The One That Got Away
Patrick’s POV
I didn’t want to go to the club, but Isla insisted that she and Molly needed me to protect them from creeps. Secretly I think that she just didn’t want me sitting at home alone moping and thought that I would finally give into her advances. It had been two years since my wife died. I still found myself sad and lonely most days. I had several flings over the years but refused to commit to anyone. I just wasn’t ready for that. Colleen meant too much to just push past the memories and losing our unborn son in her accident nearly killed me. My broken heart just couldn’t handle going through that again.
“It’s packed!” Yelled Molly.
Isla looped her arm through mine and Molly’s dragging us to the VIP area. No We found our usual spot reserved for us. We sat down.
Then Isla drug Molly and I down to the dance floor. Where I lasted for about thirty minutes before needing a drink. I was getting too old for this. Isla was only 22 and thought that the club was the place to go. Being 25, I had started moving away from clubs and bars. As it was Isla, I could rarely say no. Ever since we were kids, we were inseparable and she never liked to do anything without me. It always made me shake my head.
I looked back to see Isla and Molly had followed along with their friends Nate, Tom, and Jenny. I’m not sure when they joined the party, but I was glad that Isla had more distractions so that she would leave me alone. Maybe I could even leave early if more showed up. As much as I don’t like Damien, he always distracted Isla the best. I just had to bide my time for his arrival and my departure.
The waiter arrived to get our orders. I got my normal gin martini. Isla rolled her eyes.
The group chatted and caught up while I watched the dance floor. I spotted her immediately. Her long wavy sun kissed brunette hair flying around her as she moved with the music. I couldn’t take my eyes off her.
“Did you find us a playmate?” Isla whispered in my ear. For years she had been trying to get me to play with her. Even before I met Colleen. I thought of her like a sister and never let it go beyond some make out sessions. Our friend Ian even tried to coax me, but I just never jumped in though she is hard to resist, and I’ve been tempted more times than I can count.
I nodded in the direction of the brunette. “The one with the nice ass and rack? She looks like lots of fun.” Isla purred.
I smiled at her. “Yes, but I wouldn’t share.”
She pouted at me. “One of these days I’m going to get you to do more than make out with me. I promise it will be more than worth your time.” She stroked my chest, making me smile before removing her hand. “Always playing hard to get. I had Colleen convinced before the pregnancy. That would have been fun.”
My mouth dropped at her mention of Colleen. She’s always so careful, but it had slipped. I knew that she was right. Colleen had been starting to pester me right before the baby test. Even after we found out we were pregnant.
“I’m sorry. That slipped. I was just teasing.” Isla quickly apologized, watching me carefully.
“It’s okay. She loved you too and was even trying to convince me after she found out that she was pregnant. I was on the verge of caving. I just didn’t want to share my wife in that way with you.” I smiled at her sadly.
Isla quickly hugged me. “We should go meet her,” she said as she pulled me towards the bar area. The dance floor was getting crowded, so we hung back and watched. The woman on the dance floor was so charismatic and amazing to watch. Men and women alike seemed drawn to her and the energy that she exuded.
I noticed several stares as she walked to the bar with her friends. I also noticed that she didn’t care. It made me chuckle as I watched with curiosity. As much as I tried not to stare, I just felt the pull to look. During one of these glances, she caught me staring. I smiled and nodded. She nervously smiled back before rejoining her group.
I noticed the good-looking guy that walked in and straight towards her kissing her temple and draping his arm around her. I suddenly felt jealous and had an unexplainable urge to punch him.
“What’s wrong?” Isla asked. I nodded towards the group. She smiled. “Don’t be jealous. He can play too.”
I shook my head at her but continued to watch the group. When the brunette headed to the bathroom, I placed us close enough to possibly bump into her.
Isla must have known because she shoved me, and I turned around to yell at her when someone walked right into me. I looked down to see the brunette against my chest. Her touch caused heat wherever she touched.
“I am so sorry. I wasn’t paying any attention to where I was going.” She spoke quickly and nervously. But I was not really listening and couldn’t help myself getting sucked into her eyes. All that I could think was how I wanted to take her into the bathroom and fuck her. I was getting hard from being so close to her.
I was mesmerized by her stunning gray eyes. It was like watching the sea on a stormy day so full of wonder and expression. I stared for a few moments before collecting my thoughts saying, “Lucky for you I’m the one that you ran into. If you would have run into my friend, she would have her drink all over her and she would have been ticked off.” I said this while pointing at Isla standing next to me. Isla stared at her with her piercing green eyes and an infectious smile. I could tell that Isla was checking the brunette out and playing many scenarios over in her head with a smile on her face.
At that moment the guy who had kissed the brunette earlier walked up and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Is everything okay?” He was about my height and build, but bulkier. I didn’t want to throw punches and scare her off, but I could hold my own if I needed to. I didn’t like him touching her so intimately. What is wrong with me? Why do I feel so possessive over a stranger?
“Yeah, just me being clumsy as usual.” She said to him, moving her gaze from Isla and me. Not before noticing Isla’s stares. I could tell that she was slightly aroused by it, which made me curious. Then again, Isla has that effect on people.
I glanced back at the guy who was still intensely staring at me, obviously worried about the girl. She nervously tucked her hair behind her ear and licked her lips before apologizing one last time. “Again, I’m sorry. We will let you get back to your evening.”
I smiled and said, “No harm.” I wanted to scream, “don’t go. My own nerves were holding me back. Where did my normal confidence go? Pull it together!
The guy gently guided her away. She turned around one last time before joining the group and found me still staring, but with a grin on my face as Isla whispered in my ear. “Can I play with this one too? And her friend?” Isla asked.
I couldn’t help but smile and nod at her. “I think that might just happen, though maybe not the friend.”
I watched throughout the night, catching her looking for me. I smiled every time that we made eye contact. When Damian and Nicki showed up with Drake and Aly, I lost sight of her. I had planned to wait until the end of the night to try to get her number and ask her out. Sadly, she was gone.