His Human Mate

Friday

Vee's POV:

The week dragged, especially without Max to keep me company in half my lectures. But Friday finally came around. Kate and I rush out as soon as classes finish, eager to get back to Emily's and start getting ready.

Emily is waiting for us, cocktails and nibbles ready in the kitchen as we walk through the door.

"Eeeee! You're here!" She squealed as we put our things down. She bounds over, hugs Kate and gives me a kiss on the cheek, all while bombarding us with information about what she's got set up and where to help us to get ready.

We head through to the kitchen where she's made us 'Buonaseras'. It's a gin-based cocktail that we had on a trip to Italy a few years ago. Delicious but deadly.

"Bloody hell Em, I don't want my first night out with work to end in me making an i***t of myself!"

"That's what the food is for!" Emily shrugs.

"Chill out Vee!" Kate puts her arm around my shoulder and picks up a drink, passing it to me before picking up her own. "Everyone gets wasted at these things, no one will even notice. Cheers!"

"Cheers!" Emily and I join her in a toast and I take a sip, smiling to myself as it brings back happy memories of our travels in Italy. I used to be so relaxed and not at all worried about what other people thought. We used to travel and try so many new experiences. I wonder what happened to change me. Now I am uptight, worried and stressed, unable to relax and scared of going out for drinks.

I know what happened, I think to myself. It was Edward. He was always so possessive and I liked it because I thought it meant that he loved me. He didn't make love to me very often, but when he stopped me at the door and told me he didn't want me to wear something so revealing because he didn't want other men to ogle what was his, it made me feel wanted. He didn't like it when I went out on my own and I thought it was because he wanted to be with me all the time. He was always so busy at work that we couldn't travel. He didn't like it when I wore anything that was too tight or revealing. Huh, all this time I thought that this was me and I didn't like to do those things but remembering back to Italy, I was a totally different person. I was confident and carefree.

But it isn't fair to paint the whole marriage with a tar brush. We did have good times together and I loved him very much. It was a comfortable existence, we co-existed well together. I thought it was love. I thought we were happy. But then off he went and ruined it all, by shagging someone else, in our bed, no less! I realise that it was exactly a week ago that I walked into that scene.

It's gone quickly and I haven't thought much about it this week. I still haven't gone back to the house. I haven't felt the need to. Edward hasn't contacted me again. I mean, he hasn't come here. I haven't looked at my phone this week. It's still in my room where I left it on Saturday. I make a mental note to make sure I take it with me this evening and realise that I've been daydreaming for a while now and I have finished my drink.

Emily and Kate have been busy chatting and catching up, leaving me to my own thoughts. But almost as soon as I realise, Emily notices my empty glass.

"Time for another!" She is on it straight away, already shaking the cocktail mixer with the ingredients. I giggle and decide to enjoy myself tonight. I deserve it and Max was right, it is exactly what I need!

Three cocktails down and I can already feel a little buzz. We all make our way to Emily's room where she has set up a what seems to be a salon. There's a station for hair at her desk and mirror, in the ensuite bathroom there is a makeup station and her bed is covered in a selection of outfits.

"I finished work early and I was excited!" She justifies as she sees me roll my eyes and laugh.

As I haven't been home yet, I still don't have any of my own clothes and have been making do with leggings and Ben's shirts all week.

Emily has pulled out a few options for me. Having never been out with work before, I don't know what to wear so I decide to let Kate choose her favourite option. She picks a sexy red top made of lace that looks more like lingerie than clothing. She pairs it with black jeans and a red cardigan.

I try it on and both Emily and Kate gush over how great they think I look. It is probably the influence of the Buonaseras but I feel confident and I like the look. It is definitely not something I would have chosen for myself but decide to go with it and choose a pair of black ankle boots to finish.

Emily dons a little black dress with a silver jacket and a pair of silver flats and Kate chooses a long-sleeved sparkly playsuit and a pair of black heels.

Next comes the hair and makeup. We continue sipping cocktails while helping each other with the curlers and then choosing eye shadow and lipstick, the whole time laughing and having more fun than I have had for what seems like a long time.

By the time we are finished, I am well and truly feeling the effects of the cocktails and I look nothing like myself. They chose a smoky black eye shadow for me and a deep red lipstick.

"Wow, I look nothing like I normally do", I laugh.

"You look damn sexy!" Kate reassures me and slaps my bum. I look at myself in the mirror again, I feel sexy.

We grab our clutch bags and leave the room in chaos. I quickly run down the hall to grab my phone and turn it on so it can boot up while I make my way downstairs.

Ben is waiting at the bottom of the stairs with Kate and Emily. He has offered to give us a lift into town to meet everyone and he has offered to pick us up so we don't have to get a taxi.

"Wow you guys look gawjus", he says in an imitation of a girl's voice as we head out the front door.

I head to climb into the back of the car with Kate and let Emily take the passenger seat. Ben comes around to close my door behind me and as I open the door to get in he leans in and whispers, "If you need help getting out of this later, I will be happy to oblige." His hand gently grazes my lower back as he takes the door from me to allow me to climb in.

I blush, feeling turned on by his words, and am grateful for the darkness in the car to hide it. I definitely feel sexy in this outfit, it feels amazing to feel so confident.

We pull up outside the bar where we are going to meet everyone from work and Ben gets out to open my door. He takes my hand to help me out of the car. I don't need his help really, but it feels nice.

He shuts the door behind me and snakes his arm around my waist to pull me closer so he can whisper in my ear, "Don't forget what I said, I'll see you later". Then he was gone, back in the car and pulled away before I could even process what he had said.

"Who was that?" A deep, familiar voice comes out of nowhere, it almost sounds like a growl. I whip my head around, unsure of where the noise came from and standing just a few feet away, there he stands. Dressed in a tight black shirt and jeans. I don't know if it's because I haven't seen him in a week or if it's because he has arrived so suddenly, or if it's the cocktails. I've always found him attractive, but has he always been this ridiculously good-looking? I can't stop staring, the man is a god.

"That was my brother", Emily appears next to me, my saviour as I can't find any words right now. She links her arm through mine as Max approaches.

"Max!" Kate throws herself at him for a hug. He is taken by surprise but catches her anyway. His eyes don't seem to leave mine though.

"Kate", he says as he sets her back down on her feet, careful to make sure she has her balance.

"Where have you been? We haven't seen you all week!" She grabs his arm and pulls him towards the bar and he has no choice but to follow and avert his eyes away from me.

"Now who is that?" Emily nudges me with her elbow as we trail behind them.

"Max", I tell her.

"Yeh I got that Vee. I mean who is he to you? He is hot! And he didn't seem to be able to keep his eyes off you!"

"Oh he's just friendly", I shrug. "He's like it with everyone, look. He's got his arm in Kate's right now".

"Nah uh, that is different. Kate has him by the arm. He seems more interested in you. He did not look happy with my brother's arm around you... Speaking of..." She wiggles her eyebrows suggestively and stops me before we go inside. "I've seen you two recently. I think you like him but you don't want to do anything because of me. But you are both adults and I want you to be happy. You're going through a lot right now and if he can help you through it, then I am really not going to be upset. Just know that if you two end up having s*x, that I don't want to talk to you about it ever!" We both laugh and I give her a big hug.

"Thank you Em, I honestly don't know how I could survive without you. I don't know what is going on in my head at the moment."

"You are my best friend Vee. You've been there for me through dark times too. I think you need to give yourself a break, you don't have to have this all figured out. You are going through something huge and you are dealing with it like a queen". I grin and hug her again.

"Now let's get wasted and have the best night!" She squeals.

We head into the bar and catch sight of Kate, still hanging on Max's arm as they stand with a group of my colleagues in the far corner of the room. They seem to have commandeered a booth but no one is sitting down yet.

"Oh and I need to know all about Mr. Hunky Pants when we get home", she says quietly, just before we reach them.

I don't have time to jab her in the ribs before everyone turns their attention to us and I am bombarded with happy exclamations for having finally made it on a work night out. Kate was right, everyone is quite tipsy already. Everyone except Max it seems. Max, who still has Kate glued to his arm. I can't help but watch them as I engage in conversation with various people. Embarrassingly, I keep catching his eye and having to look away.

But I can't stop looking, like I'm checking to see that they're in the same position. It's bothering me and I'm getting more and more frustrated the longer they are stood that close together. Why is it bothering me so much? I love Kate and I have no claim to Max. I see Kate's other hand reach across and slide down Max's front, stroking his impeccable abs through his shirt. She is leaning into him and laughing. What the f**k? I boil over and can't watch any longer. I feel angry and I can't help the foul look of my face as I storm away. Luckily I don't think anyone has noticed as Emily is in a deep conversation with one of the Italian lecturers about places to visit in Italy.

The bar has an online order system so the drinks have been flowing. I decide that I need a glass of water to help clear my head a little. I need to calm down and have no right to be cross. I get my water from the bar - they have a water station so I don't have to queue - and I decide to take it outside to get some fresh air. Outside is full of smokers but I find a table and take a seat. This particular bar is located right next to the river and it has some twinkly lights strategically placed so it looks really pretty at night. I take a few swigs of water while appreciating the aesthetic.

I'm meant to be having fun! What is wrong with me? I close my eyes for a second and take a few deep breaths to regulate my emotions. When I open my eyes, I jump out of my skin.

"You ok?" Max is sat in the chair opposite me, having made absolutely no noise on arrival.