He was facing the door when I walked in and the movement caught his eye. He glanced up and saw me first.
His reaction was gratifying. He stood up, moving to me, his happiest smile lighting up his face. He caught on right away. "You're surprising me for my birthday," he said, delight in his voice.
I didn't answer with words, instead I waited until he'd moved close and rubbed up against him, pulling his face down to mine.
I brushed my lips to his, once, then again, until he groaned and started kissing me.
I took it further than I meant to. I'd meant to take it somewhere, sure, but what I did was more than I should have, using my mouth on his ruthlessly, my tongue, my body, making him forget where he was, forget that we weren't alone, forget that he couldn't take me right there, making him lose all sense, intoxicating him relentlessly.
It wasn't un-calculated. Of course not. Territory. Marked. Simple but irresistible.
And all the while, something inside of me had begun to rage, incessantly, powerfully.
Oh yes. I was jealous.
When I finally wrenched my mouth away, he bent and started kissing my neck, his hands rubbing my ass, over and over, our groins flush, his stiff erection digging into me.
Okay, yeah, I'd let it go a touch too far. We hadn't seen each other in a month. Clearly with that much time apart we shouldn't have had our first meeting in public.
"Dante," I said quietly. I was going for composed, but even I could hear the desire in my voice.
He groaned and kissed his way up to my jaw.
Gently but firmly, I pushed him away.
His glassy eyes just stared at me, dazed, for a solid thirty seconds before they began to clear.
He blinked a few times and started to curse, dragging a hand through his hair.
I gave him and myself some time to compose ourselves before I finally spoke. "I've been at your apartment since six. Waiting for you. How's Tiffany?" I let my tone say what my words didn't.
He seemed to realize for the first time that he was in some deep shit.
"Scarlett!" Tiffany called out cheerfully, still sitting at their table. "So happy you could join us!"
Us. The sting of that would linger.
Don't let her see how she affects you, I told myself.
Don't let her see how he weakens you. Don't give her anything.
Nothing had changed between Tiffany and me. I still saw her as the enemy. Time and distance hadn't altered that, though this was the first time I'd caught her infringing on my territory while I was away.
Twice she'd come to visit while I was still living with Dante. I wondered with no small amount of furious dread just how often she came to visit now that I was gone.
"Tiffany," I said without an ounce of friendliness. "What are you up to?"
"Oh, you know how it is. Still attending Barnard. Family tradition and all that, but at least I'm almost finished. Soon I'll be able to visit as often as I please."
Comforting that.
"But enough about me. What have you been up to? Still waitressing?"
I looked at Dante. I didn't have to say a word. My face said it all.
"I was here studying," he told me, tone careful. "She found me here a few hours ago. I didn't know she was coming to town."
"Does she visit you like this often?" I asked, voice sharp, my wide smile sharper. It was a grin meant to dazzle. And cut. It captures the eye and blinds it.
"Never," he said succinctly, fervently, with the intent of a man set on avoiding disaster. "Not since you left."
I looked at Tiffany.
"Oh yeah," she waved her hand in the air. "Whatever he says."
I knew she was trying to goad me, trying to make me think Dante was lying to me. I knew that and it didn't surprise me. It was very typical Tiffany. What I found interesting was Dante's reaction to her words.
He started, staring at her like he was finally starting to fucking get it.
Yeah, you ass, I wanted to say. That's who she is. An instigating piece of work just like your mother.
But even with the inner tirade, his reaction was gratifying enough to act as a last ditch effort at averting the fallout that I felt building up in my chest like a scream that just had to escape.
I hated that she was here. Hated it. But maybe it would serve some purpose, if it helped Dante see just what she was.
With that thought in mind, I pulled up a chair. "So what are you doing here, Tiffany?" I asked her bluntly, my tone as unfriendly as I felt.
She feigned surprise at my hostile manner. "Oh my. Is something the matter, Scarlett? You seem upset." She smiled.
And just like that. There it was again. Hello, temper.
"What could possibly be wrong?" I asked her, heavy on the sarcasm. My eyes swung to Dante, who'd just taken the seat across from me. "Whatever could be the matter?" I asked him mockingly.
He folded his arms across his chest, jaw clenching, eyes hard on me. I could tell that his own hellish temper was ready to come out and play.
"Again," I said bitingly, "why are you here, Tiffany?"