He pours Cass and I another champagne, and she’s looking at him as quizzically as I am. He seems so easy and casual as he looks across the table at his fiancée, sitting up close alongside me.
“You need some intimacy with someone. It’s been way too long.”
I take a sip from my glass and shrug sarcastically.
“Great, yes, thanks for the insight.”
His smirk is his usual cocky style. “Yeah, well, maybe you will be thanking me when you hear my idea out. If you choose to act on it, that is.”
He looks at Cass, not me.
“You like Ger, baby, don’t you?”
She looks a bit dumbfounded, so he tips his head.
“Cut the crap, Cass. You haven’t been able to take your eyes off him all night, just like he hasn’t been able to keep his eyes off you.”
Cass’s intake of breath sets my heart pounding.
“Wait–” I begin, trying to cut the atmosphere and take the pressure off her, but Ant shrugs like it’s nothing.
“There’s no point dancing around it anymore. Hungry Eyes is an apt title for you two, so here’s your chance to act on it. Your opportunity up for grabs. A chance to join in with the party celebrations.” He’s looking at Cass. “That would be alright, wouldn’t it, baby? You’d enjoy that kind of celebration with your bestest bestie, wouldn’t you?”
I don’t know what he’s talking about, but Cass tenses up at my side, and I see it in her eyes. And in that moment I realise what he’s suggesting. He can’t be fucking serious.
I laugh a ridiculous chuckle. “I’m not ever going to be in the mattress room with your fiancée, Ant, don’t worry about that.”
He doesn’t laugh along with me. “I wasn’t thinking of the mattress room. Your bedroom would work just fine.”
The shock on my face must be incredible.
“What the hell?”
He shrugs. “I’m giving you an opportunity here. Take it, if you want it. Both of you.”
His eyes are on Cass’s again as she flushes. I’m waiting for her to protest and laugh it off along with me, but she doesn’t.
My heart stops.
“See,” Ant says, and he smirks again. “You want each other, so do it. Enjoy the celebration.”
He can’t actually be serious. I stare over at him, confused at the absurdity of his suggestion, because there’s no way… I can’t do that. We can’t do that.
No matter how much I want to.
Fuck, I want to. The very idea sends a wave of tingles through my chest.
I’m waiting for her to protest. Waiting for her to laugh and brush it off with a don’t be silly, but she doesn’t. She looks right back at me.
It’s there on her face. In her eyes. A flash of nerves along with something else, and my stomach flips all over again.
He’s right.
She wants me.
Holy fuck to God, Cass wants me.
But I can’t. We can’t.
I look at Ant again, and he’s so calm, so composed. He sips at his mineral water and sits back in his chair, like he’s offering up a simple business contract, not giving me the chance to have sex with his fiancée.
“So, what do you think is going to happen?” I challenge him. “We say yeah, let’s go and head upstairs to my room? And then what? We head back down to you and have another congratulatory cheers?”
“Not at all,” he replies. “I’ll be up there with you, cheering you along from the sidelines. Maybe I’ll even give you some advice since your dick must have dust on it by now.”
He laughs. I don’t.
“I know how to use my dick, Ant.”
His smirk is so strong. “Yeah, and tell me you haven’t been using it while thinking about Cass these past few weeks.”
I must burn up, because he grins like a winner.
“Thought so.”
“It’s not like that,” I counter, but he’s on a roll.
“It is like that. You want her. She wants you. Hardly a shocker, is it? Jesus Christ, both of you. It’s on a platter. Take it.” He looks at Cass. “Go on, princess. Kiss him. Be the ice breaker and give him what he needs.”
I hold my hands up. “Wait. Stop. You don’t have to do this.”
“No, she doesn’t have to do anything,” Ant says. “She wants to.”
She doesn’t deny it. Doesn’t say a word, just looks at me, and I can’t stand it. I can’t take it.
I reach for my cigarettes, and I’m going this time. I’m really going. I finish up the rest of my drink and grab my lighter, and I’m set to get up from the table but Ant speaks again.
“Do it, Cass,” he says to her. “Last fucking chance. Kiss him, or watch him leave. Your call, but make it now.”
I have my cigarettes in my hand, keeping hold of some form of rationale through the absurdity as I prepare to say goodnight, but then I look at her.