The Hook-up

Chapter 222

It wasn't much later that everyone was pushing shoving to try to get to the best view to see Justin performing to ring in the New Year (I don't think he did this but let's just go with it. It's hard to go back and make it all fit). "When did you start to work with Justin?" Lauren asked still trying to get to know the New Yorker who was visiting for the holidays to decide whether he wanted to move to Los Angeles. He was originally from Texas and was living with a friend from high school that Lauren had met very briefly in the past through other friends. Knowing that she knew Wes through someone else made her a bit more comfortable.

"Umm...maybe like after MySpace?" he answered not completely sure of his answer.

"Oh, so it's recent. I guess I may have seen you before if you had been with him for a while." Lauren said with a shrug.

"Yeah. I think I saw you before Thanksgiving." he answered. "Y'all had a meeting before and you were leaving as I was walking in."

"What time was it?" Lauren asked.

"It was later. Like 5.." he answered.

"Oh. That's why I didn't remember." she half laughed. "I was probably going to get the babies because my hus..." she paused. "their father wasn't going to go get them."

"You? Babies?" Wes asked a bit shocked.

"Oh please!" she laughed taking another gulp of her drink. He's just so not Bruno...I could go for this....she felt her small purse moving her hand to her pill packet. I took it..."Justin had to have told you about my twins."

"You're right. He did." Wes smiled back at her. "But it still shocks me. You're beautiful, and so young. And you just don't...you just don't look like someone that would have kids."

"What doe that mean?" she asked a bit offended.

"I just...." he tried to get away from the conversation,

"It's okay." she answered with reassurance. "It really is. I haven't pulled out my phone to show you their conversation from this morning so you don't have any way of knowing." she said pretending to reach for her phone to show him as the crowd started to scream with Justin hitting the stage. She felt Wes pull her a bit closer to her making her feel a bit weird. He puled her a little too tight. It wasn't the same soft grasp at her waist that Bruno had. The small touch of his finger tips against her waist to let her know that he was thinking of her and that he cared about her. This was a pull to get her attention, to let her know that she was his for the night. She couldn't even think back to the time when she and Bruno met, so horribly drunk, that he held her that tight, without letting her know that he was going to do it. And even then it was playful and purposful. This was just so normal for Wes. She wasn't sure what to think.

"Hey, Laur?" he asked her through the loud music.

"Yeah?" she asked finding an excuse to get away from his touch.

"Will you be my new year's kiss?" he asked her looking over her head to see the time slowly creeping towards the new year.

"I would love that." she told him with a smile finishing the drink she had in her hand. Oh God. Please. I don't know if I can do it...

"That's good..." he said reaching for her, this time a bit more softly, but still not the touch that she pined for so much but tried to forget about even harder. She looked up at him with a bit of a haze. It was so different to have to look for a man's eyes instead of them being right there for her to look in to. They looked at each other for what seemed to be at least five minutes but was actually only 15 seconds. After those 15 seconds Lauren felt soft lips biting her bottom lip,just a bit too hard for her liking, as their lips touched each other. She smelled the taste of alcohol, a different alcohol that she was used to tasting. She closed her eyes trying to push out the lips and the taste that she had had for the last three years. That distinct taste of whiskey and smoke was replaced by Stella Atrois and cool mint gum. As much as she unconsciously wanted to taste Bruno's lips on hers, the fresh hint of gum and a light beer against her mouth was refreshing and just what she needed to forget what the past year had brought her.

"Happy New Year, Lauren." Wes said sweetly pulling away from her after their kiss. She opened her eyes taking a deep breath pulling him back toward her, almost awkwardly since he was so much taller than her.

"Happy New Year, Wes." she said kissing him again taking in the smells, the sound and the feelings of the moment, without Bruno next to her.