Jaded

Denied

"Which Islander once accidentally got paid for stripping?"

Suresh tried to hide the smile on his face, as he subtly glanced over at Jade. She was looking at him, too, sniggering under her breath, trying to hide her own cheeky grin.

She'd looked so beautiful under the lights, in that dress . He'd only left her a few minutes, battling the lines to get her another drink, but the few minutes they were apart were all it had taken for her to get bored. As he turned back with her Gin & Lemonade, he'd looked up, and burst out laughing. Jade was up on a podium, swinging around a pole, dancing as sluttily as she possibly could while pointing at him. That dress had shone like it was covered in diamonds, the actual diamonds he'd put in her ears only reflecting more and more light. It seemed like the entire club had stopped to watch her. Her friend Cara held up a few quid, and she burst out laughing, dramatically leaning over so she could stuff it into her cleavage. Out of nowehere, a bachelor party appeared, practically showering Jade with money, and she'd looked up at Suresh.

That beautiful mischief had struck her again. She twitched an eyebrow at him, and he raised one back, and he leaned back against the bar, a sly smile on his face. Jade leaned over, letting the boys stuff her cleavage with cash, and Suresh laughed loudly. She whispered in one of the boys' ears, and turned around, as he unzipped her dress from neck to waist. She flirted with a sleeve, subtly sliding it down her arm, slipping her arm out, as the crowd cheered loudly. The other sleeve went down, over her wrists, as she held her dress up with her hands. The bartender tapped him on the shoulder, and he turned. "Do you know her?"

And Suresh had nodded, proudly. "That's my girlfriend."

The bartender gave him a surprised look, but looked even more surprised as Suresh turned back around, watching as Jade dropped her dress to the floor, covering her breasts with wads of cash in her hands. The crowd went wild , and Suresh almost doubled over laughing, as he downed his drink and made his way over with hers.

He was brought back to the moment by chants of "Alfie, Alfie," from the other islanders, who seemed to be insisting it was him.

Suresh shook his head. "I know this one, and it's not Alfie."

Everyone turned to look at Jade, eyes as wide as dinner plates. Alfie looked her up and down, hungrily. "This you, Jade? Damn, wish I saw that."

Suresh nodded. "It was a beautiful sight, believe me."

"I bet it was," Eddie nodded, prompting a glare from Dana.

Jade's lip twitched as she tried not to burst out laughing. "We were out for a bit of fun. Resh went to the bar, and when he looked back..."

She lost the battle with her face, and fell into an uncontrollable attack of giggles, making Suresh's heart beam with pride. He wasn't sure why, but it made him stand a little taller. He supposed it should've been the fact that she could remember the happiness they'd had. The trust . How easy things were between them. But in that particular moment, it was just nice to see her laugh.

The way they'd run screaming from the club after getting kicked out, drunk as hell and cracking up laughing as they smoothed out the 45 quid that got them banned from Mikhail's .

As he continued the story for Jade, he was laughing himself, and Jade could barely take her eyes off him as he did. He was wheezing as he recounted the security guards' faces as she'd insisted on them letting her re-dress before escorting her out.

Jade gasped. "And then, oh my god, the other one?"

"Yes! " he laughed. "And then you took so long , and you..."