The Walk of Shame

Six.

The Wedding Before

'You ready to dance to cheesy disco?' Nate asked, holding open the door. 'Give it your best Gangnam moves?'

'For Lianne, I'd even dance to Justin Bieber.'

Nate's eyebrows raised. 'And for me?'

'That would...' Evie paused, trying but failing to come up with a little sass. Nate's hand was on her back, his thumb brushing her side. Something slow, sexy and infinitely hot? 'It'd need to be a really good tune.'

He leaned closer, his lips near her ear. 'How good a tune?'

Anything. She'd literally dance to the Eastenders theme to keep Nate's hands on her. Evie's heart thundered against her ribs as Beyoncé faded away, Lianne proudly shaking the hand with a ring on it. What would it be... Lianne's choice of upbeat disco, or Dale's choice of gritty guitar bands?

The unmistakable strumming of the Strokes filled the tent and Evie struggled to hide her grin. Nate didn't bother. It was an awesome tune, and they both knew it.

'You're in luck.' Evie grabbed the front of his waistcoat, leading the way to the dance floor. God, the fabric was still damp from the water he'd splashed with that little trout.

Lucky fish.

If she wanted to – if she wanted to live a little – she could totally pull Nate Hadley-Brown. Last night... she said... Evie jumped up and down, pogoing alongside Lianne, laughing with Ryan, trying very subtly to flirt with Nate.

As the Strokes faded and Mr Brightside took over, Nate's arm snuck around her waist, his lips brushing her cheek.

'This is a really, really great tune,' he said.

Evie turned her head, her lips flirtingly close to his, her hand resting on his bicep. 'Really, really!'

Okay, not so subtly.

But pull... or pull-pull? Evie's heart rate increased and it had nothing to do with the dancing. Would they kiss? Surely they would, maybe hidden in the shadows of the marquee, the lingering promise of more. Evie sucked in a breath as his hand brushed her neck. Or what if... the weekend. She raised her arms, turning to Nate, using the beat to inch closer to his body. Nate flashed her a genuine life-fucking-rocks smile.

Oh dear god. Sex. It had been over two years.

Evie turned from Nate so he couldn't see what was in her eyes, but when his hands landed on her hips, the whole marquee probably could. Certainly, Lianne had. Evie mouthed an innocent what but her cousin merely flashed a cheeky wink.

Beyoncé melted to Tay-Tay, Tay-Tay to Oasis, Oasis to the Streets – it had to be the best disco in the history of discos. Especially since Nate's hand had not just brushed, but actually rested on her arse three times already.

Evie tried not to grin as she dried her hands. That morning she'd employed every make-up and hair-styling skill in her arsenal to feel brave enough to face Gosthwaite. But now her skin shone with perspiration and her arty up-do bordered on a scruffy bun. But she looked... radiant.

'Li...anne...' she called to her cousin. We need to get back out there. 'Come on...'

Lianne bustled out of a cubicle, grinning. 'And?'

'And what?'

'And Nate.'

Evie took a slow breath, waiting while Lianne washed her hands. 'And what about Nate?'

'Oh, please... Evie and Nate sitting in a tree—'

'Stop it.'

'You like him though, right?'

'I don't know.'

'He so likes you. He hasn't taken his eyes off you all freaking day.'

'Whatever.' Absurdly pleased, Evie skipped out of the toilets, dragging Lianne back to the dancefloor. 'He's being nice, that's all.'

'Nice?' Lianne hoisted her skirt, can-can style. 'Fuck me senseless kind of nice?'

'No!' Evie's cheeks burned.

A couple of one night stands were the extent of her non-Ali sexual history. Both isolated instances of wild abandoned sex – the absolute antithesis of anything she experienced with Ali. Evie went through the motions of dancing with Lianne, but she couldn't help glancing to the bar where Nate was talking with Ryan. Would Nate be up for a little wild abandonment?

As if he'd read her mind, Nate looked over, but his small smile evaporated as Ryan slapped his shoulder, and not in a good way. Shit. Nate hung his head, but Ryan wasn't done. He appeared to give a few stern words before glancing at Evie. Nate nodded.

'What the actual hell?' Evie whispered, turning to Lianne. 'Has Ryan just warned Nate off?'

Lianne's eyes flashed. 'And if he did?'

'Well, I love that he's looking out for me, but it's none of his—'

Nate was walking back, his head down.

'Shit. Lianne, what should I do?'

But her cousin merely shot a wink and turned to shake her ass at her new husband.

At the edge of the dance floor, Nate looked up, his eyes blazing.

'I'm so sorry... Ryan can be...' Evie stammered. 'But I don't want you and him—'

He kissed her, barely for a second, but in that barely second, she wanted more. She wanted more wild and abandoned shagging. She wanted to touch, to smell, to taste... and she wanted to not freaking read about it. And screw the multitudes who hated her, screw the angry mob who called her names. She could really give them something to talk about.

So in the middle of the dance floor, with Kelly Clarkson belting out Heartbeat Song,  Evie clutched at Nate's waistcoat and kissed him back like no one was watching.

**********************

Evie and Nate sitting in a tree... K.I.S.S.I.N.G

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