The thing is, I know he’s serious. This jealousy is getting out of control. I stare at him for a moment as I think. Just go out there and tell mark it’s off. I need to do this anyway, and maybe a deadline will finally make the words leave my lips. “Fine, sit at the bar. Do not come near me, though.”
He smirks. “I will be coming near you.” He runs both of his hands through my hair and grips the sides of my head. “In fact, I will be coming on you and inside of you, on your back, in your mouth.” He grabs my behind aggressively with both hands and pulls my butt cheeks apart.
I smirk as I feel the stretch of his possession. That does sound good actually. Why does he have to be so damn naughty? There isn’t a woman alive who could resist this?
“And if he touches you again, I will see you at the table when I cut off his hands.”
I stare at him. “What kind of casual is this, Alastar?”
“My kind of casual. I told you. I don’t fucking share.”
“You’re a nightmare, Alastar Oshea.”
He pushes me up against the sink and ravages my neck with his mouth. “You have no idea, Emmaline.”
I look up at the ceiling. “Funnily enough, yes, I do.”
* * *
Five minutes later, I nervously return to the table. “Sorry,” I murmur.
Mark puts his arm around the back of my chair and smiles warmly. “Are you okay, honey?”
My eyes hold his as I fake a smile. This guy is delusional. I’m so not his honey. “Sorry,” I mutter again as I pick up my knife and fork. I eat my dinner in silence as Mark and his parents continue talking. My eyes are constantly flicking between our table to upstairs where Alastar is now sitting at the bar with another drink in his hand.
This is damn uncomfortable.
Alastar
I slowly sip my drink at the bar as I try to process my thoughts.
What are you doing here Alastar?
She leaves me no damn choice but to show her all my cards. I run my hands through my hair in frustration as my eyes peer down at her on the level below. She’s eating, he’s fawning, and it’s taking all my strength not to go down there and knock the imbecile out as jealousy prickles my skin. Why is she here with his parents? Fuck. This was not in my game plan at all, but every time I see her, I turn into this jealous lunatic who can’t hold his own tongue. I nod to the barman to signal that I need another drink and he nods obligingly. I take out my phone and call Thomas. He answers first ring.
“Hey.”
“Hi…” I hesitate. “What are you doing?”
“I’m at the Rose. Come down.”
My eyes find her once more and I know I should go. Fuck, I shouldn’t even be talking to her, and here I am agreeing to a casual monogamous thing.
Damn, this woman is driving me to destruction.
“Where are you?” he asks.
I shake my head at how lame this is going to sound. “I’m at a restaurant on the south side.”
“With who?”
I shake my head in disgust. “One guess.”
“Fuck, man, I thought we talked about this. You said you weren’t going there.”
“I know. She’s here with another guy.”
“What?” “You heard me.”
“Who’s the guy?”
“Some knob she works with.”
“What, like on a date?”
“I think so.”
“Star, just leave before you cause a scene.”
“Too late.”
He hesitates. “What did you do?”
I blow out a breath. “I demanded that she dump this guy and come home with me and stay at my house for the weekend.”
“You did what?”
I pinch the bridge of my nose and close my eyes.
“This is not what you need right now. We talked about this.”
“I know!” I snap. Fuck her for being so damn irresistible.
“Get up and leave or you can kiss your plans goodbye.”
The waiter places my drink on the bar. I pick it up and drain it then quickly ask for another immediately.
“I’m going to. I just—”
He cuts me off. “I know. You just need another night. You said the other night was the first and the last.”
My stomach drops. My brother knows me better than anyone on earth, and yet I haven’t told him that I have been with her for the last three nights in succession. I can’t stay away no matter how hard I try. She’s like a drug and I am totally addicted.
“You’re about to get a whole weekend.”
I stay silent and exhilaration fills me that I will have more time with her.
A whole weekend.
“You better think about this. How easy is it going to be on Monday? You won’t do it, you know you won’t, and you know how this ends. This isn’t a good thing, Star. Don’t delude yourself into getting lost in the moment. It wont pay off in the long run.” My stomach twists. He’s right. I stay silent on the phone as I weigh up the weight of his words.
“I’m going.” I sigh.
“Just come here, man. Marnie is here and she has been asking about you.” I shake my head. “I don’t want Marnie!” I snap.
“Yeah, well, you can’t always have what you want.”
My eyes lift as a pretty red head signals to the stool beside me. “Can I sit here?” she asks.
I smile, nod and gesture to the seat beside me.
“Okay, catch you later,” I sigh.
“See you soon?”
I hang up.
“Sorry to interrupt.” She smiles shyly.