Heartbeats in Moonlight

Chapter 85

One hour later the band for the evening started up, and couples took to the floor to dance. David remained on his chair while his friend and his date headed for the dance floor, just like the sisters who were accompanied onto the dance floor with their dates. David tracked only one. He felt his fury escalate when he saw her enveloped into an unnecessary, close dance hold. If she got any closer to that guy she'd be wearing his clothes. David watched as the two swayed, but they did little more than that. But that 'little' was more that enough! David ignored the fact that he was really jealous, and he recognised the fact that he needed to get his brain in to gear before his annoyance, his ire and his frustration, took over.

A new strategy was called for, enough waiting around, and he needed to rein in his fury. For several minutes David contemplated a plan of action but he took the time to corral his frustration. David was pretty sure that Ella had not realised that he was here. There were heaps of people here. He just had to wait for his moment. He had a semi-plan in his mind. The first was to corner her, without her date's presence. That was the difficulty. When? Given that stranger was glued to her side.

It didn't not stop him from watching Ella and her date. Who the hell was that man? Too smarmy, he thought as he watched them exited the floor. That stranger was still holding her elbow as they walked back to the table. Then the stranger grinned cheekily as he placed his palm on her back and was brushing her back in more than a whisper of a caress. Ella said something to him. The stranger clutched at his chest, and grinned at her, with no expression of repentance. He kept his hand on her back. David's anger escalated. Bloody obsequious jerk! David suppressed his urge to race over to Ella, to separate her from that smarmy jerk. David's groan in frustration was more than silent, which drew attention to David. His companions at his table turned towards him and he could see the avid curiosity in their eyes. He shifted uneasily and muffled his reaction with a cough as an excuse for that groan, and shrugged. But he was pleased to see Ella digging her elbow into the stranger's ribs, albeit lightly. The smarmy bastard deserved a kick to his balls, David muttered to himself.

Several minutes later, David watched Ella leave the room. David didn't wait. He excused him from his table, and followed her out.

She walked towards the powder room at the end of the corridor. David looked around, took noticed of the lay of the reception area. Lots of pillars supporting the high ceiling of the reception. The powder room was diagonally across from the room hosting the awards dinner. David watched Ella open a door and vanished inside. David also noted there was a door, labelled cloakroom, just before the powder room.

He waited patiently by a pillar close to the cloakroom. There were a few people milling around, but no-one took any notice of him, lurking by the pillar. Though, if he continued to stay there, he would generate unwanted interest.

"Gaby."

"Omph!" She muttered in surprise. She knew that voice. Her eyes went wide in amazement. He was here. But before she could do anything, he grabbed her arm, backed the door open with his heel, and pulled her into the cloakroom.

Inside the cloakroom he spun her around. And she pulled out of his grip, threw him a speaking look, and took a couple of steps away. Her back hit the back of the exit door.

"What do you think you are doing?" Ella demanded as he advanced on her. She was happy to see him here but what was he doing here? He didn't say anything about being here tonight. But then again, she hadn't told him either.

"Me? What about you?" He planted both hands on the door, bracketing her head. She blinked at him. "What the hell do you think you are doing?" He was furious that he'd lost his temper and raised his voice. That was not part of his plan B. In his Plan B, he was going to approach her and would ask her, politely of course, who the stranger was. Obviously that plan was scuttled by his fury.

Ella repeated his question to him, "What the hell do you think you are doing? Dragging me into this room." She looked at his forearms and then glared at him. "People are going to talk about us!" She scowled at him. "And what are you doing here?" Ella continued, her heart was thundering. With her handbag in one hand, she slapped her forearms against his arms. Nothing happened. "Do you mind?" She hissed when she couldn't budge him and he didn't back off voluntarily. She glowered at him. This wasn't calm, cool, collected David, this was a different David, an irate, angry man.

"As a matter of fact." He thundered and continued, "Yeah. I do." He leaned in, all but caged her within his arms. Her chin came up and her eyes narrowed at his tone. And David demanded, "What the fuck do you think you are doing, Gaby?"

"Me?" She recoiled and looked at him. "What are you talking about?" This was definitely not David. He never lost control. Well, apart from what happened earlier today. Her cheeks blushed as she remembered. Why hadn't she noticed that he called her Gaby?

His eyes pinned her as he snapped, "You heard me." He ignored the flush of her cheeks as his anger simmered and bubbled into life.

"I might have heard you, but you aren't making any sense." She challenged, not at all put out by his temper tantrum. She knew from his behaviour, even tipsy, his nature shone through, and it was tender, kind, and passionate. "You know my father just got an award."

"I know."

"And I am trying to get back to my family, who are all waiting for me, back inside. The point is, what are you doing here? And why drag me into this, this," She looked around, "this room!"

"I'm making more sense than a woman who fucked me, eighteen hours ago," he glared and while Ella flinched, she watched his control dissolve when he continued, "who now clings like a limpet to another man."

Her chin came up a fraction of an inch. "What?" Maintaining eye contact, she kept a check on her temper.

He failed to bank his anger given his tone and words, "How the hell can you make love to me when you have a date with that Neanderthal!"

"What?" She gasped.

With a speaking look he demanded, "You want to tell me what's the hell is going on here?" With his anger resurfacing and his sense of indignation rising, he hissed at her, "You took me home, took advantage of my drunken state, and used me to dispose of your virginity!"

She wanted to smack him, but caged within his arms, she rolled her eyes.

"Gaby, you really do not want to piss me off right now, because I'm about ready to haul your ass out of here, kicking and screaming if need be." If anything, his eyes flashed into full scale fury and Gabriella found herself fascinated by the change. Feral. Possessive. Furious.

"Try it." She challenged evenly, refusing to be intimidated by his obvious fury.

His eyes flashed. She jammed both hands on his chest and shoved. A ghost of a smile touched his lips as he recognised her ultimatum. "Ok." His response was to lean in and kiss her.