Chapter seventy one

Adam

Adam stood there staring at the empty spot where Christiana had just been. He held onto the open champagne bottle, suddenly unsure what to do with it. His head was spinning, partly from the alcohol but mainly from what had just happened. He had been having the best night, it had been like a dream, a dream that he didn't know he had wanted as much as he did until the moment he was living it.

For one glorious night, he had pretended that Christiana was his. He had given in to the feelings he had been denying for so long and allowed himself to believe that Christiana had wanted him. It had been amazing and everything he had wanted and more. He realised that this was the woman he wanted and he had had a taster of just how amazing that would be. But that was all it had been, a pretend, a facade, an illusion of a world different to the one he was living. And now she was gone. She had taken it away from him.

"Now what?" He said to the empty room.

But there was no response. The question just hung empty in the air and suddenly an anger hit him, stronger than he had felt before. He threw the open champagne bottle against the wall and watched the glass shatter in front of him, it's contents splattering over the metallic structure and drip down to the floor.

Immediately he regretted the action. Not because of the mess, he suddenly found that he had wanted to drink it. He opened the fridge and grabbed a bottle of wine, unscrewing the lid and taking a swig.

And then he was moving, grabbing his keys as he made his way out of the door. He stormed down the corridor, making a beeline for his destination. He reached the door he wanted and knocked heavily. The door opened and a confused face peered out at him.

"Adam? What are you doing here?" Robin asked.

"You said that you wanted to meet up again."

Robin eyed him suspiciously.

"I had assumed that you weren't interested." She said. "Given all the avoiding me you had been doing."

"I'm an idiot." He said. "I don't see a good thing when it's right in front of me."

"You're also drunk." She said.

"Do you care?"

Robin considered this for a moment then shrugged and opened the door for him to enter.

"I'll get some glasses." She said and disappeared to the kitchen.

Adam sat down on the sofa and took another swig from the bottle.

"Or we could just drink from the bottle instead," Robin said as she walked back into the room.

"Sorry." Adam said. "I was just a little thirsty."

"Sure, because that's why people drink wine."

Robin sat down next to Adam and took the bottle from him, pouring them both a glass. "I'm a little surprised to see you here tonight. Judging by the way you and Christiana were all over each other earlier."

Adam shrugged. "Christiana's over-rated. She ain't as hot as she thinks she is."

"She shot you down then." Robin deduced.

Adam clenched his jaw. This was not why he was here.

"So, do you want to do this or not?" He asked.

"Not exactly the best way to seduce a woman, but I guess it's an improvement to the last time we were here."

Adam took both glasses and placed them on the table. He shifted closer to her.

"Look, this is hardly something based on feelings." He said. "We hardly know each other. But I can tell you that you are amazingly beautiful and when you're not being a complete bitch to my friends, we get along okay."

"Wow, so this is the famous Adam Gammon charm. No wonder Christiana turned you down."

"I really don't want to talk about Christiana right now."

Robin rolled her eyes.

"Look, I just need to know if your going to be picturing her during this. Because I'm pretty sure I deserve better than that."

Adam raised his hand to Robin's cheek and gently caressed it. He caught her gaze and held it.

"I am here because I am attracted to you." He said. "Nothing more, nothing less."

Robin considered that for a moment and then gave him a small smile.

"That's good enough for me." She said.

Adam smiled and closed the gap between the two of them. His lips met hers and suddenly every pent up emotion inside him poured out in a tirade of passion, Robin responding to his every touch. He lost himself in it and pushed all thoughts of Christiana from his mind.