Somehow, his eyes always found her. Even in the dark of the club, colored strobe lights flickering to the beat of the deafening music, Calum easily recognized Josie's approaching figure as she walked up with her arm linked with Luke's. Calum paused with the glass of his whiskey halfway to his mouth, eyes drinking in the sight of her and the baby pink dress that clung to her skin and left little to the imagination due to the deep V cut down the chest. His grip on the glass tightened, throat drying as he watched the smile light up Josie's face as she greeted the group they were with, blonde hair falling in loose waves around her shoulders, looking soft enough to make him want to run his fingers through.
Calum's eyes caught on her legs and lingered, finding it physically painful to not make a guttural sound of enjoyment. He would have allowed himself to stare for a moment longer, to take in her smooth cream colored legs if it hadn't been for Luke approaching. Shaking away his distracting thoughts, Calum stood up and clasped his hand on Luke's back, greeting him. The smile he had mustered up probably looked more like a grimace. He knew it to be true because his eyes had already shifted back to Josie and his face fell slightly. Why did he keep staring at her? Her entire presence was magnetic, always tugging him closer.
How could he possibly look away when the gold choker so daintily wrapped around her neck the way he—No. Nope. He would not think about this. He refused to think about this. He refused to think about her, or the way her dress exposed those collarbones and sternum, or how her soft skin seemed to glitter under the rays of blue and purple lights and—Fuck. Why was this so damn difficult? Why couldn't he just stop?
He had to, especially when Luke sat down on the available seat diagonal of him and would pick up on the way Calum couldn't seem to stop staring at his sister. Suddenly, his emptying glass of whiskey was more interesting, allowing himself another sip.
"Hey, sorry we're late," Josie apologized, and Calum blinked as he looked up at her. He hadn't noticed that she'd moved to stand right over him on the couch, but her attention was on Crystal, who sat to Calum's right. He bit the inside of his lips when Josie leaned over his seated figure to grab Crystal's hand, pursing his mouth as he purposefully dropped his gaze to his glass once more in order to avert from looking in the exposed cut of her dress. It was too tempting. "I had to stay until after closing."
"It's fine," Crystal laughed and Calum clenched his jaw when she scooted away from him, creating some space as she patted it, grinning up at Josie. "Sit! I'll pour you a drink."
Calum looked down at the empty space before his gaze flashed up, eyes instantly meeting Josie's. She pursed her lips, chest sinking with a silent breath she expelled before forcing the awkward smile back on her face, one which Calum swallowed down the lump in his throat to return just as awkwardly, as she reluctantly sat down. It wasn't too tight of a fit, but it still meant for them to be pressed together, and Calum's stomach churned at the feel of her side pressed into his.
He straightened where he sat, suddenly feeling as though his leather jacket was a bit too tight. He forced his nerves to calm, but was fruitless when his nose caught a whiff of a familiar strawberry scent. The same strawberry scent that had been on his tongue... Fuck. Shit, damn it. Stop thinking about it.
Calum's throat tightened as Josie took the glass Crystal offered her after pouring her a drink. He snapped his head in Ashton's direction, who had been sitting to his left, and figured that whatever conversation he was having with Crystal's mutual friends would be better to tune into. He wasn't familiar with either of them, but he decided that the subject of The Bachelorette would be a better distraction than Josie's warm thigh pressed up against his, and the fact that she was still annoyed with him.
He hadn't missed the way she didn't greet him, playing it off as accidentally forgetting to do so in the chaotic atmosphere of the bustling club. He wanted to roll his eyes, despite knowing he was somewhat at fault. He contemplated whether or not he should say something. But Calum thought against it, trying not to think of the way their heads were turned away from one another, purposefully keeping conversations with others as a way of keeping their distance.
Even if the heat of their bodies seeped through their clothes and settled in their skin.
Was it all in his head? Calum downed a small glass of whiskey, letting the dull burn get caught in his throat when Josie shifted closer to him, bare thigh pressing into his jean clad one. He could feel her warm skin his through the thick material of the denim. Whether Josie was aware of it or not, she didn't show, and it only had Calum reaching for the whiskey bottle to refill his glass, hoping the warmth of liquor would overpower the warmth of her body.
Soon enough, everyone was in the mood to get lost in the buzzing dance floor after someone dropped a comment about the DJ playing tracks that were too good not to dance to. Calum would've much rather remained seated on the couch, but the entire group they were with had gotten up, save for a couple he wasn't familiar with. It didn't help that Luke pulled him off the couch and said, "Come on, let's get more drinks." Their table was running empty, and apparently Luke wasn't patient enough to wait for more bottles to be brought out.
They made their way towards the bar, and how had Calum missed Josie being right with them? He watched her lean forward on the bar, diagonal of him, Luke on his other side as she allowed for her gaze to lock with Calum's. In the flashing lights of the club, he couldn't quite get a read on her face, wasn't too sure what she was thinking—how could he be, when his own thoughts were jumbled? There was a twisting in his stomach, being in the presence of both her and Luke, and Calum wondered if Josie felt as alarmed as he did. Wondered if she also felt that if Luke looked at them a bit too long, he would figure it out.
Drinking probably wouldn't help his paranoia, yet Calum didn't protest when Luke ordered a round of Fireball shots from the bartender.
"Oh, absolutely not," Josie instantly denied, shaking her head vigorously as a grimace replaced her soft features. Her hand waved in the opposite direction as her head, her dancing earrings bobbing from side to side. She stared pointedly at her brother as she raised her glass to finish off the drink she already had. "I can't drink that—it fucks me up."
It was when her guilt ridden eyes met his, if only for a split second, that it clicked in Calum's head. He recalled the last time he had ordered that particular drink. The bitter cinnamon taste that burned his throat that had become a catalyst that night. Cinnamon with a hint of strawberry on his tongue when he—Suddenly he felt his own skin prick with goosebumps at the vivid memory, and despite his racing heart, scoffed with a wicked smirk, "I agree."
He hadn't meant to sound patronizing when he said it, and frankly, Calum figured he'd done a good job in covering it up because Luke merely laughed and didn't bother canceling the order. But Calum's gaze flickered up to Josie, who definitely heard the implication in the two words he'd spoken, if the way she'd all but choked on her sip was anything to go by.
Josie coughed, back of her hand covering her mouth as from the other side of Calum, Luke's eyebrows shot up as he asked, "Jesus—you good?"
Calum fought the urge to reach over and rub Josie's back as she coughed, nodding reassuringly at her brother as she answered, "Yeah." Her voice was just barely lost over the music playing. She gestured towards her throat, lamely adding, "Went down the wrong way."
Luke nodded once he was convinced she wasn't about to choke to death, leaning closer to listen to what Ashton was telling him. Calum, though, caught Josie's eyes narrowing into a glare at him, a silent annoyance because of his not-so-innocent answer. No one else may have picked up on it, but it was loud and clear to Josie. Just like Calum had hoped. Why he decided to fuck with her just then, he didn't know. Probably because it served as a minor distraction to the anxieties that swirled in his head.
She wasn't too happy about it. Calum didn't entirely care.
The round of shots were placed in front of them, and despite poking fun at Josie's reaction at the drink of choice, Calum felt a cold sweat drip down his spine as he beheld the all too familiar liquor being lined up in front of him. The memories revolving around this drink of choice had been the same memories that were currently plaguing his mind. Calum noted Josie's hesitance as she reached for a glass with a slight shakiness of her hand, eyes meeting his. The flashing lights did little to hide the gulp she swallowed, wariness settling into her features.
When Calum remained to be the last one to pick up the glass, Luke nudged him. "Come on, Cal. Take a shot with us."
He hid his hesitance with a quick grin, offering a tilt of his head as he licked his lips and reached for the remaining glass. "This is exactly how you end up in someone else's bed."
Josie was either going to run away or kill him. Calum couldn't tell which, but judging by the look she was sending his way upon hearing his words over the sound of Post Malone's music playing, she didn't appreciate his comment. Calum bit the corner of his lip, the glass held carefully by his fingers, reading Josie's expression as she silently demanded what the hell he was doing, a warning set in the purse of her lips. Honestly, Calum didn't know. Distracting himself by bringing up the very situation he was trying to forget about was redundant, to say the least.
He answered her by a subtle shrug and he saw the way her throat worked, attempting to swallow down the nerves he was only bringing up. His own comment was accompanied by a smirk as the boys laughed, enthusiastic in their own agreements, while the heat of Josie's gaze burned into Calum's face. Her anger with him was growing, he could feel it in the narrowing of her eyes, looking more annoyed than anxious. Good. He'd rather acknowledge the frustration then let the nerves eat him alive.
So he widened his smirk, quirking an eyebrow at Josie as he coolly asked, "Wouldn't you agree, Jos?"
There was a presence of a thrill of knowingly trekking into dangerous territory, and Calum's eyes remained on Josie's incredulous ones as no one gave her any time to answer, shot glasses clinking together before everyone was pounding back the drink. The cinnamon tasting whiskey burned down his throat familiarly, the taste imbedded in his mind that he would be hard pressed to forget, a breath escaping his parted lips as he put down the glass and caught Josie rolling her lips into her mouth.
And then she smiled, a shadow of a dimple appearing on her cheek as the purple and blue lights splashed across her, and Josie folded her arms on top of the bar and leaned forward. Calum kept his gaze trained on her face, refusing to let himself look down, to stare exactly where she wanted him to. That fucking dress. Her smile was sickly sweet, as was her voice as she said over the music, "Maybe if you're lucky, you drink enough to forget all about it in the morning."
Who was she trying to fool? Maybe everyone else, but definitely not him. Calum knew better. Next to him, Luke snorted, raising an eyebrow at his sister as he asked teasingly, "Who're you trying to forget?"
His heart may have stopped for a moment, stomach clenching, but Calum refused to let it show as he flagged down the bartender. Purposefully watching out for the bartender, Calum ignored the weight of Josie's gaze on him upon hearing Luke's question, fighting the smirk that was threatening to tilt his lips. If he asked himself what the hell he was doing, Calum wouldn't know how to answer. Was he just a masochist or was he still trying to bury his nerves under the thrill of risky conversations that only seemed to further bother Josie? He was being an ass, he knew.
Calum heard Josie scoff before answering, "Too many people."
As Calum ordered an old fashioned, he tried not to think of how he was stood between the two Hemmings as Luke asked Josie knowingly, "Is Austin one of them?"
Forcing his features to remain neutral proved to be harder than Calum would like, eyebrows lowering and jaw setting as Luke's words carried over the deafening music. It wasn't like Calum could distract himself by conversing with someone else; Ashton, Michael, and whoever else they were with were on the dance floor. And Calum still needed his drink. His fingers tapped impatiently on the countertop as Josie let out a sharp breath.
"Yeah, no—what we're not gonna do is bring him up." There was an edge in his tone that had Calum looking over at her, a subtle quirk in his eyebrow as she huffed. Clearly the mention of her ex was a sour subject, and he watched as Josie pushed herself away from the bar and looked at the two men looking at her. Dropping her hands from the bar, Josie bid goodbye with a, "I'm gonna go dance," and without another look towards either of them, turned around and immersed herself into the thrumming crowd.
From his peripheral, Calum saw Luke watch Josie go, turning to face the bar only when she disappeared. The bartender placed Calum's drink in front of him, and as he took a sip of it, Luke mused, "She sounds pretty worked up over a relationship she ended."
Calum held the sip in his mouth momentarily, the sweet taste dancing on his tongue as he paused to process Luke's words. He swallowed before looking at his friend, adapting an attitude that didn't give away his true interest in the matter. "She ended it?"
Luke nodded, receiving his own drink from the bartender, eyeing the clear vodka before looking at Calum. "Yeah; didn't end well, either. It's part of the reason why she decided to move here instead of staying in Davis, since she had a job opportunity there too," Luke informed him casually, taking a sip of his drink before furrowing his eyebrows in confusion, cocking his head at Calum. "Thought I told you all this."
Calum's dark eyes met Luke's blue, feeling the familiar churn in his stomach as his lips puckered in disagreement. "Nah, first I'm hearing of it." That was true. And he was trying to process it.
All he knew about Josie's move to Los Angeles was that it had to do with the job she'd gotten. A cosmetology student working at the best salon in L.A.—no wonder she jumped at the opportunity. And as Luke took a sip of his drink, looking towards the dancing crowd, Calum took a long sip of his own as his thoughts deafened him to the music playing. Of course he knew Josie and Austin had broken up, but he never considered the circumstances of the end of the relationship, had just been... Glad that it was over. It wasn't like he and Josie talked much; he wasn't someone she would indulge in her relationships to. Still, Calum couldn't help but think about it more than he should.
"Was the break up that bad?" he found himself asking, dragging Luke's attention back to him, watching the blonde quirk a curious eyebrow. "Her and Austin's break up," Calum clarified. He should not be asking Luke about this. "Was it, like, that bad that she moved here?"
"I'm assuming so," Luke answered. Then he sighed, shaking his head as he turned to lean his lower back against the bar. His lips twisted to the side, absently staring out at the crowd before he clicked his tongue in pity. "You know her, man. Her track record isn't the best and being here would give her a fresh start." He shrugged, glancing at Calum, blue eyes swimming with concern Calum hadn't expected. "I don't know; she said she's swearing off men indefinitely and I'm hoping she sticks to it," he added with a short chuckle, free hand running through his curls as he smiled wryly.
Calum rolled his lower lip into his mouth, nodding along to Luke's words as if he understood, but was actually still processing what he heard. He wasn't sure what he should focus on: the reminder of her so-called track record when it came to relationships or her apparent decision of celibacy. He didn't quite blame her; Calum knew a number of Josie's relationships had ended on bad notes, whether she was the one to end them or the guy.
He remembered, particularly when they were in high school and Josie was a sophomore, when Jax Wiley had cheated on her with some senior girl and Josie had been heartbroken. So he and the boys had done whatever they could to cheer her up; taking her out to get food, going to the movies, just spending time with her to help her get her mind off the dick who'd fucked her over.
Luke was right; most of Josie's relationships ended almost explosively, and every time after, Luke was the one who took care of her. He was a good brother for that. And of course the rest of them helped however they could—Josie had always been like a little sister to them, too.
Well. Up until recently. But Luke didn't need to know that.
Taking a long sip of his drink, Calum swallowed the drink down, as well as the thoughts pounding around in his head, louder than the music the DJ was spinning. "Never mind," Luke suddenly spoke up, drawing Calum's attention to him. His blue eyes were looking ahead, narrowed slightly against the flashing lights as he scoffed lightly. "Don't think she's gonna listen to her own advice." Without even looking at Calum, Luke lifted a finger that held his glass and pointed ahead, jutting his chin slightly in emphasis.
Calum followed his gaze, eyebrows furrowing as he looked at the bustling crowd for a familiar face. He ultimately caught was Luke was looking at, forehead smoothing when his eyes landed on Josie having a bit too much fun with a random guy neither of them recognized. People dancing around her obscured Calum's view ever so often, but he could see the way the guy's hands were touching her, pulling her into him, could see the way she was letting him, the smile on her face showing just how much she enjoyed it.
Fuck. He shouldn't care. He shouldn't. But the longer he watched this dude's hands grip her hips and pull her into him, her own arms raising to go around his neck, the more Calum's eyes narrowed in vexed irritation, sparking a fire in his chest he knew he wouldn't be able to put out once lit. None of his business. This was none of his business, despite the way his lips curled in distaste and grip on his glass tightened, hoping taking a sip of his drink and getting drunk would distract him.
"Jesus fu—man, can you go there and break that shit up?" Calum's head snapped over to Luke, a lot quicker than he'd like, eyebrows shooting up as he watched Luke shake his head. His face scrunched up, turning around so his back was to the crowd, leaning forward with his arms on top of the bar. Calum saw the pleading in Luke's eyes as he said, "Just—can you dance with her? I'd rather you than some asshole tryna get in her pants."
Calum bit the tip of his tongue, stinging and sharp, throat briefly closing up at Luke's words. Suddenly the music was too loud and his heart was skipping every other beat, and Calum didn't dare look back towards the crowd, instead looking at Luke and forcing out a chuckle. "You sure you're not being too overprotective?"
Luke twisted his lips to the side, not even bothering to look sheepish. "Maybe," he said, shrugging. "Or, maybe I'm just making sure she doesn't, y'know, break her chastity promise."
Calum's face scrunched up. "Please don't say chastity ever again."
With a roll of his eyes and using his free hand to shove Calum, Luke begged with a raise of his eyebrows, "Please, man. Josie dancing with you is better than some creep."
The guilt of Luke's trust in him nauseated Calum more than alcohol ever could.
His blue eyes pleading, Calum knew he didn't have a good reason to deny Luke of his request. So he downed the rest of his drink and nodded, the heat in his skin rising as Luke clapped his back appreciatively before saying that he was going to go sit back down at their table after spotting Ashton heading that way, too.
Calum sighed, the sound lost in the loud music, the beat of the drum settling heavily in his heart as he made his way towards the crowd. He clenched his teeth, wanting to put this off. Dancing with Josie was a bad idea. Luke was sending him to serve as a barrier between Josie and some guy she may make a mistake with. But how could Luke know his plan was, in every way, futile?
Calum pressed his teeth together tightly as he made his way through the crowd, feeling the several bodies around him move against him, urging him to turn around and make up some bullshit excuse to Luke as to why he couldn't do it. But Calum's gaze soon enough landed on Josie and her male companion, and suddenly that fire he'd felt spark in his chest seemed to flourish, a tightness in his muscles as he hardened himself against the bodies around him, never faltering as he neared them. The longer he watched, the heavier his Doc Marten clad steps felt.
If Josie noticed Calum's presence, she didn't indicate it. Her attention was all too focused on moving her hips, pressing herself into the stranger, and Calum had to loosen his jaw in order to relieve the pain that stung his teeth, the heat of the crowd seeping into his bones. Exhaling sharply through his nose, Calum decided to forgo any manners, clasping the back of the guy's shirt, right at the neck, Calum tugged him backwards, forcing the man to let go of a startled Josie, both now looking at Calum in bewilderment.
"Hey, what the fuck, man?" the man frowned, his height not quite matching up to Calum's. The three of them stood still in the constantly moving crowd, and Calum knew it would do the guy well to disappear amongst the body in the next few seconds.
"I can take it from here," Calum said, tone steady and deep, noting the annoyance in Josie's eyes, not at all masked by the flashing lights, accompanied by incredulity. Calum looked back at the dude, who had yet to move. "Piss off."
The guy's frown deepened, looking from Calum to Josie, and Calum figured the man noticed the sudden tension that surrounded them thickly, deciding it wasn't something he wanted to get involved in. With a scoff and shake of his head, he said, "Whatever, man," before backing off into the crowd.
Josie didn't watch him ago, instead kept her gaze trained on Calum with an irritated frown on her face, pink lips thinned. "What the hell was that?" she demanded, the edge in her voice heard over the music.
"I'm on a mission from your brother," Calum responded, his voice dry and condescending smile enough to tell Josie he didn't want to be in this position, either. Josie blinked, not expecting that answer as her scowl faltered a bit. His gaze lowered then, taking in the cut of her fitted dress, all too aware that he was shamelessly running his eyes over her. In the thick crowd of the dance floor, guarded from the gazes of his friends, Calum felt too comfortable in doing so.
And that kind of sense of security had Calum's smile turning into a smirk. The alcohol had allowed him a boldness he wouldn't normally need help with, and so Calum grasped Josie's wrist and tugged her towards him. He heard her startled gasp over the music as he turned her around, her back to his chest, and Calum bit his lower lip when Josie's instant reaction was to melt into him rather than push him away. The warmth of her body was a welcome change, almost comforting as opposed to the heat of everyone around them.
He felt his muscles tense as Josie tilted her head back, resting against his shoulder, and Calum's heart raced as he brushed his lips against her cheek and trailed to the shell of her ear. "The dress isn't doing your little path of abstinence any favors."
Josie's hands covered Calum's where they lay on her hips, their bodies slowly beginning to move to the music. Was she feeling as bold as he was, hidden in the buzzing crowd from the eyes of their friends—of her brother? The sight of them dancing together wouldn't turn heads, Calum knew. Just so long as they didn't get too close.
Like they already were.
"You and Luke don't get a say in my decision making, you know," Josie reminded, and he could see the way her throat worked when he squeezed her hips. She turned then, head tilted back slightly so her gaze met his, eyes glimmering under the lights as her right hand reached up to hook a finger around his chain necklace. Calum pressed his tongue against the back of his lower teeth, heart thrumming as Josie pressed herself against him. Oh, yeah, the thick crowd was providing both of them too much of a sense of security. "I decide who I get to fuck around with."
Her words had an amused, breathless scoff escaping Calum, unsure when they'd started leaning into one another, his nose just barely brushing hers as he fought to keep familiar images from playing across his mind. It proved to be difficult, what with her body pressed against his, the curves on her figure fitting against him familiarly, hips slotting against his, the tip of her nail teasingly grazing under his chin. "Oh, I know," Calum responded, voice too quiet amid the music, noting the small smirk curling her lips at the knowing, pointed tone Calum spoke in.
Josie hummed, gaze dropping to his lips briefly. "I know you do," she said. Letting go of his necklace, Josie pressed her hand to Calum's chest and pushed him back, raising an eyebrow up at him. "Isn't that why you were being such a little shit at the bar?"
Calum chuckled, chin lifting as one hand reached up to undo the first two buttons of his shirt, the heat of the crowd getting to him. "Just havin' a little fun, pretty girl." It was him being a shit, just like Josie had said, just like he was being now with that term of endearment that had Josie biting her lower lip. He was trying to make light of a situation that sat heavily on both of their minds. Except Calum knew he was being risky in his comments, knew that if Luke listened a bit too closely, he'd pick up on the very thing Calum—and Josie—were trying to mask. Horribly so.
Josie had been watching his fingers work on the buttons, wetting her lips as she let out a breath. "Unbuttoning your shirt isn't going to have the effect you want it to have on the women here," she chose to say. Josie tried to keep her voice steady, tried to sound confident and bold, but Calum picked up on the slight falter in her tone.
He looked at her, dropping his hand so he could wrap his arm around her waist. They were barely moving to the music now, stopped amidst the lively crowd of dancing club goers, lost in their own little world without much thought given to anyone else. Smirk widening, Calum leaned towards her, closing the distance, noting the tension in her neck as he murmured, "I'd say it had quite the effect on you, if I'm not mistaken."
Her eyes were on him, blue looking into brown, and Calum could see she was fighting to maintain their gaze, not wanting to look lower. He knew she wanted to. Josie bit her lower lip, the action stirring something in Calum's stomach, her whispered voice nearly lost in the music as she said, "This is a bad idea, Calum."
Her words echoed familiarly in his head, her hands against his chest, not yet pressing. Calum's heart was pounding as his nose brushed against hers, murmuring, "Isn't that what we said two months ago?"
Josie's throat worked, taking a breath as her fingers lightly fisted his shirt. "We also said we'd never bring it up again."
Calum quirked an eyebrow, vaguely hearing the song turn into the EDM type music he rarely ever listened to. "That was before you decided to move here."
"Is that what this is about it?" Josie returned with a dry laugh, eyebrows raising as she looked up at him. Except he didn't see the annoyance in her eyes as he had the other day in the kitchen, only amusement and just a hint of exasperation. "Hard to keep a secret when it's literally living with your best friend, huh?"
Scoffing, Calum shot her a bemused look. How'd they gone from pressing into each other to rehashing their memories in the middle of a club, Calum had no idea. But he figured this was less risky than the alternative. "What about you?" he retorted with a tilt of his head. "Easy for you to keep a secret when it's your brother's best friend?"
Josie let out a breath, looking away from him for a moment, allowing for Calum's gaze to run along the line of her jaw, curve of her neck, going low, low, low to the cut of her dress. It only served to dry his throat, stir something hungry in the pit of his stomach. Looking back at him with a raise of her eyebrows, Josie said, "I think we can agree that we're both doing a shit job of never speaking about it again."
Despite himself, Calum laughed, earning a smile from Josie as he said, "We were kiddin' ourselves if we thought it'd be that easy."