The Long Way Home Page 22

  Chapter 8

  Doug and Samantha stood opposite each other on the dance floor. They were both feeling kind of hot having danced for the last hour. Barry was nowhere to be found. The last Doug had seen of him was over an hour ago when they had lost miserably in a game of pool. Barry had headed for the bar to shout a round of drinks for the group they had lost to while Samantha had grabbed Doug by the arm and dragged him onto the dance floor as soon Abba began playing over the speakers. Initially Doug had tried to protest, but after his lame pleas of ‘I don’t dance’ were largely ignored, he ended up enjoying himself. It felt so good to step out of his ordinary life and lose himself in the moment.

  “Are you thirsty?” Doug asked as the song faded to an end.

  “I sure am.” Samantha replied.

  “Let me buy you a drink then,” Doug motioned towards the bar as another song began to blare out from the giant speakers.

  Stepping between the other couples on the dance floor, he was surprised when Samantha’s arm playfully linked around his as she followed at his side. He hadn’t expected it, Rowena certainly hadn’t acted like this the last few years they were together. Only this wasn’t Rowena. This was a woman far more beautiful than he had ever imagined being with. She rested her head teasingly on his shoulder and he wished he hadn’t found a seat at the bar so easily. With almost everyone on the dance floor it was half deserted. He pulled the stool out for her and felt his arm tingle as her hand slid down it, stopping when it found his. Her fingers entwined with his and he sat down next to her and found himself staring into her wild blue eyes.

  “What can I get you two?” The barman asked, briefly shaking the two of them from their passionate gaze.

  “A glass of red wine.” Samantha replied.

  “Just a beer for me thanks,” Doug said, reaching for his wallet in the back pocket of his jeans.

  The barman had already returned with the two drinks by the time Doug had finished fumbling through his wallet and pulling out a crumpled two dollar note and some coins.

  Samantha took a sip of her wine, seductively licked her lips and still holding Doug’s hand asked, “Have you got any plans for later on tonight?”

  Doug put his drink down and turned to look at her. ‘There was an icebreaker if ever he’d heard one’ he thought to himself. He’d already had fun tonight, talking over a game of pool, and stepping out of his shell and onto the dance floor with her. But the flirting that followed was new territory for him. She was very attractive, there was no doubting that, but what did she see in him? Her eyes were a beautiful blue colour that glistened as they stared at him waiting for an answer. She had sexy, ash blonde hair that hung straight and just reached her shoulders, so that it would brush over them every time she turned her head. Her lips were coated in a soft pink lipstick that matched the jacket she wore over a white t-shirt and denim jeans that were incredibly tight. Doug guessed her to be in her early to mid twenties.

  “Coming here was my plan for tonight.” Doug finally replied.

  “No silly, I meant later on.” She smiled as she toyed with him.

  “Well, I was hoping I may have bumped into my brother to find out what he was doing. I mean, he got a lift here with me, said something about maybe getting a taxi home, but I don’t know….”

  “Hey, isn’t that your brother over there?” She excitedly waved in the direction behind Doug.

  Doug turned around to see his brother recognise them and begin to make his way across the room with his arm around Samantha’s friend Vanessa.

  “Hey there,” he said to Doug as the four of them came together again. “I was looking for the two of you, just wanted to let you know that we’re going.”

  “Already?” Doug asked.

  Barry looked down and noticed Samantha was holding Doug’s hand while she was talking to her friend. Then he spoke more quietly, “Doug, it’s nearly midnight if you know what I mean.”

  “It was nice meeting you Doug.” Vanessa spoke, and then turning to Samantha added, “Call me tomorrow then okay.”

  “I’ll see you tomorrow Doug.” Barry said. “I’ve got a cab coming, so you take care driving home then alright.”

  “Nice meeting you.” Samantha called as Barry turned and waved one final time as he crossed the room heading for the exit.

  “Okay, see ya tomorrow.” Doug said to no one as he watched his brother disappear.

  On the dance floor, they had just started playing another slow song. Those dancing moved in closer with arms wrapped around each other as the DJ announced this was the final song for the night.

  “Oh, I love this song!” Samantha shouted. She stood up and pulled Doug up on to his feet. “One more dance, please?” She took him by the hand and led him towards the dance floor leaving him no time to answer.

  The lights were down low and the silver disco ball turned slowly overhead as they found their own place on the edge of the dance floor. Samantha stopped and turned to face Doug, there was a slight awkward moment as they both worked out where to place each other’s hands and then they were dancing slowly. The two swayed slowly from side to side, Doug’s hands around Samantha’s waist while her hands rested on his shoulders.

  “You know the night has really got away on us.” Samantha said, her hands running up his shoulders to the back of his neck.

  “I know. I can’t believe how late it is.” He replied, blood rushing to his head as she caressed the back of his neck and ran her fingers into his wavy brown hair.

  “It doesn’t have to end here you know.” She said enticingly, moving her body closer to his. In doing so his hands accidently slipped lower than the curve of her waist and she looked up at him approvingly. She made her move, arching her back so that her tummy pressed against his while staring up into his eyes. She touched her tongue to her top lip and hoped that he was reading her mind.

  Doug had his arms wrapped around her waist, hands resting on her ass and fingers sliding slowly into the back pocket of her jeans, her incredibly tight jeans. This girl was gorgeous. Her eyes continued to gaze lustfully up at him and her lips moved slowly up towards his. He let one hand slide deep into the back pocket of her jeans and the other hand he let run free up the curve of her back, under her silky blonde hair. Gently he guided her head towards his, her mouth towards his, until finally their lips met in a soft crush of desire. It was a liberating moment of passion, an outpouring of love, desire and lust all trying to escape at once from the cells of repression that had kept all of these feelings imprisoned inside him for so long.

  The song ended. Holding hands, they walked across the room together, through the exit and out into the car park. In a few moments, they were gone.