Page 55 of Something New

"Stooop workinggggg. Noooobody likes a workahooolic!"

His words followed me because he called out, and I walked away from him smiling and pretending to take it as a joke. I walked away, and he held his hand out to me longingly.

The music was pulsing, and people were all around him. He began to move in a liquid motion like some sort of belly dancer. People were dancing all around him, and he was messed up enough that I easily walked away from him and disappeared into the crowd.

I was angry at him for touching me, but I was even angrier at myself for not putting him in his place about it. I knew John-Michael would be there soon, and I hated that this guy had his hands on me at all. What if John-Michael had seen that?

I moved to the other side of the room and took some pictures, pretending to focus on work when all I could think about was the night being over.

Time seemed to drag.

Songs seemed to last an hour.

A couple of songs passed, and Nick disappeared with a few guys. I knew that would give me a minute to check my phone and see if I had heard from John-Michael.

I turned to head toward the kitchen. I would find Andre and ask if my assistant had arrived.

I glanced over as I walked, and I saw Jonathan on the floor in the living room. He was sprawled out, trying to get a good camera angle on a group of women who were clamoring over him and posing. I felt a hand on my arm, and I glanced at it. I knew it was good news instantly. It was John-Michael.

My heart soared. I made eye contact with him, and smiled at the sight of him in that mask. He was wearing a black mask—we both were. I blinked, resisting the urge to cry. He was so handsome that my heart ached. I could not stop a smile from spreading across my face. He was there, and now I was okay.

"Follow me," I said, walking out of the living room as quickly as I could. I went straight for the bathroom, and it was occupied. I kept walking until I saw a closet. I went inside and pulled him in, not bothering to close the door since it would have been pitch black. It was dark and secluded inside, and I didn't take the time to look for a light. I took him into my arms as quickly as I could. I loved the darkness and took pleasure in his embrace.

Relief flooded my body.

The music was loud. It was muffled by the closet walls and the sound of my own heart pounding, but I could still feel the heavy bass pulsing through the walls. I held onto John-Michael for what must've been twenty full seconds. I clutched my camera in my hand, unwilling to let go of him long enough to put it down.

He held me back. "Are you okay?"

"Yes. I'm so glad you're here," I said.

"I'm sorry it took so long," he said. "The rental car company took forever. It's a long story, but I'm driving a convertible. This dress is unbelievable. You're beautiful."

"I wish I wasn't," I said. "I should have been the jester." I held onto him in the dark, letting my face rest on his chest. "What kind of convertible?" I said. "A beetle?"

"A beetle? No, a BMW."

"That's amazing. How fun."

"Why do you say you wish you weren't beautiful?"

"Because."

"Are you uncomfortable here?"

"Yes."

"Did that guy hurt you, Sadie?"

"No. But he makes me uncomfortable. I'm just so happy you're here, Jn'Michael." I said his name with that fast, slurred familiarity—shortening it, the type of name-bending that only came after saying his name a thousand times.

My voice was weak and pleading because I was so desperately relieved to have him there. It was dark in the closet except for what little light was coming from the partially open door. The whole house was relatively dark, so I could hardly see the shapes of his face, even when I pulled back to look at him. I reached up and touched the side of his face with my free hand and leaned up to kiss him. He let his mouth meet mine, kissing me with patience even though these were the oddest of circumstances.

His mouth was warm and soft, and I opened my mouth to him, taking his bottom lip into my mouth and triggering him to kiss me deeply. I needed it. We kissed for a few seconds and it caused a warm flood of relief to wash over me.

"I never want to kiss anyone but you," I said.

"Good," he said. "I hope you haven't."