Duty Bound with Bite by Felicity Brandon & Lily Harlem & Lucy Felthouse & Katie Douglas

Author:Felicity Brandon & Lily Harlem & Lucy Felthouse & Katie Douglas [Brandon, Felicity]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Published: 2020-10-31T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Two

Despite remaining booze-free, the trio get into the spirit of things and pick up the routines—some genuine, some completely made up on the spur of the moment—I show them for the next handful of songs without much trouble. None of them are what I’d call particularly skilled dancers—some people have natural rhythm, and others don’t, and they’re definitely in the latter category—but they watch me carefully, listen to my commands, and above all, enjoy themselves.

Unfortunately, that enjoyment is brought to an abrupt end when Luke freezes and his hand snaps suddenly to his pocket. My superior hearing picks up the buzzing of his phone and my heart sinks. His happy expression melts away and is replaced with a serious one, and it’s obvious who’s ringing even without him looking at the display.

Still, duty calls, and he whips the device out, checks the screen then hurries off to find somewhere quiet to answer it. I stay with Leo and Jack, but the enthusiasm we were wrapped up in has all but disappeared. We bop half-heartedly, swapping tight smiles, waiting for Luke to come back with the inevitable news.

It doesn’t take long. He returns, grim-faced, and we meet him at the edge of the dance floor. They don’t seem to object to my presence, even though this is actually none of my business.

“That was ‘the call’. Transport will be here in twenty,” he says as he puts his phone back in his pocket.

“All right,” Jack says resignedly, clapping Luke on the shoulder. “We’d better say our goodbyes to Loulou.”

I stay where I am as they wander off in search of our hostess. Shift from foot to foot, staring at the other partygoers without actually seeing them. I feel unsure, awkward—emotions I’m not accustomed to. I find myself wishing that alcohol actually did something for me, as a spot of Dutch courage wouldn’t go amiss right now. What should I do? Say goodbye here, wish them well? Or head outside with them, wait until they’re in their transport, wave as they drive off? The decision might even be taken from me—there’s nothing to stop them saying goodbye to Loulou and walking right out the door without speaking to me again.

Technically the first option is more appropriate, given I’ve just met the three of them, but it doesn’t feel right, somehow. All we’ve done is chat, dance, joke around a little, but it seems even those basic, normal things have moved us past the status of acquaintances and into something… else. Like a bond has developed, connecting the four of us on a deeper, more meaningful level.

But that doesn’t make any sense, does it? Sure, they’re all fun and gorgeous, and I definitely wouldn’t turn any—or all—of them down if they made a pass at me, but just because I’d be up for a sweaty, energetic foursome doesn’t mean they would be. They share a job and are likely about to live in each other’s pockets for the foreseeable—surely they’re not going to be into sharing a woman, too?

Of course, it doesn’t really matter.

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