Adjournment (The Fate Series) (32 page)

How did I not see the blanket on the floor…

I walk over to him, skeptically.

“When did you set this up?” I look down at where he’s sitting.

“While you were speaking about your mother’s advice.” He holds a dish up to me.

“You didn’t sit with Mea?” I look down at him.

“I checked on her. What is your obsession with her?” His brows furrow from the question.

“I—that’s what someone told me.” I try to remember who.

“Well, are you just going to stand there gaping at me or are you going to sit and eat?” He teeters the plate side to side.

Dropping down to my knees I sit back on my heels and take the food from him, doing my best to eat “like a human,” as my mother would say. We sit here in silence eating for a few minutes before he speaks. 

“If you continue to eat like that we will be here all night and miss the entire party.” He nods his chin at my food. “Could you just shovel it down like we both know you want to so we can get back to dancing?”

Angry with the fact that he knows me so well I adjust my fork to scoop up a few bites, chewing quickly to take another.

“Better?” I mumble chewing.

“Almost.” His tall lean figure stands taking my dish then walks through the darkened kitchen to the butler’s pantry, and I’m left looking around wondering what to do.

“Are you coming?” he yells out.

Giving a quick glance outside to the party I stand up and cross the kitchen following the same route he took in there. When I step into the archway, I notice he’s sitting on the counter and other than the soft light coming in from the terrace the room is dark like the rest of the house.

“Come, sit.” He pats the counter next to him.

Not on your life.

“I think maybe we should rejoin the party.” I point outside.

“I have cake.” He gives me a challenging look.

Well…

“Oh?” I sink my teeth into my bottom lip.

Giving one last look outside I walk into the pantry. “I think maybe we should have cake,” I agree. Sliding up and on to the counter he hands me one of the plates.

“When did they bring this out?” I ask. Looking around I don’t see any forks so I break it apart with my fingers to eat it.

I’m not wasting time going on a hunt for them when this cake is calling my name.

“When we were dancing. But I went on a mission earlier for it in case we missed it.” He leans into the cabinet with an arrogant look on his face.

I watch as he breaks off a piece, tips his head back, and it disappears into his mouth.

“So you planned all of this?” I lean over to steal a piece of his, since I can see it’s the one with dark cherry filling.

“Are you upset?” He reaches over to break off a piece of mine.

Tipping my head side to side I look him over while chewing then shake my head.

I mean it is cake, and any man who hunts down cake deserves some sort of pass—for right now.

Finishing the thin slice that was on my plate I look over at the rest of the pieces that are cut and sitting across from us.

I want at least four more of those…

He stands up taking the empty dish from me and puts it down next to him. Reaching over to grab a new one, he steps in front of me.

This has trouble written all over it.

I watch as he pulls off a piece, my mouth and throat going dry as he lifts it to my mouth.

“Would you like more?” He steps closer so the insides of my thighs are once again, against his hips.

The cool material quickly becoming warm from my scorching skin. This feels much more intimate than the other day, every nerve in my body is being pulled toward him like he’s a magnet. His normal low soothing tone has the opposite effect on me now as it causes my heart rate to skyrocket and my breathing to become harsh as it rushes in and out past my lips.

I nod since words don’t seem to want to come out.

He leans in closer, the smell of his aftershave seducing me, causing me to absentmindedly move toward him. 

“You have to say it.” He pulls it slightly away from my parted lips.

I suddenly don’t want cake… 

It would be so easy for me to wrap my legs around him, to pull him against me, and beg for some sort of release from this pressure that’s slowly building inside of me. However, I know him too well, I know all his tricks and all of his games.

The realization of this brings my euphoric high crashing around me. I slowly shake my head at him since words are completely failing me.

“You’re stubborn.” He releases a heavy sigh.

“No, I’m smart.” I manage to finally speak.

The light coming in from the outside illuminates his face and I’m guessing mine as well since his eyes drift back and forth from my eyes to my lips, and I instinctively lick them. He leans in, and I close my eyes, waiting for it.

“Fine.” He steps back.

I quickly exhale, feeling lighter and heavier at the same time now that he’s moved away.

On the verge of a nervous breakdown, I swallow all the emotions that have built in my throat.

“So then, what part of this evening did you help with? I can tell the food was your mother’s planning; the cake was your sisters. But which was yours,” he asks, holding his hand out to help me off the counter.

I hop down onto unsteady legs and leave the small room.

Well done Sidney you managed to get him to back off.

So why do I feel hollow now? I should feel relieved and proud.

“Where are you going?” He follows me back out to the kitchen.

Biting back frustration, I focus on what’s real.

“We—we each got to pick a flavor… Molly’s was vanilla bean cake, with white chocolate mousse filling, white chocolate butter cream and then white chocolate ganache over it.” I roll my eyes even though he is behind me and can’t see me.

“I thought so.” He chuckles.

“Morgan’s was champagne cake with dark cherry butter cream, then it has the dark cherries poured over it along with the white chocolate ganache,” I say, pulling open the double door refrigerator I turn to see his hip leaning against the counter.

“And yours?” He asks watching me like a hawk.

“Mine,” I grin, when I see his body stiffen with anticipation, “of course, is chocolate, with peanut butter mousse filling, peanut butter frosting and chocolate ganache over it.” I point to the cake sitting in the fridge.

“You sneak!” he shouts, pushing me out of the way to grab it.

“I am not, it’s just a high allergy so she didn’t want to put it out.” I laugh, closing the fridge.

Grabbing forks from the drawer he hands me one and leans over to dig the fork through the cake.

“This is all you.” He takes a bite and hums.

He’s right, it is, and the only part of me I’m willing to share with him.

The evolution of the human stripper pole…

“This cake looks awful now.” He sticks his fork in to take another bite before sliding the cake away from me, walking it back over to the fridge. “We can finish that later. Let’s get back out there,” he says, shutting the door before coming back over to me. Placing his hand on my back, he guides me outside.

I was so caught up in cake and him that I forgot my friends are here.

“There’s Mea and your sisters.” He points to where she is.

Yay!

Taking my hand he links our fingers together and walks us over to them. “Mea this is…” She cuts off his introduction.

“This is Ms. Sidney Chandler,” she says in a soft southern accent that completely clashes with her reddish brown hair that upon closer inspection has purple hidden highlights under them.

She doesn’t really seem like Simon’s type.

“It is so nice to finally meet you!” she squeals, throwing her arms around me.

“Oh, she doesn’t hug.” Simon’s body lungs forward.

I love the look of panic on his face. 

Pulling her head back, she looks at me. “Another Morgan, I take it?” She laughs, then pulls me in tighter.

“You could say Molly got all the sunshine and rainbows,” I groan as she continues to squeeze the air from my lungs.

Okay, yeah, this needs to stop.

She finally lets go of me and begins to fix her dress.

“My husband is running late. Would you like to join me for a drink?” She grabs my arm before I can say no.

Turning around, I send Simon a pleading look but he just follows us with a content smile on his face.

What man would be happy about his ex being friends with… well, I’m not really anything so I guess it doesn’t matter.

That’s okay I’ll have my revenge.

Well, look at who is sitting there lonely…

I look over at Pricilla as we walk by, with a jerk of my head in Simon’s direction her hazel eyes go right for him. Stupid man. I mentally laugh as she stalks her way over, stopping him on the dance floor as she begins to wind herself around him.

“What are you drinking?” Mea asks when we make it to the bar.

“A big tall glass of that’s what you get.” I lean back against the bar and giggle at the expression on Simon’s face as she uses him like a human stripper pole.

“I’ve never heard of—oh dear lord. What is she doing to him?” Mea covers her mouth.

We stand here watching the show going on like it’s a bad accident that we’re driving past.

“I believe that move is called pitching the tent,” I say and soon the two of us are laughing uncontrollably.

“Aren’t you jealous?” she asks when she catches her breath.

“Of what? He isn’t mine. The only reason we’re here together is because our mothers set it up.” I turn toward the bartender. “Two Dirty Shirley Temples.” I smile at him.

“Besides, aren’t you jealous? He is your ex after all,” I blurt out.

Yeah, less drinking more thinking.

“My ex? Who told you that?” Her eyebrows pinch together.

“I just… I’m not sure actually,” I mumble.

Thinking back to that night on the terrace with my sisters, Mea was in the bathroom upset over her family, but I never actually asked anything more about it.

“Well, he isn’t. My husband is the only man I’ve ever been with. He’s the only guy I’ve ever trusted enough.” Her words trail off at the end.

Taking our drinks we turn back to Simon who has his hands on Pricilla hips in an effort to keep her away from him.

“We have to toast.” She lifts her glass.

Yeah, she’s been around my sisters too long.

“To… tent pitching.” She nods, and we lift our glasses in Simon’s direction.

“To the evolution of the human stripper pole,” I add.

We look at each other, each reading the other’s mind.

“To both!” We clink our glasses together.

Simon’s cold stare is all we need to burst into laughter all over again.

Well I didn’t want to like her… but we just have so much in common. Like watching Simon being tortured by a bloodsucking leech.

“I propose we go for a walk on the beach… get some fresh air?” Dean says as he comes over to us.

“Please.” Molly fans herself, looking at him.

“I will catch up with you guys in a little bit. I’m going to call Josh and see what’s taking him so long.” Mea waves as she walks away.

“What on earth is Pricilla Pratt doing to my brother?” Dean’s face turns in revulsion.

For those of you who can’t see imagine this visual. A cat in heat rubbing its ass against the nearest… well… anything.

“I don’t know but Simon looks like he’s in a lot of pain.” Molly closes her eyes, her lips turns into a disgusted pucker.

“Aren’t you going to save him?” Dean looks at me.

He must be drunk.

“Nah, he needs a little humiliation. It’s good for his… ego. Let’s go for a walk.” I point to the exit.

I follow Dean, Molly, Morgan, and Chase out the same exit Simon and I took earlier to kick off our shoes at our usual spot then toss them into the bushes before we head down the path to the beach.

Since I’m the fifth wheel I walk behind the two couples… well one sort of couple and one ‘might-kill-each-other-at-any-second’ couple.

“Chase, if you don’t get your hand off me, I will break your fingers and make you eat them,” Morgan says. Grabbing his hand, she bends his fingers backwards, dropping him to his knees on the path. Side-stepping them, I continue on my way down leaving him begging and apologizing to her behind me. I spot a familiar shadowy figure walking in the same direction down the beach, but he’s further ahead of us and probably blowing off steam so I’m not about to call him back.

I step up next to Molly where the waves stop at my toes, the cool sand under my feet taking away all the pain from my shoes and look out at the ocean.

“It’s a beautiful night for a swim… don’t you think, girls?” Dean has a longing expression on his face as he looks out to the water that rolls in. He takes Molly’s hand, pulling her closer to him. At least something good came from this weekend. The music from the party is playing behind us making me wish I had brought an actual date. Wrapping my arms around myself I try to block the breeze coming off the ocean.

Two more days and this too will be in the past.

“I think it’s a perfect night for a swim, don’t you, Pet?”