Chase squeezed his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose. He would have felt better about himself if he’d had fantasies of fucking her in the coat closet and never calling her again.
“Ladies and gentleman,” the DJ said over the microphone, and Chase opened his eyes and turned his head in his direction. “At this time, we’d like to ask Justin and Stella and their bridal party to step out onto the terrace for a few photos.”
Chase turned his attention back to the other side of the room where Colin was now approaching Andie. He kissed her on the cheek as he passed, making his way toward the terrace doors, and the bridesmaid that Andie had been talking to handed off her drink as she followed Colin outside. Andie turned then, taking a delicate sip of her wine as her eyes scanned the dance floor, and as much as he hated to admit it, he was briefly overcome with the hope that she was looking for him.
She took a few steps over to her table, placing her friend’s drink on it before she sat down, trailing the tip of her finger along the rim of her own wine glass as she watched the people moving on the dance floor. She crossed her legs then, and the slit in her dress parted to reveal the length of one leg, from toe to mid-thigh.
Chase closed his eyes before turning toward the bartender. “Can I get a shot of Johnnie Walker?”
“You got it, pal,” he said with a wary look, bending to reach below the bar, and Chase turned his eyes back to the other side of the room as he finished his drink. That fucking dress. He could barely stand it before he realized it had a slit as long as her leg up the side. He didn’t know anything about dresses, or fashion at all for that matter, but this dress was deep green and looked like it was made of some type of silk. Every goddamn curve of her body looked softer and fuller in this thing. And when she had turned to leave the ceremony earlier that night, he nearly choked on his gum when he saw that her entire back was exposed.
She looked up then, making eye contact with him, and he froze. A small smile curved her lips as she held up her hand to say hello, and he smiled back at her just as the bartender said, “Here you go.”
Chase turned, placing his empty glass on the bar and reaching for the shot, stopping before he took it. He didn’t know if it was the three consecutive Seven and Sevens, or the smile she just gave him, but at that moment, he made a decision.
“Actually, can I get a Lemon Drop too?”
The bartender quirked his brow at him. “You gonna be okay, buddy?”
Chase smiled. “I won’t puke on your bar, if that’s what you’re asking.”
The bartender shook his head with a tiny laugh, reaching below for the bottle. He poured the shot, giving Chase the sugar-coated lemon chaser.
“Hang in there,” he said, and Chase could tell by the look in his eyes that he wasn’t referencing Chase holding his liquor.
He grabbed the two shots and crossed the dance floor, careful not to spill any as he maneuvered his way through the dancing bodies. Just as he emerged from the crowd, she lifted her eyes, smiling at him again.
“Hi,” she said as he approached her table, the awkwardness between them seemingly gone, and he hoped it wasn’t just his hazy alcohol-induced perception.
“Hi,” he said, pulling up a seat next to her. “Having fun?”
She nodded. “I think I’ve met more people in the past few hours than I have in the past few years. But big weddings are always fun. I’m surprised to see you milling around, though. I figured you’d be glued to your camera.”
“Nah, I’m off tonight. Here, I brought you something.”
She glanced down, catching sight of the shot glass he placed in front of her, and she shook her head. “I don’t think so,” she said, looking back up at him and scrunching her nose adorably. “I’m not really a liquor kind of girl.”
Being this close to her again, Chase felt suddenly bold. “Well two days ago, you weren’t the kind of girl who let anyone else drive her car.” Andie smirked as he continued. “And yesterday, you weren’t the kind of girl to pull off the road and jump fully clothed into a lake.”
“I didn’t really have a choice about that one,” she said through laughter, and Chase grinned.
“Breaking out of your shell,” he said as he slid the shot closer to her. He raised his eyes to hers, his voice playful. “I say we make it the theme for the weekend.”
Andie glanced down at the shot, nibbling on the corner of her lip. He could tell she was thinking about it, so he added, “It’s a pretty tame shot. Girly, even.”
She laughed, taking a deep breath before she picked up the small glass, holding it up to him. “To breaking out of your shell.”
Chase smiled, holding his shot up and clinking it to hers. “Cheers.”
He tilted his head back slightly as he took his shot, keeping his eyes on her as she tossed her head back and drained the glass. She immediately whipped her head back up, her eyes wide as she placed the empty glass back on the table and brought her other hand to her mouth. Chase laughed as she squeezed her eyes shut before she finally swallowed.
“Oh my God,” she said, her voice muffled before she dropped her hand from her lips. “Was that straight vodka?”
“Well, lemon flavored, but yeah.”
“How exactly is that girly?” she asked, still horrified.
“Because now you get this,” he said, handing her the lemon wedge covered in sugar.
She grabbed it like it was a lifeline, taking it between her lips as her cheeks hollowed out with the force of her sucking, and Chase couldn’t help but laugh again.
“Lesson learned,” she said, tossing the expended lemon rind on the table. “That’s the last time I trust you.”
“Aw, come on,” he said, taking her empty shot glass and stacking it on top of his. “It wasn’t that bad. You can admit it.”
She licked her lips, removing the last remaining granules of sugar. “Fine. The sugared lemon part wasn’t that bad. I could have done without the vodka before.”
Chase watched the shiver ripple through her shoulders as she added, “Even though I kind of like the warm feeling I have right now.”
He grinned at her as the music changed around them, the opening notes to some ballad filling the room.
The words fell from Chase’s lips with surprising ease. “Will you dance with me?”
Her eyebrows lifted in surprise before she dropped her gaze, clearing her throat awkwardly. After what seemed like forever, he heard her soft voice. “Um…yeah, okay.”
Chase stood immediately, wanting to do whatever he could to remove the awkwardness that was starting to reappear between them. “After you,” he said, sweeping his hand in front of them, and Andie smiled up at him tentatively as she stood and made her way to the dance floor.
Just as she reached the edge, Chase grabbed her hand and put his other on her hip, giving her a tiny push and spinning her away from him. She laughed loudly as her twirling came to a stop, her arm extended toward his and their hands still clasped. She cupped her hand to her mouth to muffle her laughter.
“See?” she said, dropping her hand from her mouth and fanning herself. “It’s already hitting me.”
“Lightweight,” he said with a smile, using his grip on her hand to pull her back to him. As soon as their bodies made contact, they both froze, and Chase felt Andie go rigid against him. He didn’t move, loosening his grip on her hand and giving her the freedom to pull away if she wanted to.