Page 20 of Piece By Piece

“I can take you there again sometime. You don’t need an invitation when you’re with me.” At that, she perks up further.

“Really? You’d go with me?” She breaks out in the biggest grin. “I mean, yeah, sure. I’d definitely be down for that. I’d let an ogre take me if that was what it took.” For the first time today, I laugh.

“You just compared me to an ogre?” I ask, a little flabbergasted. This woman.

“Well, occasionally you do share some similarities. When you dance, for example, you certainly look like some creature of the mountains. Just one undercover in a verybeautiful shell,” she jokes. Immediately, her face turns darker under the blue lights, and I know she’s blushing.

“Careful, that almost sounded like a compliment,” I warn her teasingly. She shoves me.

“Was it enough to charm you into dancing with me? I mean, that way we can minimize the chances of you having to come to my rescue when someone gets too handy again. Besides, Mattheo is not an option tonight so you’re the next best thing.” She’s teasing. I can tell by the look on her face.

And yet, the happy little balloon in my chest deflates a little. My best friend is a no-show and I’m the next best thing. That feels good to hear. I’m ready to say as much or turn her down but her hopeful, expectant expression stops me.

Fine, this time, I cave. “Hardly, but I’m feeling generous,” I tell her and let her take my hand.

My whole body ignites at the single, innocent contact with her. Not for the first time, I ask myself why. Why does she have to make me feel this way? Why is she the only person that can excite me anymore and bring my every last cell to life?

Her face lights up as if she feels the same as I did and then she twirls, letting her hair fly in a wide arc and then flop over her shoulder as she stops with her back to me. For a few beats, there’s a distance between our bodies. Then she looks back at me with a challenge in her eyes and I take a step forward, letting the hand that isn’t holding hers find her waist.

She moves backward until our bodies are up against each other and we’re swaying to the beat together. Her movements are big, her hips moving in a wide loop again and again while her arms move in all directions.

I’ll say I’m doing a good job at keeping up with her for an ogre, despite the distraction my hardening dick is providing. Fuck, but my body feels tingly and warm like it never has. Maybe it’s because of how long it’s been since I had sex and a proper release. Maybe it’s just that it’s Aliena I’m this close to.

Either way, I despise that she has this sort of power over me. And I despise even more that I can never act on these feelings and find out what it would be like to take this further. To touch her without the barrier of her silk dress between our skin. To fuck her and be the reason a room is flooded with the sweet symphony of her moans – moans that I know the sound of since they’ve been engraved in my mind ever since I interrupted her andMattheo.

One of her hands finds mine on her hips and she clasps down over it, making me hold her tighter as she rests her head against my chest, her moves never faltering. Then she moves my hand further down, over her hips, and, to my great dismay, to her bare thigh.

Her skin is smooth and soft and incredibly warm. My fingers dig into the taunt flesh, images of those thighs spread for me momentarily occupying my mind. Then I catch myself and bring my hand back to her hips, holding her just enough to not restrict her movements. I wouldn’t dream of limiting her.

We keep dancing and I lose track of time. Sweat lines my hairline, neck, and even my back. I can feel it and yet, I’m surprisingly unbothered by it. Look at me, someone who’s not a fan of dancing, losing myself in it so thoroughly. Aliena is a witch.

She eventually turns around, her face bright, and throws her arms around my neck. Then she keeps dancing, makingmy whole situation so much worse with how she looks up at me as her lower stomach rubs against my erection.

She knows exactly what she’s doing – what she’s making me feel – and she’s loving every second of it, the wicked woman. There’s no way she’s unaware of my reaction with the way we’re dancing, but I’m not the only one that’s getting turned on by this. No, her body’s like putty in my hands and even her fingers move at a sultry pace in my hair. Most importantly, her lidded eyes are telling me exactly what she’s thinking about as they drop to my lips.

She comes impossibly closer, her arms tightening around my neck. Then she looks at me expectantly, almost hopefully, and I nearly cave right there. Nearly lower my head a few inches to bring my lips to hers and devour her like I’ve been thinking about ever since I first met her.

But I can’t. I can never take it as far as I want with her. Whether I like it or not, she’s a lasting person in my life and it would be impossible to stop seeing her after we took things where my mind is currently going. And since I could never be in a relationship with her, all crossing that line would do is complicate things.

Mattheo might be okay with sleeping with her and then seeing her with others, but I could never. Once I had her, she’d feel too much like mine, and the possessiveness and jealousy I already feel when it comes to her would be too much to take.

No, there’s no way I’ll go there.

I pull away, take my hands from her hips and take one of hers again, trying not to make things too awkward with a harsh rejection. “Let’s rejoin the others. I’m sure they’re missing the birthday girl by now,” I say and start leading her away before I can take a too-close look at her faltering expression.

The closer we get to the VIP platform, the more her hand in mine starts to feel wrong and I become unsure of what to do. Our friends aren’t aware of our occasionalmomentsand since changing that would only bring up unwanted questions, I refuse to do it.

I release her hand and meet her eyes over my shoulder, my face impassive even though I hate the way it makes her frown. “I don’t dance,” I remind her, knowing she’ll take her hint. Her face loses the last of its glow as she huffs.

We get onto the platform together but while I return to the empty couch, Aliena plops down next to Mattheo. That’s another reason why I wouldn’t fuck her. It’s clear that I’m her second choice and I don’t do second place.

And so, the night resumes with the girl I just danced with and my best friend flirting loudly while the couple on the other couch is making out or talking intimately. Then there’s me, pretending to watch the crowd as I down drink after drink, trying to tune out the idiots on my left.

Yeah, I love fifth wheeling.

Every now and again, someone throws a question around and a group discussion breaks out. That’s when I’m forced to look at Aliena when she speaks, instantly wishing I hadn’t when I note her legs thrown over Mattheo’s while he gently caresses her skin.

That’s about enough for me.

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