Chasing Him (Dark Love 4)

“What a shame Kate can’t make it.” Eric pouts.

Kate had a last-minute family emergency in the UK and had to fly out last night. It means the office in New York will be without her, and Lex will need to step in. According to Charlie, he isn’t exactly pleased about having to go to New York for a week and leaving the family behind, but Kate is also family to them.

Tristan announces he has found us a great table, right in the middle of the action. We take a seat, and I make sure Julian is as far away from Lex as possible. Countless waiters are circling the party.

Eric, as always, is quick to stop the cute young one and grabs us glasses of champagne. I need more of these if I want to get through the night. With the music blaring, people start dancing around us. Charlie pulls Lex away, both of them disappearing into the crowd. I catch a glimpse of them dancing. Charlie probably has had too much to drink, allowing Lex to practically fuck her on the dance floor.

Julian takes a drink, draping his arm around my shoulder.

“So, Morocco in two weeks, Uncle Jools?” Tristan asks.

“Watch your mouth, kid,” he chastises. “Still undecided.”

“Would a certain hot lady have something to do with it?”

“Maybe… depends if she starts behaving or misbehaving.”

I go to open my mouth as Charlie and Lex stumble back to the table. Instead of sitting down, Lex pulls Charlie onto his lap, parading an open-mouth kiss. I turn away, and notice Julian’s face is blank.

“Hey, Eric, I forgot to thank you for Clarice. Who would’ve thought some old lady would control my sex life?” Lex deadpans.

“Geez, Lex, you can still have sex and not get pregnant,” Eric informs him.

“Wanna make a bet?” Lex challenges him.

“Well, you know you don’t always have to enter the house via the front door, don’t you?”

I burst out laughing, almost snorting out my champagne. The laughter doesn’t subside—it’s classic Eric! Even Tristan is unable to control himself, both of us near tears.

“I’m entering every way possible.” Lex places his hands onto Charlie’s face and kisses her deeply, unable to keep his hands to himself.

This is getting old.

Yes, we’re all adults, and yes, on more than one occasion our sexual quirks have been talked about in an open forum. This, however, is dangling the carrot in front of the rabbit.

Julian drinks his gin along with several others and calls the waiter over once again. Grabbing two more glasses, I expect one is for me, but he is quick to down it in one go.

Tristan looks over to me with a worried expression. Something isn’t right.

“Dude, that’s hot.” Rocky is distracted by some ladies who walk past wearing short latex dresses. They wink hello, and he winks back causing Nikki to pull him onto the dance floor.

The champagne is settling nicely, and with my body already swaying of its own accord, I grab Julian’s hand and pull him onto the dance floor. The DJ mixes in the songs as Rihanna’s ‘Only Girl in the World’ starts to play. With his body against mine, he presses against me and moves his hips to the sound of the beat. I’m buckling underneath his touch, weak and full of desire. It only feels like us on the dance floor, and for once, for just a split second, I feel like the only girl he’s ever loved.

But illusions are distorted, and reality is like a giant slap to the face.

Lex and Charlie aren’t far from us, and once again, Lex is devouring his wife like no one else is watching, sliding his hands to places that should be left for the privacy of their own home. If it were anyone else, I’d continue staring, but I’m disgusted at their behavior. I know it’s just a giant pissing contest rather than just PDA, and plus, it’s Rocky’s birthday party, after all.

A few songs later, Julian asks to excuse himself leaving me with Nikki. Rocky has abandoned her to go dance with a group of his friends, and surprisingly, she allows it. Being with Nikki takes my mind off things. We dance for fun, copying moves from our favorite movies like Grease and Flashdance. Even Tristan and Eric join in, and with all the laughter and fun, I forget about Julian leaving.

I tell the guys I’m going to take a break and head back to our table to grab a drink. Water would’ve been the best option, but I stop the cute waiter and grab two flutes of champagne, almost chugging down the whole glass by the time I’m back at the table. Charlie is jumping around and begging Lex to dance again. He declines as she pouts, leaving him to join everyone else on the dance floor.

“I think I’m going to go find Julian,” I say.

“Why bother? He didn’t want to be here in the first place.”

“He’s just going through some stuff.” I’m not sure why I’m defending him. Even I don’t know what he’s going through.