“They never mean to do anything, that's the problem. They just bumble around like jackasses, ruining lives and breaking hearts. I'm sure they spent exactly zero seconds thinking about what showing up here could do,” Katya replied.
“Don't give them the chance, then,” Tori suggested, bopping around to the music, forcing them to turn on the floor so the men couldn't see their faces. “You're in control here, girl. One word, and you can get them kicked out. One word, and it's restraining-order-city. You're the boss, and you don't even know it. If you just take charge a little, you could have both those dudes wrapped around your little finger.”
Katya glanced over her shoulder, which caused her to almost stumble in her tall heels. Her drinking binge was catching up to her. She shook her head and tried to focus.
“My little finger, huh.”
“Yup. You give them too much credit. They're just stupid guys. Fuck 'em. You're not here for their entertainment. They're here for yours.”
It occurred to Katya that her roommate was more than a little drunk. Katya must have been a little drunk, too, though, because the statement kind of made sense to her.
She'd been their play thing. Liam and Wulf's personal sex doll, practically tailor made. It wasn't fair. The way they could pop in and out of her life, screwing with her brain and her heart. Like they owned them. Owned her. No. She was her own master. She wasn't put on this earth for them, and she certainly wasn't at that wedding for them.
Take control. This doesn't need to be about them. It can be about you.
A new song had started, drawing a couple more dancers onto the floor. A raspy woman's voice sang about ex's and oh-oh-oh's. Seemed weirdly appropriate. She and Tori sang along loudly, dancing circles around each other and a couple bridesmaids who'd joined them.
Then Katya realized the guys were still watching her. Wulf with his usual stern look in place, as if he disapproved of her behavior. Liam's face was blank, his eyes following her movements, but not betraying any thoughts or feelings.
It wasn't fair that they got to stand there, both looking disgustingly handsome. Neither looking at all uncomfortable. Here she was, halfway ready to crawl out of her skin every time she glanced in their direction, and there they were, looking as if this was all old hat for them.
Not. Fair.
I want them to feel so uncomfortable, they'll never want to bother me again.
The liquid courage took over the controls in her brain and before she even knew she had a plan, she was dancing towards them. They both looked a little surprised, but stayed still as she moved around them. Liam smiled at her. Wulf kept a blank face, even as she wiggled between them, shimmying to the melody. She wasn't the world's best dancer, she knew, but she had rhythm. She could dance to the beat. And both men had seen what strip-aerobics classes had done for her, so she was confident that she had their attention.
Wulf was still feigning indifference to her, so she turned to Liam. Worked around so her back was to his front. She surprised him by dropping it low, then could hear him suck in air when she slowly lifted her hips, pressing against him the entire way up to standing. She couldn't hold it together, though. Being overtly sexy wasn't in her nature. She snickered, which caused him to laugh, so she grabbed his shirt and dragged him out onto the floor with her.
“Feeling good, angel cake?” he asked, almost shouting to be heard over the music. She nodded.
“Yes, but not good enough for you to call me that,” she replied. He chuckled and tried to wrap his arms around her, but she kept squirming, rolling and weaving around him.
“I didn't realize you liked to dance so much, we could've been hitting up the clubs,” he said. She snorted.
“You own a club, we could've danced there.”
“I'm pretty sure we did, angel cake.”
She went to snap at him, but when she looked up, it was Wulf who caught her eye. Any look of indifference he'd been wearing was gone. Now he looked pissed. Like just seeing Liam and Katya dancing was enough to make him see red.
It was a different sensation, realizing Wulf had never actually seen Katya and Liam together. No, he'd only ever heard stories. And hearing something was never like witnessing it in real life.
Clearly, Wulfric didn't like what he saw. Not one little bit.
Not so fun now, is it? Not when it's real and staring you in the face.
“Liam,” she breathed, getting closer to him.
“Hmmm?” he almost purred.
“I don't want you to read too much into this, but … it's been a long week, and I have been really stressed out.”
“Okay.”
Taking a deep breath, Katya grabbed him by the back of his neck and yanked him down to her height. He let out a surprised yelp, but then went completely silent when her mouth locked together with his.
It felt like it had been a long time since Katya had kissed Liam. Even as she shoved her tongue into his mouth, her brain wandered back over the weeks. On their first official date, he'd kissed her good night. But she'd been so keyed up and nervous, she'd barely registered what had been happening. Their last real kiss had been weeks before that one. So what … almost a month? A month since they'd locked lips?
She moaned as his arms came around her. She'd forgotten what kissing Liam was like – a little wild and out of control. Like a runaway truck on a hill. He took control quickly and easily, one arm wrapping tight around her waist while his free hand wandered over her back and side, fingers digging into skin where they found it.
He tasted like warmth and happiness. Good times and fun memories. But then a blanket of sadness covered everything, reminding her of why she'd stopped kissing him all those weeks ago, and why she shouldn't even be kissing him now. Before the feeling could turn the kiss bitter, she pulled away.
“Holy shit, Katya. I thought you'd never -”
She didn't wait for him to finish. As the the song hit a crescendo before heading into the bridge, she playfully pushed him away and danced her way back to Tori. Her roommate looked shocked, but when Katya shrugged, the other girl just laughed and kept dancing.
“Do you, sweetie!” she cackled.
“What's the other one doing?” Katya asked. Tori glanced over her shoulder, then her eyes got wide.
“Um, probably something you won't like.”
“What do you mean?”
She never got to hear an answer. Wulf was at her side, grabbing her elbow and twisting her into him. She wasn't given an opportunity to accept his silent request to dance – it was more like a demand. An arm went around her waist and one of his hands held hers up, then they were moving together.