The Spectator

Chapter 20: New Years by the Beach

     "We're at Nikki's on the Beach--"

     "Excellent choice," Chuck interjected.

     "Thanks," Serena smiled. "They're about to start the countdown and we just wanted to call you--"

     The woman's voice from earlier rang out again. "Everyone get your glasses of bubbly ready! 10!"

     A countdown was projected on a screen and a dazzling disco ball was lowered from the ceiling. Everyone in the club shrieked excitedly.

     "Ah! Here we go you guys!" Serena exclaimed to Blair and Chuck. A countdown could be heard commencing on their end as well.

     "...9! ...8! ...7!... 6!... 5!... 4!... 3!... 2! ...1! Happy New Year!"

     The club erupted in cheers. Champagne was downed and the couples turned to kiss each other in celebration of this new beginning. Ella and Nate sipped their champagne a little more slowly, glancing at each other from the corners of their eyes. Ella gulped her champagne faster.

     "Anyway, we love you guys!" Serena shouted at the phone over the din. "Enjoy your New Years!"

     "Love you!" They called back before the line went dead.

     "Before you even start complaining, yes there will be more dancing," Serena warned Dan. "Right after we do more shots!"

     "Woah, water first!" Dan exclaimed.

     "I'm good on the shots for now..." Ella shook her head. Jesus, she'd thought she could drink most people under the table but Serena had the tolerance of a horse. The blonde raised an eyebrow at all of them.

     "Amateurs," She scoffed, grabbing a water bottle and chugging some. She turned to Ella and Nate, eyes slitted dreamily. Maybe the drugs and alcohol had affected her more than she was letting on. In any case, she looked perfectly content lounging against Dan. "Where did you guys disappear to before?"

     Ella and Nate looked at each other. Nate shrugged.

      "Just dancing, we couldn't find you guys in the crowd after a while," He looked at Serena opening her mouth to reply and just knew she was going to ask to stick together this time. So he quickly stood. "Speaking of which... madame?"

     He extended a hand playfully to Ella. She looked up at him in surprise. He wanted to keep dancing? She smiled. By all means, then...

     "Good sir," She took his hand and stood. They let go of each other as they exited their little section.

     "Meet us back here at 2!" Dan called. He shook his head as they disappeared on to the dance floor. "You think they're up to something?"

     "Out there?" Serena looked at the crowd of people bumping and grinding to the music. "Obviously."

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     Ella played it safe at first. Nate was keeping his distance again and she didn't feel like being the one throwing herself at him. But the dance floor was packed and they were pushed together ever closer. Just inches from each other, she could feel him looking at her dancing even when she closed her eyes. Her skin tingled with that knowledge and she figured she might as well give him a show if he was looking.

     The heat and the music and her hips in that dress... he tried not to look but he couldn't stop himself. And she... she turned her gaze on him, dark and cat like, making him wonder what her curves felt like through the satin of her dress. He swayed closer. She rocked towards him. Their hands bumped. They fell apart.They bumped again and this time, he caught her in his grip. Their fingers twined and they didn't stop moving.

     It suddenly seemed so silly, this distance between them. They were just dancing, weren't they? Couples all around them were doing way more outrageous things. The way Ella pressed up to him now, torsos flush, was so tame in comparison.

     Her hands found his collar and smoothed over his broad shoulders. His eyes were so blue she couldn't look at them for very long without feeling her face heat up. She pressed closer to escape his eyes. His hands found their way to her hips. They moved in sexy little S shapes in his grip. His grip tightened and pulled her closer. She could feel the heat of him pressed to her and fisted her hands in his shirt because this still didn't feel close enough.

     When she turned around, it didn't register immediately just what a significant line was being crossed. Then, it became glaringly obvious as the movement of her hips pressed her ass to his belt buckle. She did filthy things with said ass, growing bolder the longer he let this happen. She could feel him panting on her neck and she reached a hand back into his hair, letting him know he could stay this close to her if he wanted.

     He wanted. He definitely wanted. He wanted to so badly that when she turned around to face him again, he kissed her. He was hating himself even as he did it. And not because he knew it was unethical— though it really, really was-- but he was only really afraid she wouldn't kiss him back and run off like last time, fating him to keep living with this unrequited sexual tension.

     Except she did. Fuck, did she kiss him back. She tasted very different this go round. The last tiny taste he'd had of her had been of coffee and butter. She tasted like rum now, as she let the tips of their tongues touch. She was pressed so close to him, holding onto his shoulders while his hands slid down her back. Feeling the shape of her through that satiny soft fabric was doing nothing to calm him down. He felt the vibration of a moan on her lips when he squeezed her ass. So, she liked that. How convenient for him, he thought.

     He kept waiting for her to pull away, to say no, but she never did. She kept pushing forward. There was a desperation deep in her chest as she kissed him, not knowing if she would ever get to do this again. It drove her closer, urged her to sink her nails into the muscles of his shoulders, twine her fingers in his hair, kiss him like she'd never kissed anyone before. Fuck. She turned around to let him push against her.

     All in the guise of dancing, she knew that this was just foreplay as he held her close, arms wrapping around her midsection possessively so she bowed against him. They were showing each other what a round in bed might look like. So far, it was looking impressive.

     Foreplay. Somewhere beyond the haze they were trapped in, a part of Nate was screaming that this was not foreplay. It was just dancing. Very inappropriate dancing, but that didn't mean this was going to lead to sex. No sex. No... Sex... She was doing that thing with her hips again, grinding against him and all thought flew out of his head. He spun her around to break the contact.

     "Ella..." She could see him saying her name, even if she couldn't hear it over the music. She smirked up at him.

     "Nate..." She said back before reaching for his lips. He groaned as they started making out again. Fuck, they had to stop-- She bit down on his lower lip, like she could sense his hesitancy. She pulled back with a little smile, looking into his eyes to gauge his reaction. Was he still hesitant?

     "Come on," He grabbed her hand and started pushing through the crowd. She followed, stumbling on her heels. He wrapped an arm around her waist to stabilize her and practically carried her the rest of the way. He wasn't sure where he was going, but he'd been to plenty of clubs and there had to be a secluded corner somewhere...

     He pulled her into the hallway by the bathroom. Not exactly secluded, but he didn't give a shit anymore. He pushed her up against the wall and kissed her again. He pulled back to look at her. Ella stared up at him through hooded eyes, gripping him by the collar of his shirt to pull herself close.

     She traced a question on his lips with her tongue. He shuddered, feeling the hair on the back of his neck stand up. He pressed into her again and again when they kissed, like he might just fuck her right there against the wall. It was the best way he knew to answer her.