CHAPTER 7
The stroll at the La Rambla exhausted her. Bored, Rory gazed at the performers on the dance floor. Sequins squinted and ruffles flew under the scorching spotlight. The popular flamenco dance distracted Rory enough from the argument she had with Logan that evening.
"Ace, come on. You have to show up," Logan begged.
"I'm tired," she sighed, rolling her eyes at him.
"Look," Logan replied, sitting right next to her on the bed, "just show up for dinner. Whatever you feel like doing afterwards, I won't stop you."
"So if I contemplated jumping into the swimming pool and drowning you won't come and save me?" she asked sarcastically.
"I won't if you give me strict instructions not to save you," he promised. "I know this trip had not turned out the way you want it to be but please, be a good girl and do this for me?"
He peppered her cheek, neck and lips with kisses. His hands started roaming her body.
"Logan, we can't keep on doing this," she reluctantly pointed out, trying to push him away.
Logan stopped his romantic gestures and pulled away. "What's wrong?"
Rory paused. "You… and me. We've been here for almost four days and the only time I've been with you is right before going to sleep if you aren't hanging out with the boys."
"Stephanie's there!" he defended himself.
"Or when you chase after me before heading out to Barcelona!" she complained without batting an eyelash at his interruption.
"What would you consider this afternoon?" he asked, running out of patience.
"A stroll with the boys," she defended herself.
Logan smirked. "Wait, are you trying to tell me that I've not been the supportive boyfriend?"
"If the shoe fits," Rory argued.
"Well, who between us, leaves for breakfast without waking the other one up? Who runs off to Barcelona without saying goodbye?" His biting words were uttered to hurt. "Who was the one caught clinging to Tristin DuGrey?"
"That's not fair. He's my partner," Rory replied, heatedly.
"Well you're my girlfriend. If I knew any better, you prefer his company over mine," he replied through gritted teeth. "Your dress is in the closet. I'll see you in an hour."
Then, he left.
She hated arguing with him. She knew being involved with the Brigade leader meant certain responsibilities that she should attend despite her unwillingness to participate. The LDB was two points up against the competition as of the afternoon's tally. If it meant giving up quiet time to save face, Rory was willing to give in.
"You look like you're waiting to have your wisdom teeth taken out," Finn whispered into Rory's ear.
It was Rory's first distraction of the evening. Rory smiled and looked at him. "Is that so?"
"I know so," he replied, sitting right next to her.
"What makes you think I am bored out of my mind?" Rory asked.
Finn pulled away from her before giving her his response.
"You've looked at your wrist at least twice in the last five minutes. You've been nursing your sangria since it was served to you fifteen minutes ago. You've stopped making conversation with anyone around you since Logan's gotten up."
"Ah, it seems like you're the one bored," Rory quipped. She put her drink on the table before leaning toward Finn. "From what you just revealed, you've been watching me for at least fifteen minutes. You've realized that Logan's been gone that long and my drink is sweet rather than alcoholic at this point. So yes, I am bored."
Finn raised his arm and the wait staff came over to freshen up Rory's drink.
"I'm rather surprised to see you join us tonight," Finn confessed.
"Why's that?"
"Well, since you've replaced Smitty, you've not joined us for any of the evening events," he said in concern.
"Aww, did Finn miss me?" Rory chuckled. "You know I don't have the stamina."
"Bull," Finn called her bluff. "And Love, you have to know by now that your glaring absence or presence is talk for all LBD inductees."
"You knew Tristin and I were out all day and I was tired," she reasoned.
"The night before?"
"I was… upset with Logan," she confessed.
"And tonight?"
She sipped her drink. "Logan gave me no option but to play nice with the kids in the sandbox. I guess he was right."
"I know you didn't ask for this, Cupcake, but if Logan hasn't said enough, thank you." He kissed the top of her head. "It's you're vacation and you're giving it all up to indulge a bunch of self-involved, spoiled brats."
The statement made Rory realize she was on vacation. She was supposed to enjoy it and not treat it like an obligatory outing. She closed her eyes and took in the sounds of castanets clicking; the fragrant beach breeze wafting and the taste of the fruity drink go down her throat.
"You know what? You're right. I'm on vacation and I should enjoy it!"
"Finally!" Finn sighed. A smile crept on his lips. "I never thought you'd say that."
"What?" Rory inquired. For some odd reason, she knew he was up to something.
"Come on," he said. He wrestled away the sangria from her hand and pulled her to her feet. "Tonight, we will be part of the culture."
"What are we doing?" she screeched. She shuffled right behind Finn as he led her to the dance floor. There she joined Stephanie and Nate and two other couples she'd seen around the hotel. The flamboyantly dressed professional dancers centered themselves in the group. A few chuckles were heard around the room before they were given instructions.
Tango music all of a sudden filled the dance hall.
"Finn!" Rory chastised her partner. "Tango's not even a Spanish dance!"
"I don't think Buenos Aires would mind," Finn winked at her.
"Finn-," she was cut short.
"Hush! I'm trying to concentrate," he reprimanded her in return. She would've taken him seriously but his devilish smile gave him away.
Rory remembered the steps from her Chilton Physical Education classes and the few lessons she had to learn for her coming out parties.
"Concentrate!" the Spaniard yelled.
Rory stared at Finn. She wanted to laugh. So did he. Both chortled.
"Andale!" Finn imitated the instructor. Rory's brows knitted as Finn's went up in his usual "I-don't-know-any-Spanish-words-so-go-with-it."
Rory finally gave in and laughed. Losing her count, she accidentally stepped on Finn. "I'm sorry!"
"No problem, Love," he reassured her. In return, he playfully stepped on her shoe. "Now the favor's returned."
It didn't take long before they were in synch. They weren't the most graceful couple on the floor but they had fun. Shortly after the finishing their impromptu number, he swayed away like Travolta like he once did for his birthday party. She laughed.
"You should laugh more. It becomes you," he said.
Rory blushed.
Looking around the room, Finn called out. "Hey Huntzberger, why don't you take the floor with the ball and chain?"
"Hey!" Rory reprimanded her partner.
"You know I've got two left feet," Logan replied, saluting them away with his martini glass.
"Wuss," Finn teased back. "DuGrey?"
Catcalls were heard from the Knight camp. He shook his head in negation.
"Come on, Tristin. Trust me, Rory won't break your toes if she steps on your foot," Finn promised him.
In retaliation, Rory stepped on Finn's foot again. He yelped before putting a healthy distance between them. "DuGrey!"
Tristin was pushed to the dance floor. He stared at Rory as she tried to straighten her dress. Finn offered her up under the heated lights.
"Seniorita?" Tristin held out his hand.
Rory put her hand in his and dipped her head in consent. Wonders never cease.
.----oooo0-----0oooo-----------
"I thought Logan dated Rory?" Jared whispered in Tristin's ear.
"She is," he confirmed, sipping his vodka absentmindedly. He had been watching her since she was escorted to her seat. He should've just begged off the evening.
"So why's Finn babysitting her?" Jared asked again.
Tristin preferred not to answer. He wasn't Rory's keeper but he wanted to slug Logan when he left her to socialize with the other Brigade members.
"Ooh, got the 'no-talk Tristin'," Jared said.
Tristin looked up and snarled at Jared. "Shut up."
Tristin watched Rory get up from her seat, the skirt to her red silk dress draped seductively over her feminine frame. Every time she walked, the cloth shifted, accentuating her breasts, her hips, her legs.
She was giggly. Was it from her drink? He knew she was only half way through with her second drink. He could see the glint from her eyes. Finn said something that made her laugh. He smiled when the instructor told them to pay attention. Finn and Rory couldn't contain their laughter.
Tristin was rather surprised to see Finn gracefully lead Rory on the floor. He wasn't surprised that Rory could dance the seductive Tango. It was a mandatory course to take Ballroom Dancing in Chilton.
The thumps, the steps and the claps fell on deaf ears as he focused on her. His thumb and forefinger pinched his lower lip out of habit.
Rory and Finn bowed. Words came out of Finn's mouth and Rory was looking at Logan with pleading eyes only to be turned down.
"Wuss," Finn teased back. "DuGrey?" he heard his name called out.
The people around him patted his back and urged him to go to the floor.
"Come on, Tristin. Trust me, Rory won't break your toes if she steps on your foot," Finn bribed.
Tristin laughed as he watched her stomp on Finn's shiny shoes. "DuGrey!" His plea demanded a rescue.
Tristin got up despite his heart telling him 'no'. Jared looked at him and just shot him a warning glare. He picked himself up and found his feet leading him to her. He watched her take short breaths. The quick rise and fall of her chest fascinated him.
"Senorita?" he held his hand out.
"I hope you know what you're doing," Tristin mumbled to himself.
.------oooo0---0oooo----------
"Colin, I am drunk," Rory slurred. The tequila she swallowed burned the back of her throat.
"How could you be drunk? You've only had three drinks!" Colin informed her.
Rory didn't know how she and twelve other people ended up in Colin and Finn's room. They asked management for a few folded chairs and ended up playing Asshole.
"And you know the rules. I am the President and you have to drink, Asshole," Colin handed her a shot.
Stephanie laughed and fell off Eric's lap. Rory tried catching her, falling off Tristin's lap in return.
"Apparently, we have lightweights on our hands," Eric chuckled.
Tristin tightened his hold on Rory before suffering the same fate Stephanie had. Rory yelped in surprise and found her arm around his neck.
"How is it that I'm sitting on your lap instead of Logan's?" Rory asked, looking at the LDB members in the room.
"He said he had to do some things with Jared, Love," Finn informed her.
"I am so glad you know my boyfriend's whereabouts," Rory replied as she downed the tequila. "I, his girlfriend, only know of his whereabouts from his bodyguards."
"That's a low blow, Gilmore, and you know it," Colin chastised her.
She just stared at Colin, unaware of Tristin squeezing her in comfort.
"Rory, I know what we should do," Stephanie said wickedly. "Body shots!"
"No!" Rory's eyes bugged out. She couldn't shake the accusations she made in the room. She knew the group would easily protect Logan before they'd ever see things her way.
"Body shots!" Finn called out, unbuttoning his white shirt, revealing his tanned, well sculpted sinewy torso. He flexed his pectorals to amuse Rory and Stephanie. "Lick at your will."
Stephanie screeched and drunkenly marched toward Finn. She licked Finn's abs, sprinkled salt over the spot, licked it again, took a shot and sucked on a lemon. The whole room clapped at Stephanie's nimble attempt on a body shot.
"I thought a body shot was licking my own arm and then taking a shot?" Rory innocently asked.
"Where's the fun in that, Sweetheart?" Finn asked. "Come on, baby, I know you can't resist the Finn-meister."
Rory looked at Tristin who shot her a withered stare. He looked tired. She puckered her lips absentmindedly as her mother did a million times out of habit as she noticed his PG-rated state of undress. His bowtie was haphazardly hung around his neck. He undid the top three buttons of his shirt, now rumpled after Rory had leaned against him almost the whole time since they've left the banquet hall. She beamed him a coquettish smile as she got to her feet to sequester the saltshaker from the table.
The whole room erupted in cheers, egging Rory to chug down another drink. At first, she started sauntering toward Finn. But as soon as she got to him, she laid a playful peck on his belly button before taking the shaker back to where Tristin sat.
Imitating Stephanie's actions, she straddled Tristin and immediately lapped his neck, from the halfway point of his collarbone, stopping short on the shoulder. Rory wasn't aware of her effect on him. Tristin rolled his eyes and swallowed hard, trying to push her away from his lap. She poured the salt, licked the spot again and downed the drink in one gulp. Stephanie handed her the lemon wedge as Rory raised the empty shot glass.
"Now, I am officially drunk," Rory announced.
"Yes, you are," Tristin agreed as he got off his seat and helped steady Rory. He took his tux jacket from the back of his seat and looked at the people in the room.
She shook her head in disapproval when Tristin firmly pressed her against his side.
"Come on, don't tell me you're leaving," Colin asked Tristin, trying to convince him to stay.
"Thanks, but I think the lady is a little bit more than inebriated," Tristin replied as he got hold of Rory's arm.
The room groaned in protest.
"Where's her room?" Tristin asked.
"Three doors down, 628," Finn replied, slapping Tristin on the arm. Do you need help?"
"No," he sighed, staring at Rory who was leaning against him sleepily.
"Good night, Princess," Finn kissed Rory on the forehead.
"I want to stay," Rory grumbled.
"Not tonight, Rory," Tristin said firmly.
Rory didn't fight him. Instead, she waved to the room that chorused a fond 'Goodbye'. The door whispered a click as they exited the boisterous room.
In silence, Tristin walked Rory to her room. Rory drunkenly tried to fish out her card key from her wrist wallet.
"Oops!" she giggled as coins fell out of the purse.
Tristin grabbed the card key and swiped the card for her. The door opened and Rory tripped going in.
"Aren't you coming in?" she invited.
He hesitated. "No."
"Come on, Tristin. I won't bite." She stared at him with her big eyes.
"I know you don't," he said softly.
She pouted. Tristin groaned and closed the gap between them. Slowly, he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her on the forehead.
"Take a shower, and an aspirin," he advised her. "I need a functioning Rory tomorrow."
"I'm offering myself to you and you turn me down?" Rory was getting upset.
"Rory, there is nothing more I would love to do than take you here right now," he told her quickly. "But I know, we know, we're going to both regret it in the morning."
Rory pulled away and closed the door on his face. No good nights. No goodbyes.
Tristin took the steps going down to the ground floor in search of Jared.
Rory took a tepid shower, rewinding the scene that transpired between her and Tristin at the door over and over before surrendering to dreamless sleep after exhausting the what-ifs that was best left unexplored.