Pretty Please Don't Pinch Me

73. Bad

I cannot express to you how much it means for you to please vote for my story. It takes less than a second, and it really helps my book to get recognised for the hundreds of hours I've put into writing it. Thank you for absolutely everything ♡

Twitter: WordsWithGem 
Snapchat: gemma.allan
Instagram: gemma.allan

"You lost – take the shot!" Ashton says, sliding the shot over to me.

"Oh my gosh, no more shots please." I say, covering my face and shaking my head as I lean back into my seat.

I have now successfully lost count of the amount of drinks I've had, and dreadfully anticipate it catching up with me tomorrow morning.

"Weak," Calum brands me, "You're tarnishing the Australian name we've created for ourselves."

"You boys are such a bad influence on me," I say as I down the shot. "Please don't try and peer pressure me into smoking next, because I don't think I have the willpower to say no."

Ashton laughs, "You can't be a bad influence on someone who was bad to begin with," he winks.

I elbow him in his side.

Luke returns back to our booth with a few drinks for the table and I take mine, sipping some of the emerald coloured liquid.

He takes the cup out of his hand and his lips close around the straw, tasting the Midoori and lemonade, trying to decide if he likes it.

"Too sweet," he concludes.

"Nothing can ever be too sweet," I retort.

"You're wrong. Too sweet can be sickening... And boring," he adds. "Sometimes you need a bit of a kick," he says, smirking at his own comment.

I have a strong suspicion the discussion has strayed from our drink orders and I take a sip of his.

I cough and splutter as the alcohol burns my throat.

"I don't even want to know what's in there," I gasp. "But at least now you have my germies too."

"I don't mind," he says, slowly swiping his lip ring with his tongue and maintaining strong eye contact. 

Oh God, I'm in trouble...

I'm suddenly very aware of things as my senses are heightened in this drunken state of mine. The way his leg is pressed up against mine, or the way he smells so masculine. My heart is working overtime and I am extremely thankful for the music and the fact that he can't hear it.

"What are you thinking about?" he asks slowly, looking at me curiously as he absentmindedly plays with the straw of my drink that is placed on the table.

"Nothing," I blurt out, and look away, shifting slightly more to the right to put some space in between us.

The sexual chemistry is too much. It's been... a while, and here I am sitting next to Luke. Images of our kiss play through my mind on a loop and I squeeze my legs tightly together as I recall how perfectly his lips formed around mine. His sweet intensity and the way that he made me feel.

"Oh hey!" Scarlett interrupts my thoughts, and I look up and see Niall there with a couple of other guys I don't really recognise.

Oh fuck.

Niall greets us all, and I realise that it's only Calum, Scarlett, Luke and I that are remaining at the table.

I wonder where Ashton and Gem went off to?