Before Julia could protest, Rachel had pulled her onto the dance floor, motioned to the dj for him to turn the music up, and proceeded to dance with enthusiasm.
Julia, on the other hand, was uncomfortable. She could see that Gabriel had moved so that he could stare at her, leaning back on the banquette and watching, eyes intense and unblinking. She wondered if he’d noticed the fact that she wasn’t wearing traditional panties underneath her dress.
Is that something men notice? Panty lines?
She was unable to look away as his eyes leisurely smoothed over her from head to foot, resting longer than necessary on her shapely bare legs and her red-soled heels.
“I can’t dance in these shoes,” Julia protested in her friend’s ear.
“Bullshit. Just move your body and let your feet take a rest. And you look great, by the way. My brother is an idiot.”
Julia turned her back on her professor and began to dance, closing her eyes and letting the music take her. It was a remarkable feeling. As soon as she forgot about him and his penetrating blue eyes, she was actually able to enjoy herself. Marginally.
I wonder if he can see vestiges of my thong through the fabric of my dress.
Scratch that. I hope he can see it. I hope it tortures him. Enjoy the view, Professor, because that’s all you’re ever going to get.
When the song ended, Rachel approached the dj with a smile, asking what his plans were for the next few musical choices. Whatever he said must have pleased her, because she pumped a fist in the air in a very unladylike manner and almost let out a yell.
“Awesome!” she cried, crossing the floor to return to Julia, grabbing her hands and swinging her around.
Now that Julia and Rachel were dancing (and obviously enjoying themselves), a number of people from various adjoining lounges decided to join them, including a very handsome blond-haired man.
“Hi,” he offered, edging in closer to Julia and moving in time to the music.
“Hi,” she managed, feeling somewhat conspicuous.
She thought about that old line, about how women associate dancing with sex. This man, whoever he was, would no doubt be excellent at the latter, because he certainly very heterosexually excelled at the former. It was breathtaking, actually.
“I haven’t seen you here before.” He smiled.
Julia noticed he had very white teeth and that his eyes were bright blue, as blue as a cornflower. She momentarily forgot to answer him as she focused on the startling color of his eyes.
“I’m Brad. What’s your name?” He leaned forward, his ear almost brushing against her lips in order to hear her response over the pulsing music.
She blinked a little at his nearness. “Julia.”
“Pleased to meet you, Julia. That’s a beautiful name.”
She indicated that she’d heard him, and sent a desperate look to Rachel, hoping she would come to her rescue. But Rachel was too busy dancing with her eyes closed, because apparently she loved the current song.
“Can I buy you a drink? My friends and I have a table up front.” He gestured vaguely, but Julia did not follow his gesture.
“Thanks, but I’m with my friend.”
He smiled, undeterred, and moved closer. “Bring your friend with you. You have the most beautiful eyes. I couldn’t live with myself if I let you get away and didn’t ask for your number.”
“Um…I don’t know…”
“Let me at least give you mine.”
Julia’s eyes darted in Rachel’s direction, which was a bad decision because it prevented her from seeing Brad move toward her. She ended up stepping right on his toes, which made him wince in pain and pushed her off balance.
He caught her before she hit the floor and held her close to his chest while she found her feet. She had to admit, he had a muscular chest, and surprisingly strong arms for someone who wore a suit.
“Easy there, beautiful. I’m sorry I cut you off like that. Are you all right?” He kept his left hand on her arm and moved his right so that he could brush the curls out of her eyes. He looked down at her and smiled.
“I’m fine. Thank you for not letting me fall.”
“I’d be a fool to let you go, Julia.”
She noticed obliquely that his smile was not creepy. He seemed nice, even. His suit told her that he’d come to the club after work and that he probably worked downtown for a large company — someplace where they still demanded that young men wear suits and ties. And really shiny black shoes.
He was confident, she thought, but not arrogant. And his words, though careful y chosen, did not seem calculated. He was, perhaps, the kind of person who she could imagine dating for a little while, but she doubted that they would have much in common. Certainly, dancing was not something she wanted to do again in the near future. Although dancing with him…
She was far too shy to extend the conversation any further. She opened her mouth to speak her regrets, but just then someone grabbed her other arm and effectively body-checked Brad out of the way. Something sent a shock wave rippling across the surface of her skin, and she knew immediately whose long, cool fingers wrapped around her bare upper arm.
“Are you all right?” Gabriel asked, speaking and looking only at Julia.
His calm and concerned tone totally belied the inexplicable anger in his eyes.
His anger confused her, so she didn’t answer. She looked dumbfounded, which Brad noticed immediately.
“Is this asshole hurting you?” he asked, straightening his shoulders as he scowled at Gabriel. He made a move forward, looking rather menacing.
Julia shook her head in response, still somewhat shocked.
“She’s with me,” snarled Gabriel, not even bothering to turn his head in Brad’s direction.
He retreated slightly, for Gabriel’s snarl was very fierce.
“Come,” he commanded, pulling her away from the dance floor and back to their seats.
Julia gave Brad an apologetic glance over her shoulder and left willingly.
Gabriel handed her a drink as he tried to catch his breath. He was surprised at himself and his eagerness to come to Julia’s rescue before he’d even considered the repercussions.
While she sipped her Cosmopolitan and tried to process what had just happened, Gabriel turned to her, clutching his now half-empty glass.
“You need to be more careful. These places can be very dangerous for girls like you, and you, my dear, are a calamity waiting to happen.”
She clenched her teeth. “I was fine. And he was nice!”
“He put his hands on you.”
“So what? We were dancing, and he kept me from hitting the floor when I tripped! I didn’t hear you asking me to dance.”
Gabriel reclined against the banquette and regarded her with a slow and sinuous smile. “That would rather defeat the purpose of watching, don’t you think?”
She tossed her hair and looked away from the Scotch-brightened sapphire of his eyes. She saw Brad trying to catch her eye from the dance floor, and she tried to indicate with her body that she and Gabriel were not together. A flash of understanding lit Brad’s eyes, and he nodded, before disappearing.
“I promised you a taste.” Gabriel slid closer to Julia and held his glass close to her lips.
“No.” She sniffed, turning sideways.
“I insist.” His voice grew more forceful.
Julia sighed and tried to take the glass out of his hand, but he held it fast.
“Let me feed you,” he whispered, his tone suddenly husky.
He sounded like sex. Or at least, what Julia imagined sex would sound like if it was sitting on a white banquette with shining blue eyes and an arrogant jaw, trying to press a cold glass up to her mouth.
Oh my, Gabriel. Oh my, Gabriel. Oh my, Gabriel. Oh…my…Gabriel.
“I can feed myself,” she breathed uncertainly.
“Of course you can. But why should you, when I’m here to do it for you?” he countered, smiling in such a way as to show his perfect teeth.
Julia didn’t want to drop his precious Scotch by accident, so she allowed him to press his drink against the curve of her lower lip, which he did slowly and sensuously. She closed her eyes and momentarily fixated on the feel of the cold, smooth glass against her flesh. He tipped his drink gently, until the smoky liquid penetrated her parted lips and flowed into her open and awaiting mouth.
She was surprised that he was being so forward with her, so sensual.
But she was even more surprised when the Scotch lit her mouth on fire, scorching her. She swallowed quickly.
“That’s awful!” she sputtered. “It tastes like a campfire!”
He moved backward and analyzed her face. She was flushed now and animated.
“That’s the peat. It’s an acquired taste. You might decide it’s a taste you want to acquire, once you’ve tried it a few times.” He smirked at her, half of his mouth curling up.
She shook her head while she coughed. “I doubt it. And by the way, I’m a big girl, and I can take care of myself. So unless I ask for help, please leave me be.”
“Nonsense.” He gestured vaguely to the dance floor. “Grendel and his relatives would devour you given half a chance, and don’t bother arguing with me.”
“I beg your pardon! Who do you think you are?”
“Someone who recognizes naïveté and innocence when he sees it. Now sip your drink slowly like a good little girl, and stop acting like you belong in a place like this.” Gabriel glared at her darkly and finished his Scotch in one swallow. “Calamity Julianne.”
“What’s that supposed to mean, ‘naïveté and innocence’? Exactly what are you trying to say, Gabriel?”
“Do I need to spell it out for you?”
He grimaced and dropped his voice to a whisper, leaning toward her.
Julia’s eyes rolled back in her head in spite of herself as his warm breath skimmed down her naked neck.
“You blush like a teenager, Julianne. And I can sense your innocence.
It’s more than obvious that you’re still a virgin. So stop pretending to be anything else.”
“You! You — !” Julia jerked her ear away from him as she tried to think of a bad enough word in English. Sadly, she lapsed into Italian. “Stronzo!”
At first Gabriel looked furious, then his face softened and he laughed — a throw your head back, close your eyes, and grasp your belly kind of laugh.
Julia was furious. She sat there seething, drinking her Cosmo very quickly, and wondering how it was that Gabriel knew the truth about her and from so short a re-acquaintance. Surely Rachel hadn’t…She shook her head. Rachel wouldn’t. That information was personal, and she wouldn’t have spoken it aloud to anyone but Aaron. And Aaron was too much of a gentleman to repeat something like that, ever.
While Gabriel grinned, Julia bemoaned the fact that he’d effectively ruined an opportunity to meet someone who looked like he was nice. Julia probably wouldn’t have given Brad her number because she didn’t do that sort of thing, but she wanted it to be her decision and not her Professor’s.
He really was a prick. And it was time he changed.