Chapter 246

The DJ nods at Leila and seems to put on whatever request she has made as she moves back with a satisfied fake smile on that little face.

The sound of Pink “So What!” starts flowing across the room and I know Leila is trying to convey to Daniel that she doesn’t care one iota about his presence. She’s in full defensive mode and the walls are up. Her song choice is one of attitude and I don’t need you.

So definitively Leila She’s obviously found her spark again and Daniel better bring his backbone.

She turns to saucily saunter away from the DJ booth and I’m drawn to the fact that Daniel is almost upon her, catching her arm mid-stride, she recoils and tries to haul it from him. But he just keeps a strong hold tugging her back with him by the wrist to the booth. His arm stretched out as she tries to go the opposite way, but he keeps a firm hold of her while leaning into the DJ and saying something. He holds out what looks like a hundred-dollar bill then the music is cut instantly. As soon as the softer notes of a new song starts Hunter turns back to the deathly still, glaring, girl in his grip.

Ed Sheeran “Thinking Out Loud”, waves across the room and I can’t help but smile. Hunter is taking my advice, doing this the softly, softly way. I could almost applaud him right now; instead of bringing his wild cat back to heel he’s sweeping her off her feet. He should have done it this way long ago.

The only thing on his face right now is fear, and I watch in fascination. Her little chin lifts and bristles with defensiveness, his body sags and he becomes completely submissive to her, almost in response, reading her.

Daniel is not being his usual dominant, cocky self with his little fury girl. He’s reaching inside showing her a part of him that obviously existed when she was sixteen years old, when he’d made her first time with him memorable. A part of Daniel I’m guessing no one ever really gets to see.

Jake slides in next to me, placing two beers on the table, sliding an arm around me and joins in on watching The Hunter and Leila Show.

“I told him to stop with the games and just talk to her, like a normal person; to stop acting like this was all some “casual see where it goes bullshit” and just be honest with her,” he says huskily.

Games huh? Not so long ago I knew a certain guy who was rather partial to our little games. That guy seems to have calmed down nowadays though.

I smile up at him, warmly, receiving a kiss on the forehead as a reward before my eyes snap straight back to the couple that I really want to sort things out.

Leila tries to tug herself away again, but Hunter won’t let go, despite her resistance her normal fire is absent, and she turns her body instead, so she can look away from him. He only steps closer so he spoons her, his hand instantly moving to her hair, gently brushing it away as he leans in saying something in her ear. His whole manner is soft and agonizingly sincere, and I can’t help feeling like we’re getting a glimpse into something deep and meaningful. The music flowing over the entire bar only adds to the heart tugging scene before me, the song, somehow, crazily Daniel.

Whatever he’s saying is having some sort of effect as Leila’s lip starts to wobble, and she bites on it to stop herself from crying. The music obviously giving a helping hand as her defenses start to crumble, lifting that chin again, tensing her body to try to resist. He lets go of her arm and runs a trail of fingers from her wrist to her shoulder, still bent in low, talking directly into her ear. She physically trembles and I smile, knowing exactly how Jake can make me feel by doing that, knowing Leila has zero chance with Hunter if she does love him. Brief tender touches have a way of going straight into your soul.

Daniel stands up straight, walking around her so they’re face-to-face. He tilts her chin up on gentle fingertips, softly. Leila stiffens and presses her lips together hard. She’s trying to stop herself from crying, stop herself from submitting, but Daniel is obviously doing an amazing job with whatever words are flying from his mouth. He has an expression of sheer adoration on his face as he moves in, slowly lowering himself to her height. He looks nothing like the boy I met so long ago, smug, and cocky, checking me out. Instead, there’s the softness of a heart on show, desperation to win back the woman who makes him whole. It pulls a little tug of emotion from my chest.

It’s obvious to the entire room that Daniel Hunter is well and truly deeply in love with Leila.

He delicately cups her jaw with one hand, brushing back stray hairs from her face with the other, he’s still saying something to her. In fact, the whole time they’ve been standing there, while she’s been in defiant silence, he hasn’t stopped talking to her. Her body is slowly loosening its stiff resolve.

A tear rolls down her cheek and he wipes it away with his thumb gently, kissing her where it was. There’s a body flicker a little at the contact. He leans in lower, bringing his mouth achingly close. Sarah and I are locked on, with bated breath watching and waiting. Captivated by every beautiful moment unfurling across the room, mentally pleading with Leila to let him in.

Jake’s drinking his beer, casually stroking my shoulder, not as fascinated by this emotional scene as we women are. I nudge his thigh and point, urging him to look and take some interest in what’s happening here.

Daniel and Leila are really connecting.

I glare at him as he smirks and shakes his head at me. He’s obviously a typical man after all, having no clue or care right now and looking moderately bored. Watching him means I’m missing them, so I flip my gaze back to the pair feeling Jake’s hand run across my head, petting me, because once again I’m so devastatingly adorable to him. I sigh, eye rolling at his typical guyness, and wait with bated breath.

Daniel is so close to her that their mouths are almost touching, he’s still talking, still moving painfully closer. Edging in, softly, keeping her eyes locked on his.

I wonder what the hell he’s been saying all this time?

He’s cradling her face and slowly the tension in her body seems to be sapping away. He’s breaking down the Leila defense system and the walls are slowly lowering. Finally, agonizingly, he bridges the gap and kisses her, painfully slowly, eyes fully locked. Their gaze, one of the gentlest and tender I have ever witnessed in my life and it tugs right into my stomach causing a huge pit of female emotion.

Sarah and I both clasp hands and gasp “Aww …” at that same moment I catch Jake eye rolling, dramatically, which earns him a smack on his thigh.

Unfeeling bastard.

As soon as Leila relaxes into Daniel’s kiss, their eyes close and he slides his arms around her waist and lifts her up to his height. Her arms slide around his neck and presses into him, so they mold together perfectly. All cute little compact curves against tall hard and athletic muscle, they make a gorgeous blonde couple.

Leila’s heels pick up, she bends her knees so any passing victim could be impaled on those shoes, but neither of them seem to care. They are oblivious to everything around them as they move into a deep passionate kiss with a lot of tongue, getting as close to one another as is humanly possible.

I know how that feels.

I shy away with an uncomfortable frown as their passion turns up a gear.

Okay, so cute when it’s romantic. But now it’s just a little pervy to be watching them hit full-blown erotica.

Jake leans into me and kisses me on the cheek. I guess that’s his little ‘Oh I’m happy for my mates’ gesture, and now he can get back to convincing me that I really want to go home. He seems to be completely unaffected by this scene and I wonder what the hell he’s done with my normally so loving Adonis. I guess that side of him only comes into play when it’s about us.

* * *

We’ve been here hours and it appears everyone, except me, is moderately drunk. Leila is wrapped around Hunter, on his lap, and the pair of them haven’t stopped ogling and kissing one another since they sat down. We gave up trying to keep them in conversation ages ago. They only have eyes for each other tonight. The crazy aggressive nature of their relationship is completely missing, all gentle looks and caresses, and they seem so ridiculously in love. I guess there will be no bloody noses and bruised jaws when they finally get to a bed.

Jake has pulled me against him in a very possessive manner, arm looped casually around my neck, hand hanging loose in front of me. He’s been this way since he got here, constantly close.

A few more of Jake’s friends have joined us at the table, familiar faces from Arrick’s birthday. Sarah’s lost in conversation with two brunettes who keep ogling over Jake and Hunter, despite the men being very obviously attached to Leila and me.

They’re lucky I’m too tired to care. Jake has spent the entire time looking at some guy to his right and Daniel is too wrapped up in Leila to even notice. Luckily, or both those bitches would have very sore faces.

I yawn, snuggling against Jake, bored with drunken chat, aching to go to sleep. Jake is merry and not as sober as he seems which, I’m guessing, is why he’s relaxed enough to let us stay. Jake wasn’t interested in staying after his bro’ and Leila hooked up. I wanted to stay, and with some perfectly placed doe eyes and pouty lips aimed his way I started to realize just how much I can wrap him around my little finger. Outright defiance bristles his domineering side, but sweet soft looks seem to melt all his resistance.

So much for marching me home before ten!

I won this little battle, not that there won’t be

many more in our future, knowing him. I think Jake is enjoying kicking back again, drinking and being in a club is something he’s avoided since the night with that bitch. I sigh up at him, adoringly, no tug of pain from thinking about her at all.

Am I finally ready to just accept what happened? All of it? Baby included?

Jake spots me yawning for the second time and slides his beer on the table, an instant change of expression as full on care giver mode moves in.