dress to reveal her underwear. I’d pull her thong down, because she seems like the kind of girl to wear a thong. Once she’d be undressed, I would stand behind her and slowly enter her from behind…

  Fuck, I need to get my thoughts straight. It’s about time I focused on something else. Maybe I need to score a babe for this evening — having some random sex with a stranger might take my mind off Camille
for a while. At least it would help me to get rid of this sexual frustration I’ve got coursing through my veins.

  Why am I even thinking that would help me? Now that Camille is on my mind, no other woman could compare. I’d only be disappointed.

  I walk back to the pool table and try to figure out who’s winning. Everybody thinks I’m following the game, but I keep glancing over to her. She keeps drinking her wine, and it’s clear as day she’s starting to get drunk. The pool game is almost over when I see Karen suddenly looking in the direction of the bar. Her eyes go wide, and I immediately turn around.

  Fuck me!

  Camille is still on the barstool, but in the meantime some asshole came to sit next to her. I absolutely don’t like the look on his face. I know that look; it’s the same look I have when I try to find a woman to spend the night with. It’s the look of a man who thinks he’s found himself an easy target. The look of a guy who knows he’s about to score. Well, not while I’m around. If nobody stops me, I’ll make sure I wipe that smug look off his face. I see his hand moving to her leg, up her thigh. I put down my beer and start walking in their direction.

  “Oh, fuck,” Karen yells. “Mike, do something!”

  Mike knows better than to try and stop me, but he still has a job to do, so he follows closely behind me. His job being to keep me out of trouble, but with the state of mind I’m in right now, I don’t know that’ll be possible.

  I see Camille pushing away that asshole’s hand, but he clearly doesn’t take the hint. I see panic in Camille’s eyes when he slips his hand onto her leg once more.

  This guy chose the wrong day to mess with her. I walk up behind Camille and possessively put my arm around her shoulders. At first she freezes, but when she looks up and sees my face, she relaxes. I instantly feel good, knowing that she trusts me in spite of the way we started out. Maybe this will change her mind about me.