Note from the translator: not mine: Twilight. It belongs to Stephenie Meyer. Collisions. It belongs to Drinou, a very popular and talented French author. I translate her story so that more people can read it all around the world. According to the reviews I received for the last chapter, I think that you like this story. And I think you'll like this chapter too. Good reading.

Chapter 8: A déjà vu

The waiter opened the bottle of champagne while I turned to scan every face in the room. It couldn't be him. No, it wasn't possible!

And yet it was indeed his emerald gaze that I met a little farther near the bar. He stared at me for a moment, and then he turned his eyes toward a redhead who was whispering in his ear all the while clinging to him.

A whistle of amazement brought me back to my table.

"Well, Bells, it sounds like you've hit the nail on the head. Your admirer must really be under your spell," Jake stated.

I stopped the waiter without paying attention to what my best friend was saying.

"Do not serve us. I don't want anything that's 'on the house.'" I said, pointing to the offending bottle.

Jake sat up straight on his seat and stopped the waiter who was now taking back the two champagne flutes he'd put on the table.

"Don't listen to her, she doesn't know what she's saying. Of course we want this bottle if it's a gift."

"Jake!" I snapped. "I don't want it!"

"Are you crazy or what, Bella? This is Dom Pérignon and it's worth 150$. If you don't want it well good for me. I'll just have more of it."

He grabbed the bottle and the flutes from the server's hands and thanked him. He poured the champagne and sipped it while resettling comfortably in his seat.

"Well, you hit the jackpot it seems. The guy must be frigging rich to offer you an expensive bottle after you sent him packing."

He whistled again in admiration and suddenly I felt the urge to throw my mojito at his face, but instead I gulped a large amount of it.

Rum, quick!

"Are you sure you still don't want any of this delightful champagne?" He asked me, bringing his flute to his lips.

I gave him an annoyed grunt in reply and sank into my seat, praying for this night of doom to come rapidly to an end.

"Jeez, you're such a killjoy, Bells. There's a guy here who dreams of putting you in his bed, and you sulk like a kid. Women, I swear!"

Put me in his bed… If only!

One mental slap later, I was even more pissed at Jake.

"Very flattering, Jake, really! Why don't you go find your 'prey'? Maybe you'll get your way with her what with this bottle. Which according to you is the perfect bait to attract girls and get them into your bed," I spat out defensively.

He let out a heavy sigh, mumbling another "Women, I swear!" and then he stood up.

"Good idea, especially since you prefer bitching rather than having fun. So if you don't mind…"

He snatched the bottle and the two flutes and headed toward the crowd. I watched him disappear into the mass of bodies dancing in front of me all the while continuing to rage against him.

What the hell was I doing here?

Next time Jake told me about a fantastic party, I'd skip my turn with glee. I looked so dumb sitting alone, not knowing what to do, and the worst part was that I was dying to glance at the bar to see if he was still there… I had to resist the temptation; it was not a good idea at all to spy on him.

Just one second.

No.

A simple split second.

No.

Too late!

I internally admonished myself and cast a furtive glance to my right. He was still there, at the same place, the redhead still hugging him tightly and apparently kissing his neck.

Ahh, give me a gun!

He looked up and my stare met his. Seeing me watching him, a crooked smile took shape on his face.

I'm so busted!

I just got caught red-handed right in flagrante delicto of peeping… Well done! My cheeks blushed scarlet instantly and I looked away, hoping with all my heart that the distance separating us hid my redness if only just a little bit and that it went unnoticed by him. It was embarrassing enough that he just caught me staring at him; I didn't want him to notice that he didn't leave me indifferent.

As if he didn't suspect that much already!

I imagined myself gagging this annoying little voice in my head. I tried to take stock of the situation: I was at a private party, sitting at a table all by myself because my best friend had gone "hunting." My boss and incidentally ex-one-night-stand-lover-haunting-all-my-most-shameful-fantasies was standing a few feet away with some sort of redheaded model with slender long legs and perfect body who was entwined with him and kissing him without restraint…

Me jealous? Pfff… So not true!

In short I had the choice between slipping away quietly, which for me was almost an impossible mission because of my precarious sense of balance, or root here a little longer like a green plant and wait for Jake's return.

So it's either the get-away or the flowerpot… Great night, really!

And besides, why did he offer me this bottle of champagne? What game was he playing? This man was utterly incomprehensible. Each time I thought I was starting to figure him out, he did something that called all my certainties into doubt.

Not all of them, silly girl! You already know for sure that he has a perfect body and he's able to take you to cloud nine like no one else. That ought to count for something, right?

The blush on my cheeks grew slightly hotter at this thought, and without being aware of it, my stare turned to the bar once more. The redhead was wriggling against him to the rhythm of the ambient music while kissing the base of his neck. I sighed in frustration. What was wrong with me? This guy was infuriating me every time he opened his mouth and yet I wanted to put mine on his perfectly tanned skin.

It has to be said that when he keeps his mouth shut, he's sexy as hell!

Unrecoverable! I was officially and completely unrecoverable!

At the risk of being caught once again, I continued staring at the redheaded bitch…

Grr, Bella shows her claws!

… Unrestrainedly rubbing against him. With my glass of mojito in my hand and the straw in my mouth, I sipped my cocktail, grumbling. I saw the girl's hand casually slip under the object of all my fantasies' shirt and caress his chest; this show, which was both sensual and gross, had me clench my jaw and tense my fingers around my glass.

I dare you to pretend you're not jealous after that!

During a moment, I imagined my own fingers tracing over each of his nicely outlined abs, brushing the fine down of his chest, stroking his protruding pectoral muscles, then unbuttoning one by one each button of his shirt to finally rest my lips on his sweet and soft skin…

Hmmmm…

A groan came out of my mouth and I blinked, somewhat dazed. Did I really just have some kind of erotic dream while I was awake?

You need to get laid, girl. Find a guy, pronto, it's you're only way out!

Clearly, given the current state of my crotch, I really needed a man.

Oh yes, if possible a very hot man, handsome like a god, with green eyes, tousled hair, square jaw, and whose name is Edward. It would be perfect! But let's pretend I didn't say anything, huh…

I sighed. I didn't even have the strength to shut me up with a mental slap any longer. Anyway, why keep lying to myself? This guy was driving me crazy without even touching me.

Being sex deprived will do that to a woman…

Desperate times called for desperate measures. I wasn't going to spend the night ogling him, with his bitch, rubbing against each other in the middle of the crowd. I preferred to go home as soon as possible and take a cold shower… well, rather an icy one considering how I felt right now. I fumbled in my bag and swiftly pulled my cell phone out. I sent a quick text message to Jake so he wouldn't look for me everywhere, then I stood, holding my glass, and started to walk through the crowd to reach the exit while continuing to sip my cocktail.

There's nothing like rum to cheer you up!

I painfully slipped my way through the maze of bodies in motion, dodging obstacles over obstacles while praying that a cab was readily available. My ankle was starting to hurt again, which was entirely to be expected given I was perched on the stilts Alice had me wear.

"You're already leaving us, Isabella?"

My body froze on the spot a few feet away from the exit. A warm breath on my back proved to me that I wasn't dreaming, and my heart raced in my chest. Remaining petrified was certainly not the best attitude to have, but I didn't know what to do anymore. Turn and face him or keep going and do as if nothing happened?

"You're quite beautiful tonight," he added as he swept the nape of my neck with the tip of his fingers. "I'm pleased to see that your ankle is better."

A shiver ran along my epidermis when his hand brushed the delicate skin of my neck. I gasped and closed my eyes one second in order to calm myself.

Turn around and say something!

"This dress hints at the curves of your body without giving too much away…"

His breath stroked my neck while his hand slowly slipped along my spine. What game was he playing? One day he treated me like a pariah and the next he did… what was he doing anyway? Bewitching me? Flirting with me?

Who cares! Just move!

I put up as neutral a face as possible and finally turned to face him.

What a sexy dude, still!

I cursed that little hysterical voice in my head. Unfortunately I no longer had the necessary resources to try and silence it. It was as if my brain cells flew away every time this man put his fingers on me.

Imagine if they were in you… Hmmm…

The fire burned down my cheeks at the thought and I mentally berated myself once again. His smile grew larger at my reaction and I decided it was time to take back the upper hand.

"As a matter of fact I'm leaving, and thanks for the compliment. You're quite beautiful too," I said nonchalantly, intentionally copying his words.

That said, I spun around and made a step toward the exit. A hand grabbed my arm and pushed me against the wall I was walking by. He came in front of me, pressing his body against mine.

Is it just me or is there a sense of déjà vu?

My breath was cut off. I stared at him without truly understanding what just happened.

"You were about to leave without even thanking me for the champagne?"

"I don't like champagne," I lied.

"This is unfortunate," he whispered as he tucked a lock of my hair behind my ear.

He pushed me further away from the crowd, into a corner, and resumed his position in front of me. His hand left my hair to gently glide down my neck until it brushed my chest. My eyes widened as I felt this deliberate touch from him but he didn't blink.

"So, do you like this kind of party where anything goes, Isabella?" he murmured near my ear.

His hand wandered down along my body, tracing my figure with the tip of his fingers. He stopped at my hip and his other hand joined the first. His arms circled me, pinning me against the wall.

Slightly away in a dimly lit corner of the room, we were virtually alone as hundreds of people were dancing right next to us. Lost in the intensity of his gaze, I couldn't even hear the club's insistent music, which gave way to the sound of our hypnotic breathing.

If I wanted this to stop, I had to do something now before it was too late and all my will had left my body. Already under strain, it wasn't going to hold for much longer.

Will? What's that again?

"I… I want to leave now," I said in a trembling voice.

I accompanied my words with a step sideways to try to free myself from his arms. Regrettable mistake! This movement led to a friction between our two bodies, inducing a chain reaction over all my skin. His hands migrated on my ass and he tightened his grip, pressing a little more against me.

Alert! Alert! Alert! ...

Goodbye neurons, goodbye brain, goodbye awareness… It was all gone into smoke.

"Are you sure about that?"

My eyes were fixed on his lips so close to mine. Too close to mine… I had a crazy desire to taste them, smell their flavor, feel their softness. Kissing them, licking, nibbling…

Ahhh!

I had to bite the inside of my cheek to resist this sudden urge. His hands slowly slid down my thighs, until they reached my skin only covered by my stockings.

Uh, how do you breathe again? Ah yes… breathe in, breathe out, in, out…

Suddenly an alarm rang in my head. I had just remembered what I was wearing under my dress. Help! I was torn between the urge to curse Alice until the end of time or to be forever grateful.

His fingers made tiny circles all over my thighs, slowly venturing up under my dress.

"Don't resist, Isabella. Let go of yourself. I know you want to. Your body can't lie to me. See how your breathing is distraught. Feel the fire building up in you."

Red alert, Bella in distress!

This man was going to kill me if he continued to play with me like that. It was only a game for him. It amused him to see if he'd be able to have his way with me once again. And the worst part was that it looked like he was going to succeed without any trouble.

Oh yes I wanted him, his fingers, his sex, everything! But it was certainly not a good idea. Not make the same mistake twice. He was my boss and I more than needed this job to support myself. Sleeping with your boss was never a good idea… I had to convince myself any way I could, right?

"I… You… No… Boss…" I stammered like an idiot.

His smile broadened a bit.

"Boss?" he chuckled. "Come on, Isabella, didn't you say I wasn't playing that part when you left the cab?"

Oh shit!

This was how you came to regret your words in less than two seconds. I had managed to shut his mouth with that reply earlier in the day and now I'd just got the flip side in the face.

I swallowed painfully as I felt his fingers moving unhurriedly toward my inner thighs.

Umm, farewell, little lace panties. I cherished you dearly.

"If you want me to stop, say it, but don't hide behind some stupid excuses."

"I… I…"

That's what happens when your brain is burned out!

How could he have so much power over me? I couldn't even formulate a rational sentence. His smile grew bigger, if it was still possible, in front of my inability to speak clearly.

"Good. So I guess I can continue."

Oh yes!

No, no, no. He couldn't. I wanted him but no!

"I…I thought you were with someone," I managed to say.

He raised a questioning eyebrow.

"The redheaded girl who… who was kissing you… earlier."

Speaking distinctly while he was stroking the delicate skin of my inner thighs was plain torture. He laughed.

"Jealous, Isabella?" he mocked.

What a jerk!

"As a matter of fact I came with someone, but don't worry, we are very… free spirits. I'm sure that Victoria is having fun on her side."

I was having trouble swallowing once again.

"Maybe she's with your friend," he went on. "You know, the one who you came with and who abandoned you almost right away."

I couldn't take any more of his crap. I wanted him as much as I wanted to run for the hills and frankly, I didn't know what the outcome would be in the end.

His fingers went further south under my dress and I saw his eyes widen slightly before his everlasting crooked smile resurface again.

"You're definitely full of surprises, Isabella," he whispered while playing with one of the clips of my garter belt. "In a few minutes you will beg me to take it off you."

He pulled the clip and snapped it on my thigh. I jumped.

Help!

"You'll beg me for several other things besides," he murmured, brushing his lips to my neck.

Take me!

Stay calm; above all, stay calm. Don't give him what he wants, at the risk of regretting it later. Zen! How to stay Zen under such a torture? I'd been fantasizing about him constantly for weeks and my God, yes I wanted him right here and now. Just the feel of his fingers on my skin made me completely crazy.

Wait to see when they are elsewhere!

As to accompany my thoughts, his fingers brushed my crotch and I groaned loudly.

"Have a little patience, Isabella."

He left it only to return and caress me through the lace of my underwear.

Oh. My. God.

My legs started to shake under the action of his fingers. My eyes closed halfway and I gasped. A simple touch from him and already I felt my body responding to him and claiming more. He pressed a little harder on my nether lips and I let out a rattle sound.

"Listen to your moan as I barely touch you. You're not alone here, Isabella, there are dozens of people around us."

Again he moved his fingers on the lace of my panties and I moaned anew.

Bella is momentarily unavailable due to impending orgasm…

"Admit that you like it, to get loose when people can see us."

Yesss!

Never in my life would I have thought of liking to be in that kind of situation, me, so shy and quiet, but with him I could absolutely not control anything, least of all my body. It was acting of its own initiative when this man was near me.

However, a small part of my mind was still aware that I was committing a huge mistake and that I was likely going to regret it later if I didn't do anything to put an end to it very soon.

If you stop that, I won't answer for anything!

His fingers slipped under the barrier of my panties and grazed my bare mound. I stifled another groan.

The mocking laughter of my live fantasy and possible upcoming lover rang in my ears.

"Look at you; you're at my mercy, utterly unable to resist me."

My eyes opened upon hearing his words and I met his amused gaze. He was teasing me, playing with me to entertain himself. So I didn't stop to think; I raised my arm and poured the remaining of my mojito on his upscale shirt.

Hey, what are you doing? What about my orgasm?

His eyes widened as he realized what I just did and his perennial smile disappeared at last. His hand left the apex of my legs to pick the mint leaves stranded on his torso.

Are you happy? Now you've lost a nice roll in the hay and in all likeliness your job as well. Congrats!

"At least this time it wasn't an accident," I said.

And without further ado I freed myself and quickly made my way toward the exit.

Thank you for all the reviews you sent me over the last month. It helped cheering me up after my mom passed away.

Thanks to Lizzard43 for her precious help as my beta.

Huge thanks to Drinou for allowing me to translate her wonderful story.

Milk