Page 26 of Hot in the City
"She's on her way. Getting her mics and stuff out of the van."
A long-suffering sigh from Yuki told Declan exactly what she thought of this guy. "By herself? Shouldn't you help her with that?"
Glenn shrugged, apparently clueless. "Oh, yeah. Probably. I'll be right back." He loped off, heading in the direction of a side exit.
Declan asked a careful question, to gauge Yuki's reaction. "Not your favourite person?"
Yuki turned to him and whispered, "Glenn is Exhibit A in the case of me versus arseholes I used to date."
"Ah." Declan did not want to talk about Glenn The Arsehole Ex. He tried for a change of subject. "So, your friend Blair, is she a singer?"
"Oh yes, and a songwriter. She's so talented, one of those people who just lights up a room, you know?"
He touched Yuki’s face, stroking the soft skin of her cheek. "Aye, I know someone like that." Declan watched the compliment sink in, Yuki's eyes sparkling in the low lighting.
This night, with this girl, it could be one of those times he'd always remember. A little festive magic was in the air. He wanted her, wanted to kiss her again. He hoped she felt the same.
An hour later, the band was on stage, they'd had a couple of drinks and Yuki was having the best time. Declan was by her side as they danced along to the music near the front of the stage. He had surprisingly good moves for an IT guy. She glanced his way and nearly lost her balance, but he grabbed her hips with his big strong hands. She nearly swooned. When he let her go, she missed his touch like her next breath.
Blair was killing it tonight. In her gold mini dress and combat boots, platinum blonde pixie haircut and with a scarlet guitar strapped to her, she was a rock goddess. Her voice was brilliant too. She belted out the Ladyhawke tune, Magic, the words floating over the crowd like a spell. A song about a man who lived over the Atlantic, but maybe if they were together, it could be magic. For a lifetime.
Yuki soaked in the scene. The heat and noise of the crowd faded as Declan took her hand. She reached up, her other hand on the nape of his neck. He leaned down and she kissed him, just a brief touch of lips, but enough to cause a whoosh of a flame to ignite inside her.
The band finished up the song with a string of thank yous, and Blair said, "Happy Christmas Eve, Melbourne." The crowd erupted in woops and yelling. She passed a mic to Glenn, who had been leaning slouchily near the drum kit.
He started strumming his guitar, then said, "This song's for Yuki."
A gasp left her mouth in a rush, and she crossed her arms under her breasts. She recognised the start of the song, Under The Milky Way by The Church, one of her all time favourites. Glenn wouldn't ruin it for her. No way.
"Declan, do you mind if we get some fresh air?" She turned to find him watching her already, his eyes narrowed a little.
"No problem. This way." He ushered her through the crowd to the side of the stage, behind some massive speakers. A side door with a glowing green Exit sign marked the way out.
In less than a minute, they stumbled out of the heat and noise into fresh air, cooler than Yuki had been expecting. They were in a small courtyard dotted with a few cafe tables, strung with fairy lights overhead, stars shimmering far above in the summer sky.
The courtyard was empty and fenced off from a side street. A few smokers stood on the other side of the fence, taking in low voices. The music from inside the pub followed them, a haunting song that always gave her shivers. Goosebumps prickled her bare arms.
Declan took her hand again and pulled her towards him. "Are you okay?"
She nodded, watching for Declan's reaction. "Yeah. But Glenn has some balls dedicating a song to me. Last time I saw him, we had been hanging out at my apartment, and he told me he was going out for beer. Next thing I heard, he was in Sydney recording an album with some other band, living with some other girl. That was months ago."
His face went stony. A muscle in his jaw twitched. "He just up and left?"
"Uh huh. But I don't want to spend any more time talking about him."
Declan's expression shifted to a half smile. "In that case, will you dance with me?"
Her heart stuttered at the lines etched on his forehead, the questioning look he gave her, half expectation, half anxiety.
"Yes". Of course, the answer was yes.
She stepped forward and almost fell against him, his arms wrapped around her, with her head resting against his chest. They swayed together, bodies in sync with the music. Yuki's heart picked up speed when Declan tipped her chin up with his fingertips, staring down at her with unfathomably deep blue eyes.
"Hey, you."
He kissed her, and all thoughts rushed out of her head. She was on her tiptoes, reaching for him, hands around the back of his neck, when he lifted her up and spun them around. He deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue against hers, tasting her. Her head spun with the dizzy sensation, and her little handbag fell to the ground with a thump.
One of his hands held her up, under her butt, the other roamed over her body. She moved against him, feeling his hardness pressed against her, the heat of him searing her skin through her thin dress.
