Weddings. I’d always despised them- partly because I couldn’t have a proper legal one myself. Gay people couldn’t get married, they had to get a ‘civil partnership’, which clearly wasn’t marriage, or it would’ve been called so. It was just homophobia that said you couldn’t have single sex marriages, and it was fucking ridiculous. But, due to friend loyalty, here I was, in a hotel the weekend before James’ wedding to Sarah! I wasn’t against Sarah- perish the thought- she was really nice, but I just couldn’t believe he’d forced me into coming along. Now, sat at the bar in the hotel, I wondered why I let him. “Dude, you could not look any more depressed right now,” Dave informed me, taking the seat next to me and exchanging a few quick words with the barman.

“Well, that equates, because I could not feel any more depressed right now,” I muttered. He snickered lightly to himself. “What?” I asked. He shrugged. “No, go on, enlighten me.”

“You may feel better when you know who’s coming to this wedding…”

“A load of people who are going to be crying hysterically at how beautiful it all is?” I guessed. He raised an eyebrow at me. “Look, unless Brad Pitt is going to be making an appearance while he’s butt naked, nothing is going to cheer me up right now.”

“James ex-band mates?”

“What about them?” I grunted, taking a mouthful of the pint I was cradling in my hands. “Or have you only just realised he was in a band before us?”

Dave glared at me stonily, but otherwise ignored the scathing comment. “They’re coming. Matt and Charlie? I heard Charlie was gay.”

“And what makes you think that I care?”

Dave snorted into his beer bottle, “Are you seriously asking me that? You think I haven’t noticed the way you’ve stared at him every time he comes round to James’? The way he stares back whenever you’re looking the other way?” He leaned forward, so his mouth was next to my ear, “You want to get in each other’s pants…”

I inhaled a mouthful of lager, and spent the next minute and a half coughing fiercely. “What?” I snapped once I’d regained my composure enough to speak.

He moved his shoulders up and down in a movement that couldn’t quite be called a shrug, but was close to it. “It’s bloody obvious. Me and Danny have a bet going. He reckons you’ll never get round to it because you’re so anti-relationship, but I think he’ll pressure you down.”

“Do you, now?” I asked dryly, as far from amused as it was possible to be.

He nodded enthusiastically, his platinum blond hair practically hitting the bar every time he dipped his head. “You won’t be able to resist him when he tries it on.”

“Twenty says I can.”

“Until the weddings over?”

“Until James and Sarah leave on honeymoon, I bet you twenty quid I won’t let Charlie Simpson at me.” I considered, “Snogging’s allowed.”

He nodded again, a thoughtful grin on his face, “Deal.” He set down his bottle and extended his hand towards me. I shifted my pint hands and shook it, then leaned back and took a sip of my drink.

“Your money’s mine, Williams.”

*****

“Oh, my God! You’re here!” I heard James squeal as I entered the lobby the next morning on my way to breakfast. I had to fight the temptation to roll my eyes. Sometimes he could be a bigger girl than Sarah, and she was pretty damn feminine. I paused to see who it was. My big mistake. “Chris!” James cried, running over and seizing my arm in that vice group he often got when he was hyperactive. “Come! Meet!”

“Wow. Speak in words with fewer syllables, why don’t you?” I said to him as he dragged me over.

“Oh, don’t be so moody…” he said cheerily. He came to a stop so suddenly that I walked into him. “Matt, you remember Chris.”

“Yeah,” he said, sounding like he was trying to refrain from bursting out laughing. As I focussed my gaze on him, I noted that he was in fact grinning rather widely. “How are you?”

“As well as can be,” I responded. “No date?”

“She’d coming up tomorrow. She had work today.”

“Lucky for her…” I muttered. James whacked me on the arm.

“He’s just being a bitch because he couldn’t get a date,” he informed Matt. “He could’ve gone looking, but he didn’t.”

“Yeah, like I’m gonna go trailing through all the gay clubs in London just to find a date for your wedding,” I shot back. “You mean a lot to me, Jay, but not that much.” As James giggled and Matt laughed along with him. I saw someone come in the door behind him, and my chest seized up. He hadn’t looked that good last time I’d come face to face with him, surely. His hair was longer than before, and didn’t make his eyebrows seem as prominent. Yes, Charlie Simpson had arrived.

“Charlie!” James squealed, launching himself at the older male. Charlie was visibly knocked back a couple of paces, but managed to stay upright, which was more than I could’ve done.

“Hey, JB,” he greeted, sharing a raised eyebrow and a shrug with Matt. Then his gaze locked onto mine. I resisted the urge to shift uncomfortably, but stared straight back at him until he turned back to James. “I still can’t believe you’re getting married. When do I get to meet the unfortunate girl?”

“At breakfast. Both of you can meet her. She’s terrific, though.” James hopped down to the ground again, his eyes bright and his face animated. “Isn’t she, Chris?”

Crap. I’d been hoping that I wouldn’t be called upon to speak now Charlie was here. “Yeah,” I managed, after quickly clearing my throat. “He got lucky.” I looked at Charlie again, “What about you? Got a date?”

“Not this time around,” he replied. “But that doesn’t mean I’m not looking.”

“I’m sure.” I spared a smile for him, “I’ll see you at breakfast then. Nice to see you again, Matt.” Matt nodded, a grin playing on his lips, and I turned and walked into the dining hall, where I promptly collapsed into a chair next to Steve and hid my face in my hands. This was going to be harder than I’d first thought, I could tell already.

*****

Saturday. The official wedding was on Tuesday, but they were having a celebration until then. I still had four days to evade Charlie- which was proving harder than I’d anticipated, partly because James had thought it would be clever to sit the two single gays next to each other at every meal. And no matter how much I tried to stay in the same conversation as Steve, who was sat on my other side, I had to speak to him. “So,” he asked at the breakfast table just after I’d seen him in the hallway. “You know my marital status. What about you?”

“Single, but there are more important things in life than finding a boyfriend.”

“You won’t think that when you find the one.”

I sent my sweetest smile in his direction, and took a bite of my pancakes. I kept him waiting until I’d swallowed, and then fired the shot: “That may be so. But I’ve still to meet him.” I glanced down the table, but I could feel his eyes boring into the back of my head.

“With that attitude, you may never.”

I turned back to him with another smile, “I won’t be terribly upset if that happens.” I took a sip of my orange juice, “I’m not of the particular opinion that you require one certain person in order to be happy in life.” I could tell I was making him mad, and I enjoyed the sensation. This guy was clearly used to having people fall at his feet, but I didn’t operate like that.

“So you don’t date?”

I gave a careless shrug, “I date. But they never last. Guess I’m not as pretty the morning after.”

He smiled at that, “Is that what you’re pinning it down to?”

“I’m counting it as a possible factor, yes.” I finished my pancakes and stood to go back up to the buffet, “I guess you’ll never be able to know for yourself, though.” And with that, I walked past him- and the Dave who was practically wetting himself laughing- to get myself more food.

*****

“He was watching your ass as you walked off,” Dave informed me later.

I shrugged, “Let him. I’m not ashamed of my ass. As long as he doesn’t touch, I’m fine with it.”

Dave laughed, “My point is that no matter how much during breakfast you were trying to put him off, he clearly still has the hots for you. You’re going down, Chris.”

“If you think I’m gonna let him get me between the sheets just because he was looking at my arse, you’re blonder than everyone thinks.” I raised a hand to acknowledge Danny as he walked through the bar area with his girlfriend. “I won’t be sleeping with Charlie Simpson until after the wedding.” I nodded firmly as he raised his eyebrow at me, something he seemed to be doing a lot this weekend. “I don’t need to sleep with him, Dave. I can live without getting a blow-job off him.”

Dave smirked into his coke glass, “Give it two days, we’ll see if you still feel the same.”

*****

I walked along the corridor, in no particular hurry. Lunch was in about forty minutes, and until then, I had time to burn. I was heading back to my room to find something to do when I was yanked sharply into a cupboard. The door was shut behind me and I turned to find myself staring into a pair of hazel eyes. “Charlie… Any particular reason you’ve shut me in a broom closet?”

“I need to know…” he said slowly. “…what the hell you’re playing at.”

I stared at him, “Excuse me. I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m here, because James wanted me to be, no other reason.”

“You really think you can just shrug me off?” he asked dangerously, stepping forward. “No-one shrugs me off. When I set my sights on someone, they succumb.”

“Back off, Simpson,” I warned, laying a hand on his chest to stop him short.

He smirked lightly, “You scared?”

I stared straight into his eyes with what I hoped was a cool, calm expression. “It’s more the fact that I’m not interested…” He shook his head slightly, but I kept my gaze even. “I’m serious. Now, if you don’t let me out now, and go back to James’ wedding and pretend this never happened, I will not be held accountable for my actions.”

“Oh? And how not?”

I moved closer, and dropped my voice so it was barely a whisper, “‘Cause I’ll be screaming rape. And, the way you’re acting right now, I don’t see that to be such an impossibility…” The smirk on his lips became all the more prominent.

“Start screaming,” he advised, crushing his mouth to mine. He tugged on my lower lip with his teeth in order to gain admittance to my mouth. My back hit the wall, and my mind went blank. Everything seemed to evaporate except for the divine pressure of his mouth on mine. I panicked. No! I didn’t do this! I couldn’t be doing this! But, I marvelled as I placed a hand strategically between his shoulder blades to hold him into the kiss, I appeared to be. I didn’t allow myself to become vulnerable, to be weak, and I didn’t intend to give up all the power that easily in this situation. I spun suddenly so it was me pinning him against the wall. He didn’t seem to notice, just kept kissing me in that manner that made my brain seriously want to melt until it could function no more. I wasn’t going to let that happen, though. Chris Leonard had nothing if not a sense of control.

“Charlie…” I murmured, pulling back.

“What?” he replied, loosening his grip on me. I took a neat step back out of his clutches.

“Well, that was refreshing. But I have to meet Danny to pick up our tuxes. See you later.” I turned and left the cupboard, waiting until I’d safely closed the door before smirking to myself.

*****

That night, there was a knock on my hotel door. I looked through the peephole and sighed. I thought when he’s ignored me at the lunch table that that was going to be the end of it. I attached the chain to the door and opened it as far as it would allow. “What’s up?” I asked casually, looking through the gap.

“Let me in,” he said evenly.

I pulled a face, “Y’know, I’d love to… But I was just about to take a shower, and- if you don’t mind- I’d rather do that by myself this time around.”

“Let me in, or I’ll break in.”

I scowled, and opened the door, “What?”

He strode into the room, and shut the door firmly behind him. He stared at me, and took a deep breath, “People don’t do that to me, Chris.” He took a step towards me, “I don’t get turned down.”

I crossed my arms across my chest, a sneer coming to my face, “Then it’s a shame I don’t have sex in cupboards, isn’t it?” As his eyes narrowed, I took a single step forward, “I have no desire that means I have to sleep with you before this wedding is out, Simpson. There’s plenty of time.”

He laughed lightly and pushed away from the door, “I bet you couldn’t last until James and Sarah leave for their honeymoon.”

I snorted in amusement as an idea came to mind, “A hundred quid says you’re full of shit.” He considered this for a moment, then held out a hand. I shook it, being cautious not to let him pull me into another lip lock. “Good night, Charlie,” I said, moving round him to open the door.

“Night.” He paused in the doorway, and moved down to kiss me softly. Then he nipped me gently on the lip with his teeth and walked off, I watched him go. Why not? It was a nice sight. He turned back and grinned at me. I leaned against the door, and simply watched. He disappeared round the corner, and I went back into my room. This was going to be a hard earned £120.

*****

“Chris,” James said briskly, coming up behind me as I left my room in boredom later on that night. I found myself flanked by him and Matt all of a sudden. “We need to talk to you,” he informed me as they both grabbed an arm each and began to steer me down the corridor. We came to a halt next to s hotel room further down the corridor. I assumed it was Matt’s by the way he loosened his grip on slightly to use his cardkey to swipe us in. The door was shut behind us, and I was locked in with the chirpy twins.

Matt was the first to speak, a grim expression on his face, “You may not like what we’re about to tell you, but we feel it’s necessary for you to know…”

“Is this about Charlie?” I asked bluntly. They shared a nervous look with one another and I sighed. “How many times do I have to say this? I don’t want to sleep with him.”

James jaw dropped spectacularly, “What?”

I shrugged, “He’s nice to look at, and- I’ll admit- he’s fun to flirt with. And he’s a good kisser, but I have no intentions of letting him get past that point.”

A grin tickled Matt’s lips, “Screw your intentions, Chris. If Charlie wants it to go further, it’ll go further. You won’t have a say. That’s just how he operates. Sorry.”

“So, you’re saying he’ll force me into it? Rape me?” I’d been bluffing in the cupboard, but the fact that he might actually chilled me to the bone.

James shook his head, “Force: Yes. Rape: No.” At my blank look, he expanded, “He has ways- that he probably doesn’t even understand- of making people want him, even if they hate his guts to start with. As long as they’re male, and gay or bi, he can get them. You can’t avoid it.”

“Though knowing, in advance, what he’s capable of might help you if you’re certain you don’t like him.”

“I’m sure.”

James spoke again as I put my hand on the door handle: “We’ll ask you again in three days.”

*****

As I finished of my slice of toast the next again morning at breakfast, I realised I had jam on my fingers. Out the corner of my vision, I could sense Charlie’s eyes on me. “So, you arranged the stag do for tomorrow night?” I asked Steve- who was in charge of that particular part of the weekend. James’ sister, Michelle, was organizing the hen night. As I spoke to him, I began to lick my fingers slowly.

Steve didn’t notice, and a grin appeared on his face. “Totally,” he enthused. “I don’t want to talk about it now, though- in case James hears.”

I nodded; sliding my thumb in and out my mouth to make sure I got all the jam. I turned round to find Charlie glaring at me, “What?”

“Stop it,” he hissed as I slowly extracted my ring finger from my mouth.

“Stop what?” I asked innocently, picking up my next piece of toast and biting into the corner of it. I’d had to stop, anyway. I’d run out of jam.

“Never mind,” he muttered. I stared at him with what I hoped was a blank expression before shrugging and going back to my toast. Just because I wasn’t going to sleep with him didn’t mean I wasn’t going to wind him up as much as possible with ‘accidental’ flirtation methods. “By the way,” he suddenly whispered into my ear, his head turned inwards so no-one could read his lips. “That stag do? That’s going to be your downfall.”

“Really? And what makes you so confident?”

“Ah… If I told you that, you’d be able to evade.”

“Who says I won’t be able to evade anyway?” I whispered breathily into his ear. He moved back and looked at me. I met his gaze, and cocked a single eyebrow. I gave him an enigmatic smile and went back to my toast.

*****

“Chris!” I found myself in James’ vice grip again as he dragged me through the hotel lobby. “You have to meet these guys.” He dragged me to a stop in front of a group of five men, “This is Aaron, Mark, Kevin, Ant and Leon- they supported Busted back. Guys, this is Chris, he’s one of the Son Of Dork guitarists.”

“Nice to meet you, Chris,” a tall man with a Geordie accent said. The rest of them all gave similar greetings.

“Same.” I looked for an opportunity to back off. V?! He really was inviting everyone to his wedding… “It was nice to meet you all. I’ll let you get back to this lovely reunion. I have to go-” I was cut off in my escape when someone jumped on my back.

“Chris!”

“Oh, look. Now it’s a proper reunion,” I said bitterly, swinging Danny Jones off me forcefully- much to the amusement of the other three McFly boys. “I’ll leave you to socialize.” I walked off as fast as I could.

TO BE CONTINUED...