who’s finishing the cleaning up, because I most certainly am not?” Pointedly I stared at my sister and Dominique. Surprisingly they took the hint.
Simpering, I clutched the wine bottle along with my glass and moseyed over to the family room, setting them both down on the coffee table before switching on my iPhone, the room automatically filling with the earthy voice of Etta James. I went and sat beside a slightly tipsy Poppy on the modular sofa to relax, if only Scarlett would quit complaining then I could.
A protesting whimper swiftly followed as Dominique flicked her on the thigh with the tea towel.
I smiled privately behind my glass at the familiar and arousing sound. In my dazed state, I began stroking the long stem of my drink, my thoughts tuning in elsewhere, somewhere more erotic.
Poppy bumped our shoulders together, knocking me out of my reverie. “You’re blushing. I imagine it has something to do with a particularly hot, handsome young man. And don’t try to lie, I know that look!”
I sipped on my wine under the ruse of not hearing what she’d said.
“You were, weren’t you?” Poppy pressed, grinning at me.
“You’re as bad as the other two. Is this gang up on Teddy night?” I whined, my head falling back against the sofa.
Bobbing her head gleefully, she drunkenly giggled. “Yep…”
“You’re all unreal.” I laughed along with her; my thoughts were quickly sobering. “I just hope I don’t lose my nerve and run away from him as I have in the past…”
“One should hope not!” Poppy determined in her soft English accent. “Perhaps, and this is merely a suggestion, take him somewhere quiet, away from prying eyes and ears?” As she not so covertly pointed in the direction of the kitchen, hiding my laughter became a tad challenging.
“Good thinking, ninety-nine, I may just do that.” I polished off the glass and set it down in my lap. “I’ll grab him by the belt and drag him upstairs to his old bedroom so that I can ravage him with all this ‘sexual tension’ we’ve allegedly harboured.”
“No alleging anything,” she scoffed, earning a dramatic eye-roll from me. “If I were you, I would even go butt naked underneath just to save time,” Poppy dryly endorsed.
“Poppy Fleming, I’m shocked!” I slapped a hand over my mouth as another bout of laughter bubbled to the surface. “And here I thought you were little Miss Prude.”
“I’m a closet kink,” she whispered, holding a finger up to her lips. “But shh, don’t tell anyone.”
“Your secret is safe with me. Anyway, I’m off to bed.” My legs wobbled beneath me as I pushed off the sofa to stand. “Whoops.”
“See, you’re already weak at the knees just thinking about him.”
“No, it was the extreme exercise at the gym that’s done it.”
“You keep telling yourself that, but we all know the truth.”
Growling, I waved a dismissive hand. “Goodnight lovely.”
“Goodnight Teddy Bear. Don’t dream too much of him, though. You’ll only frustrate yourself more, and then you’ll be pulling out one of those many friends you own in the drawer….” Poppy snickered, gaining immense delight as she saw my cheeks flame. “Then all that tension -,” Her hands circled the air above her. “- poof, gone!”
I picked up one of the overstuffed cushions and threw it at my hysterically laughing friend. “Goodnight popsicle!” Amused, I took off to my bedroom before she said anything more to embarrass me.
Throwing myself onto the bed, I flopped against the pillows and stared up at the ceiling, praying I wasn’t making a massive mistake by finally giving in to my feelings.
Chapter Three
WITH THE ARRIVAL of the weekend after a long working week, the girls and I cruised into Club Retro, a fashionable nightclub in the centre of Lonsdale Street. Its three levels and two bars crowded, and brimming with other young clubbers that were here for the same reason as us; to forget the pressures of their daily lives.
Hypnotically energetic music reverberated loudly around us, leaving our bodies humming and forcing us to shout. But then again we weren’t out at a noisy club to talk.
The moment we each collected our drinks, we manoeuvred our way onto the dance floor, struggling to find a space amongst the packed bodies. Revellers danced back to back, the thumping music their muse under the flickering strobe lights, blinding us as they lit up the darkened club.
Lethal cocktails became the fuel to an unlit match, reigniting the rescinding fire within. I let loose and danced like no one was watching. Except unbeknownst to me, or any of us, somebody already was.
∞
“Hmm, looking good there, Teddy. Just as good as the tight Lycra pants you wear jogging.” Licking my lips, I observed a luscious Teddy from the balcony above. The short, revealing outfit and the provocative moves made me want her more than ever before. “Such a pity you have company though.”
∞
Teddy
The wild night out had cost me severely in the way of a vicious hangover and painful blisters on the soles of both feet. “How about we do brunch? I could quite easily go for one of those salmon bagels and a ridiculously strong coffee from the Pocket Café around the corner; it would be fantastic about now.”
It seemed I wasn’t the only one feeling sorry for herself.
Poppy winced easing onto a stool at the island bench and nursed her pounding head between her hands. “Sounds like a plan. The fresh air might be nice too.”
“Sunglasses are a must,” Scarlett added in a hushed tone, her eyes squinting at the bright sun blazing in through the kitchen window above the apron-front farmhouse sink. “Why do we put ourselves through this?”
“And just think, we’re punishing ourselves all over again tonight at my mothers,” Dominique groggily murmured alongside her while downing a couple of painkillers with a glass of icy cold orange juice.
“Come on, let’s go eat, and refuel ready to kill our livers again later.” Sighing, I pushed away from the bench and hobbled back to my bedroom. Why did I suggest clubbing last night knowing we were partying again later? By the end of the weekend, an ice pack wouldn’t cut it; I’d have to soak my entire body in the pool to recover.
The house had become a hive of activity, and hidden somewhere under the piles of makeup and hair accessories was my dining table. According to Dom, it was everything we needed to beautify ourselves for her mother’s party. She had also kindly offered to style our hair; more like threatened us if we went to anyone but her. She was a hairdresser after all.
With Jessica Mauboy’s, Fallin’ playing softly from the speaker, I sat back, soaking up every minute of the pampering
