Max held up a finger to silence him.
‘Right then, here’s what we’re going to do,’ he said, raising his voice as he steered David out of the tent and onto the now-packed dance floor in front of the stage. ‘We’re going to find ourselves some pissed-up fillies with big tits and we’re going to dance like randy baboons. Here we go!’
He grasped David’s sleeve and thrust him toward
s a pink-faced girl with frizzy hair. ‘David, Helena, Helena, David,’ he shouted. ‘Now let’s dance!’
David looked at the girl and shrugged. For the first song, he gritted his teeth, going through the motions; by the second, he had loosened up enough to clap along. By the middle of the third, when Max appeared with a tray of tequila slammers, he was actually enjoying himself, dipping the frizzy-haired girl and linking hands with one of her friends, a willowy brunette. After that, it all became a blur: a blonde with a drooping flower in her hair, a dark-skinned girl who snogged him then instantly disappeared into the crowd, and a gorgeous ex of Max’s who led them all in a crazed conga line to some Euro-disco classic. After a while, he found himself dancing next to someone he recognised.
‘Karen!’ he cried, pulling her in for a hug. ‘Where have you been hiding?’
‘Just around,’ she shouted above the music. David was aware through his own haze that she was flushed and tottering – hell, who wasn’t at this time of night? – but he was glad to see a familiar face. Cheering as a cheesy singalong belted out of the speakers, he grabbed her and whirled her around, laughing, loving the way she laughed back. Annabel had never laughed. Annabel had never shaken her hair or her ass like that. Annabel had never been any fun. The cheesy pop faded to a slower-paced smoochy number, and David pulled Karen closer, staring into her eyes and striking an ironic flamenco pose. She wrapped herself around him, cheek to sweaty cheek, two drunken tango dancers locked in a deathless embrace. He felt her hips grinding against his, the curve of her breasts hard against his chest. One hand stroked her long neck, the other was on her full arse. She smiled, a lazy, sexy smile, and David could feel the desire rise in him, could feel the heat of hers. They moved together as one, two people with a single purpose, hearts beating together.
‘Let’s go somewhere,’ she shouted in his ear, and David felt himself nodding, taking her hand, leading her through the crowds, out past the bar tent, further into the college, feeling the cold on his skin, hearing the music fade. He turned a corner, ducked into a stone archway, and immediately they were on each other, kissing, their bodies locked together. He ran his lips down that neck, tasting the salt, smelling her. Karen moaned and slid a hand under his jacket, pulled out his shirt, fingers on his back, into his waistband, gripping his arse. Annabel had never done that either. He cupped her breasts, pushed his face into her cleavage. She was so sexy. Why hadn’t he seen it before? He didn’t know, couldn’t think straight; he was so hard he thought he might burst.
‘Here,’ she whispered, her voice hoarse, reaching for his belt, undoing it. ‘Fuck me against the wall.’
Why hadn’t he seen it before? Because he had always been looking at Amy, because Amy was the one he wanted. In that moment it all seemed so clear, like a white light flicking on. He wanted Amy.
‘That’s it,’ Karen gasped, slipping her hand inside his boxers, gripping his hard cock. David groaned, tried to step back, but somehow he was pushing against her instead, thrusting against her hand. Christ, he wanted her. Yes, he wanted Amy, but at that moment, right now, Karen was Amy; they were blurred, like two superimposed images moving in and out of focus.
Karen was wriggling against the wall, pulling her long skirt up and guiding his cock down. ‘Do it, do it now, David.’
David. It was that one word that broke the spell. That wasn’t how Amy said it. When Amy said his name, it was a good thing, like she was happy to see him, to talk to him. Like she was proud of him.
‘No, no,’ he said, trying to pull away.
Karen laughed, her hand still on his cock. ‘I think you mean yes.’
‘No,’ he said, stepping backwards and immediately tripping, his feet catching in the rented trousers tangled around his calves. He came down hard on his bum, pulling Karen down on top of him, her knee catching him in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him.
‘Shit!’ she cried. ‘What the fuck, David?’
‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry,’ he gasped, pushing himself backwards, trying to get away. ‘I just can’t, Karen. I’m sorry.’
‘What’s the bloody problem?’ she said. ‘I thought you were into me.’
‘I was . . . I am,’ said David, pushing himself up against the opposite wall and struggling to refasten his trousers. ‘It’s just . . . Amy.’
Her eyes flashed at him. ‘What? What’s Amy got to do with it?’
‘Just don’t tell her about this, okay?’
‘Are you ashamed of me, is that it?’
‘No, no, not at all.’ He shook his head. ‘I just think it’s best if we don’t tell her this happened. It’d hurt her.’
‘Hurt her?’ snapped Karen, clearly annoyed. ‘And what do you care about that?’
David pressed his lips together, took a breath. ‘Of course I care about Amy, Karen. We both do.’
She looked at him for a long moment, then let out a sigh.
‘Sure, whatever you say. Maybe it wasn’t the best idea.’
She awkwardly rearranged her clothes, shuffling to smooth her dress back down, then stepped over and kissed him lightly on the lips. ‘You are sexy, though,’ she smiled.
‘You too. But—’