"So, do you ladies work in the morning or what?" John asked as he slipped his arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him.
I nuzzled against him and rested my head on the side of his chest. I inhaled deeply, trying to determine what cologne he was wearing. Didn't smell like Darin's Obsession, but I was pretty sure it was him anyway. I looked up and tried to see under the rim of his baseball hat. He had it pulled down really far, and I couldn't tell if there was an eyebrow piercing - which Darin had.
"Well, some of us do... but not me!" I laughed.
"Yeah, some of us aren't living off their parents' money. Some of us make our own." Carol growled and we all started laughing.
I listened intently to John's laughter and noticed Carol was doing the same with Jeff. His laughter was definitely Darin-sounding. While John's sounded more like Danny's laugh. Well, they were twins, but Darin was definitely cuter in my opinion.
"You live off your parents'? Do you still live with them?" John asked me curiously.
"No, the bunch of us rent a place together. It's an awesome five bedroom house." I glanced at Carol who was checking out the studs in Jeff's ears, and trying to see under his hat too.
"Yeah, we rent it off her parents, and I'm sure there's only three of us paying the rent." Amanda teased.
"Hey, we only pay rent, all the utilities are covered, and I buy the groceries, what more do you want?" I asked exasperatedly.
"Ladies, ladies. Calm down, we don't need any catfights now." Peter announced.
"MEOW!" I hissed at the girls and swiped my hand out at Carol like a claw.
We all burst into laughter again and Carol reached over and gave a tug on my short hair.
"Hey woman! Watch the blonde streaks, don't pull them out!" I cried and rubbed my head.
"Yeah, wouldn't want anyone to know you were naturally dumb." Carol giggled.
"Look who's talking blondie!" I smirked.
"Hey I've got an idea!" Tanya piped up.
We all looked over at her expectantly.
"And it would be?" I urged.
"Let's get the hell off Yonge St. before we all get killed." She suggested.
"Yeah, let's flag a cab." I agreed.
"Why? Is it that far to your place?" John asked.
"Yeah, we kinda took you on a bit of a detour." Carol admitted.
The guys all looked at each other and smiled.
"You usually entertain strangers by taking them on detours around the city at midnight?" Jeff teased and Carol laughed.
"Oh not all the time, just when the strangers are so up to date on the Group's business and stuff, you know, we just figured we'd get some dirt out of ya, so we brought you along. We'd have been home, oh I don't know, at least an hour ago if you guys hadn't shown up." Carol replied.
"Yeah, we only let our heroes escort us." I nodded and reached out to get a taxi's attention.
It pulled up beside us and John grabbed the front door open. Jeff reached for the back door handle, but Carol's hand got in the way and she grabbed it first.
"What? Is chivalry dead with you already?" He teased her as she opened the door.
"Nah, I just wanted you to get in first so I could check your ass out." She laughed and he happily complied, climbing in first. Carol followed him and then I jumped into the front seat beside the driver. John joined me and the other four piled into the backseat of the car. All the girls had to sit carefully perched upon their respective escorts' laps.
I gave the driver the address and he pulled into the light traffic.
I snuggled close against John's side, again, breathing in his aroma. I could barely smell the lingerings of the dry ice from the show effects, but it was still there. I tried to look up into his face but he kept his head turned to watch out the window.
I imagined Darin's body, all tattooed, from his back, down his arms, across his chest and some down his legs too. I tried to imagine how his body would look, all colourful, next to my pale untouched skin, laying on my bed. I could feel his hands on my calves, his fingers walking up to my thighs and even higher. A shiver ran up my spine as I relived one of my only fantasies, to be with Darin.
"You cold?" John asked caringly and wrapped his arm around me tighter.
"Um, yeah, thanks." I could feel the colour flooding my cheeks. Good idea, fantasize about him when he's right beside you, in a taxi of all places.
"So, how much farther?" He asked me as he planted his chin on the top of my head and tried to help warm me up more.
"Just a few more intersections. Shouldn't be more than fifteen minutes."
"I have to sit here that long beside you and not be able to touch you? Are you trying to break me?" He whispered above my ear.
"Yeah, that anticipation's a killer, huh?" I teased back as tingles shot downwards from my belly.
He chuckled, and again, I could've sworn it sounded like Danny.
We drove for about ten minutes before we stopped in front of our large old house. I reached into my purse to pay the cabbie, but a hand shot out from the backseat and handed him a fifty dollar bill.
"Keep the change. Thanks for the ride." Peter said happily.
