Total pages in book: 194
Estimated words: 183150 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 916(@200wpm)___ 733(@250wpm)___ 611(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 183150 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 916(@200wpm)___ 733(@250wpm)___ 611(@300wpm)
Tom strokes the oversized lapels of his coral shirt. ‘Cosy? No, no, no. That wasn't cosy. That was guaranteed hot sex tonight, darling!’ He raises both hands, and Kate and Victoria comply, slapping a hand each in unison.
I scowl at Kate. ‘Me and you, later.’ I threaten.
She inhales sharply. ‘Oh, feisty! I love everything this man brings out in you.’
Yes, she’s made it perfectly obvious that she loves this man, and I want to know what was going on in that little exchange.
‘Did you see him move?’ Victoria pipes up.
‘He weren’t bad.’ Tom pouts. Oh dear, someone’s stolen Tom’s dance floor thunder. Jesse may well have made a lifelong enemy.
‘So –’ I’m firing this right back at Kate. ‘Talking of cosy?’ I nod at Sam as he walks back through the crowd, balancing three drinks between his hands.
‘A bit of fun.’ she shrugs.
God, I hope so. Do I tell her what Victoria saw? ‘And you?’ I look at Victoria.
She looks shocked. ‘Me?’
‘Yes, I saw you shaking your thing at Drew.’
Tom throws his hands up in the air in exasperation. ‘I’m a huffing raspberry! I want to go to Route Sixty,’ He turns to Victoria. ‘Darling, please!’
‘No!’ she exclaims, and I don’t blame her. It makes a change for Victoria to be having the male attention, possibly the action too.
Sam plants the drinks on the table and Drew follows suit, brushing suspiciously close to Victoria. She giggles, fluffing her hair. She needs to lay off the fake tan.
Sam grins. ‘Wine for Kate,’ He bows as he hands her the glass. ‘Vodka for Victoria and I’ve no idea what this is, but it looks camp, so it must be yours.’ Sam hands Tom a pina colada on a wink.
Tom blushes a bright shade of red and flops a limp wrist at Sam. I don’t believe it. For the first time in his life, Tom is rendered shy. Oh, this is too good an opportunity to miss. ‘Tom, your face is clashing with your shirt!’ I splutter, through a helpless fit of laughter.
Everyone turns to stare at Tom, only serving to intensify his blush and, subsequently, his mortification. An eruption of howling laughter breaks out, prompting Tom to huff a few times and storm off.
‘What’s so funny?’ Jesse asks when he reaches us, placing my wine and a bottle of water on the table. I can’t talk. I’m still recovering from my fits of giggles. I wipe my eyes.
‘We’ve just found Tom’s Achilles heel.’ Kate volunteers when she sees I’m no closer to composure. Jesse looks perplexed as he looks around at the recovering hyenas that he’s returned to. I see Sam shrug, swigging his beer.
‘Sam.’ I offer, through my abating giggles.
‘Sam?’ Jesse frowns.
Victoria jumps in. ‘Tom fancies Sam!’ she cries cheerfully.
Jesse shakes his head and reaches for his water, undoing the screw cap and taking a swig. ‘Here, have some.’ He trusts the bottle under my nose.
‘No,’ I screw my face up, pushing it away.
‘Have some water, Ava. You’ll thank me in the morning.’
‘I don’t want any water.’
He scowls at me, thrusting the water in my face again. ‘Have it!’ he growls.
I glance around, seeing everyone looking at our little exchange. I’m definitely not having it now. I shove his outstretched arm away from my face and pick up my wine, raising my glass to him before taking a swig. Actually, I down the lot. I make a point of placing my glass down precisely before I look up at Jesse. He’s proper brooding, his lips pressed into a straight line as he shakes his head at me.
‘No.’ I state firmly, enhancing my point. He’s already trampled on my recovery night. He’s not dictating what I drink too.
‘There goes your action tonight.’ Sam smirks and Kate bursts into fits of laughter.
‘Fuck off, Sam.’ Jesse warns, in a rather deadly tone. He’s not happy, but I’m drunk and rebellious, so I don’t care.
Sam raises his hands, backing off immediately. At the same time, Kate clenches her lips shut to suppress her laughter, giving me the eyes. I shrug. I wonder if she likes demanding, commanding Jesse as much as she likes white knight Jesse.
Drew and Victoria move off to the side, out of every ones ear shot, after a little nod from Drew. Usually confident and a little standoffish, Drew looks a little shy as Victoria chats buoyantly to him. He takes his phone from his pocket, punching in digits as Victoria reels them off, holding it up for her to check when he’s done. That is not the actions of a man not prepared to call. This is interesting.
I’m vaguely aware of conversation going on around me, but my head is suddenly very foggy. That was the last drink you should never have had. And all just to prove a childish point. Jesse’s right, damn him. I will regret it in the morning. The voices begin to muffle and double vision sets in.