“Please don’t apologize. You’re human. He’s a very attractive man, and clearly you two were getting on pretty well for a while there.”
“Nothing happened between us.” I felt the need to clarify. “But it felt like things were starting to cross a line, and I told him I thought it was best if we didn’t hang out anymore. That’s not what he wanted. It’s not really what I wanted either, if I’m being honest. But I thought it was the right thing to do. Seeing him here tonight is getting under my skin a little.”
She nodded. “You like him.”
“I don’t want to like him, Shala. He was such a dick in high school. It hasn’t been easy for me to accept that he’s changed. But I do think he has. Even so, he’s still not right for me. What I’m feeling is just an intense, mostly physical attraction to someone who’s all wrong. He’s my friend’s ex, on top of everything. He doesn’t even live here. And he doesn’t want to settle in Meadowbrook. There are so many reasons to stay far away.”
She smiled knowingly. “But you haven’t been able to stop thinking about him. Sounds like you’re using every excuse in the book to justify your decision. But feelings don’t lie, Aspyn. You tried to write him off, but he’s still in your head.”
“Much to my dismay, yeah. Tonight was supposed to help me focus on something else.” I glanced over in Troy’s direction. “And now he’s here. Just my luck.”
Somehow, after all this time, Troy still hadn’t seemed to notice me. When Shala got up to use the restroom, I opted to stay in my seat so as not to draw attention to myself.
About a minute later, from the corner of my eye, I noticed Troy’s date leave their table and head toward the bathroom.
A few seconds later, my phone chimed.
Troy: Is this an eye for an eye?
I looked over at him.
Aspyn: What are you talking about?
Troy: You thought I was spying on your date that one time, so now you’re spying on mine?
My fingers hit the keypad harder.
Aspyn: You’re kidding me, right?
Troy: Yeah, actually, I am. But did you think moving earlier was going to keep me from noticing you? Even if you hadn’t moved, I’d know it was you from the back of your head. I know your entire backside pretty damn well.
Aspyn: Well, aren’t you talented.
Troy: You’re like a laxative-filled Boston cream donut. You stand out in the bunch.
Aspyn: Thanks?
Troy: You look nice. I hope you’re having fun. You deserve to let loose. Glad to see you out and about.
He thinks I’m a hermit.
His date returned to the table, and Troy put his phone down. I tried to ignore the burn of jealousy I felt at having his attention taken away from me so abruptly.
Shala returned to the table. “Did you survive without me?”
“Yeah.” I breathed out.
I could see from the corner of my eye that Troy had now gotten up from the table.
A moment later, my phone lit up again with a text.
Troy: Meet me in the stairwell through the door in the far-left corner of the bar.
I kept staring down at my phone.
“What’s going on?” Shala asked.
“Nothing.” I looked up, my heart racing. “Actually, I have to…use the bathroom, too. Be right back.”
The room swayed a little as I got up from my seat and headed to the back of the bar. Am I seriously doing this right now? How pathetic did I have to be to come when called like that? I needed my head checked, but I was too damn curious to stop myself.
Troy was standing in the stairwell with his arms crossed. His scent was dizzying. My nipples hardened, my body becoming aware of just how much it had missed being around him. And gosh, was he always this tall?
I took in a deep whiff of him and exhaled. “What was it you needed to see me about?”
“I have to admit, I’m a little insulted.”
“Why is that?”
“You’ve been looking over at me all night, yet you never bothered to say hello.”
“Why would I come say hello when you’re on a date? It would be rude for me to interrupt.”
“It’s not a date.”
“Sure looks like it.”
He inched closer. “I just met her tonight. I was hanging out with my buddy, Eric, but he had to leave. Casey was with some work friends, and she started a conversation with me.” His gaze traveled over my body, causing a chill to run down my spine. I could feel his breath on my face when he said, “You look beautiful tonight. That liner you’re wearing really brings out your eyes, but at the same time, you don’t need it.” His eyes trailed down my neck. “I hope you don’t mind me being blunt…but your tits look amazing in that shirt, too.” He looked back up at me. “You look amazing.”
I could hardly breathe, let alone form a response to that.
“All I’ve wanted to do was look at you. But I knew if I looked your way, you’d stop looking at me. I could feel you staring, and I loved knowing that your eyes were on me. I fucking loved every second of it.”
I swallowed. “Well, I’m surprised you noticed me looking over at you at all. You seemed to be getting along so well with her.”
“Not everything is what it seems. Because while I looked like I was getting along with her, I kept wishing she were you.”
I’d been looking down at my feet, but he placed his hand on my chin and lifted it to meet his incendiary stare.
“Goddammit, please tell me I’m not alone. Are you feeling this, too, Aspyn?”
He was far from alone. Feelings of intense attraction and jealousy had consumed me tonight. I just couldn’t get myself to admit it.
What he said next shook me.
“Casey did ask me to go back to her place for a nightcap. Any reason I shouldn’t?”
I was burning up. I wanted to urge him not to go home with her, but then what? I’d have to admit my jealousy. And there would be no going back once I fell into that web.
“You should do what you want,” I coughed out.
He leaned in, close enough that I could practically taste him. “What do you want?”
My chest heaved. “This has nothing to do with me.”
“You sure about that? Because you seemed pretty invested tonight with the way you couldn’t take your eyes off me.”
My voice shook. “Your ego is atrocious. What do you want me to say? There’s no need for me to answer if you’ve already drawn your own conclusion.”
“I want you to admit that you’ve missed me as much as I’ve missed you this past week.” He inched even closer. “Look me in the eyes and tell me you haven’t been thinking about me.”
As much as I wanted to put on a fa?ade and attempt to stare him in the face and tell him just that, I was never a good liar. My gaze, therefore, stayed firmly planted on my feet. Because the second I looked at him, he’d know.
“You can’t, can you?” he said.
I felt his hand on my chin again as he brought my face up to meet his. And it was in that moment that I decided to let go. “You’re right. I can’t lie. I have been thinking about you. And I hate it.”