Page 80 of Imperfections Forbidden
“Yes, you did.”
“Are you having fun?”
“Yeah, you were right.I needed this to get my mind off the drama.”
“I am always right, don’t you forget it.”
We hold hands and dance around the room, our drinks sloshing around in our glasses.Matt comes out of the room, puts his hand around my waist, and tips my glass back up to his lips and takes a drink.I laugh and pull it away from his mouth with mock outrage.“Hey, get your own—this is mine.”
“Why would I get my own when yours tastes so much better?I know for a fact everything on you tastes so much better.”
He wiggles his eyebrows at me, and I feel my cheeks heat up.He pulls me in tight from behind with his hand pressed against my stomach.I should pull away, but why should I?I’m single, free, and unattached.Besides, there’s nothing wrong with a little flirting.
Ava dances away from us over to the bathroom.Matt spins me out of his arms after he takes my drink and finishes it off, throwing the empty glass over his shoulder into the fireplace in one perfect shot.I laugh and throw my head back.He spins me again with a big cheesy grin on his face.I feel like a spinning top, and I’m getting dizzy.I throw my arms around his neck and hold on tight so he doesn’t have a chance to spin me out again.He is a really good-looking guy.Especially when you get this close.
“Isn’t there a hot girl you want to ring the New Year’s in with, with a sizzling New Year’s kiss?”
“Yeah, she’s the hottest girl I know.”
“So what are you doing here?Why are you not with her?”
“I am.She’s right here in my arms where she belongs.”
“That’s very sweet of you to say.You’re making me blush, stop it.”I pull out of his arms and flop down in the couch and turn up the TV.Matt sits next to me, and we watch Ryan Seacrest.Ava comes out of the bathroom and flops down on the couch with us and throws her long legs over Matt’s lap.He looks at me, and we shake our heads in unison.He lowers his voice so only I can hear.
“I wouldn’t mind if you had your legs wrapped around me.”
I hold my finger up to him and bite my lip.“Behave yourself, friend, or I’m going to have your friendship application revoked.”
“I’ll try, but you make it hard.I mean, very hard.Hard as a rock.Stiff, very stiff.”
“Shut up!I’m going to put you out.”
“Ava sits forward and looks at us suspiciously.“What are you whispering about over there?”
We turn to the TV and say at the same time, “Nothing.”She looks at us and smiles.“Hmm hmm.”
Five minutes before the ball drops, Chloe saunters out of the bedroom, and we fill our glasses full of champagne and wait for the countdown to start.I can’t wait for the new year to start—a fresh new start in the new year.Forget about all the drama of the past year, put it all behind me, and try to find a little bit of happiness with myself.I already made my peace with the decision I made.Nick and I can never be together.It’s for the best; he is my greatest and only love, and more than anything in this world, I wish we could be together—but we can’t.Too many things have happened, too many people have been hurt by us being together.Hell, a life was lost.This year was truly the best and worst year of my life.I’ve never cried so much and felt so alone.I can’t wait till it’s over.
“Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, Happy New Year!”
We all shout and scream.We hug and kiss, our glasses clinking against each other.The ball drops, and we are in a new year.Matt spins around and, before I know it, his lips are on mine and we’re locked in a kiss, his tongue in my mouth.I’m momentarily stunned because it caught me off guard but it’s nice.He pulls back and gives me a lighter kiss on the lips.Ava and Chloe look at us and start oohing.We separate and continue our celebration of dancing and drinking the night away with triple chocolate layer cake and my favorite champagne—pink, of course.
Before the sun comes up,long after Ava and Chloe fall asleep passed out on the couch, Matt and I sit on my bed against the headboard and talk.
“So, what did you think about the kiss?”Matt asks.
He takes my hand and holds it in his.
“The kiss was nice.”
“Was that it, just nice?Man, I’m in trouble if that’s all it was.”
“You know what I mean.It was good.”
“It was good, but what?I hear ‘but’ in there somewhere.”
I don’t want to lie to him.We’re friends, but I also know he wants more, and I’m in no position to give more of anything.I have to be honest with him.
