by Odette Botha
“She got so drunk she started drinking even before she had to say a name, she didn’t even try.
That night she just broke up with that guy from the bar who was he again? We were all sitting here and she turned to him and just said, ‘You should leave, I am not interested.’ It was incredibly funny. He left and we raided the liquor cabinet the rest is hazy,” Alex said laughing.
“Yes but you must remember that guy was climbing her out like a creeper plant he kept on pushing himself up against her. She was battling for air. Poor thing,” Dean said also laughing.
“You picked up a guy at a bar?” Joshua asked looking surprised.
Before I could answer Dean spoke again.
“In her defence she didn’t pick him up, he was friend of a friend and she didn’t expect him to be so pushy but the best part was afterwards we heard that this guy had a crush on Katie ever since she was engaged to that Tommy guy, it was before my time.”
As soon as the words left Dean’s lips I regretted it.
“Wait you were engaged?” Joshua asked.
Dean pulled a face and grabbed a shot glass, he realised that I hadn’t spoken to Joshua about Tommy yet.
“You can’t drink Dean its not part of the game,” Alex interrupted.
I grabbed a glass and threw it down my throat.
“Hush Alex soon you will also need one,” Dean said filling our glasses again.
“Yes Joshua I am sorry it came out like this but I was engaged for a year, three years ago. He abused me and he cheated, I finally managed to get away with just my laptop and some of my clothes.”
I didn’t look at him when I said it. Joshua pulled me closer and held me.
“I will have him killed if you want?” He joked.
“Oh that’s fine he committed suicide two weeks later,” Dean said shaking his head, looking as if he wasn’t bothered.
“Enough about that,” Joshua said ending the conversation.
“Let play before you guys finish all the alcohol, Katie you are next, make me proud baby,” Josh said rubbing his hands together.
“Don’t worry knowing Alex he brought more than one bottle.”
“You know it.” he said pointing at his bag standing next to him.
“Alright, ‘Boys don’t cry.’ I think that’s a title.” I said unsure.
Later on we started singing songs off the sound tracks of movies, not even playing the game. I had way too many shooters and so did Dean and Alex.
Joshua had his fair share but not nearly as many as us. I was so calm and relaxed it felt like I could do anything.
“Say Joshua why does Dean refer to you as the actor? Is it an inside joke?” Alex asked.
I could hardly make out what he was saying he was that drunk.
We all started laughing; he saw that and also started laughing even though he didn’t know why.
“Wait why is everyone laughing?” He asked confused, frowning.
“It’s because I am an actor, I am in movies,” Joshua explained.
“Oh yah name one,” Alex challenged.
“I am in Katie’s movie,” Joshua said.
“Oh you are the guy that she said was so hot, the one she can have on a cracker for lunch, I personally have no idea what that meant but okay that’s nice she got you. Did she have the cracker yet or something?”
Alex looked even more confused as the words left his mouth.
Dean had to stop laughing before he could explain.
“Alex yes this is the guy and what Katie meant was she would love to have hot sex with him in exiting places, like in a public toilet or on the back seat of a limo or on the kitchen counter or something. Am I right Katie?”
Dean’s explanation was almost spot on but yet too straight forward; I could feel Joshua sitting up behind me waiting for my answer.
“I won’t say in public toilet but I suppose the rest is true,” I said taking another shot.
I didn’t know if it was the alcohol or Dean’s comment that made my cheeks red. “Wait this is really turning into an interesting night. You liked me but yet you rejected me?” Joshua asked.
“You my dear Joshua was or is her fantasy, no one gets involved with their fantasy partner, who are you going to fantasise about then?” Dean answered before I could.
Joshua nodded almost agreeing with that statement.
“I have fantasies about Katie; I have had them since we met. I remember that day she was introduced to the cast, I didn’t even look up from the script.
I had expected someone totally different but when I did look up, I just knew I had to have her.”
Dean’s mouth hung open. Suddenly Alex came out of his drunken trance.
“Wait you are that guy from that series, the one about all the kids,” Alex said as he pointed to Joshua.
We all started laughing again.
“Yes that was me. Well done Alex,” Joshua said laughing.
“I think we should put him to bed,” I suggested to Dean.
Dean nodded and tried to get up to help Alex but he couldn’t manage.
“I think both my feet are asleep,” Dean said laughing now so much that he just gave up on getting up.
“I am not going to bed, let’s play another game,” Alex said after a long delay.
I looked up at Joshua and asked, “are you tired?”
He looked at me and leaned over. I was sitting on the floor between his legs lying against his chest.
“Where am I supposed to sleep, because if I am sharing a bed with you I don’t think I am going to sleep?”
I bit my bottom lip.
“Guys I think we should go to bed Alex needs to sleep it off,” I said.
He started kissing me softly in my neck that was when Dean decided that no one was going to bed, he wanted to have a proper visit and he wasn’t going to let us go.
“No we are going to visit besides you two have only been dating for what twenty four hours? There is plenty of time for that.”
I looked up at Joshua and whispered in his ear, “do you want me to insist.”
“I would love for you to insist, but we can visit a while longer clearly Dean misses having your undivided attention. We can always take a long limo ride tomorrow or bake a cake or something in your kitchen on the counter.”
His eyes were smiling but his face was serious.
I nodded with the biggest smile on my face. In a way I was relieved that he understood.
I was falling in love with him and it wasn’t the pace we were moving at, it was that he understood that Dean was important and that I valued his friendship and in a way he had always came first, although I knew I had to review that now that I had Joshua.
“Where do you want to go tomorrow in that limo of yours?” I asked Joshua.
“Oh I don’t know, I will tell James to just drive even if we end up in another state. Clearly instructing him to keep the radio playing loudly and not lowering the divider window not even if the world outside comes to an end.”
“Guys I am going to put Alex to bed, I can’t stand the snoring anymore. Can we stay the night?” Dean asked although he knew I wouldn’t let them leave in this state.
I nodded.
“Please don’t disappear on me this is nice, I want to chat some more. Josh I will make it worth your while, I have some juicy stories on Katie.”
He winked at me.
“No problem we will be here.” Joshua answered surprised at Dean calling him on his name.
Dean always referred to him as the actor, it seemed like Dean was getting used to the idea of Joshua and I.
“Why are you so quiet?” Joshua asked me when Dean eventually got Alex up and on his way to the spare bedroom.
“I am just worried that’s all,” I said I didn’t want to explain it but I wanted to be honest.
“What are you worried about babe?” He asked turning me so I f
aced him.
“I don’t know why but my hormones are like a teenager’s when it comes to you and I don’t mind the pace we are moving to, but I am scared to wake up one day to find you bored with me or you realise I wasn’t what you expected.”
I looked down at my shaking hands.
He lifted my head and looked at me, he smiled then he kissed me softly.
“I won’t be able to get bored of you or disappointed in what I got as you said, you still don’t get it do you? I can have a wide variety of woman, on a daily basis I get thousands of love letters and some unexpected packages in the mail. But you are different; when I saw you I knew I had to do everything to have you. I lost sight of everything because compared to everything else you are amazing and to be honest I am falling in love with you.
“I am sorry if it’s too soon but I have made up my mind, if you will have me I want to be part of your life forever. I don’t want to wait long to make you more than my girlfriend. I also don’t make decisions lightly, I never rush anything. But this feels right I could marry you in a week’s time and have no doubts or regrets.”
I was speechless at his words. I wanted to respond but then I heard a glass fall on the floor it broke, glass shattered everywhere.
Dean looked over at us his mouth was hanging open, he didn’t even look down at the broken glass.
“Did he just propose?” Dean managed to ask.
“No man you have the wrong side of the stick again Dean. Right Joshua?” I asked as I got up to get the broom and scoop to clean the glass.
Joshua didn’t answer I thought he might have nodded or something behind my back I had given him more than enough time to answer before I looked around at him.
“Not if it’s not what you want right now,” Joshua answered.
I fell onto the sofa my legs gave way under me.
“I don’t know what to say it’s only been twenty four hours,” I got out.
“You stupid girl say yes, you know this is right, you don’t have to get married next week right?” Dean asked Joshua.
“Of course not,” Joshua answered.
“Although it’s not been long, I haven’t seen you this happy in ages. Besides let’s get the full story out, you have been crazy about him for months and you guys have been flirting with each other from the start.
You told me one night if you could get a man like him you would marry him that same day, I never realised how ironic it would be. Do something for yourself for once,” Dean said.
As usual he got straight to the point and he was right.
“Joshua was that you proposing?” I asked him again because I couldn’t give him an answer on, ‘not if it’s not what you want right now.’
He got up and kneeled in front of me, he took my hands in his and said, “I don’t have a ring, but yes I am asking you Katie Roberts will you be my wife?”
I looked at him and knew what Dean said was true.
“Yes Joshua Scott I will be your wife.”
We got up at the same time. He grabbed me in his arms and kissed me, I didn’t even realise that he picked me up.
“I love you,” he said.
I hadn’t heard those three words in such a long time.
“I love you too”
“Let’s have a drink,” Dean said standing ready with the bottle.
“Excuse me for a second,” I said.
I walked to the bathroom. I don’t know how I managed because it felt like I was walking on air.
I closed the door behind me and I leaned against the basin, I was trying to come down back to earth, I wasn’t drunk anymore.
I don’t know how long I had been in the bathroom when I heard a knock on the door. “Katie are you alright?’ Dean asked on the other side of the door.
“Yes I am fine just freshening up I will be out in a minute,” I said washing my face. “Do you want me to come in?” he asked
“No I am almost done.”
“Alright I will be in the living room your drink is waiting for you. Katie he really does love you. Are you sure you are alright with your answer with all of this?”
I took the towel and dried my face. I opened the door and looked at my best friend. “Actually to be honest yes I am happy with my answer I can’t believe it because I didn’t have to think about it. Am I going mad?”
He smiled back at me and said, “no you are accepting the fact that you can also be happy. Come your fiancé is very nervous. When you left the room he started pacing the room and he looked like he was scared you were never coming back.”
I gave him a hug, took a deep breath and walked back to the lounge.
I walked up to Joshua and I also saw the worry on his face, I put my hand on his cheek and said, “I am not going anywhere and I still love you.”
He smiled and turned to the table, he handed me a shot glass. Dean took his and handed one to Joshua.
“You have been dating for twenty four hours then you got engaged without a ring and now we are toasting with tequila and not champagne. I think it’s brilliant! Joshua be good to her or I will have you killed. Cheers,” Dean said drinking the shot.
I smiled at Joshua.
“Well kids I have had enough excitement for one day I am going to bed,” Dean said. He gave me a kiss on the cheek and said good night to Josh before going to bed.
Chapter 15
“Do you want to go to the bedroom too?’ Joshua asked.
“Yes let me lock up and put off all the lights I will meet you there,” I said walking towards the door.
He grabbed my arm and pulled me closer to him.
“I can’t stop saying it, I love you,” he said.
I didn’t want him to stop saying it.
“I love you and I love it when you say it.”
I kissed him softly and said, “go on so long I will meet you in a couple of seconds.”
He shook his head.
“No I will help you.”
I nodded and walked to the door, I locked it and put the keys in the safe place I had for it, he took all the glasses to the kitchen and I switched off all the lights and the TV.
It was completely dark in the apartment. It was overcast so not even the moon shed some light. I couldn’t see him, I called his name softly but still no answer I walked into the kitchen, he was leaning against the kitchen counter, it looked like he was waiting for me.
I walked towards him and stood against him I could feel his cold hands on my back he put his hands under my shirt.
I started kissing him it wasn’t important anymore if we went to the room or not I just wanted him to kiss me.
He picked me up onto the counter and stood between my legs. He constantly moved his hands around over my body like he wanted to feel every inch of me. He moved his hands on my back and then he held my face in his hands. I started unbuttoning his shirt while kissing his neck and chest as I loosened each button. I realised as he was kissing me that I was moaning softly.
But suddenly I realised I am not the only one moaning, I stopped kissing him and we both looked into the darkness to figure out what was making that terrible noise, it went from moaning to almost screaming.
I looked in his eyes as he put his forehead on mine and smiled embarrassed about what we were hearing, it was Dean and Alex having sex and like it always was wild and noisy.
“I don’t think we should even ask questions,” he said in a whisper.
“Lets ignore them kiss me,” I protested pulling him closer.
But we could only manage to ignore it for a couple of minutes, when the noises in the spare room got worst.
I stopped him and said, “I can’t do this; our first time should not be like this. I am sorry, I just can’t stay turned on with them going on like they are murdering each other and probably breaking my furniture in the spare room.”
“I agree it should be special. Let’s go to be
d and try to sleep through this.”
He picked me up off the counter, took my hand and led me to the room.
Chapter 16
The next morning I woke up and thought that I had never slept that well in ages. I didn’t know if it was all the excitement or was it because he was there. I could definitely get used to it.
I looked over next to me and saw that he wasn’t sleeping next to me.
I sat up and tried to look into the kitchen to see if he wasn’t maybe in there. Then I heard Dean’s voice.
“I need to go to that décor shop on fifth before she wakes up and notices what happened in that spare room.”
I rubbed my eyes and put my feet out the bed trying my best to wake up so that I didn’t look like a natural disaster when he saw me.
“I think you should perhaps close the door and hope she doesn’t go in there,”
I heard Joshua say.
I got up and walked to the bathroom, I decided to at least brush my teeth and hair before I showed myself and when I got into the bathroom and looked in the mirror I knew that was a good idea.
I could still hear their voices but I couldn’t make out what they were talking about.
I freshened up and when I thought I looked good enough I walked out to the kitchen. I could see immediately Dean’s expression, it was between being ashamed and hiding something. Joshua was sitting with his back to me on one of the bar stools at my kitchen counter.
“There she is the engaged best friend,” Dean said taking out a mug for my coffee.
“Quit it Dean I don’t want to know, just replace it,” I said smiling at him.
“Yes absolutely you won’t even know the difference,” he said waving his one hand pulling his face like he was ‘on it’.
“Hey my sexy girl,” Joshua said as he turned around and held his arms out for me to walk into and hold him.
I walked straight into his arms and put my arms around his shoulders. I kissed him good morning but this kiss lasted longer than your average good morning kiss.
I was relieved that I brushed my teeth; morning breath is not at all attractive.
“Here is your coffee I should be on my way. You know shopping and things,” Dean said pushing the mug closer to me.
I pulled away from my amazing good morning kiss and smiled at Dean.
“You could have slept in but now you have to go shop it’s a pity. Where is Alex this morning? Or did he do the walk of shame before the sun came up?” I asked.
Dean looked at his watch pretending too be in too much of a hurry to stay and chat. “He left early yes, and I should leave now too,” he said almost running out the kitchen. I didn’t even bother with trying to call him back. I didn’t want a fight before coffee. Besides I did say I didn’t want to know.