The party soon took on a less formal feeling. The sea of well-wishers, extended family and friends, finally giving them, some breathing space to dance and enjoy the party.
Damien appeared mid dancefloor throng and attempted to swing Rose away from dancing in front of Rob, throwing him a wide grin and a cheeky wink as he hustled her off comically. Rob caught her arm protectively, waving a mock fist under his chin which resulted in Damien grabbing him in a male hug, shaking hands and slapping each other on the back amid shouts over the loud music and the sounds of ‘congrats bro’ waving Rose’s way. Leaning in quickly, Damien planted a kiss on the cheek of Rose and dodged Rob’s swipe at his head with a laugh. Damien soon moved off to throw some moves at a nearby blonde in a purple dress, much to Rob’s relief.
Rob pulled Rose back into him for a slower dance, resting her easily in his arms as the tempo slowed and couples filled the floor, his face against her temple. Softly embraced in his safe haven, feeling light headed and surreal, Rose couldn’t help but think back to the last time they had danced on this floor together and how different it had been. She looked up at him adoringly and smiled at the memory, so much happier to be out in the open and most definitely wrapped in his loving embrace for all to see. For the first moment in her life since falling under the spell of Rob Munro, she felt completely still inside. Her mind focusing on nothing other than the feel of him against her, the familiar scent and the security of his hold and all thoughts of that troublesome red head fluttering away on the notes of the melody around them.
She was aware all night of the sea of smiling faces that kept tabs on them. People could not help but smile at the couple; the weirdness of human nature to want to stare at a couple in love and grin and feel warm and gooey inside. To hold their loved one’s hands and squeeze as they reminisced what their first years together were like when young and full of lust. It was uncomfortable at first, but as the night wore on and drink infused her blood, her inhibitions faded away.
She found it easier to ignore the creepy staring and focus on having a good time as alcohol started to tilt her world, making everything a bit more sway and a lot less formal. Her vocabulary a bit on the sloppy side, Rob who never seemed to care about eyes on them, as he ran hands over his fiancée or pulled her in for passionate kisses on the dance floor, seemed to be handling his alcohol better than her. He still seemed in control, lucid and bright-eyed, despite seeing him empty several glasses and shifting to bottles of beer. The man could put it away like a typical Scot and he was coercing Rose to keep up with him with constant refills of her glass.
Rose’s mother danced with Abby and Rose until her poor legs ached for a break and left them to it. Her father finding some male bonding time amid a sea of equally black bow tied males, including Rob and Hamish. Several of the faces around them seemed familiar, recognising a couple of Rob’s cousins and school friends, it wasn’t hard to find plenty of dancing partners while Rob was pulled into male bonding time or Abby was wrapped around Duncan.
The food was amazing, canopies divine; a spread fit for a king and although Rose tried not to make a pig of herself, found she was drawn to eat every twenty minutes. Unable to stop taste testing it all; between savoury and sweet foods, she literally never stopped grazing at the table. The upside was the alcohol levels in her blood were soaked up a bit, making her slur less noticeable when she swayed from conversation to conversation and she was most definitely full before long, with Rob in awe of how much she could actually put away in her small frame. Not that he couldn’t eat, Rob was worse than Rose and seemed to have a bottomless pit of a stomach to match his ability to drink the bar dry.
Abby caused a minor scene when dirty dancing with Duncan on the floor and Rose had to intervene, stopping Rob dragging them apart. Pulling him away quickly and calming him on the side lines with fast words and sweet talk. He was not an easy guy to smooth over. Rose was about the only person in existence who had ever been able to tame him at all when fury descended and even she had to admit, when drunk he was near impossible to distract. He was not impressed with Abby as it was; the daring black dress that didn’t leave much to the imagination was bad enough, but practically having sex on the dancefloor with risky dance moves and over the top snogging and groping was a push too far. Rob liked Duncan normally but whenever alcohol, baby sisters and sexy moves were involved, trouble always brewed. Hamish luckily had not even seen anything otherwise Rose would have been pulling two Munro men off to the side lines to remind them of milling reporters.
Rose eventually pulled him along the hall for a breather to calm him down, finding the close proximity of his gyrating sister and her boyfriend only keeping him simmering on the edge of fury. Finding one of the nearby rooms vacant that had been set up for stragglers needing a seat away from the party, Rose dragged him in with all her powers of persuasion. He slid down into a chair obediently as she stood over him and glared like a petulant child, every muscle in his body was tense and ready for action.
‘Rob, she’s growing up. She’s almost twenty!’ Rose soothed, trying to smooth that frown away from his forehead and just meeting another glare. He was agitated and resisting Rose’s hands on him, reluctantly getting up to pace back and forth. More evident, he was far drunker than he looked and far less in control.
‘I know, okay!... It’s just... She’s my baby sister and will always be a little kid to me!’ He turned to Rose, raising palms and almost growling as he thought about the scene again.
‘I’m sure my brothers say the same thing.’ She interjected. ‘Imagine what they would say if they saw half the things we got up too.’ She smiled softly, trying to make him stand still and let her touch him. His behaviour was petulant and a tiny bit irresistible to her in that moment, she couldn’t help the smile creeping across her face.
‘That’s different! That’s you and me...That’s... argh!’ He sat down frustrated and dropped his head into his palms, his elbows on his knees and his tuxedo jacket straining across his shoulders when sitting that way.
‘That’s what?’ Rose nudged him with her knee playfully.
‘My intentions are pure. There’s a ring on your finger! I never ever laid hands on you without knowing I would end up with you... That you were going to be mine, always.’ Rob sat up and looked her dead in the eye, that serious tone and angry furrow still evident.
‘He might put one on hers before long.’ She realised she had said the wrong thing as his eyes darkened and, in a flash,, he was back on his feet.
‘I may wring his neck before he gets a chance.’ His voice aggressive as he ran his hands through his hair distractedly and moved to start pacing again. She pushed him back down to sit instead and he didn’t resist her this time.
‘Why? She was laughing now. ‘He loves her. She loves him. If anything, I’d say it’s your sister that manhandles that boy, not vice versa. She has your hot blood. The poor guy just gets dragged along regardless.’ Rose smoothed her fingers through his hair, taming some of the spiking he had caused when running his own through it. His instant glare made her laugh, and she slid beside him gently, kissing him, hoping to smooth over his ruffled feathers. His face was serious, but he kissed her back.
‘Is that what I do to you?’ He looked at her a little more gently this time, his expression softening to one of questioning and a little frown of worry.
‘Ummm. No... I’m a big girl. You may have some persuasive skills Mr Munro but I’m not someone who is easily dragged along! Trust me, anytime you lay hands on me, the feeling is mutual.’ She assured him with another kiss, a finger trailing over his jawline and tracing his bottom lip. His face relaxed a little, the talk of sex bringing that twinkle back into his eye and making him forget why they had even come out here in the first place. Like an eternal dog on heat, she laughed and nudged him playfully.
‘We could go upstairs for a little while. Take my mind off it.’ He winked, and she knew it was only half in jest, his eyes were already roaming over her dress checking for ways to get her out of it.
‘We could, but I think you may ruin my hair. And there are still reporters looming around taking pictures.’ She sighed and waved towards the door they had come through airily.
‘There are ways round that.’ He was leaning in closer, finding her mouth, his hand sliding to her neck and pulling her to him seductively. She could taste the alcohol on his breath and it made her stir unexpectedly. Bringing back memories of bathroom floors and drunken reunions.
Who am I kidding? I can never resist him.
‘Your bathroom is closer.’ She breathed. It was all the permission he needed before he was up on his feet, pulling her along almost instantly by the wrist, sneaking past some people milling in the hall, and ducking her in another door. Heading a route she had never known, further into the depths of the narrow passageways of the house, away from eyes and people and into areas where no lights had even been put on. Pulling her into a darkened room, shadows and sheeted furniture everywhere, he clicked open an internal door, slid her inside with a gentle hand, and followed her in, closing it behind them. It was a bathroom she had never laid eyes on before.
‘I figured we could christen somewhere new.’ He grinned, lifting her up to slide her butt onto the vanity carefully, his hands already sliding up her naked smooth legs, bringing her dress to her thighs and putting himself between her knees. Her skin tingled and sizzled under his touch, immediately feeling that familiar aching warmth down deep inside. That longing they never seemed to quench for long. He moved in to kiss her, one hand gently cupping her throat, his other sliding into places that made her moan.
* * *
It wasn’t long before he was pushing against her, inside her. Her back cold and pressed against the large mirror with her legs wrapped snugly around him. His hands holding his weight and hers against the wall as she clung to him; her dress up around her waist and his trousers around his ankles. She had pulled off his bow tie and her lipstick kisses were scattered over his naked chest where his unbuttoned shirt sat open. They were trying to stay quiet, but the moaning and gasping echoing around them was lost to their ears. Lost in pleasure and only aware of what they were doing to each other as they climaxed together in a flurry of heavy breathing and burning skin, collapsing in a sated heap on the vanity.
Satisfied and exhausted from the fast-paced passion which had overtaken them, he stood, holding her up for a few seconds to catch their breaths and cool the heat on exposed skin. Her hair was still very much intact. She giggled as he finally leant off her, able to let his legs take his weight again and release her onto the vanity with a lingering kiss.
‘Our own engagement party, Rob!’ She smiled accusingly. ‘You are the worst!’
‘Told you...I’m the victim... This is all you.’ He grinned, pulling up his clothes, freeing his shirt to button it up again and tuck it in. She looked around for her satin thong, trying to twist her dress back and sliding off the high unit. He helped her down and held them up with a smile
‘You should stay commando baby, it’s god damn sexy as hell.’ He winked her way, sliding alongside her to use the mirror while he fixed his bow tie back into neat perfection.
‘Ummm, No! If I go out there panty less then you would be like a horny schoolboy all night, trying to get me back in here.’ Rose raised a brow at him and started smoothing out her dress with little success.
‘I can’t argue with that, it’s making me horny even thinking about it.’
He was putting his jacket back on as she smoothed out her hair and sighed at her lipstick mess, her cheeks rosy and her face glowing under her sheer makeup. That was not so easy to fix without her bag, so she had to try and wipe away the smudges and smears and pat her face with tissues and calm the tell-tale blush on her skin.
‘You really are a terrible influence on me! Look at me... I look like I’ve just run a mile.’ She sighed and gave up trying to rectify her reflection.
‘You look as perfect as always, a little rosy cheeked but I like it. Tells me I’m doing something right baby.’ He winked and kissed her on the cheek, cupping her butt as he moved past her.
Soon they were smoothed out and fully dressed, stopping to press her against the wall for a passionate kiss, he led her back out of the room in the same sneaky manner they entered. Holding her hand, they easily slid into the hall among the crowd of people, feigned innocence on both of their faces. No one seemed to have noticed their absence or the slightly satisfied, relaxed manner, in which they both looked now. Or the obvious glow and high colour on her cheeks that she had been unable to conceal.
The party was again in full swing, some loud thumping tune supplied by the appearance of the DJ, hidden behind some curtained booth. The orchestra was now free to get drunk and be merry and enjoy the rest of the night.
Rob swung her around to dance, that look on his face of sheer satisfaction and a wink at what they had just done. She shook her head knowing he was the worst influence on her she had ever known, she had never been this way with anyone else. She had never even thought she had it in her before she had met him. Swinging her back against him and around in time to the beat, she closed her eyes and got lost in the music.
* * *
The party fizzled out slowly.
She couldn’t remember much of the end of the night, after being plied with enough alcohol to sink a ship. Rob filling her glass anytime it emptied, telling her to let go because he was there to take care of her. There had been shots on the bar, a drinking competition and memories of Rob bending her backwards over a table, to a chorus of chants, egging on, and propping a lime in her cleavage that he had happily retrieved with his teeth. She assumed there had been tequila.
Lots and lots of tequila.
Her head ached, and her body was in agony.
Opening a sleepy eye in the semi-dull room around her, she could see Rob’s naked body flat out across the bed on his stomach, a sheet skirting across his ass and only just concealing it. She was in the same state. The bedding was strewn wildly across the floor and only one single sheet half covering them, half sliding to the floor. Even the cushions were about three feet from the bed and spread in a wild mess.
Discarded carelessly.
Their clothes were literally spread across the room, his bow tie hanging on the chandelier, his shirt hooked up on a picture frame on the far wall. The dressing table across from her had been disturbed quite dramatically, the surface items mostly on the floor and the few still on the surface were laid on their sides.
She had a brief memory of being propped nakedly on there at some point, the familiar frenzy of sex on cold shiny surfaces, a hazy memory. Her dress was hanging carelessly from the open bathroom door and she could see Rob’s trousers in a crumpled heap just inside.
What the hell had they done?
It looked as though they had been making a porn film, trying out every surface and corner of the room and throwing their clothes around for effect. There was an empty bottle of champagne and glasses sat by the window. The curtains hanging funnily and she realised the curtain pole had been hauled off the wall at one side. Dangling dubiously and barely holding on.
What the actual hell?
She had practically no memory of many of the events that had taken place in this room or even half the party and she wasn’t sure she wanted to remember, judging by the tenderness of every inch of her skin and battered body. Light marks dusting the surface of her thighs and butt, they looked like finger prints. Rob’s back was marked with red claw marks and something resembling a bite on the back of his shoulder.
Jesus!
He moaned in his sleep and shifted lazily, his breathing changing as he opened his eyes and groaned again. Pulling his hands up to shield his face from the tiny rays of light coming through the heavy curtained windows. Rose was now sitting up slowly, to avoid making her thumping head worse, taking in the absolute chaos of the room around them. Aware that the nearby armchair was laid on its back on the floor and her satin thong was nestling therein quite comfortably.
‘Rob?’ She nudged him absently, still trying to make sense of the room. ‘Rob?’ She nudged again, a little more insistently. ‘We definitely came in here alone, right?’
He moved and lifted his head, looking around before slumping back down and groaning once more.
‘Yes. As far as I can remember, although that’s not much. Why? His voice was hoarse and lazy, he sounded like he had been yelling all night and he was in as much of a state as Rose.
‘It’s just the room looks a little... Crime scene massacre.’ She grimaced as her blurry eyes got a little clearer and she could see just how much of a mess there really was. Rob turned onto his back and looked around slowly, no sign of surprise on his face.
‘That’s what happens when I fill you up with tequila.’ He winked, making a moaning sound as he moved up the bed and tried to find a cushion to prop himself up.
‘You got a bit wild baby.’
Rose looked at him dubiously, not sure if he was joking.
‘You don’t remember do you?’ The smile moving across his face told her he wasn’t.
‘I thought you said you didn’t remember much either?’ She blinked at him, moving her body so very slowly and snuggling closer to him in an attempt to bypass the queasiness and even more pounding in her head.
‘I remember enough to know we were alone and that you were like a crazed nymphomaniac on speed.’ Rob grinned this time, lost in the memory apparently. She tried to feign a smile, feeling strangely mortified instead.
‘Was I that bad?’
‘It depends on what you term ‘Bad’ as?... In my opinion, you were that good!’
Rose sucker punched him softly, turning back beside him, her body reminding her of its fragility almost instantly and making her wince.
‘Stop looking at me like that.’ She could feel his eyes on her face. The grin giving away exactly what he was remembering.
‘Hard not too...If I thought I loved you before, last night only made me even more mad for you!’ He smacked her butt lightly and nudged her suggestively.
‘It’s not funny.’ She laughed, cringing as he stroked her back, her skin and its tenderness obvious.
‘I think we should add tequila to the mix more often, Our honeymoon drink of choice. But I may need a week to recover when we get home.’ Rob slid down the bed again, obviously finding sitting up making his own headache worse too. She looked at him suspiciously over her shoulder.
‘You? Need to recover? I really must have put you through your paces!’ She laughed as he came to spoon her from behind, plumping cushions under his head so he could get as close as humanly possible.
‘And then some.’ He sighed, sliding up a tad to meet the side her face and planting a kiss on her nose from his awkward angle before settling down. ‘I was kind of scared! Especially when you pushed me against the wall, dragged your nails down my chest and bit me midsession. I think I have bite and nail marks in places I can’t even see.
I‘m pretty sure there was borderline domestic abuse in there too.’
‘Shut up.’
‘Don’t worry. I think I was just as bad. Judging by the marks and sexy glow on your skin. I think we were equally matched in fierceness.’ He returned to laying behind her, stroking fingertips down her exposed thigh soothingly, one of the few places her skin didn’t hurt.
‘Promise me we shall never utter a word of this again.’ She pushed back against him, her tone serious with a hint of a smile.
‘I don’t think that’s going to be possible. I want to reminisce at every opportunity, and I think most of the house heard us last night and may have questions. Concerns for your safety... Maybe mine!’
‘Rob?’ She groaned, feeling the heat creep up her neck in shame and wondering how on earth she would ever face anyone in this village again.
‘Yes, baby?’ He breathed against the back of her neck.
‘I need aspirin!... Water!... A week of sleep!’ Rose sighed heavily.
‘Is that all?’
‘And we definitely need sound proofing!’