by T L Swan
Stop it!
With the formalities over, I am on my seventh champagne and Joshua has started to drink and relax. I wish I could relax—all the alcohol is doing is making me unashamedly check Josh out. My eyes constantly flick back to him every five minutes and like clockwork every five minutes my eyes lock with his. He doesn’t even pretend not to look at me. He is drinking his Corona with one hand in his pocket, his eyes not leaving me as he tips his head back. He stands at over six foot four tall, totally ripped with muscle. His dark skin and chocolate hair all add to the alluring appeal. And his posture, the way he stands, legs wide. He’s just so…Alpha Male. So freaking hot. His piercing blue eyes bore into me, even the way he is drinking his beer is seducing me, the way he’s watching me, god. I’m not the only girl in the place under his hypnosis, every woman here is affected by his physical presence. He stands out. So tall and so athletic, and Bridget is right, his pheromones do smell fucking awesome. He can give a great come fuck me look too. Because any moment, I might do just that.
Bridget walks over. “Ok, spit it out.”
“What?” I ask.
“What’s with Joshua?”
“What do you mean?” I look anywhere but at her.
“Don’t shit me, the UST between you two is ridiculous. I’ve been watching him.” Shit this can’t be good.
“And?” I repeat.
“He’s looking at you like he wants to kill you.”
“Kill me?” I shriek.
“Yes either that or eat you.”
I giggle into my champagne glass.
“What’s so funny?” she asks mortified.
I shrug, “I can think of worse ways to go.” She frowns at me. “Death by oral by Joshua Stanton.” I shrug again, “Could be fun.” Her mouth drops open.
“I fucking knew it. What’s going on?” Shit this champagne is giving me loose lips, and loose lips sink ships.
“I don’t know what you are talking about. Come on, let’s dance.”
The dance floor is tucked into the corner of the building, and the lights are dim with the customary disco lights in full swing. A DJ is in the middle of the front centre and a bar that hugs the wall just off the dance floor. Joshua is still staring at me as I grab Bridget’s hand and lead her over to the dance floor.
“I wanted another drink,” she scowls. At the back of the dance floor I notice there are mirrors all the way around the walls. It’s sort of offputting watching yourself dance so I put my back to the mirrors and face the bar. To my relief Joshua, Ben and Adrian saunter down to the bar. Is he following me? I tally up a small victory and smile to myself—my plan is working. I continue to dance, occasionally looking in the mirror to see if he is still there. He’s more than still there, he’s staring at me from behind. I can feel the heat from his penetrating gaze. Even as he drinks, his eyes don’t leave me. I feel like the prey being hunted. Boy, I wish he was hunting me. Not in the plan Natasha, remember just prick teasing. Nothing more. Adrian and Ben are talking to him but he’s not answering, he just keeps staring at me, occasionally nodding. My god, he’s beautiful. He’s undressing me with his eyes, and I love it, I wish it were for real. Ben turns to look at me and says something to Adrian and Adrian turns to look at me too. Shit, they are talking about me. Joshua says something and Ben smiles and rubs his arm. Huh what did Josh say that would earn him a sympathy rub? Suddenly I’m bumped from behind. I stumble forward into Bridget and grab her arms for support.
“Ooh sorry,” a short bald guy smiles.
“It’s ok,” Bridget answers, nodding and smiling. He seems harmless enough. For some reason though, he sees that as an open invitation to dance with us. His dancing style is Saturday night fever gone wrong. His arms are flying all over the place and he’s sweating up like a treat. His buttons on his shirt are so stretched they might pop any minute. He’s a close dancer. Oh jeez, I hate those. The song changes to ‘Sexy Back’ by Justin Timberlake and he really turns up the heat, getting closer and closer. I look to Bridge to find the bitch giggling and shaking her head. I pull wide eyes at her and she shakes her head. Oh no, what’s he doing now? Shit. He’s circling me doing maraca hands—this is beyond the pale. Oh god, he’s standing behind me doing peekaboo over each of my shoulders. Bridget is full laughing now and so am I. This guy is a freak. Some idiot has moved into my mirror image of Mr Stanton, so he is temporarily out of my line of vision. I hope he is not watching this. The guy dances around to the front of me again and leans in, and I instinctively lean back. He stinks of body odour and I pull a disgusted face to Bridget who just keeps giggling with her head down. Even she’s embarrassed by this spectacle of a man.
“What’s your name, pretty lady?” he says while he rolls his hips, obviously trying to be sexy. Huh, what the? Oh buzz off baldy. I’m trying to prick tease here and you’re cramping my style. I smile, shake my head and hold my hand up to Bridge to signify getting a drink, and she nods in relief. We make it to the bar in a fit of giggles. Joshua is talking to Ben and another man I don’t know and Adrian is standing alone. We get our drinks and amble over to him.
“What’s so funny?” he asks over his wine glass.
I shake my head and Bridget smiles. “Natasha is the ultimate dance floor idiot magnet.” I shake my head and throw a piece of ice at her. “Shut up,” I giggle.
“No, seriously, Adrian you have no idea,” she puts her hand on his forearm. “Every time we are out Natasha gets some crazy disaster stalking her on the dance floor.”
Adrian rolls his eyes at her. “I’m sure she gets some pretty hot ones as well.”
I smile at him. Adrian’s gay.
“Yeah she does, she’s a guy magnet.”
“Shut up, I am not,” I stammer.
“Are too,” she giggles into her glass.
“No one that matters,” I smile.
“Oh really?” Adrian smiles at me and raises his eyebrows. “So who matters?” My eyes fly to him and I take a gulp of my champagne, and he gives me a cheeky smile and a wink. He knows exactly what he’s doing, he is trying to find out info. He very slowly looks at Josh so my eyes follow his line of vision. I look up and see Joshua staring at me. Bridget is right, he is looking at me like he wants to eat me. I glance back to Adrian who winks at me and raises his champagne glass. I look to the ground and smile self–consciously. I think he knows everything. Oh crap, I hope he doesn’t know everything. But why would Josh tell him? It was so long ago, unless he’s affected like me? Maybe he’s embarrassed. I can’t help but like Adrian. He’s a cheeky son of a bitch though, fancy milking me for info. I don’t know what to say next without revealing anything and a dance track comes on that I love so I grab both Adrian and Bridge by the hands.
“Come on, we’re dancing.”
Oh boy, I’m feeling very tipsy. The champagne is going to my head big time. Stop drinking Tash, I chastise myself. Adrian is a great dancer—I don’t know why I didn’t see it before. He is so obviously gay. Way too beautiful to be hetro. Josh is still watching me like a predator. I feel like I’m on the discovery channel. Every now and then I watch his tongue lick his bottom lip and I’m finding it very difficult not to dance slutty, when all I really want to do is walk over and dry hump his leg. Getting lost in the alcohol fog I start to lose my inhibitions and dance freely. I run both of my hands from my breasts, down my sides to my behind and circle it slowly, while I watch him in the mirror. Direct hit. Josh tenses his jaw and cracks his neck to the left—he’s aroused. It seems I’m not the only one who is quickly losing my inhibitions. The song finishes and Rhianna’s voice rings out.
Shine bright like a diamond.
OOHH, I love this song. Suddenly, Joshua cuts through the circle, grabs my hand and pulls me into the back corner.
“We’re dancing,” he snaps, and he turns around while still pulling me by the hand and my body slams into his, oh shit.
Shine bright like a diamond
He turns me quickly so that his back is to the crowd. He’s
a lot taller than me so I am totally shielded from everybody.
Fine lights in the beautiful sea, I choose to be happy.
You and I, you and I we’re like diamonds in the sky
He places his two hands on my behind and pulls me close to him, his eyes not leaving mine. I’m like putty in his dominant hands. I tentatively put my hands around his neck, unable to breath, unable to look away from his searing stare. We move our hips slowly in sync to the rhythmic beat, and my heart is about to jump from my chest. He pulls his hands tighter into me, pulling me against his large erection. His gaze drops down to my breasts that are pushed up against his chest and he looks back up into my eyes, giving me the best come fuck me look I have ever seen. Instinctively my eyes close, as his breathing too has come to a halt. Dear god. He smells divine.
So shine bright tonight
You and I, we’re beautiful like diamonds in the sky
I can’t help it, I gently stroke my fingers down the back of his neck and he gives me a slow seductive smile. He lip syncs the next few lines of the song. He must like it too as he knows the words.
You’re a shooting star I see, a vision of ecstasy
When you hold me I’m alive
We’re like diamonds in the sky
My heartbeat reaches a peak as our slow seductive rhythm follows the beat of the music, and his hands move lower and follow the curve of my bottom. He clenches his jaw and pulls me up for a deeper connection to his engorged manhood. I can feel his pulse through his pants. Second by second I am losing all coherent thought. He’s taking me over, the power he has over my body is now more evident than ever. I bring my hand and place it tenderly on Joshua’s cheek. He closes his eyes in reverence and brings his mouth down to my neck, instinctively rubbing his lips down its length. Once again I am blessed with him grabbing my behind, and this time he doesn’t hold back and he grinds himself into me. My core starts to throb as I feel a rush of moisture to my most sensitive area. He feels so good. Slowly he raises his face and runs his teeth along my jaw, breathing heavily into my neck, and my mouth opens as my head throws back. I think I’m going to come right here, right now, shit. Our breathing is heavy and we are completely lost in the moment. A moment I’ve waited so long for, and he’s here, he’s here with me. He feels it too. Very slowly I raise my face and look into Josh’s dilated eyes, willing him to kiss me, his eyes drop to my mouth, his chest rising as he struggles to control his breathing. Very slowly he bows his head.
Margaret Stanton is standing in the corner near the bar, her eyes fixed firmly on her son and her niece in the far corner of the dance floor. She’s radiating with anger as if a red glow could be seen around her. Her unmatched beauty and social standing can’t help her with this. She’s warned him, time and again, she even warned him just this very morning to keep away from this girl. She is way past angry, she is furious. She swirls her red around in her wine glass as she glares at the dance floor. James Brennan, her husband’s best friend and business partner, is standing next to her. He gestures to the dance floor with his hand as he takes a sip of his scotch, and he glares at her as he talks into his short tumbler.
“I told you to handle this.”
“Do you think I haven’t tried?” she snaps, her eyes shooting back to the dance floor as Joshua once again pulls Natasha against his hips.
“I’m warning you Margaret, I won’t play your stupid little games.” He rolls his shoulders. “Put a stop to it or I will.”
She takes a sip of her red as hatred drips from her lips and she raises one eyebrow. “Don’t threaten me James, I’m not the one who will lose everything.”
He plasters a fake smile as someone walks past them, nodding his head as a greeting. “Keep telling yourself that, Margaret,” he sneers. “You have more to lose than me, Joshua for one. Do you think he will respect you once he knows?” he whispers.
She narrows her eyes. “Keep your voice down!” she snaps. “He will never know, over my dead body will he ever find out.”
“The only way this will be revealed is if this pathetic little lust story on the dance floor continues. Stop it now.” His voice drips with contempt, and she swallows the large lump in her throat and glances back to the dance floor to catch Joshua run his lips down Natasha’s throat.
“Good god,” she snaps. “This is worse than I imagined.” She rubs her forehead. She gestures to Cameron who comes over with Scott immediately. “Go out on that dance floor and ask Joshua what the hell he thinks he’s doing.” Cameron looks around the dance floor to see Josh running his teeth along Natasha’s jaw, while grinding his hips into hers.
“Shit,” Cam mutters. Margaret goes to walk off but James grabs her by the arm.
“I’m warning you, Margaret, take care of this or I will.”
She throws him a fake smile worthy of an Oscar nomination, and lifts her chin.
“Don’t threaten me, James, you won’t like me when I’m angry. Stay away from my family, especially Joshua. This is your first and final warning.”
Joshua and I are totally lost in the moment, a moment I’ve waited for so long, and he’s here, he’s here with me, he feels it too. Very slowly I raise my face and look into Josh’s dilated eyes, willing him to kiss me. He tenderly looks at my mouth and bows his head. Our lips touch. Immediately the electricity between us jolts me and awakens my senses. Senses that have laid dormant for seven long years. I’m lost, I’ll do anything he wants.
“Josh, fucking cool it.” We are snapped back to reality by Cameron, Joshua’s little brother on the dance floor. Fuck, fuck, what are we doing. Shit. We immediately step back from each other. Josh looks at Cam who gestures to the side of the dance floor where Scott the groom is glaring at both Joshua and me. Immediately I want to die. We both quickly scan the room to see who has witnessed our loss of control. I look at Joshua and the horrified look on his face mirrors mine. I practically run to the ladies, oh my god, who saw that? What the hell am I doing? I make it to the ladies but as soon as I get there I burst into tears, unable to control my stress at being so stupid. My heart is still racing, and my body is aching from the loss of his. I start to pace while shaking my hands. Shit, shit, shit, holy fuck what was that? I burst into a cubicle and sit on the toilet with my face in my hands. I’m a disgrace. Perspiration seeps from my pores. Oh my god. All alone in the cubicle I start to sob, so close but so far.
Joshua storms off the dance floor and barges into the first door he sees to the right, the kitchen. Luckily the kitchen staff have already gone for the night. He needs to get away from the other guests, he’s too worked up, too angry with himself.
“Fucking hell,” he yells as he punches the stainless steel bench. He starts to pace, rubbing his hands through his hair. Adrian and Ben gingerly walk in after him, unsure what to say. This is a shock to their system, they have both been with Joshua a long time and this is uncharted waters to them.
“Joshua, calm down,” Adrian quietly comforts.
“Calm down?” he yells. “Calm down, it’s a bit fucking late for that. I shouldn’t have fucking come, I knew this would happen.” Adrian and Ben frown at each other.
“Why do you say that?”
“How bad was it?” he looks to his two friends.
“What do you mean?” frowns Adrian.
“How bad did it look?”
Ben smiles and nods, “Pretty fucking bad.”
Adrian pipes up, “If it makes you feel any better, she lost control too.”
Joshua looks at his friend, “Where is she, I need to see her.”
Adrian widens his eyes, “I think you’ve done enough damage for one night.”
“Just go and fucking find her,” he yells. “If I want your opinion, I will fucking ask for it.”
The door bangs open and Scott storms in. “I fucking warned you,” he yells.
Joshua hangs his head. “I know,” he answers in a defeated voice.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he screams at Joshua. “What
if Dad saw that?”
“I know. Fuck,” Joshua whispers and rubs both hands through his hair. He links his fingers of both hands together on top of his head and blows out a breath. “I… I lost my head.”
“I know!” Scott yells. “Find it, or leave. Seriously, my fucking wedding, are you kidding, do you have any idea of the carnage if someone had seen that?”
“I know, I’m sorry.” Scott scowls and looks down at Joshua’s obvious erection. He shakes his head in disgust and storms out. Josh blows out a breath with his hands linked on top of his head. He looks to Ben and Adrian and shakes his head. They both stare at him, shocked to the core. They have never seen him like this before. He never touches anyone in public. He rearranges his groin.
Suddenly the kitchen door bursts open. Oh shit, it’s Brock. He’s radiating atomic anger and he points at Joshua and yells,“You fucking prick!” He grabs Joshua by the suit lapels and slams him up against the fridge. With his forearm across his throat, he pulls him out and slams him back into the fridge. “What the fuck was that Stanton?” he yells. Joshua doesn’t answer and he doesn’t fight back, although he’s bigger than Brock. If he wanted to, he could end this now. Ben goes to move in but Joshua shakes his head at him. “Mind telling me why the fuck you’re dry–fucking my sister on the dance floor?” Joshua bites his bottom lip and glares at Brock, “Answer me fucker!” he yells. “She’s not a slut, Stanton” he yells.
Joshua narrows his eyes. “I fucking know that,” he snaps.
“No, you don’t, you just treated her like one.” Joshua closes his eyes and drops his head. Brock slams his head again. “I know the dirty sluts you’re used to Stanton and, believe me, she is so far out of your league it’s not even funny.”
Joshua narrows his eyes and glares at Brock as his anger escalates. “Back the fuck off Brock!” he yells. He twists his arms to get out of his hold and then pushes Brock who comes back with another push.