“How are you? I’m so sorry about last night, I felt like shit after you left. It looked like you’d been crying, and I should have sent Vince home and had you stay. What happened?” She speaks quickly, whether from guilt or concern, I don’t know.
“Oh, um,” I clear my throat, “Jonah and I just had a little fight, but we’re okay now. Just a misunderstanding.”
I bite my lip and contemplate telling her about Vince. My loyalty to her is warring with my need to protect her.
“Oh, phew. I was so worried after you left. I called your cell, but you didn’t answer. Vince kept telling me that you were probably okay. He said if you weren’t you would call.”
Nice of daddy’s little henchman to comfort my best friend.
“How are things going with you and Vince?” I wait for her answer, ready to read into every word, to feel her out before I decide on full disclosure.
“Pretty good. He’s still so private about stuff, but now that he’s met you, I think he’ll start to come around.”
Private or big fat, disgusting liar?
I can’t sit back and watch her get used. She needs to know. “Eve, there’s something I need to—”
“I know what you’re going to say, Rave. He’s really affectionate, and . . . sometimes it comes across as kinda pervy or whatever. I’m sorry if he made you uncomfortable last night. He says he can’t keep his hands off me.” I can hear the smile in her voice.
Yuck. I fight the urge to shove my finger down my throat like a surly twelve year old.
“That’s not what—”
“Enough about boys. I need my girl time. We’re going out tonight. My old waitress from Nori just got hired at Club Six. She said she’d put us on the list and told me if I slip the bouncer a fifty he’d let us in without ID’s.”
“Tonight? Um—”
“Come on! I’m so sick of the under twenty-one clubs. This is our chance to go to a real club!”
“Okay.” Unable to think of an excuse fast enough and also missing my friend like crazy, I agree to go out with her.
“Come over after work and we can get ready at my house.”
This has play-dress-up-with-Raven written all over it.
“Sounds great,” I say with the enthusiasm of a snail.
“Whatever, Debbie Downer. It’ll be fun and besides . . . I miss you.”
“I miss you too. See you after work.”
Perfect. I’ll tell Eve about Vince after she’s had a couple drinks. That’ll help soften the blow. And being in a public place should keep her from getting too emotional. Ugh, who am I kidding? This is going to be a nightmare.
Twenty
Raven
“Time to lock up, Ray!”
At the sound of Guy’s voice, I slide out from under the Honda CR-V. Shifting my eyes to the clock, my jaw drops at the time. Six o’clock. Darn it!
It got busy at the garage, and I never got a chance to text Jonah to let him know about my plans for tonight. He said he had to train, but that he was looking forward to having me back in his arms. My body warms all over at the mere thought of more sex with Jonah.
I grab my phone and see I have one missed call and a text.
Training then phone interviews all afternoon. Quick meeting then I’ll be home. See you tonight. xJ
“Ray! Quit draggin’ ass. Shut ’er down.”
“Yeah, G. I heard you.”
Shoving my phone into my back pocket, I close down the garage and race to my studio.
I throw my dirty coveralls in the hamper and strip down to jump in the shower. My foot taps impatiently, waiting for the water to heat.
Crud! I didn’t call Jonah. I wrap a towel around my naked body and fish my phone from my coveralls.
Sitting on the bed, I press send and place the phone to my ear.
“Hey, baby. Where are you?” His deep voice comes through the phone and a smile pulls at my lips.
“Hi. I’m at my studio. It was crazy busy at the garage today, and I didn’t get your text until just now.”
“That’s cool. Grab your shit and come over.”
My finger traces the swirling pattern of my towel at my thigh. “I won’t be able to come over tonight. I made plans with Eve.” My stomach bottoms out. I do want girl time, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want Jonah time more.
After explaining the evening’s agenda, I sit patiently waiting for his response.
“Club Six. Just you and your girl.” He’s not asking. It’s more like he’s saying the words so they sink in.
“Yeah. I’ll stay with Eve tonight because we’ll probably be out late, and I don’t want to wake you.”
“Hm.”
Is he mad?
“Look, here’s the deal. I’m stoked you want to hang with your girl tonight. But you at some nightclub, looking as hot as you are, dressed to kill, without me? No. I’m also not thrilled that you’re putting yourself at risk by going to a club when you aren’t twenty-one. And there’s the DomiDick shit we have to worry about.”
His possessiveness is fierce and I freakin’ love it. My entire body floods with the warm gushy feeling that makes my toes curl and my belly flip.
As a child, no one ever cared what I did. Never cared where I went, who I was with. I never had a curfew, never had the sex talk, the don’t-do-drugs talk. I was treated like an adult on my own ever since I could remember.