Once we arrive at Pete’s, we both realize the party must have started hours ago. I sigh. At least they don’t let him get so drunk all alone. A few of the blokes he’s introduced me to from University are here, and a few girls who leave very little to the imagination, are by their sides. A blond with her tidbits falling out of her blouse is sitting on Pete’s lap. Sophie looks at them and then back at me, like she wants to say something, but isn’t quite sure what it is.
“Let him be. He needs someone shagable right now,” I respond, reading her mind.
Sophie stops dead in her tracks, turns, looking as stunned as ever. “What? You can’t be serious? He wouldn’t just sleep with someone.” Her hands fall to her hips as her toes tap the floor, like she’s appalled at the fact that Pete needs to get laid to move on from Claire.
Moving closer, I pull her closer to the table. “It is what it is, Sophie. Come on.”
A few of Pete’s lads instantly check out Sophie even though I’m standing here holding her hand. I pull her in front of me, wrapping my arms around her possessively. Sometimes I feel like I need to make sure every lad knows she’s mine. Some people may see it as possessive, but I see it as protective.
“Peter,” Sophie taps him on his shoulder, yelling out, trying to get him to hear her over the music. “Um, how are you doing?”
Pete’s eyes are glassy when he looks up at her. “Sophie, love, come sit next to me.” He reaches over, yanking her from my grip. She stands next to him looking uncomfortable, nervously biting down on her lip, as he wraps his arm around her waist. “Lads have you met Sophie? She’s my dear, dear friend from the States.”
I don’t take my eyes off of Pete or his hand, until finally his eyes meet mine for a nano second.
“I’m wankered, Ethan.” He says out loud, but almost looks like he’s trying to whisper, like it’s some sort of secret.
Meanwhile, Sophie takes advantage of losing Pete’s interest and steps back into my arms.
“I can see that, mate.” I claim her possessively again, while resting my chin on her shoulder. “Who’s the Sheila on your lap?” I feel instantly guilty trying to tear his attention away from Sophie, but wait for his answer.
“This is...this is...” He looks at her, shaking his head. Pete is literally trying to remember the name of the girl, I can see it in his expression. Confirming it a second later, “What’s your name again, love?” Sophie, and I both roll our eyes. The girl leans into his ear giggling, then whispers something. “Ah, yes, this is Summer. Summer is also from the States and she’s never been with an Englishman, lads. I shall do us proud.” He boasts, as he chugs the rest of his drink, slams the pint down on the table, then yanks her into his room. I’m surprised he can even stand, let alone get it up right now. Sophie tugs on my arm. “You need to go stop him.”
Sophie has this perplexed look on her face. “What? You think I want to go in there and stop him? Whatever for, Sophie? He needs to get over Claire,” I remind her again.
“You sound like a real ass right now you know that. Sex isn’t going to make him get over Claire.”
My hands cup her face so I can stare into those green eyes. “It will for tonight. Let him be.” I lean down for a kiss, but she turns so I only get a cheek. Great! I can tell I pissed Sophie off by not stopping Pete from shagging the American girl, but I just want to see him happy, even if it’s for just one night.
Everyone mills about, still drinking until finally Pete emerges from his room, with blondie in tow. He kisses her one last time before she grabs a bag off the chair, then scrambles out the door, unable to look at any of us.
“I’m a sad sack. I couldn’t do it. Jesus, I hate Claire for doing this to me.” He turns, stumbles, and slams the door to his room, while Sophie seems to have relaxed now that Summer left. Why does she even care about who Pete dates, shags, marries? I know she loves him, but how much does she love him, and how so? Am I not enough for her? Every aching thought about losing her creeps into my head. My hand reaches down, grabbing the vodka bottle, my eyes meet hers before I take a long hard swig of what hopefully will make me forget her reaction to Pete not sleeping with the States lass. It helps, but only momentarily.
Sophie comes around the table, kneeling in front of me. “I’m going to go talk to Peter, okay?”
We stare into each others eyes. Hers are sad, mine are just trying to get a read on her. “Right! Go ahead.”
It has been over an hour, and mostly everyone has left, except one last person. She and I have been sharing the bottle of vodka for the same amount of time that Sophie has been in talking with Pete. She’s pretty, but not Sophie pretty. Her hair is sort of brown with some blonde running through, short, not long like Sophie’s, and her eyes are like a cat’s color, a goldish amber. I remind myself that I love Sophie, and no one else, as this girl’s toes run up and down my leg under the table. I shift trying to let her know that I’m not looking for anything. She moves to the seat next to me, and when she sits, her hand starts to travel dangerously up my thigh.
I cough. “Emily is it? Let me call you a taxi?” She doesn’t get the hint. Her hand remains longer than I expect or want it to, and I’m just about to move it, when I look up, and notice Sophie is standing directly to the left side of me, watching everything unfold.
“You heard him. Go get a taxi. He’s with me,” Sophie yells.
I’m taken aback. I never in a million years guessed that Sophie has a mean, jealous streak, but here it is. Front and center. “Sorry, thought you were with the other guy, that’s all,” Emily apologizes just before she stumbles down the steps.
My eyes fall back to Sophie. “Sorry, Soph. She just had too much to drink.”
“It looks like you have too. Don’t bother following me.” She stalks off to the extra bedroom...my bedroom, alone, huffing the entire way. I follow even though she told me not to. She’s on the bed lying flat on her stomach, and I can hear the tears as she sobs into my pillow.
I sigh, not sure what to say to her except that I am sorry. Jealousy is an evil, evil bastard. And, sometimes I have it bad when it comes to Pete and Sophie’s relationship. Kicking off my shoes, I creep into the bed, pulling her close to me. My mouth lingers by her ear, whispering over and over again, “I’m sorry. I love you.”
She finally turns over to face me. The only light in the room is coming from the street lights outside the flat. But, it’s enough light to see her face, her eyes, her pouty mouth as she moves closer to me. “Why did you let her do that?” She asks.
Now it’s my turn to huff, so I do. “The truth?”
She rolls those adorable eyes, and I know what she’s going to say. “Do you often lie?” She asks, before smiling.
“No, I don’t.” My lips peck hers quickly, but I pull away fast. “It’s just sometimes I wonder about how you feel about Pete. I just got jealous. You were talking so long, and I missed you. It won’t happen again. I’m sorry.”
She giggles. “I promise that you have nothing to worry about with Peter. We’re friends, really great friends. That’s the end of it. And, I love you, too.” She gives me sweet little kisses with each word.
We stare into each other’s eyes for what feels like forever, then I’m tasting the sweetness of Sophie’s lips on mine. Although, tonight there is nothing sweet about Sophie. It’s like a shark frenzy, I can’t tell if it’s all the damn vodka, or if Sophie is as excited to kiss me as I am her. Like gangbusters we go at each other like crazy, until she no longer has tears that fall into the crease of my mouth. I taste every mouth watering salt flavored kiss she’s been willing to give me.My hand pulls at the band, finally releasing her hair so it flows all around her shoulders. She’s panting, but her eyes look sad still.
“It was nothing. I promise. I would never cheat on you. You know that right?”
She nods. “I was upset you went after Pete. It won’t happen again.” Her teeth tug on my earlobe before she whispers, “Good, because I don’t want to ever lose you.” I can live with that.