THRUST(14)

This is something most girls can only dream of . . .





I HEAR TORI’S ANNOYING VOICE yelling in my ear. “Hello! Are you in there?”

I elbow her in the tit. “Don’t yell in my ear. Yes, I’m in here.” I gesture around the dimly lit room at the dancing couples and overdone decorations. I’m surrounded by red and gold. “I’m just ready for this damn reception to end.” I look down at my cell phone to see that it’s already seven thirty. I’m supposed to meet Kyan at the gym by eight and this party doesn’t look close to ending soon. “It’s been going on since three. Aren’t they tired yet? My finger’s going to fall off if I click that button one more damn time.”

Tori raises a brow, bored. “Tell me about it. Not only is it the longest reception in history, but it’s also boring as shit. Where’s the booze and Funyuns? Seriously though. These people have poor taste in refreshments.”

Okay, so she might be over exaggerating a bit on this being the longest reception in history, but it sure feels like it. I’m getting so antsy that I can’t even think straight.

It’s already bad enough that my mind has been on Kyan for about eighty percent of the night, and now that it’s getting close to seeing him again, I’m beginning to feel impatient.

I start walking around just snapping a bunch of pictures in hopes that if I get to a certain number of shots that I can just leave. The newlyweds are slow dancing to about their fiftieth song and everyone else is now watching in wonder. I guess it could be that the couple is in their sixties. I guess them being out this late is sort of a big party for them, even when there isn’t any booze or Funyuns.

Joining in the clapping, I smile at Mrs. Crawford as the couple finally leaves the dance floor. She gives me a slight head nod and walks in my direction.

“You looked beautiful out there, Mrs. Crawford. And so happy. Congratulations.”

She gently tugs my arm and pulls me close to her ear so I can hear her speak over the music. “You and your friend did a lovely job, but I think we’ve kept you kiddos late enough. Go home and enjoy your night.”

Yes! Yes! Yes!

I smile small and tilt my head. “Thank you for having us. Please tell Mr. Crawford that we’ll have the disk ready in a week,” I say, while trying to stay calm and not too overly excited about finally getting out of here.

She nods once and waves before walking away to join her husband at the table. She’s been away for less than two minutes and it already looks as if he misses her. Isn’t that something?

Tori lets out a long, relieved breath next to my ear. “Thank fucking God.” She links her arm through mine, and then starts walking me toward one of the tripods. “Let’s get the hell out of here before I start to wrinkle just from looking at all of these old people. There’s old people everywhere and it’s seriously starting to freak me out.”

Tori and I pack up our equipment faster than we’ve ever packed up at a wedding before. By the time we get in my jeep, my cell phone already reads two past eight.

“Shit, I need to hurry.” I shove my key into the ignition and hurriedly pull out of the parking lot. It’s about a ten-minute drive to downtown Chicago and I still have to change into my new workout gear.

Tori looks up from typing on her phone as I impatiently tap the steering wheel when the car in front of us slows down. “Don’t get your titties all twisted. Why the rush?”

I scrunch my forehead and concentrate hard on the road. “I’m late for my training session at the gym. It’s rude to be late. I don’t want to leave a bad impression.”

“I bet you don’t, hussy.” I hear her typing fast on her phone to whom I’m sure is to be Brad. “I bet Mr. Sexy is ready to work you. I may just need to go to the gym with you sometime so I can get a look of this fine piece of man meat.”

I laugh at her choice of words. “I’m sure we’ll run into him in the building sometime and you can meet this man meat. He does live on the tenth floor,” I remind her. “No need to twist your arm to get you in the gym.”

“True,” she says uncaringly. “Maybe he’ll be at the bar or something and you can introduce us. Then I can see who has my roomie all flustered and fluffin’ the muffin.”

I stop a little too abruptly at the stoplight, my face turning beet red. I haven’t mentioned the events of Monday night to her yet so she really has no idea just how turned on and flustered he truly has me. I’m not really sure how to explain, so I won’t. Not yet. “You talk a lot. You know that?”