Chapter 18
EIGHTEEN
ELLIE
The room swims a little as I stand up, turning to Freddie and grinning.
‘I’m spots.’
‘So I see,’ he says, leaning on his pool cue and looking like a dream. It might be the wine talking, but he’s gotten even hotter as the night’s gone on. His blonde hair is curling at the ends in the warm pub, looking more relaxed than it did when we went to dinner.
His piercing green eyes follow me around the table as I line up my next shot, all too aware of how my skirt hitches when I bend over the table. It might be a little forward, but fuck does it feel good to be flirting again.
‘If I win again, that’ll make it three to your one; will you admit defeat?’
‘Depends,’ Freddie says. ‘Are we going for another drink after, or do I need to up the ante to spend more time with you?’
I miss my shot. A dirty distraction indeed.
Freddie passes behind me as he moves toward the white ball, his fingers skimming my lower back and sending butterflies flitting through me.
I stand up and look over my shoulder. For three ragged heartbeats, our eyes lock and, jeez Louise, that look nearly ends me.
I’ll need to be asking for a mop to deal with my snail trail at this rate.
Trailing my fingers over the edge of the table, I follow him to where he lines up his shot. ‘Mmm, I haven’t decided yet. It’s getting ever so late…’
Freddie looks up at me with a quirked brow. ‘No pressure. I didn’t mean to—’
‘Calm down. I’m flirting with you.’
All night, Freddie’s been such a gentleman. Opening doors, pulling out my chair, asking about my plans for travelling. He’s listened intently and talked openly about himself, too. A breath of fresh air, if I’m honest.
Freddie gives me a lopsided smile after he takes his shot, not even looking to see if it goes in. ‘Oh, flirting, you say?’
‘To distract you.’
‘Of course. A devilish woman indeed.’
Somebody puts the jukebox on, eighties music blasting out at a level too loud for easy conversation. A group of women start dancing, and their vibe is infectious.
‘God, I haven’t had this much fun in ages,’ I say, lining up my shot and twisting my hips a little. When I glance back, Freddie’s eyes are squarely on my arse, and a sense of satisfaction rolls through me.
‘High praise given the venue,’ Freddie says, a blush creeping into his cheeks when I catch him eyeing me up.
‘Maybe it’s a little more to do with the company.’
Standing, I turn, and before I can say another word, Freddie sweeps me into a gentle but demanding kiss. It’s unhurried and longing, despite the very public place, like no one else matters.
It’s there in his arms that the butterflies turn into birds of prey, sweeping through my insides and obliterating them. Right from my gut to my brain, all sense dissipates.
When his lips unlock, I reach up and pull him back, demanding more to a cheer from the group of dancing women.
Our first kiss to the dulcet tones of drunken cheers and Chesney Hawke. Not exactly what I’d have planned, but fuck-a-duck the guy can smooch. No washing machine tongue. No feeling like I’m being possessed by a tongue-shaped demon. Although… Maybe on the other end that wouldn’t be so bad.
When I finally release him, we stand panting, heat crackling between us.
‘Your shot,’ I say, neatening up my lipstick and wiping some from the edge of his mouth.
‘Just like that?’
‘Can’t keep hogging this table all night. The guys over there are looking antsy to play.’ Freddie looks over and gives them the man-head-nod.
We play on for a bit, me still whooping him by a mile, chatting and flirting.
‘How did you get so damned good at this?’ Freddie asks when I sink the next shot.
‘Kat and I basically drank our way through university by beating drunk guys at pool. They get real competitive, and real stupid when a woman bests them in heels and a mini skirt.’
Freddie laughs, and I miss the next shot, distracted by the sunny sound of it.
‘Does Kat have a boyfriend?’ Freddie asks, and I nod, sidling past him so he can play.
‘Yeah.’
‘Maybe we should double date sometime?’ He sounds so sincere that I burst into laughter.
‘Oh god, no. I don’t want to double date with my brother. If she were dating anyone else…’
He stands, and there’s an odd look on his face. ‘Kat’s dating your brother?’
I shrug. ‘Foster brother, technically. They’re pretty sweet together, even if it’s a bit weird for my bestie to be bumping uglies with Liam.’
‘I can only imagine.’ Freddie tucks a piece of hair from my face. ‘Only child here.’
‘Kat wouldn’t be up for it at the moment anyway. She’s been so weird the past few weeks. Stressed, you know. I think choosing not to work for her Dad’s firm has kind of left her a bit adrift. But I’m sure it’ll all blow over soon.’
‘Got it,’ Freddie says, moving past me to take his shot.
He fails, but then I’m on a sinking spree. Four balls in a row. It’s like being a fresher all over again.
I expect Freddie to still be ogling my ass when I turn, but he isn’t. He’s jotting something down in the tiniest notepad I’ve ever seen.
Kat’s warning comes back like a cold wave to the face. Then Freddie looks up and hits me with a smile that could flood the room if I didn’t have panties on.
I’ll worry about that later…
Definitely later.