I couldn’t tell Caroline about that though. Not yet. I still didn’t know what we were anyway. She laughed, before going over the evening plans. I was supposed to be out of the building by five to eat dinner before meeting her and some of our coworkers at eight.
I headed home at the promised time and ate while I scoured my closet for something to wear. It’d been so long since I’d gone out for “fun” that it took me some time to dig out any going-out worthy clothing. Suits and business attire had taken over my closet, making it hard to find anything else.
The air still held a chill, so I settled for a jean skirt and large neck sweater that fell off one shoulder. I dug out some knee-high heeled boots for added warmth on my legs. The thought of tights passed through my mind, but I knew Nathan wouldn’t like them.
I didn’t even know if he was coming, and even if he did, people we worked with were around, so he wouldn’t be touching me or dancing with me.
When I arrived at the destination, Caroline and her boyfriend, Ian, were waiting for me at the entrance, and we were able to secure a large half-moon booth for our group.
I’d finished off a shot of rum, and was starting in on a Long Island, when I felt it. Felt him—his eyes.
Nathan was there.
“Hey, Nathan, you made it!” Caroline called out.
I jolted, shooting my friend a death glare as we scooted around to make room. I was on the end, making me the one he sat next to, our thighs touching.
“Wouldn’t have missed it,” he replied with a smile as he greeted the table. He leaned close to me, whispering in my ear and sending heat throughout my body. “Lila.”
I smiled at him. “Nate.” His eyes flashed and he drew in a quick breath, but he composed himself before anyone noticed. “I’m surprised to see you out.”
“Oh, we used to see him here all the time,” Ian chimed in. “Been months, dude. We thought you fell off the face of the earth or something. Finally find yourself a steady girl?”
Nathan laughed, but I couldn’t find it in me to join in due to the knife twisting in my gut. Of course he would go out to get his kicks. It didn’t slip my attention that Ian said he hadn’t seen him since before we started having sex, though.
“So, you’re a man-whore? Should have known.” I downed the rest of the Long Island in front of me. The thought of his hands on some of the skanks I saw around the place made my blood boil. Okay, the thought of his hands on anyone other than me did it, but did I expect him to have been a monk before me?
No. It wasn’t rational.
“It was just sex, Delilah. Fucking,” he mumbled low enough for just me to hear.
I could feel the bile rising in my stomach, my expression slipping, exposing my displeasure.
That’s right, just sex. You don’t mean anything to him other than a good fuck.
I jumped, flinching when I felt a hand on my leg, right above my knee. Nathan’s hand gripped tight, his thumb making small circular patterns on my skin, placing a fire in their wake. His scent enveloped my senses as he whispered in my ear, “I don’t want them.”
He didn’t include me in that comment, as he would previously, grouping me along with the rest of his fan club. A step, I supposed, but a step to what? To him fucking me at his whim? If I was being honest with myself, I wanted more. But I would take whatever he would give just to have a part of him.
“I need another drink,” I said as I turned for Nathan to let me out. His face was hard and unreadable, and his grip on my leg tightened. My heart rate sped up; he always managed to touch me in a way that excited my body and made it rebel.
“Are you sure that’s wise?” His gaze moved to the empty glasses in front of me.
“Are you my fucking father? No, I didn’t think so. Let me the fuck up so I can get another drink.” I was fuming, no doubt about it. He finally relented, and I pushed past him and through the crowd, clamoring for a drink.
Up at the bar, I tried to get the bartender’s attention. Tried, but failed.