I'm Normally Perfect (re-upload)

Chapter Twenty-Two

Robert took my elbow and led me to the kitchen on the ground floor. It required all of my self-control not to jerk away from his touch—I was already tense merely from being there. While he was trying to locate a fizzy drink that hadn't been "improved" for me a guy with curly black hair strolled up and said loudly, 'Hey! Roberto! Who's the bird?' as though I wasn't right there.

He extricated himself from a cooler with a Coke, 'Andrew, you've met Catherine.'

Andrew looked down at me, 'I don't think so.' He looked me up and down and addressed the area just below my neck, 'I'd remember you.'

Robert poked him on the forehead with one finger, 'You met in the pub last year.' Andrew looked me in the face and realised Robert was right. Robert laughed loudly, 'Horny prat.' I hated that word, and I don't mean "prat".

'Hey, yeah, I do remember you,' he said it like it wasn't a pleasant memory. Then his brown eyes burned into mine, 'Well, well, haven't you grown up into a fine piece?'

Robert's tone went serious and he put his hand on Andrew's broad shoulder, 'Hey, man, don't talk to her like that.' It was good he said something because I was gobsmacked.

Andrew held the hand up that wasn't occupied with a drink, 'Hey, no offence. I didn't know she was your girl.'

Robert straightened his back, 'Well, you shouldn't talk to women like that anyway.'

'Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, mate. I only came to freshen my beverage, thanks.' He added beer to his cup and left us, but not before casting a lecherous look in my direction. I crossed my arms over my newly annoying chest.

As soon as the swing door stopped moving behind Andrew, Robert turned to me, 'I'm really sorry he said that.'

'Yeah, okay.' I was still reeling. I took the Coke Robert had brought out of the fridge and tried to open it, but couldn't get hold of the pop-top.

'May I?' He opened it and handed it back, 'Do you want a cup of ice or anything?'

I took a sip and addressed the top of the can, 'No, thanks.'

'Do you want to go outside?'

'It's freezing out there.' I wanted to go home. And never leave again.

'Quite right. Do you want to go to the second floor? It's probably less crowded up there; people don't want to wander too far from the alcohol. It'll run away if they do.'

I snorted in amusement, 'All right,' and we trekked up two flights of stairs, around couples chatting or making out (I tried to avert my eyes and not think about the fact that Alex was probably doing that very same thing with Matthew) and came out on the second floor. From up there the noise from the party was barely audible.

We walked into an open door on the right into a room with a couple of desks and computers. Robert said, 'Look up.'

I did to see the night sky, as the majority of the ceiling was a skylight. My mouth fell open a bit.

'Before it was converted into apartments, this was a sort of solarium.'

'It's great.'

'You want to lie down?'

My stomach jumped up into my throat, but I managed a squeaky, 'Excuse me?'

'It's less uncomfortable to see the view. Won't get neck cramp that way.' I hesitated and he added, 'I'm not going to do anything. I'll stay far away from you, if you'd like.'

'All right.' Before the second word was out of my mouth he bounced off to another room and returned with an unzipped sleeping bag, which he threw out onto the floor.