Blackbird Page 15

  ***

  Claire fidgeted with her fingernails, looking at the club door. “They’ll come won’t they?”

  “Of course they’ll come. Why are you so worried?” Layla said, sipping on her cocktail.

  Claire had spoken to Nate earlier, letting him know where and when to meet them. They’d both decided on a local club and told their friends to join them. She’d gotten ready with her friends, Layla, Katie and Steph.

  Suddenly, standing there amongst the crowd anxiously waiting for Nate and his friends to arrive had made Claire nervous. It almost felt like meeting the parents for the first time except her parents were her friends. She wanted her friends to like Nate, to give their approval. Friendship approval, of course. Then again, when did anyone need a friendship approval? And Layla, her best friend, had already met Nate and she knew how she felt about him- “Fuck yeah, he is so hot,” had been her response when Claire asked her if they wanted to all go out together.

  Still, Claire was nervous.

  “What if he doesn’t turn up?”

  Layla grabbed her arms and pulled her so she was looking her in the eyes, no longer looking at the entrance to the club, anticipating their arrival. “What is wrong with you? You hang out with him all the time, you even saw him today. Of course he is going to come.”

  “You’re right,” Claire said picking up her drink and sculling it. She drank the whole glass and hit it on the table, like you would a shot glass. “I need another drink.”

  “O-M-G. You like him, don’t you!”

  Claire shot a look at Katie and Steph who were deep in their own conversation, then looked back at Layla. “Layla!”

  “You do, don’t you?”

  Claire shook her head. “I honestly don’t know.” She paused. “But what if I did? What about Dave? I mean we’re talking about Nate here. Bad boy Nate who is currently on a driving suspension, who is covered in tattoos, ladies’ man who’s never even had a relationship before. He has no idea what he wants to do in life-”

  “Then there’s Dave who’s career driven, got his life sorted out and probably has a ten year plan,” Layla interrupted finishing her train of thought.

  “Exactly!”

  “What are you guys talking about?” Katie asked, moving her body so she was more into the conversation.

  “Claire was just saying-”

  Claire quickly finished Layla’s sentence, “How the boys should be here soon.”

  The only reason why she was talking to Layla about it was because she was her best friend. Katie and Steph wouldn’t understand. They were great friends, but they were still very much in the ‘drink, get drunk, one night stand’ stage. Ever since Claire had met Dave and Nate, her life had changed. It had become more complicated. Nothing was an easy solution anymore, not when hearts were involved.

  “Well if your description of them is anything to go off, then I think they just walked through the door,” Katie said, nodding her head towards the club’s entrance.

  Claire spun her body so fast towards the front door that she nearly fell over.

  Standing there in all his glory was Nate with his friends in tow. He towered over most of the other patrons. He was wearing a tight, black t-shirt that accentuated his muscles. He was gorgeous.

  “That’s them all right,” Layla replied for her.

  She watched him scan the room. When he found her, he smiled at her sincerely. She smiled back at him.

  He made his way over to them, the crowd naturally parting for him.

  When he approached Claire she held out her arms to hug him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into a bear hug.

  “You’re here,” she said into his ear.

  “Of course I’m here,” he said, pulling himself from their embrace. “You didn’t think I’d come?”

  She looked up at him and shrugged.

  “I’d do anything for you,” he said kissing her forehead. “You only have to ask.”

  Claire heard Layla cough over her shoulder. She quickly pulled herself from Nate, but entwined her hand with his.

  “Guys this is Nate,” she said. “And these are his mates, Liam, Blake and Tim.” She pointed to each one as she said his name.

  Layla held her hand out to Liam, who was the closest to her. “I’m Layla.”

  “Katie,” Katie said, waving her hand.

  “Stephanie, but you can call me Steph if you want, either one is fine,” Steph said, also giving a quick wave.

  Once all the introductions were out of the way and everyone had a drink in their hands, they moved their way through the crowd to find an open table that Claire had reserved earlier that day.

  Claire made sure she was sitting next to Nate and Layla on her other side. The rest of them sat randomly around the table.

  “So tell me a bit about yourself, Layla,” Liam asked.

  Layla blushed and nervously replied. “What do you wanna know?”

  “Anything.”

  She giggled and started telling him about her life while the others engaged in conversations with each other.

  Claire felt Nate pinch her leg. She turned towards him to see him smiling down at her. He leaned across and whispered loud enough that she could hear over the music, but only she could hear what he said, “I think I should call you the matchmaking queen.”

  He tilted his head towards their friends. They all seemed to be deep in conversation with each other. Layla and Liam were paired off with each other. Katie and Tim and Steph and Blake were also paired.

  Claire hadn’t known if Steph and Katie would hit it off with Blake and Tim, so she was interested in seeing how that would all turn out. But Liam and Layla she could definitely see together. He was everything Layla wanted in a guy, and if she had to go off what Nate had told her about Liam, they would definitely click.

  “I do my best,” Claire replied smugly.

  After an hour of great conversations, jokes, stories and lots of flirting by the girls, Claire was ready to get up and dance.

  She stood abruptly, feeling her head spin slightly from the drinks she’d consumed. “I wanna dance. You coming?” she said, looking down at Layla.

  Layla stole a glance at Liam before agreeing, “Sure I’d love to come.”

  “Girls?” Claire said, looking at Katie and Steph who had both managed to sit so close to Blake and Tim that they were nearly on their laps.

  Katie looked up at Claire, “What?”

  “Dance?”

  “Oh,” she replied, then exchanged looks with Steph. “You go ahead, we’ll be there in a bit.”

  Claire rolled her eyes as she watched Katie snuggle into Tim, whispering something into his ear. By the look on Tim’s face it wasn’t something polite.

  “What about you guys?” Claire looked between Nate and Liam.

  Liam replied, “I think we’ll sit this one out for now.”

  She looked at Nate who shrugged in agreement with Liam.

  “Fine!” Claire said, grabbing Layla by the arm and swinging her towards the dance floor. “Let’s show them what they’re missing,” she said to Layla who playfully smiled back.

  ‘Earthquake’ by Labrinth ft. Tinie Tempah blasted through the speakers while Layla and Claire took full control of the dance floor.

  The best thing about going out with Layla was that she knew how to dance in a way that made guys melt. Claire loved the vibe Layla bought to the dance floor and joined in with her crazy sexy dance moves.

  They moved to the beat, feeling their bodies relax and almost move themselves. The drinks they’d had helped their confidence as Layla took it one step further by grinding her hips in the air.

  Layla moved closer to Claire, holding her as they danced together. “It seems you have an admirer,” she yelled into Claire’s ear.

  Claire frowned at her. “What?”

  Layla grinned. “Nate can’t take his eyes off you!”

  Claire turned on the spot, trying to make it look like a dance move. Don’t be obvio
us.

  Her eyes casually moved through the crowd until she found their table where Nate was staring at her with such intensity that it felt like she was the only one in the club.

  She kept moving to the music, her eyes only leaving his when she closed them briefly. Her hips moved back and forth seductively. Her hands traced her chest down to her hips. She felt on fire.

  Feeling aroused by Nate watching her dance, she bit down on her lip, imagining his hands on her. Claire was lost in Nate.

  “Are you sex dancing for Nate?” Layla yelled in Claire’s ear, startling her. Claire jumped and twisted her heel sending her to the ground.

  “You all right there, gorgeous?” a blonde haired guy asked Claire, bending over with his hand outstretched.

  Claire went to take it, when all of a sudden Nate grabbed the guy’s shirt and pushed him away, yelling something at him that Claire didn’t comprehend over the loud music.

  Layla leant down to help Claire to her feet but Nate was already there, pulling her upwards in one swift movement.

  He closed his arms around her, holding her steady.

  “Are you okay?” he asked, inches from her face.

  She nodded. “Will you dance with me Nate?” she asked, feeling brave.

  “Okay.”

  She smiled and cuddled him closer so her head rested above his shoulder. They moved slowly together until their pace picked up with the music.

  The alcohol gave her more confidence and made her more daring than she usually would be. She found herself grinding her hips against his.

  She’d never felt so sexy before, moving into him, felling his hands trace her body. He grabbed her ass and squeezed it tightly, making her breath ragged. Her chest pounded when she felt his growing erection. She didn’t stop her movements, though. She continued to feel him, taste him as her lips touched his neck, tasting his sweet taste.

  He grabbed her waist and spun her in the spot so her ass was pressed against him. He grabbed her hand and lifted it to his neck. Her eyes stayed closed. All she could hear was the background music and Nate’s breathing in her ear.

  He grabbed her hip with one hand, his other tracing the curve of her shoulder.

  “Fuck me,” he breathed into her ear.

  Fuck me all right!

  The fact that only a thin piece of fabric lay between them made her own arousal hot with need.

  “Hey, get a room! You can’t have sex on the dance floor!” Tim yelled.

  Claire’s arms flung open as she scrambled out of Nate’s embrace.

  “Fuck off, Tim!” Nate replied death-staring him.

  Tim, Katie, Steph, and Liam had joined them on the dance floor. Claire had no idea how long they’d been there. She flushed at the thought they’d all just seen what she and Nate were doing.

  “Dance with me,” Layla said, pulling her away from Nate and Tim to dance with the other girls. She went willingly, Layla moving her arms for her to get her dancing. She complied and danced with her, not anywhere near as crazy as before, but still dancing nonetheless. She couldn’t exactly stand on the dance floor not moving. But when she looked back at Nate he was standing still, listening to Liam say something into his ear. He looked tense, and his eyes still hadn’t left Tim’s.

  She stopped still as he turned to her, then turned and walked off the dance floor.

  Claire quickly ran after him, pushing past the crowd. He was headed towards the exit. She made her way out to the street outside, Nate striding ahead of her.

  “Nate!” she yelled out, running after him as quickly as she could in heels.

  Nate stood still but didn’t turn around, so Claire ran up and moved so she was in front of him.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked, puffed from running.

  He wouldn’t look her in the eye. Instead he focused on the street in front of him. “It’s just Tim, don’t worry about it,” he said coldly, manoeuvring past her so he could continue walking.

  She watched him walk past her without any further acknowledgement. She didn’t want him to leave like that, walk away from her, from them.

  “Nate, wait!” She called after him. He didn’t stop. “Please! I need to know something!”

  He stopped and turned, walking a few steps back to her. “What Claire? What do you need to know?” he snapped.

  “I…I…”

  She needed to know, needed to find out the truth, but she struggled to find the right words.

  “Goodbye Claire,” he said turning away from her.

  It was now or never. “Do you like me, Nate?”

  He stopped and turned to her once again. “Excuse me?”

  “Do you like me? More…” She took a deep breath. “More than as a friend?”

  His face turned hard, making it difficult for Claire to work out what he was feeling towards her.

  “Why do you ask that?”

  She bit her bottom lip. “Your sister…She told me you liked me…”

  “And you want to know the truth?” He took a few steps closer to her.

  “Yes…” she whispered.

  Her hands were shaking by her sides. Every now and then Nate could turn the tables and intimidate Claire. Strong, stubborn Claire. This was one of those his moments.

  He walked closer to her until he was towering over her. He reached out and touched his palm to her cheek.

  “Yes,” he breathed. “Yes, I like you, Claire.”

  “Why?”

  Nate let out a brief laugh. “I tell you I like you and you ask why?”

  She didn’t respond.

  He cupped her face in both of his hands now. “Because you are everything I didn’t know I wanted until I found you. You make me want to be a better person. You like me for me.” He dropped his head, laughing at himself. “I don’t even understand it myself,” he said, then his face turned serious once again. “All I know is that I like you, Claire. I like you so much that I’m pretty sure I’m in love with you. And I know you’re confused with everything, but I need you to know how much you mean to me. This isn’t a feeling that’s just going to pass and go away. I will love you for a lifetime and I promise I’ll never hurt you, Claire. I’ll wait for you. I’ll wait forever if I have to because we are meant to be together, and one day you’ll realize it.”

  He leant forward and kissed her forehead. Her eyes closed at his touch.

  “And now you know,’ he said.

  She held her eyes closed as she felt his hands leave hers. When she eventually opened them, he was gone.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Claire left the club with Layla not long after Nate’s confession. Layla offered to keep her company, but she needed to go home by herself and sleep on it.

  The next morning she woke up, decided she needed to talk to someone and called Stella.

  “Stella? It’s me, Claire,” Claire said into the phone.

  “Hey, Claire, what’s up?” Stella replied.

  “I need your advice.”

  “Sure, ask away.”

  “It’s about Dave… and Nate.”

  Silence.

  “Figures.”

  Figures?

  “What do you mean by that?” Claire asked, confused.

  “It’s obvious isn’t it? You’ve got feelings for Nate.”

  Was it obvious?

  “How can you tell?” she asked quietly.

  “I’m not stupid. You talk about him constantly. If I didn’t know you were with Dave I could swear Nate was your boyfriend. You like him, don’t you, more than a friend?”

  “Yes, I mean, I don’t know. How can I like him when I’m with Dave?”

  “Look, I know you and Dave have been going through a rough patch.”

  That’s an understatement.

  “But have you ever thought why?”

  Claire had thought of why, she thought of it every day.

  “It’s because of Nate.”

  “Is it because Nate is your friend, or because you have feelings for him? Does Dave know abo
ut Nate?”

  “No,” she replied softly. “It’s wrong, Stella. I know it’s wrong. A relationship is built on trust and honesty, yet here I am seeing Nate behind Dave’s back. I kept telling myself we were only friends. It shouldn’t matter who I’m hanging out with if they are only friends, but it does. I know it does.”

  “So, what are you going to do about it?”

  “I don’t know. What can I do? Break up with Dave? Stop my friendship with Nate? Either way, someone will get hurt.”

  “Of course someone will get hurt. Does Nate want to be with you?”

  “Yes. He told me last night... He told me he loves me and he’ll wait forever for me if he has to.”

  “Wow,” Stella said, surprised.

  Claire could feel tears forming. “What do I do, Stella? It’s not like the past few months have meant nothing. I was with Dave. I gave my heart to him. When we were good, we were great.”

  She wiped the tears from her eyes. It might have been a simple scenario to someone on the outside, but they weren’t living it, breathing it. Dave was someone she’d always wanted to be with. He was successful, driven. He was good to her…well, he had been good to her until of late.

  Nate was different in every way, but there was something there. Something she couldn’t explain. With him she was herself.

  “You have to choose.”

  “How do I know it will be the right choice?”

  What if she chose wrong? What would it be like if she chose Dave and then spent her life wondering what would have happened if she had chosen Nate?

  What if she chose Nate? What if their relationship never got past the friendship stage? She knew she liked him more than a friend, but could their relationship ever work?

  Stella replied, “You won’t until you make it, but you have to make it soon, okay?”

  “I know.”

  “It will work out, Claire, trust me. You just have to look at who makes you the happiest. Who makes you a better person, and that will be the guy that you’re meant to be with.”

  She knew who that was, but could it be that simple?

  “Thanks, Stella. I’ve got to go, but I’ll talk to you soon, okay?”

  “Of course. Call me anytime. Bye, Claire.”

  “Bye,” she said, hanging up the phone.