had a little sister.”
“So you understand that I could be dangerous for your health.”
Jax laughs. “I’m not about to screw around with you. I like my arms unbroken.”
“I wish I could believe that, Jax.”
Jax pushes hair from my face with the same gesture I used on him earlier. “Spend some time with me.”
I catch his hand. “I already saw you with one girl tonight!”
When Jax reaches out and cups my face, I freeze with surprise. He rubs his thumb across my cheek, the rough tip abrasive against my skin. “I’m not interested in her. Them.”
“Sure you’re not.” I take his fingers from my cheek and he grips my hand.
“Tegan. If we weren’t in the middle of a crowded hallway, I’d finish what we started earlier,” he says softly. “Then you could see how interested I am in you.”
“Don’t, Jax,” I whisper; glancing around, aware we have an audience.
He drops his hand and steps back, biting on his lip. “Okay. Party?”
“I need to let Bryn know I’m leaving, in case he gets all guard dog on me.”
Jax grimaces. “Might give that a miss in case he gets all guard dog on me . See you upstairs?”
“Sure.”
Heart still thumping, I head back to the function room to let Bryn know I’m leaving. He isn’t around. I spot Liam chatting to a younger guy wearing a Blue Phoenix t-shirt, and touch him on the shoulder. “Liam? Did Bryn leave?”
Liam looks round. “Said he had some phone calls to make. He’ll be back in five, I think.”
“When he comes back tell him I’ve left.”
“Sure.” Disinterested he turns back to the guy and continues a conversation about guitars.
Eager to leave, I weave through the impressive number of bodies back to the door.
“Tegan!” Somebody with a Portuguese accent calls my name from behind and I look around.
Two of the advertising agency guys, from the group I spent time with at the club last night, stand near the bar. Most of the younger, casually dressed people have left for the party upstairs, so they stand out amongst the suits around. The guys beckon me over
The taller, dark-haired guy who I chatted with the most last night kisses my cheek as I reach them. “Great to see you again, Tegan.”
“Hey, Tomas. You scored an invite, then?” I ask.
“We’re sneaky.” He winks at me. “The agency directors were invited but weren’t available, so we stepped in. Not bad, huh?”
“Nice. Helena and Isabel not with you?” I ask, looking around for the rest of the group from yesterday.
“Nah. Haven’t seen them since last night. Don’t really know them that well.” The other guy whose name I’ve forgotten chuckles and says something in Portuguese. “Listen, me and Paul are clubbing again later. You want to come?” Tomas waves a hand. “We’d stay here, but I expected this party to be a bit more… more .”
“That’s why I’m leaving. There’s a real party going on upstairs, come if you want.”
“You sure?”
“I’m pretty sure it’s an ‘open to everybody who’s here’ type of party.”
Tomas nods and indicates a nearby group chatting over glasses of wine. “We have strict orders to hand agency cards out to some of the local companies and introduce ourselves.” He mocks a yawn. “Where’s the party? We’ll catch up.”
“Sixteenth floor. I’ll leave you to your fun.”
Tomas pulls a face and takes cards from his pocket; I head off to see if Jax has kept his word.
****
The normally peaceful sixteenth floor of the hotel is busier than the club last night, and makes the official bash downstairs look like a village tea party. I raise a brow as a skinny girl runs down the hallway, pursued by a shirtless guy, who catches his giggling prey around the waist. The girl turns and they proceed to kiss unashamedly, his hands up her shirt, hers at his crotch.
Wow.
Okay.
I met him earlier when he was hauling speakers around the stage; if that’s what groupies do with roadies, the Ruby Riot guys are in
“So you understand that I could be dangerous for your health.”
Jax laughs. “I’m not about to screw around with you. I like my arms unbroken.”
“I wish I could believe that, Jax.”
Jax pushes hair from my face with the same gesture I used on him earlier. “Spend some time with me.”
I catch his hand. “I already saw you with one girl tonight!”
When Jax reaches out and cups my face, I freeze with surprise. He rubs his thumb across my cheek, the rough tip abrasive against my skin. “I’m not interested in her. Them.”
“Sure you’re not.” I take his fingers from my cheek and he grips my hand.
“Tegan. If we weren’t in the middle of a crowded hallway, I’d finish what we started earlier,” he says softly. “Then you could see how interested I am in you.”
“Don’t, Jax,” I whisper; glancing around, aware we have an audience.
He drops his hand and steps back, biting on his lip. “Okay. Party?”
“I need to let Bryn know I’m leaving, in case he gets all guard dog on me.”
Jax grimaces. “Might give that a miss in case he gets all guard dog on me . See you upstairs?”
“Sure.”
Heart still thumping, I head back to the function room to let Bryn know I’m leaving. He isn’t around. I spot Liam chatting to a younger guy wearing a Blue Phoenix t-shirt, and touch him on the shoulder. “Liam? Did Bryn leave?”
Liam looks round. “Said he had some phone calls to make. He’ll be back in five, I think.”
“When he comes back tell him I’ve left.”
“Sure.” Disinterested he turns back to the guy and continues a conversation about guitars.
Eager to leave, I weave through the impressive number of bodies back to the door.
“Tegan!” Somebody with a Portuguese accent calls my name from behind and I look around.
Two of the advertising agency guys, from the group I spent time with at the club last night, stand near the bar. Most of the younger, casually dressed people have left for the party upstairs, so they stand out amongst the suits around. The guys beckon me over
The taller, dark-haired guy who I chatted with the most last night kisses my cheek as I reach them. “Great to see you again, Tegan.”
“Hey, Tomas. You scored an invite, then?” I ask.
“We’re sneaky.” He winks at me. “The agency directors were invited but weren’t available, so we stepped in. Not bad, huh?”
“Nice. Helena and Isabel not with you?” I ask, looking around for the rest of the group from yesterday.
“Nah. Haven’t seen them since last night. Don’t really know them that well.” The other guy whose name I’ve forgotten chuckles and says something in Portuguese. “Listen, me and Paul are clubbing again later. You want to come?” Tomas waves a hand. “We’d stay here, but I expected this party to be a bit more… more .”
“That’s why I’m leaving. There’s a real party going on upstairs, come if you want.”
“You sure?”
“I’m pretty sure it’s an ‘open to everybody who’s here’ type of party.”
Tomas nods and indicates a nearby group chatting over glasses of wine. “We have strict orders to hand agency cards out to some of the local companies and introduce ourselves.” He mocks a yawn. “Where’s the party? We’ll catch up.”
“Sixteenth floor. I’ll leave you to your fun.”
Tomas pulls a face and takes cards from his pocket; I head off to see if Jax has kept his word.
****
The normally peaceful sixteenth floor of the hotel is busier than the club last night, and makes the official bash downstairs look like a village tea party. I raise a brow as a skinny girl runs down the hallway, pursued by a shirtless guy, who catches his giggling prey around the waist. The girl turns and they proceed to kiss unashamedly, his hands up her shirt, hers at his crotch.
Wow.
Okay.
I met him earlier when he was hauling speakers around the stage; if that’s what groupies do with roadies, the Ruby Riot guys are in
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