The Inevitable Fanfiction

Chapter 6 – In Honour of Envy
It is Thursday now, and I am trying to forget the past two very awkward days. This time, I have to sit near Paula three days in a row. Talk about bad timing. Shaking my head, I fish my suit out of the cupboard and set it on the bed. I pull on my boxers and then the inner shirt. Next I wear the suit and leave the top two buttons undone. I flick a comb through my hair and look in the mirror. Grinning, I can’t help but think that for a fifty year old man, I do look pretty good. Just as I am spraying on my cologne Jackie walks in the room and sits on the bed.
“I can’t believe you complain about me taking long! You’re not even ready,” She giggles.
“Yes, darling, I am. Let’s go, the limo is waiting,” I say and take her hand.
We reach the Grammys just fashionably late and someone opens the door. I step out first and then assist Jackie. We put on our celebrity smiles and wrap an arm around each other. Cameras flash everywhere of course and we both love the attention. I don’t catch sight of anyone else in our gang.
Just as I suspected, they are all already there. Inside Randy, Ryan, Kara and Paula are already seated with their dates; Erika, Ryan’s girlfriend Tina, Kara’s fiancé Mike and of course Hunter. I tighten my grip of Jackie’s waist as we approach them. They greet us and all are surprised Jackie is here in the U.S. Paula kisses her cheek and then mine but she doesn’t say a word.
As fate would have it though, I end up next to her with Hunter on her other side and Jackie on mine. I look at the two women beside me and I smile rather cheekily. The idea has been playing in my head for some time, just dancing around just waiting to be recognised. And now that it has, there is no way I am going to pass it up.
“Jackie, darling,” I purr in her ear, just loud enough for Paula to hear. Jackie turns to me with an eyebrow raised. “I don’t think I’ve told you that dress looks fabulous on you.” I look her up and down and raise my eyebrows in a delighted fashion.
“No you haven’t,” She seems cautious of how I am acting. “But thank-you.” She finally smiles.
Paula beside me is quiet and from the corner of my eye I see her lean back slightly and I hope it is because of the conversation. The arm I have around Jackie’s chair slides down so it’s on her shoulders. I rub her arm slowly, watching her.
“In fact, I’m even considering us for old times’ sake by the way you look tonight.” I wink.
Lord, I know the front I put up is a confident one – an intimidating one even, but I can only hope Paula is taking me seriously now.
“Simon, are you feeling okay?” She whispers and touches my forehead and then neck. I pretend it’s a caress and lean into her touch. I lean in then and whisper; making it as look seductive as possible.
“Just play along, would you?” The plea comes out of my mouth soft and whimper-like, in spite of how our proximity might seem. Thankfully, Erika is talking to Paula. Jackie seems to notice my glance in the other direction and grins devilishly.
Damn it, she knows.
“Ooh, I get it. Sure, I’ll go with it. But you mister, owe me,” She whispers again, pointing a finger at me. I grab it and kiss the pad of it. This makes Paula’s head jerk in our direction before quickly turning back, eyes down.
“Would a diamond necklace do?” I ask, this time not masking my voice. I trace her neck and collar bone with one finger and my eyes can’t help but look a little lower.
“Oh, I suppose,” Jackie sighs as if it were such an inconvenience to accept. She is good, I must admit.
“Simon?” I hear Paula’s voice next to me. I turn to her. “Could you keep it down, I can’t hear a word they’re saying,” She tells me, signaling to the awards that have already started to be presented. I am disheartened by her words but what was I expecting? ‘No, Simon, don’t go back to Jackie. I love you so much.’ No, I don’t think so.
“Sweetheart, whispering sweet nothings can’t nearly be as loud as those voices echoing across the whole place.” I point with a thumb to the stage.
Jeremy seems to perk up with this.
“Sweet nothings, eh? Didn’t know you two were a couple,” He laughs a hearty laugh and I look at Paula quickly. Her shoulders slump ever so slightly and a small frown graces her eyebrows before vanishing just as quickly as it came. She is beautiful tonight, I note, my eyes scanning her quickly.
“Knowing Simon,” Jackie cuts in with a sweet voice. “It won’t be long before he wins me over again.” She smiles at me and how thankful I am that she loves me. I tap the tip of her nose and she pulls away laughing.
Just a second later Paula slips her hand in Jeremy’s. Jackie notices and winks discretely. We’re getting to her. However Jeremy kissing the palm of her hand was not the greatest sight and I roll my eyes in Jackie’s direction.
“You little hypocrite,” She sneers and slaps my thigh. I take her hand quickly, glad that she keeps all the less romantic comments at a hushed tone.
“Jackie, love, not now. We’re in public. On telly.” I pout at her. This time it is her turn to roll her eyes.
We stay quiet for a while and I try to pay attention to the stage but my eyes keep finding their way to Paula. She has one leg crossed over the other, making her navy blue dress slide us her thigh a little. My eyes linger there for a moment but then I see her knee being covered my Jeremy’s large hand. She places her own hand on his and turns to him. He just kisses the side of her face and turns his attention back to the awards. I could throw up, honestly. So I work my own plan; I take Jackie’s hand about a minute later and lay it on my knee. I pick up each finger of hers one by one, tracing them from the nail to the knuckle. Then, I switch to her palm and draw lazy patterns on it. She laces her fingers through mine on my lap and I hold it there.
“She looked,” whispers Jackie. I kiss her head as a response. “Ooh, she looked again,” She squeezes my fingers this time and I squeeze back, delighted.
The whole evening continues that way and after the show, Ryan invites us all to his house for an ‘after party’. We all head to our respective limos and I know I am going to have to explain a lot to Jackie. As always, I am correct.
“I knew it. I knew it, I knew it, I KNEW it!” Jackie slaps my arm and giggles hysterically beside me in the backseat of the car.
“Oh shut up.” I roll my eyes.
“You want her bad, don’t you?” She asks, poking my chest. As much as I can get under peoples’ skin, especially Jackie’s, it drives me crazy that she can do the same for me. She is definitely doing it now.
“Jackkiie,” I drawl, wishing for her to stop.
“I think it’s sweet! It’s obvious she was jealous, Simon.”
“Jealous?” I say before I can think, a smile gracing my face and my eyes lighting up. Immediately I look down, embarrassed. She pinches my cheek ‘aww’ing and I swat her hand away. There aren’t many people I allow to pinch my cheeks, especially at an awkward moment such as this one.
“Yes, smartarse, jea-lous . Envy. It’s what happens when you want something someone else has.” She sniggers and I pinch her side as revenge. She laughs.
We reach Ryan’s house in good timing, but we’re still the last to arrive. Luckily the snacks are just starting to go around and I grab some plus a drink each for Jackie and I.
“Thank-you, darling,” She says, taking her drink. Without warning she leans up and kisses me quickly on the lips. I cock an eyebrow at her, with an amused smile. She just winks and signals with her eyes to the left. I turn only to see Paula staring at us. She meets my eyes for a second before turning away quickly and pretends to be part of Hunter’s and Mike’s conversation.
Where did Ryan get to? Surely by now he would have cracked a few ‘Simon is in love’ jokes. I walk to the kitchen where he’s probably getting out more snacks. His kitchen is large and has two parts, though I’m sure he’s never cooked in his life. Still, I walk to the back searching and when I don’t find him, I retrace my steps.
I am thoroughly surprised to see Paula leaning against the counter of the dry kitchen, eyes insistent upon me. Her dress is tight against her skin, and she has taken off her heels somewhere, leaving her dark blue toenails very prominent. Her hair has grown recently, and it now reaches halfway down her back in lose curls. Again, I lose my train of thought at the sight of her.
“Are you done?” She asks, quietly. It occurs to me I have been checking her out for a few long moments and neither of us has said anything. I smile mischievously and nod, crossing my arms over my chest. “What was that all about tonight?”
“What was what all about?” I question, as if I don’t know what she’s talking about. My smile becomes wider. She is envious after all.
“Oh, please, Simon. How stupid do you think I am?” her hands flail above her head. I just look at her innocently. “Apparently, pretty damn stupid,” She mutters and I can’t help but laugh. I lean back on the sink behind me. “Why were you all over Jackie?” She snaps, and bites her lip quickly as if she hadn’t meant to say that.
“Because she’s beautiful and my best friend. Why can’t I be all over Jackie if I want to?” I see her flinch when I say ‘best friend’. I can see the momentary hurt in her eyes.
“Because obviously that means you were either totally not serious about me or you’re a big liar.” The last part of her statement and the childlike tone makes me bite the inside of my cheek to stop from laughing at her again.
“And what does it matter to you whether or not I am serious or a liar?” I inch closer to her.
“It, it doesn’t…. I’m just saying -” Her breathing gets heavier and now I’m almost touching her but not quite. I can feel the heat of her body though, with her perfume and a scent that is uniquely Paula; it’s intoxicating.
“Now, Paula, you don’t really believe that do you?”
“She’s married,” Paula protests mildly.
I can feel her eyes slowly following mine as my finger makes its way across her collarbone, landing on her throat and I can feel her gulp heavily. “Simon…” she says in a soft tone that grabs my attention and I can’t help but smirk at the way she is trembling under my touch. I’ve always loved that even the simplest touch of mine can turn her upside down. “Not again, please, Simon.” Her words say ‘no’, but the inviting way she lengthens her neck towards me and breathes on my lips defies her.
I run my nose along her neck and jaw line, my lips barely brushing her. I nuzzle her cheek and kiss her eyes and bite her earlobe. I won’t kiss her, no. Not again. But I will do everything else in my power to drive her insane. Why? Because I cannot stand not to indulge myself. And I will do everything in my power to make her see what she is missing. Everything to prove to her that she is very jealous and has every reason to be.
Paula leans back, her knees buckling ever so slightly and sighs when my lips tease the bottom of her ear. And when I kiss the hollow of her throat, she pulls me down closer.
“Enough.” She says. And kisses my lips.
She doesn’t linger, doesn’t move against me. But instead, she feathers kisses all over my face and I bend down so she can do whatever she please. She can pull my hair out for all I care. But she is gentle, stroking my face and nuzzling my neck. I have never done this sort of thing before – not ever. We aren’t kissing, really, and yet I feel just as alive as I would have, should we have been.
I hold her waist as she kisses my neck, tenderly. There is nothing hasty about this; nothing lust like. It is full of emotional attachment and need.
We might have stayed that way for ages, and eventually, we might have snogged. But I doubt that. And we had been interrupted anyway by Ryan.
“Simon! Paula!” He calls, from somewhere close by, I’m sure.
Paula pulls away and I release my hold of her.
“What was that?” Paula whispers. And after a long time, I am speechless. It does happen once in a while.
“You should, um, clean up,” I say for the sake of saying something and wipe the corner of her lip where the gloss is smeared.
“Yeah.” She escapes like a fleeing puppy and turns in the direction of the washroom. I quickly wash my face at the sink and wipe it with the towel hanging beside me.
When I return outside, Kara and Mike have already left and I’m glad. I see Ryan raise his eyebrows in a curious way and I smile brightly clapping him on the back.
“There you are!” I ruffle his ‘perfected’ hair and he swats me away. I laugh, amazed at my quick recovery.
I am avoiding Jackie’s eyes which are boring into my back from the other side of the room. I sit beside Ryan on the couch, take a beer and watch as Jackie excuses herself from a conversation with Tina and makes her way over to me.
“Simon, were you with whom I think you were?” She asks almost accusingly but the sparkle in her eye tells me more. I see from the corner of my eye Ryan’s eyes prick and his head snaps to attention.
“I was looking for Ryan in the kitchen, darling, but apparently he came back from somewhere else.” I pull her so she is sitting on my lap.
“Where’s Paula?” Jackie questions softly and I swallow with difficulty. She doesn’t realise how quickly Ryan will jump to conclusions… which are probably too accurate, and that is not what I want for either Paula or myself.
“I’m not sure- I think I saw her turning to the bathroom,” I reply, trying to keep it as honest as possible. I look down at Jackie’s lap and play with her hand. “I’m sure you’re tired, love. Would you like to leave soon?” I change the subject, sincerely as possible but I can tell this isn’t over. What is it with women and matchmaking their friends? I sigh inwardly.
“A bit yeah. Sure, we can go,” She agrees, letting it go for now. She knows she will get it out of me later. Damn her for knowing me so well. She rests and arm around my shoulders and plays with the hairs on the back of my neck.
“So soon? Well, alright.” Ryan says as we all stand. I see Paula walking out and Jeremy takes her arm.
We say our goodbyes to everyone and I shake Hunter’s hand with a put on smile. Paula has her tongue in her cheek and her eyes cast onto her feet as I do so. Quickly, I lean in and kiss her and we’re off.