Free Drawn to you by Ker Dukey Page A

remove my make-up and slip out of my dress; a tap at the door churns my stomach.
    “Are you okay in there, Antonia?” Finlay’s voice penetrates through the divide.
    “Yes,” I choke out.
    “Can I come in?”
    “No, I’m naked. Go away.”
    He opens the door and comes in anyway and I curse myself for not locking the door. Boundaries mean nothing to these people, apparently.
    “Do you need your bag?” he asks, handing it to me. The fire is back in his eyes as he rakes them over my nearly naked frame. I take my bag with a puzzled look on my face.
    “I thought you might need your medication.”
    Throwing my bag to the floor, I push past him into the bedroom and sit down to unbuckle the strap on my heels, kicking them off. I stand to pull a silk camisole over my head and slip the matching French knickers on.
    “Brad’s worried about his new girlfriend. Should I tell him it’s okay to come in and see you?”
    How old is he? He’s acting pathetic.
    “Grow up, Finlay. I told Brad I just want to be friends so stop being a petty dick.” My tone is shaky as I speak the next sentence. “Are you going to be using this bed or can I go to sleep now?”
    He rushes over to me, pinning me against the wall, holding my hands up on either side of my head. “Do you know what it was like for me seeing him all over you? You looked amazing and I didn’t even get to enjoy you. I wanted to break his fucking face, Antonia, and he’s my best friend. How fucking shitty do you think that made me feel?”
    “I’m sorry. I didn’t know how to let him down. I didn’t want to hurt his feelings.”
    “You just fucking tell him! Fuck his feelings.”
    “I have told him.” His face is almost touching mine, his hot breath heating my skin. He drops my arms and cups my face with both his hands, his lips brushing mine, and as much as I want to taste him, I push him away.
    “Your friend is waiting for you, Finlay. You’d better get back to her.”
    “She’s no one.”
    “That’s not what your friends say.”
    I couldn’t look at him. How could he have made me feel so special this morning and make me feel like just another notch on his bedpost now?
    “She’s no one that matters. We used to spend time together sometimes, and she’s with a friend of mine now. She just wanted to talk.”
    “I don’t believe she would come back here just to talk, Finlay.”
    “Well, I needed to get out of the club where Brad was practically fucking you on the dance floor.”
    I ignore him and leave to go to the kitchen for a glass of water.
    He follows me through, and Julie and Brad are still talking when Finlay walks over to Julie and tells her she needs to leave.
    “I know you needed to talk, Julie, but now is a bad time so I’ll ring you a cab and catch you later.”
    She’s totally shocked, her jaw looks unhinged its hanging so low. Brad looks over to me and all I can do is shrug my shoulders, as I don’t know what to do. I feel almost sorry for her . . . almost. No, you don’t.
    She stands and picks up her purse, not looking at anyone. As she leaves, Gabe waltzes in with a few other people I don’t recognize. He picks me up into a bear hug and swings me around. “How’s the stomach, lightweight?” He laughs into my ear. This is friendly for Gabe; he’s always so quiet and reserved.
    “I’m feeling better, thank you, but put me down just in case. I wouldn’t want to ruin your shirt,” I tease.
    He looks down at his shirt with a grin and lowers me to the floor. The guys that came in with him are grinning, looking me up and down and I suddenly feel exposed standing there in my nightwear.
    “Where’s Gaby?” Finlay asks.
    “She met up with some girlfriends, Jessica and Kristy. She said she’s going to stay at Jessica’s tonight.”
    Finlay’s posture relaxes. I decide to leave the boys to be boys, relief washing over me as I lay on Finlay’s bed knowing that Julie won’t be in it tonight.
    Please don’t touch me, please!
    Oh