It was not as impressive an achievement when your father greased the pockets of most of the partners. Acquiring myfather's company as a client probably accelerated it. "Thank you for coming. It's great not having only family and suck ups around."
She smirked. “Carey Hawthorne doesn't think I am a suck up? Talk about character development. You called me one of the worst, I recall.”
I cringed with embarrassment. I hadn't just called her that. Growing up, I gave her many terrible names. Some of which I would rather forget. "Can you forgive the foolish and naïve younger me? Now that I have encountered actual suck ups, I have to admit you were never one."
Thalia cocked her eyebrows and looked like she was about to say something, but then shook her head. She picked up her purse that was lying on the bar and turned as though to leave. Surprised by this change in mood, I grabbed her arm to stop her. When she turned to face me, her playful demeanor was gone.
"Going already?"
She cast her gaze down. In shame? Embarrassment? Revulsion? I couldn't tell. "I can't do this." Was she saying it to me or to herself?
"You can't leave now. You're the only refreshing thing at this dull party."
She looked up. Her eyes were glassy. With tears? Something wasn't making sense, but I didn't care enough to find out. All I knew was she had to stay. Stay in my company for that much longer. Quickly I turn to her forgotten drink. The glass is empty. I haven't had one myself.
"Want a refill?" She made a gesture that looked like a nod. I took it as one and quickly ordered one for her and a whisky for me. I handed her the drink and swallowed a sigh of relief when she took it. The room was full of people who would be eager to take me away from her any moment soon if we hung around. Itook hold of her hand and gestured to the terrace. "Want some fresh air?"
She looked unsure, but she nodded. "Why not?"
I weaved through the room with her hand in mine while avoiding making eye contact with anyone who might want to talk to me. Tyler smirked as we passed him, but I ignored him. The terrace was empty, as I hoped it would be. The cool summer air was an upgrade to the oppressive body heat of the party. Thalia strolled to the ledge and turned to face me. With the backdrop of the city behind her, she looked like a temptress villain from a comic book. Catwoman. And yet, there was an innocence about her that the sexy dress she wore could not mask. It was a heady combination. My groin tightened further as I thought of all the ways I was going to fuck her tonight. It might be the beginning, but something told me we were going to end up in each other's arms. Call it fate, call it desire. All I knew was I had to have her.
"You're very beautiful."
She scoffed. "You don't have to lie to me Carey, I know you don't see me like that."
"If you're talking about what I said to you when we were teenagers, you have to remember we were kids."
"So you never thought I was a bog witch?"
"That insult, which I apologize for, was because you dressed like one. You no longer do, by the way."
Her response was curt. "Thanks."
"I'm going about it the wrong way. I shouldn't have called you a bog witch because you never were one. It's just that… I was dick back in the day."
She takes a sip of her drink and glances at the city behind her. "You were. Are you saying you have changed?"
I close the space between us. "Some people say I haven't, but I wouldn't believe them if I were you."
"And why do I have a feeling they are telling the truth?"
"That's because I am dick to people I hate nowadays. Not to everyone else."
"And you didn't hate me then? I would have sworn that you did."
Did I hate her? The Thalia I used to know was certainly different to the goddess that stands before me now. She was quiet, jumpy and sometimes a little too easy to intimidate. Because of how close we were in age and because her father was the family chauffeur, Thalia and I went to school together. Her father would drop me off at the prep school and then drop her at public school further down the block. Thalia and I spent a lot of time together as a result, and my behavior towards her then could not be called kind. But hate? “I didn’t hate you.”
She tilted her head to the side. “You literally said it to my face. Remember when I told you it was my ninth birthday, and you told me I shouldn’t have one next year?”
“Fuck. Are you saying I blew my chance to be with you when I was ten?" I made a tentative step forward. "I was a spoiled little brat, how can I make it up to you?”
Her eyes narrowed. “Are you flirting with me?”
“What did you think I was doing?”
She shifted her weight on her feet. Her demeanor changed again from casual to guarded, then as though catching herself back to casual again. Something about it should have raised some alarm bell, but I was too horny to notice. Now that we were alone, the desire I felt for her only ratcheted up. I was drawn to her and without realizing it; I was moving closer and closer to her until there was little distance between us. At some point, she must have noticed that we were no longer standing a few feet apart. “Carey,” she whispered.
I couldn’t help it. My mouth went to hers and captured her lips with mine. They were as soft as I imagined. Plump and sweet. I wanted more. After coaxing her mouth with my tongue,we both groaned when she finally relented and let me in. I pulled her into my arms and heard my drink sloshing out of its glass. Or was it her drink?
