“No! I meant about the… um. Nevermind. Thank you.”
“Congratulations! Your first strike. Virgin no more,” he gives me a wink and then goes to sit back down with the others.
I tuck my hair behind my ear and brush my cool palm over my face, my burning hot face. I follow him back to the group and sit down with my cheering team.
From across the benches, Jez gives me a look and I turn away. He moves to sit down next to me, nudging me with his elbow.
“What was that?” he asks, his voice tense.
“What was what?”
“That!”
“Jez, I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I turn away so he can’t see the heat continuing to build in my cheeks.
“Then why are you blushing?”
“I’m excited. I got my first ever strike!”
“Okay. Just checking.” He doesn’t say anything else, but he doesn’t seem satisfied with my answer.
“Well, thanks for checking, big bro. You can go back to your losing team now.” I give a wave of my hand, trying to shoo him off. I grab a hotdog, something with which to busy myself while I try to avoid his stare.
“Um, we’re beating you by like 5 gazillion points.”
“Well, then you don’t want to be here while I have a bottle of ketchup in my hand, do you?” I point it at him threateningly.
He gets up, but not before giving me one last pointed look.
But I can’t worry about him.
I’m too busy being worried about why my cheeks are flushed and my heart is racing and there’s a dampness at the nape of my neck and a warmth between my legs.
No, there’s nothing to worry about, it’s just the excitement, I tell myself again.
It’s not what I think it is.
About who I think it’s about.
Marius
“I’m going to miss you so much, my Maz-turbating Mazzy,” Cadence drawls as she hugs me goodbye, her fiance trying to control her inebriated arms and legs as she bids us all farewell. “You know you’re my favourite.”
“I do and I’m going to miss you too, big sis.” I tell her, squeezing her tight. It’s just not going to be the same without her around.
“And Anca! You’re so beautiful, I know we’ve just met, but you know you’re my favorite,” she says as she moves over to Jez’s sister who laughs and lets Cadence hug her.
“You’re my favorite too, thanks for making it so easy for me.”
“You’re going to be a supernova! Just remember, don’t be scared to stand up to them. And if you want something, ask them in the morning, especially when they’re hungover, they’ll agree to everything then. But shhhhhhhhh don’t tell them I told you that,” she says, pressing her finger to her lips.
“Okay, time for Cadey to go night-night. Seb said you’re going to join us in a few weeks, right?” Brad asks as he reaches out for his own goodbye hug.
“Oh yeahhhhh. In that case… later bitches! I gotta go love my man up!” With that, she suddenly regains control of her limbs, grabs Sebastian by the shirt and drags him down the hall.
“Damn, I’m glad I’m not sleeping next to their room tonight,” Brad says as we watch them disappear into their room.
“Hmmm? Why?” Anca asks, shifting her handbag to her other shoulder. The strap pulls on her dress and exposes the translucent white of her neck. That sexy, impossibly elegant, silky skinned neck. Shit.
“Let’s just say, they… enjoy each other… loudly,” Emily whispers to Anca before raising her arms over her head in a big stretch and yawn. “Okay, guys, I’m gonna hit the sack as well.”
Brad cringes and puts his hands in front of his groin. “I thought we only do that on birthdays and special holidays?” She rolls her eyes and waves us goodbye with Brad following dutifully behind her, grabbing her ass, eliciting a small yelp.
“Guess that leaves you and me,” I say to Anca, as we look over at Jez passed out on the couch in the living room. “You tired?”
She shakes her head, her mass of curls swaying, cascading down her neck and back. “Not really. I’m still pumped from all the winning.” She gives me a look that dares me to challenge her. I can’t help but take the bait.
“Um, we didn’t win.” I point out to her.
“We came second. That’s pretty good too,” she insists.
“Second out of two teams.”
“Oi! Why ya’ trying to kill my buzz?”
I laugh louder than I expect to. She’s been a good sport all night, no matter how much ribbing she got from us about her bowling skills, and it was a lot.
“Sorry, let me make it up to you. How ’bout one last celebratory drink, for the road?” I wander over to the drinks trolley, eyes glazing over a little at the selection. The hotel had worked hard to make sure we wouldn’t want for anything.
“Sure. Can we go out to the balcony? I’ve been dying to go out there all night.”
“Absolutely, go ahead, I’ll bring the drinks. Gin and tonic, yeah? With two slices of lime?”
There’s a flicker of surprise in her eyes and she nods. I watch as she pulls on the sliding door and steps out into the night. It’s a few seconds before I remember what I’m supposed to be doing and force myself to concentrate on making the drinks and not on how the back of her ass curves into her long legs.
All the animosity is gone. It dissipated in all the laughter and jokes and smiles and stolen glances of the night. And I shouldn’t be here. I know I shouldn’t.
She’s standing with her arms stretched out wide, her eyes closed and face tilted up to the moonlight when I join her a minute later with our drinks. I pull the door closed behind me, put the glasses down on the side table, and watch her.
Her chest rises from a deep, deep breath and she raises her arms over her head, letting them hang there for a moment before they fall to her sides as she lets out a breath with a loud “whoosh.”
I watch her as she repeats the routine, raising her arms out to the side, taking in a deep breath. Then raising them over her head and then letting them fall, “whoooooooosh.”
I come up behind her and lean in, whispering in her ear. “What on God’s holy earth are you doing?”
She doesn’t move and just stands there, her eyes still closed. “You do it too,” she whispers. It’s not a moment for loud voices.
“Do what?”
“Just copy me, ready?”