Set Me Free

by Jennifer Collin

  She shifted her scrutiny to Emily, who was quietly seething.

  Fresh drink in hand, Charlotte scanned the crowd for Jackson. She found him, contradicting himself with a sexy young thing in the thick of the dancers. So much for only having eyes for her. Still, she needed to dance with him, because the tension that was starting to build wasn’t going to abate if she danced with just anyone. She needed to be more than tossed and pulled; she needed to be thrown. She tried to catch Jackson’s eye but failed.

  Resigned, she returned to the booth, and slid in next to Geoff, resisting the magnetic pull of Craig and leaning back in her seat to leave as much air between them as possible. Craig shifted uncomfortably and edged back himself, as though the angry heat coming off her might scald him. Geoff was holding court, talking sports, oblivious to the fact the people surrounding him wanted to poke each other’s eyes out.

  Craig glanced at her every now and then, searching for something to say. She beat him to it.

  ‘So did you get what you needed out of your community meeting last night?’ she asked as Geoff and Cassette began arguing about some jockey who’d ridden in the Melbourne Cup.

  Craig gave Charlotte a steely look. ‘What do you think?’

  ‘I think you would have gotten an idea of how the local community feels about the proposal.’

  ‘I’m not sure I did,’ he countered, self-assurance returning. He geared up to challenge her. ‘Crowds are a funny thing. They're easily led and easily swayed.’

  Charlotte stared at him. He was frighteningly smart. Smart enough to recognise she was smart. This was going to be an interesting battle.

  ‘And they didn’t sway your way, did they?’ she said, leaning forward a little and lowering her voice.

  ‘That was only round one, Charlotte. I know how to get what I want,’ he added just as quietly, discretely looking her up and down.

  Charlotte’s fist clenched, and she was ready to swing when Jackson miraculously, and finally, appeared at her side.

  ‘You warmed up now?’ he asked, offering his hand.

  Craig’s head snapped up, and he looked daggers at Jackson.

  ‘For sure,’ Charlotte said, accepting Jackson’s hand and giving him her best girly smile. As he led her on to the dance floor, she pranced, clacking her heels and swinging her hips. Now she was the confident one. This dance was going to clear her head.

  ‘Something fast,’ she called to Sanjay as Jackson pulled her into the middle of the floor.

  Sanjay got the message. ‘You’re in for a treat now, ladies and gentleman. It looks like Jackson and Charlotte have found their groove. Step back if you don’t want to get blown away!’

  The crowd on the dance floor cleared, leaving them alone in the centre. The drummer counted them in, and a great rocking beat roared out of the guitars. Granted the space, Jackson was not gentle with her. He pulled her with him, their feet perfect mirrors as they moved back and forth across the floor. After their first triple step, he didn’t just nudge her backwards, he pushed hard and she responded, throwing herself into the dance. Their feet became a blur as they indulged in some technical footwork, in no rush to reach the climax but in sync with what they were building to. Their barrel rolls were fast and elaborate.

  As expected, Charlotte’s anger evaporated quickly, and her mind cleared of everything but the dance. She could feel the burn and damn it felt good.

  Half way through the song, Jackson pulled her in and asked if she was ready. ‘You bet,’ she replied.

  They started a series of lifts with a Pop Around the Back immediately followed up with a Crocodile Roll. The crowd cheered the first lift and then roared after the second. Jackson was in his element, and Charlotte was happy to tolerate his showmanship because he was pushing her so hard and throwing her so high. He threw her back out again and they rocked their way back together, hips swivelling, feet snapping. He tossed her sideways and she returned, rolling and wrapping in tight. Picking her up, he laid her out horizontally across his torso. When he unrolled her, she threw out her arm in a flourish, much to the crowd’s appreciation.

  But they weren’t done yet. One last Hammerlock, then he steadied her in front of him. He grasped her hips and lifted her, pitching her first left, then right and then between his legs, sliding her halfway across the floor with the force of his throw. She flicked her arms out as she slid on her hip across the stage, and came to a stop in perfect timing with the end of the song.

  The crowd roared, and the applause was deafening. The entire bar was whooping.

  ‘Hate to say I told you so,’ announced Sanjay over the hooting and whistling. ‘Give it up for Jackson and Charlotte, everybody.' And unbelievably, the roar got louder.

  Jackson pulled her to her feet, and they bowed graciously. She was exploding with elation, and her face was alight. She was even giddy enough to ignore Jackson’s hands as they possessively snaked their way around her midriff. Emily, her biggest fan, was on her feet, whooping over the top of the cheers and waving at her sister, beaming.

  Mischievously, and of their own accord, Charlotte’s eyes shifted to Craig. She was miffed to find him engrossed in peeling the label off his beer bottle, oblivious to the crowd around him. Her shit-eating grin faltered.

  As the roar started to die down, the band started up again, and the other dancers returned to the floor. Jackson was still running his hands all over her while enjoying the pats on the back from the other dancers. He was even leering at a few of the women making eyes at him. Another escape was in order, and glancing back towards the booth, Charlotte clocked Emily signalling at her madly, in desperate need of moral support.

  She looked between Craig and Jackson, trying to decide which was the lesser of two evils. Her demons exorcised for now, she decided on the one ignoring her rather than the one feeling her up.

  Peeling off Jackson’s hands, she leant in to give him a thank you peck on the cheek. He turned his head at the last moment, catching her lips with his and prolonging the kiss by clasping the back of her head. A small roar from the crowd ensued. Charlotte pushed Jackson away and played it up for the audience, who were watching them to see if they would dance again. She wagged a finger at him, although she really wanted to wipe her mouth. He shrugged his shoulders and held out his hands innocently. The crowd snickered as she left the floor, suggesting he was still hamming it up behind her back. Without turning she waved him away over her shoulder.

  Back at the booth, she slid back into the seat next to Geoff. Craig was still madly working on his beer label. Cassette was scowling. Charlotte studied them surreptitiously, searching for clues. Geoff was smiling proudly, and Emily reached around her husband to take her sister’s hand. ‘That was brilliant, Charlotte. You two are amazing together!’

  Charlotte gave her sister a grateful smile but chose to be silent and mysterious. Her survival instinct was telling her to keep all her cards close to her chest. Regardless of their relationship and her role in it, she didn’t want either Craig or Cassette to know who or what Jackson was to her.

  Geoff was not playing on the right team tonight. ‘I thought you two broke up,’ he said.

  With considerable restraint, Charlotte replied. ‘We did. We still dance together though.' She thought she saw Craig glance at her out of the corner of her eye, but as she was fastidiously trying not to look at him, she could have easily been mistaken.

  ‘So, Charlotte,’ Cassette suddenly chimed in, studying her with malicious intent. ‘What are you going to do when your gallery is demolished?’

  It dropped on the table like a bomb. The woman’s tactlessness was mind-blowing. Emily rolled her eyes. Geoff shifted uncomfortably, and even Craig squirmed in his chair.

  Avoiding Craig’s eye, Charlotte answered, ‘I don’t think I need to worry about that until the demolition notice is on the door.’

  ‘Well, I’d think about it if I were you. It’s not often that a developer doesn’t get what they want. Believe me, I know.' Cassette gave Craig a su
ltry smirk and slipped her arm through his. Charlotte felt a wave of nausea and reclaimed the drink she’d abandoned earlier to wash it away.

  It didn’t work.

  Cassette continued pushing her buttons. ‘I see you have a new exhibition opening tomorrow night. I’m not really a fan of M Talbot’s.’

  Well then hopefully you won’t come along, Charlotte thought, but held her tongue. Instead, she said, ‘Each to their own, I guess,’ and took another hard sip of her drink. She looked out over the dance floor, disinterested in whatever else Cassette had to say.

  Reluctant to cancel M Talbot’s show, even though the promotion had been minimal, Charlotte had been in hot pursuit of him over the last few days. When she finally pinned him down, she convinced him to hang whatever he had ready for Friday night and offered the opportunity to add additional pieces to the exhibition during the four weeks he was showing. Truth be told, she wasn’t really a fan of M Talbot’s either, but not because of his art.

  ‘I think I might call it a night,’ Charlotte said to Emily and Geoff. She would've liked to dance some more, but sitting across from Craig was adding additional stresses to the list of those to be jettisoned. Best to simply escape, yet again.

  Emily shot Charlotte a look that said, Don’t you dare. Charlotte returned one. I need to get away from him. A non-verbal conversation comprised of exaggerated and contorted facial expressions, continued under Craig’s watchful gaze and his bemused half-smile.

  Lowering her brows, Emily begged Charlotte not to leave her there with Cassette. Charlotte, raising hers, and tipping her head towards the door, suggested Emily come too. Emily glanced towards Geoff, noting she never gets anytime with him, and she wasn’t going to ruin it by going home and sitting on the couch. Nodding towards Craig, Charlotte indicated she really needed to get away from him. Finally, Emily waved her off, defeated.

  As though he'd understood every raised eyebrow and downturned lip, Craig leaned back in his seat and watched Charlotte for her next move. Cassette and Geoff were ignorantly engrossed in another conversation, this one about reality TV.

  With Emily’s approval confirmed, Charlotte excused herself. She gave both Emily and Geoff a kiss and slipped out of the booth. Craig stopped her before she could glide away.

  ‘Charlotte.'

  She rounded on him, bristling, ready to attack.

  ‘How are you getting home?’ he asked.

  ‘None of your business,’ she replied and after a final wave to her family, flounced off.

  Well, she tried to flounce off, but was hindered, as one by one, friends and acquaintances patted her back and offered her drinks. She slowed down to be cordial and catch up. Enveloped by people all happy to see her, her temper abated.

  What an exhausting night it was turning out to be. Whatever happened to plain old ‘good’? This was a rollercoaster ride, and she’d never been fond of rollercoasters.

  Jackson stopped her halfway to the door, his hand on her arm.

  ‘You’re not leaving are you?’

  ‘Yes. Thanks for the dances. I had a great night.' No more flirting. It was time to go.

  ‘The night’s only just beginning,’ he suggested, taking her hand and interlacing his fingers through hers.

  ‘No, Jackson, it’s ending for me,’ she said firmly, pulling her hand away.

  ‘You know my number, baby,’ he called after her before being distracted by the pretty girl he'd been dancing with earlier.

  Shuddering, she pushed her way through the rest of the crowd and out of the club. As she launched herself onto the footpath and into the steamy summer’s night, she almost collided with Craig Carmichael’s broad back. Where did he come from? She looked around him and saw he was bundling a slightly befuddled Cassette into a cab. The cab sped off.

  ‘What – not taking her home?' Charlotte sneered ungraciously, instantly back on the ride and forgetting to be sociable.

  ‘No,’ Craig answered, turning around. ‘I’m taking you home.'

  Pardon? What new level of audacity was this?

  ‘Thanks, but no thanks,’ Charlotte replied dismissively and started walking up Boundary Street. Apart from the few people outside Barb’s, the street was deserted. Unexpectedly, and unusually, the shadows ahead made her nervous. Perhaps there was someone lurking in the recessed doorways of the shop frontages.

  ‘No argument, Charlotte,’ Craig called after her insistently. ‘Your family may be comfortable with you walking the streets alone at night, but I’m not.’

  She paused and turned back. ‘It’s perfectly safe, and I don’t have far to go.’ What business of his was it anyway?

  ‘It’s not safe, and as it’s not far, you won’t have to endure my company for very long.’

  ‘You're not walking me home, Craig. You're not to come anywhere near my home.' Charlotte said adamantly before storming off once more, her dancing shoes clicking along the pavement.

  ‘I can still follow you,’ he called, and did.

  ‘I can call the police,’ she threw back over her shoulder.

  The threat was ignored and halfway up the block she stopped to let him catch up. Damn, he was persistent.

  ‘You’re pissed at me,’ Craig observed as they fell into step. Her stride was surer than the last time he walked her home, and she managed to avoid bumping in to him.

  ‘You think?’

  ‘For what it’s worth, I didn’t mean to be a jerk,’ he commented, seemingly more humble now they were alone in the peaceful, balmy night.

  ‘Perhaps you should try harder next time,’ Charlotte offered. Then hastened to add, ‘not that there will be a next time. With me, that is.' Slightly flustered, she kept her eyes on the shadows ahead.

  Craig was silent for a moment, making her squirm some more. A car drove by slowly, but apart from that, there was no one around.

  Eventually he said, ‘When I came into the gallery on Monday, I meant to talk to you about the plans. It was the end of a very long day, and I was tired and I got distracted. And then before I knew it I...I was trying to wake you up before I had to rush off to a site meeting the next morning. I did try Charlotte, quite a lot. You must be a heavy sleeper.’

  Charlotte blushed and wondered if she’d been snoring. ‘You got distracted? What kind of lame excuse it that?’

  ‘What can I say? You’re very distracting.' It was barely audible.

  Something warm fired inside Charlotte. Ignoring it, she snapped, ‘And you’re very much a prick. So tell me, is Cassette your girlfriend?'

  ‘What? Cassie?' He smiled. ‘No, Cassie’s not my girlfriend. I don’t have a girlfriend.’

  Charlotte thought perhaps she must have swallowed a goldfish. Her stomach was suddenly skittish. ‘You seemed pretty chummy,’ she said.

  Craig’s grin broadened. ‘I’ve known her since we were kids. She’s like a sister to me.’

  ‘Then how come I’ve never seen you with her before?’

  ‘I don’t go out much.’

  Charlotte snuck a peek at him. He was staring ahead, his jaw slightly clenched.

  It was now taking some effort to remain livid. ‘You know I’m going to fight you in this development, don’t you?’

  ‘I do.'

  They walked in silence until they rounded the corner into her street and crossed the road in front of her building.

  Charlotte stopped. ‘You lied to me,’ she accused, finally seeking out his eyes.

  ‘No I didn’t. Not technically. I failed to tell you something, but I didn’t lie.' Was he teasing her?

  ‘Same thing,’ she snapped. ‘I don’t like liars. And I’m not very fond of people who are out to ruin my life,’ she added.

  ‘I’m not going to ruin your life,’ he said, not looking away, holding her with his dark brown gaze.

  ‘Well that means that you are because you’re a liar.’

  He chuckled softly and gently. ‘Your argument is not sound.’

  Charlotte withheld a grin. He was right. She sounde
d like a petulant child. She decided not to bite back.

  ‘I’m going in now,’ she said. ‘Thanks for seeing me home, I guess.'

  He shrugged. She paused, and her gaze fell on his lips. When the corners of his mouth started to turn, so did she, on her heel, to stomp up the stairs to her apartment.

  ‘Goodnight, Charlotte,’ he called.

  Throwing him one final glare, she closed her door on him and made a beeline for the shower to wash away the sinful desire threatening her good judgment.

  Chapter seven

  ‘Where to first?' Emily asked, extracting the list of potential new gallery sites from Charlotte’s lap.

  ‘Hardgrave Road,’ Charlotte answered, and pulled Ben’s car out into the traffic.

  She was borrowing the Mazda because the Monster was in the shop…again. Charlotte wished Ben was with them. With him in tow, they might have been scoping out options slightly grander than the low rent shops on her list. But Ben had different issues to grapple with.

  Over drinks at Charlotte’s place last night they’d discussed the possibility of the development proposal being approved.

  Relocating was easier for Charlotte than for Ben. Her clients were mobile, and most of her business was done at monthly exhibition launches. People came to the gallery; they didn’t just happen upon it. Walk-in traffic was useful, but she didn’t rely on the business of passing shoppers anywhere near as heavily as Ben did. A lot more of his business came from his loyal customer base, and for him, moving somewhere else meant starting from scratch. He wasn’t sure he was ready to do that. So while Charlotte was dragging Emily around to look at relocation options, Ben was pouring over his books to see if starting over was even feasible.

  The first address was just around the corner from the gallery. ‘At least we’d save on moving costs,’ Charlotte mused hopefully.