A Dark Fall [ORIGINAL & UNEDITED VERSION]

Twenty Four

As I get out the car I smooth down my dress and hair and walk around to take hold of Jake's hand, not the one he just wrangled himself with but the other.  It feels warm and sturdy in mine and I smile up at him, searching maybe for signs of nerves or regret or 'the opposite of falling' on his face but I don't see anything except desire which relaxes me. He leans in and kisses me, moaning softly as he slips his tongue between my lips. When he pulls back he licks his bottom lip and pulls me toward Robyn's front door.

It takes me a further moment to recover and I stumble a little as I try and keep up with his purposeful strides. When he gets to the door he rings the doorbell but I smile and shake my head before opening the front door and stepping into Rob's spacious and minimalist hallway. I hear her before I see her.

"Finally! The guests of blooming honour arrive!" she shouts from the back of the house. I look at my watch  - its only five minutes past eight and so I really don't know what 'finally' is all about. Robyn is a hostess who must be obeyed to in all things though so I pull Jake with me towards the sound of her voice. A moment later comes flouncing through the French doors from the kitchen.

She's dressed in a gorgeous white cocktail dress that is tight and shows off her perfect figure. Rob is the only woman I know who would risk wearing a white dress whilst cooking a four-course meal.  As she looks from me to Jake I watch her reaction carefully. First her eyes go a little wide and then she draws her gaze down his body and back up, then she looks at me with her mouth parted.

Yes, that's pretty much the reaction I was expecting. I feel Jake stand up a little straighter before moving towards her and holding out his hand - he keeps hold of my hand with his other one. Then, in the voice I assume he reserves for business, he introduces himself.

"Robyn, it's so great to finally meet you." He smiles, taking her hand. Oh so 'finally' is everyone's favourite choice of word tonight. "Heard so much about you." He adds with a smile.

"Jake," she says moving in to give him a peck on the cheek. "Yes Finally! Seems everyone and his aunt got to see you before me!" she gives me a pointed look as she pulls back from him. She's a total drama queen. No ones aunt saw us. Only Dan saw us. I shake my head and roll my eyes. "Well I definitely don't remember seeing you at the club that night - I'm sure I'd have remembered." She giggles before turning her attention on me. As she leans in to hug me she presses her mouth to my ear. "Wow." she whispers as she kisses me on the cheek. "Well, everyone else is here. Dan will get you some drinks while I introduce you to everyone Jake." she says slipping her arm through his to lead him through into the large kitchen / diner at the back of the house. He lets go of my hand and looks back apologetically at me and I smile and follow a few steps behind on my own. I don't take it personally; Robyn in hostess mode is different to Robyn in friend mode.

As Rob steers Jake away I walk over to Dan, who's standing by the breakfast bar looking very smart in grey silk trousers a white shirt and skinny grey tie. Dan's extremely good looking in an obvious pro footballer type way. Except he's not a pro footballer, he's an ex pro-footballer who broke his leg in four places and now works as a pro-footballer's agent. He's athletic looking and tall and a very sharp dresser.  But that might be because Rob still picks out most of his clothes for him. The room is chattering away and busy and I glance around at the rest of Rob and Dan's dinner guests who are all as equally well dressed as Jake and Dan. Jake chose perfectly in wearing a suit. I would have hated him to feel under dressed here, or overdressed. Though in my opinion he's always overdressed. I'd have him naked constantly if I could. God what have I become? I blame the sex demon.

Dan holds out a pre poured glass of red wine to me as I come over and I hug and kiss him on the cheek before pulling back to give him an admonishing look. If Dan hadn't spilled everything to Rob earlier in the week I may have had more time to prepare us both for this little shindig. But me 'all over' some guy in the street is pretty big news so I don't really blame him for telling her. He purses his lips apologetically and holds up his hands.