Against the clock

46.

As the music thumped through the speakers, I hit the dance floor with everything I had. Arms flailing, hips swaying, I was in my element. If I wasn't showing, people would start assuming I was drunk, which I definitely wasn't. Lost in the rhythm, I didn't notice Derek and another male approaching until they were right beside me, joining in on the dance.

'Hey there, gorgeous,' the man purred, his voice dripping with innuendo as he leaned in close. I glanced over, slightly taken aback by the boldness of his approach. Derek, standing beside him, quickly stepped in, a warm smile on his face. 'This is Mark, my best friend,' Derek introduced, gesturing to the man beside him.

'Nice to meet you,' I said politely, offering a small smile. He leaned in even closer, his breath hot against my ear as he whispered, 'you know, Derek talks about you all the time. I can see why.'  Mark handed me the drink. I took it with a grateful smile, but couldn't help but wonder what was in it. 'What is it?' I asked, holding the glass up to inspect its contents. Before I could take a sip, I felt compelled to disclose something important, 'you know I'm pregnant, right?' 

'Oh, yeah, I know,' Mark replied with a grin, his tone teasing. 'Derek doesn't stop talking about that aswell.' As Mark's teasing words sank in, I couldn't help but steal a glance at Derek. 'Is that so?' I asked, my voice laced with curiosity as I searched Mark's face for any sign of his true intentions. Mark's grin widened at my question, his eyes twinkling with mischief. 'Oh, absolutely,' he replied, his tone playful. 'Derek practically has a countdown going until she arrives. It's all he can talk about.' 

'Well, I'm glad to hear Derek's excited,' I chimed in with a smile, feeling a surge of warmth towards Derek. 'It was about time those swimmers made it to the finish line,' Mark quipped with a grin, adding his own playful twist to the conversation. Derek chuckled at Mark's jest, though there was a hint of playfully wounded pride in his expression. 'Hey now, watch it,' he interjected with a smirk, nudging Mark with his elbow. 'Those swimmers are more like marathon runners, thank you very much.'

Mark raised his hands in surrender, still grinning. 'Okay. I'll give credit where it's due,' he conceded, before turning back to me with a mischievous glint in his eye. 'Before we continue, what's in this drink?' I interjected, holding the glass up to inspect its contents once more, feeling a slight unease creeping in.

Mark's grin didn't waver as he shrugged casually. 'Oh, just a mocktail I ordered from the bar,' he replied cryptically, his tone light and nonchalant. I couldn't help but let out a nervous laugh at Mark's response. 'You're not going to poison me, are you?' I joked, trying to lighten the mood.

Mark chuckled, shaking his head. 'No way, why would I poison my godbaby?' he replied with a playful wink, his tone teasing but reassuring. I instinctively placed my hand on my stomach, looking up at Derek with a raised eyebrow. 'Godbaby?' I repeated, my tone laced with curiosity. 'Yes, of course. I would be the best godfather there is,' he declared confidently, his eyes shining with genuine enthusiasm. Derek's confidence shone through as he reached over, placing his hand gently on my stomach. 'We'll see about that,' he said with a grin, his eyes meeting mine with a playful sparkle.

As Derek's hand rested on my stomach, Mark's grin widened, and he couldn't resist making a comment. 'So, when are you two finally going to get off?' he teased, his tone laced with innuendo as he waggled his eyebrows suggestively. Mark, undeterred by Derek's disapproving look, continued with a sly grin. 'I mean the dress, Derek. If I were you, I would have ripped it off already,' he added, his tone still teasing but with a mischievous edge.

Derek shot Mark a playful glare before turning back to me with a sheepish grin. 'Ignore him, he's always like this,' Derek said with a chuckle, shaking his head in mock exasperation. Then, with a sigh, he added, 'And a sex freak. Explains why he slept with my wife.' As the liquid from the mocktail slid down my throat, my eyes widened in realization. 'Oh, that's him?' I blurted out, unable to contain my surprise.