Temporary Bliss (Bliss #1)(40)
Author: B.J. Harvey

Zander looks clueless. “Ah okay. I’ll give it a go.” He stands up and tries to reach his arms back, but his biceps make it impossible to get even close. I crack up laughing because he looks ridiculous.

“My turn, my turn,” I interject as a stand up, a little steadier this time. “C’mon, Kate, I know for a fact you can do this.”

She giggles and stands up on the other side of the table. “Okay, you got me. Let’s show the man how it’s done.”

I stick my chest out, trying hard to bring my elbows together and giggling when I look down and see that my boobs are pushed out on display in front of him. Watching Kate, she’s doing the same thing. Her D cups out and proud and in Zander’s direct line of sight. I look down at him, and his eyes have gone wide as he looks between Kate and I. He looks like a kid at Christmas, not knowing which present to open first.

“You have to drink, Zan,” I say, shoving his arm playfully.

“Hot damn, I’ll drink to that any day. Two gorgeous women pushing their tits out like that for me? Hell, yeah!” He has the biggest grin on his face, and it’s adorable.

I look over at Kate, and catch her cheeks flame when I catch her staring at Zander. She suddenly gets all flustered, pulling her chair out and standing up. “Ah, I’m just going to the ladies. I’ll be back.”

“You wanna me to come with?” I slur slightly, stumbling between what I want to say and what actually comes out.

“No,” she giggles. “You’re too drunk to walk or talk apparently.”

“Am not.”

“Am too.”

“Ladies, let’s be friends here,” Zander pipes up.

“Quit it you,” I say, slapping his abs in jest. “You just want to get into my pants,” I say jokingly as Kate walks away.

Turning his chair towards me, effectively caging me in, he leans in as close as he can get without sitting on top of me. “And why, pray tell, would I not want to get into your pants,” he says in a low rasp that reaches me in all the right drunken places. “Because I seem to remember you like me in your pants, your hands….your mouth…”

Then without hesitation, he wraps his hand around my neck and crushes his mouth to mine.

It’s a few moments of delicious tongue wrestling and lip nipping before I realize that it’s not right. It isn’t Zander’s lips I want tasting me, and Zander deserves better. I simultaneously pull away while pushing my hands against his chest, gasping for breath.

“Babe, what’s wrong?” he asks with a furrowed brow. “You’re not one to pull away and freak out, especially with me.”

“I…I’ve gotta go. Can you make sure Kate gets home safe? I’ll explain later.”

“Mac, you’re drunk. You shouldn’t be going anywhere!” he shouts behind me.

“I’m fine. I’ll catch a cab!” I yell back as I push my way through the crowd into the fresh night air.

I find myself leaning against the wall outside the bar, trying to catch my breath and clear my head. But I can’t.

“Are you okay there?” a bouncer asks, looking concerned. “You need a cab, hon?”

I nod, unable to answer. All I can think about is Daniel. His smile, his eyes, the way his hand would glide over my skin and leave me trembling. I need my Daniel.

So as the bouncer ushers me into the open cab door and closes it behind me, I do the one thing I thought I’d never do again, and definitely shouldn’t be doing in my inebriated state.

I give him Daniel’s address.

Chapter 19 – “Ready To Love Again”

Stumbling into the foyer of Daniel’s building, I’m focused on walking in a straight line, and laying my eyes on the man of the hour. The doorman tries to help me, but I shoo him away. I can tell by the crinkled lines around his eyes that he’s trying not to laugh at me. Hell, I’m struggling not to laugh at myself.

“Do you need an escort?” he asks.

“I have a perfectly capable man upstairs, so no, I do not need any escort services,” I slur as I push the elevator call button.

Once I’m inside and the doors are closed, I start to panic. What if he has company? What if he’s not even home? I should have texted him. Maybe I should text him now.

I pull my phone out and see the text Zander sent me about my ass. Starting a new text message, I select Daniel’s name (which is now listed as DO NOT CALL HIM EVEN WHEN DRUNK) in my phone.

Mac: Are you home tonight?

Great conversation starter there, Mac. Well done. I giggle at my own message. Not waiting for a reply, I type another message.

Mac: I wanna see your superhero tricks.

Mac: I may be a bit drunk.

Mac: Your doorman is weird.

Mac: Is Nasty Nikki there too? Making you feel better?. Tell her to keep her skanky hands off you.

The elevator doors reopen on Daniel’s floor, and I stumble out, quickly finding his door and knocking quietly, giggling like it’s the funniest thing ever.

When he opens the door, I lose the ability to talk. He’s holding his phone in his hand and looking more confused than ever. Where usually there is a warm smile, tonight there is a furrowed brow and a look that could almost be hurt.

“You’re drunk texting me?” he asks, his face remaining stoic as we stand in his doorway.

Suddenly I’m feeling embarrassed and am starting to reconsider how wise it was to just turn up, effectively unannounced and drunk.

“Ah, I got in the cab and they asked me where I wanted to go, and this was where I wanted to be.” I shrug. “But I swear your doorman is a bit weird. He asked me if I wanted an escort,” I look around and lean forward to whisper to him, “but I said I didn’t need any escort services when I have you.”

He shakes his head, his body still rigid and unwelcoming. “Why are you here Mac? Considering the last thing you said to me was that you couldn’t do this anymore.”

“I miss you. All week I’ve wanted to see you,” I say, bracing myself against the doorway as my head starts to spin.

“Come inside, Mac. I’ll sort out a cab or drive you home myself,” he says, gesturing me inside as his irritation becomes more and more evident.

I walk inside and then stop, spinning around on my heels and stumbling a bit before leaning against the living room wall.

“I don’t wanna go home, Daniel. That’s why I came to see you. I missed your face.” I walk up to him and kiss him on the lips, quick and hard, swaying a bit as I pull away. He puts his hands on my biceps to steady me.