[Music Background: Harry Styles – Wild Thoughts (Live Cover)]
Irritated, Marie-Rose retorted, "These are lifelong friends I've danced with forever, not a harem."
"Would you dance with me too?" he asked, hoping to pacify her.
She nodded and waited for his lead, searching his masked eyes for the unspoken thoughts behind them.
Curling his hand around her waist, he moved behind her, now facing her back. Left hand holding her drink, she pressed her right hand on his arm encircling her, pulling her close. Legs paired, they swayed as if slow dancing to the lively, rapid music. Though not exactly chiseled with a six-pack, Jayden had a toned physique. She wondered about his fitness regimen to maintain such an athletic build.
His hand slid up just shy of her bust. Drawing her against him, he nudged her to lean into him. The curve of her back threatened to press on his pelvis, so she arched forward to avoid contact.
She sipped her drink to ease the lump in her throat. Nerves getting the best of her, she wanted to break free but reminded herself they were only dancing. Unsure of her feelings, she thought, 'He just wants to dance...not anything else...' Though a couple's position, nothing intimate had passed between them yet.
The past weekends together were split between her hometown and Cedric's apartment in this town, where Jayden stayed over. Time was passed on a few accompanied dates and talking at Cedric's with friends, feeling constrained without privacy. So while passions were ignited, they hadn't gone all the way.
He lowered his head to her shoulder, breathing in her ear, "I've thought of you since leaving."
She wished she could admit the same but feared getting burned. Though falling for him, she couldn't tell if he reciprocated. She was afraid to love again for some reason and to give herself to someone she barely knew. The men around her boasted of seducing and dumping women.
Needing to know a man well before dating, she couldn't resist this sweet, naughty boy. Something about him compelled her to get close, though unsure of her own feelings or his. She sensed he was hiding something even from himself.
Seeking his gaze, she smiled to encourage him, struck by his confession. An idea sparked and she spun to face him, circling his waist but keeping a slight distance between them.
He mirrored her, hand grazing her back to pull her close again. Swaying in their dance, eyes locked, they seemed two people in love, understanding each other, bonded uniquely with eyes conveying more than words.
Unexpectedly he gently nibbled her lower lip, segueing into a passionate kiss communicating their mutual feelings.
Letting go briefly to admire her glowing eyes, their fiery sparks like captured joy, he kissed her more deeply.
"Beautiful eyes," she murmured when they next parted, catching her breath. But he found it hard to detach from their embrace. Still panting, he whispered, "Let's go talk somewhere quieter."
With no reason to argue, she readily agreed. Holding up her hand, he swirled her around before he led her through the crowded dance floor, praising her hourglass figure. She felt self-conscious about her flabby waist but his words reassured.
"Just noticing how amazing you look in that dress!" Truly he hadn't fully appreciated her outline before, too busy getting lost in her eyes. What did he see in them?
Marie-Rose blushed at the unprecedented compliment. This man knew how to make her feel secure.
Choosing a spot behind the bar, they continued drinking with smooth cocktails, soon abandoning their cups on a table.
Their conversation turned interesting.
Marie-Rose sipped on another drink, pursed her lips around an olive seductively. Still watching Jayden, she held it between her teeth.
Taking it as invitation, he slid his tongue into her mouth and stole the olive, chewing it down to the seed. She snatched bites as well, finally tugging out the seed with her teeth and dropping it in her forgotten cup.
Discarding the cup, she returned her attention to Jayden as foreplay resumed.
So engrossed she didn't notice her dripping so far. Feeling his heat near her core, what was happening with this man she clung to desperately? Where was this leading?
They ended up entwined, her body pressed to his. Burning with passion, she knew they would end up in the bathroom like other club hookups if they didn't put an end to this. She had to put a stop to such public indecency.
Now shy and embarrassed, she lacked the nerve for what she knew he wanted.
"What's wrong?" He paused his fervent embrace.
"Just not comfortable here," she said, skirting her real worries.
"Let's go somewhere else."
"Where?" She didn't mean to sound inviting.
"Cedric's place." Jayden had already set this up with his best friend.
Meeting her eyes intently, he asked, "Do you want the same as me or not?" Dead serious, he wanted honesty, unwilling to be left hanging when nearing his peak.
Unsure how to reply, her answer was obviously no. No, definitely not, but yes. The truth was, she wanted him desperately. It just seemed too soon, though they'd been together nearly two months. But it was only desire and alcohol talking, so she should refuse. Yet she couldn't say no, yes.
Lowering her guilty eyes, words warred to come out but she just uttered faintly, "I-I..."
Back to his eyes, her answer was yes.
"Don't be ashamed with me. I know you want to as well. And I want your consent," he said gently, giving her a small kiss. "Whatever's holding you back, please tell me."
"I...I... You know I'm much older than you..." she grasped for an excuse against her desire. "And...and..."
He silenced her rebuttal: "I don't see the issue with that..."
"Oh f*ck, Jayden, I'm old enough to be your mom! What the hack?"
"Marie, I swear if you'll ever die young it will be the result of failing to watch your own mouth!" He laughed, well aware of her usual exaggerated remarks, but noticed her hesitation. "What's the gap?"
She told her birth year and he calculated. "Only ten years... Doubt a girl that young bears kids, so I don't follow your logic." Their generation was more open to unconventional situations.
She lowered her gaze, guilt-ridden. This was the most outrageous thing she'd ever done. But she didn't want to repeat past mistakes again and again. By many accounts, refusing a man only makes him pursue you more. But it also meant losing momentum, building tension, sowing doubts, losing raw passion that comes at a relationship's start.
How could she reject him, sending him to relieve himself manually? Especially after he'd waited so patiently, when other men would have bailed. She wasn't that mean a person.
"I like older girlfriends," he assured gently, serious in his intentions. He didn't want to take advantage but couldn't stop. His feelings drove him crazy. He was done just dreaming about her.
Tormented by the lack of answers, she hugged him tightly, head on his shoulder. Ready at last, she whispered in his ear:
"Let's go for the ride..." She smirked at the word choice, hinting she was open to more than getting acquainted.
"One thing first, before this goes further..." His eyes sparked.
She raised her head expectantly, wondering what it could be... Crazy scenarios raced through her mind. 'Hope it's nothing perverted...'
He sighed. "I'm married but..."
Not letting him finish, the cup now full, she stared briefly before gently replying, firm in conviction:
"Then the answer's no, baby." Betraying no remorse, she turned and rejoined her friends.
***
Lights spun overhead. Now a regular here, frequenting since her breakup, she downed another gin tonic or she'd never make it through tonight. Lacking confidence despite toned muscles from dance competitions, only alcohol gave her courage lately.
[...]
'Oh, here comes Blondie!' she thought, seeing Jayden approach. 'The one and only!' She raised her cup in greeting as their eyes met. She hadn't seen him in at least two months since their foiled hookup. What brought him here, she wondered.
She hated sitting alone at times like this without even the bartender familiar. No Maurice around for their scandalous dance to shock Jayden. Though intended for Daniel's men last time, Jayden made the blacklist for his actions.
It wouldn't faze Jayden anyway. He was too much a devil to find it embarrassing.
She waited as if for a crashing plane. Luckily a suitor reached her first and she happily left with him, ignoring Jayden there to meet friends.
Reaching the bar, Jayden first ordered a stiff drink, eyes following the pair towards the dance floor.
Unjealous, since the man seemed just another fan, not involved with her. At least not kissing her wildly in public as Jayden once had.
After a few shots, ready for fun, he dragged his group, Cedric included, to watch the dance contests. He deliberately chose this place to see Marie-Rose. For the past months he'd wanted to, if not tangled in personal matters.
He hoped to explain himself, apologize, and ask forgiveness. Thoughtless not to disclose his status upfront when she was open from day one, he couldn't get over her. Maybe talking would provide closure.
Mostly he wondered her opinion of him now.
Forging through the crowd, they suddenly met face to face, her unable to avoid his eyes anymore. Passing by with her side kick, she searched for a better view.
"Marie! How are you?" He stopped near her, ignoring the other man.
She smirked, set on mocking him tonight as payback for the awkwardness he put her through the other night.
"Hi cutie, what's up? Wife get fat after birth so you're prowling for pussy again?" Her heartless remark left him stunned. He'd no idea the timid girl could be so harsh. Speechless from the callous insult, his sole concern was redeeming himself:
"Well, that's my ex-wife actually. We finalized the divorce. And she's not fat at all, slimmer than you in fact, and just as pretty...even prettier..." he trailed off at her sharp glare.
He'd tried to convey her looks weren't why he pursued her. He hadn't sought a hookup when they met, not now either. His words weren't meant to hurt, but she brushed him off and strode away, clearly offended.
'Oh God, what did I just say? Why was I so thoughtless?' Unlike drunk, she hadn't intended to offend him.
She hurried off, ashamed at lashing out vindictively. Sorry for wounding a man she still liked, her reaction was always to flee after making a mistake, wanting to hide from the offended person. She wished the ground would swallow her.
Jayden was a rare find. She'd tried hard to find a replacement after rejecting him that night.
On the verge of sinking back into depressive crying jags like after the breakup with Alexandre, she'd found resolve to stop the three days of ceaseless tears.
With the distance from Alexandre, many men at the club showed interest now. Resuming outings with friends instead of placating Alexandre's whims on the couch, she'd met nice people.
But none of her suitors had Jayden's mischievous spark that mirrored and delighted her own prankish attitude. She couldn't find that dynamic with anyone else. The chemistry was missing.
'Damn, I offended her. But that wasn't my intent. How could I be such a jerk saying another woman was prettier? Huge mistake. I screwed this up. She won't give me another chance now.' More than anything, he wanted to repair things between them. Letting go of a woman like Marie-Rose, both beautiful and brilliant, was hard. He had to try.
'So he was going through a divorce... Should've said still married so I understood separated or divorcing. But even so...what guaranteed he wasn't still sleeping with his wife then? Now divorced, he must be a magnet for women chasing their turn.'
It pained him they'd reached this point over poorly chosen words. He felt awful but didn't know what to do.
He also wondered why Marie-Rose showed no interest upon his clarifying his divorce. Did she object to divorcees? She must still feel upset. He pondered how to make amends, if he could just apologize...
Dying to explain and apologize for her rude reaction, Marie-Rose chose to ignore her wishes instead.
Laughing to numb the sting of upsetting his crush, Jayden noticed the dumb luck of the man now approaching her compared to her striking beauty.
"Let me guide you," offered the stranger when he heard the answer to his question, leading her steps to a side of the dance hall, where the lounge she wanted to go to was.
She accepted, despite knowing real men didn't act so. This one was a plant from her gov stalkers.
Too nice to reject people for fear of hurting them, she always had patience with interested men, never considering her own feelings. Unable to set boundaries after choosing someone, she behaved as if open to anyone, only giving false hopes by entertaining those she had no intention of dating.
In her mind she was a promiscuous idiot, a Mother Teresa holding the door for cheaters and liars, remaining perpetually single while they had secret partners tucked away. Unfortunately most suitors had turned out cheaters.
She wanted to scream that she didn't want anyone but Jayden, that she'd misunderstood about his wife but abhorred cheating.
"If you'll excuse me," she finally asserted herself.