“I see that.”
I smirk. “You want her as badly as I do. I know it. So let’s ask her to stay around. It’ll still be casual, but at least we’ll be able to count on her coming back.”
His nose starts to slowly wrinkle, but then he seems to think about it. His face gets smooth. “See, this would be where the complications really come in. We set something up. A schedule. Say, every Friday. And then maybe I’m not feeling it one Friday, or you’re not. She gets pissed, because that’s what women do. She starts accusing us of not giving her due attention, of not providing the little bit we promised.”
“I would never feel like skipping a meet up with Mindy.”
Ethan rolls his eyes. “That’s how you feel now.”
“I know Mindy. Trust me. It never gets old with her.”
Something runs through his eyes. He believes me. He’s just not going to admit it.
I grip the edges of the desk and lean forward. “Admit it, Ethan. The sex… is… amazing.”
His jaw ticks. “Yes. It’s amazing. Of course it is.”
“And I’m not the only one who hasn’t gotten with another woman since Mindy. You’ve been keeping to yourself, haven’t you? You haven’t hooked up with anyone else.”
His nostrils flare. I’ve got him on the spot and he doesn’t like it.
He speaks methodically slow. “So what do you propose we do? Really?”
“What I already said. Get things going on a regular basis.”
“She can’t be our woman.”
Irritation, disappointment, and a little bit of pain rise in my chest. “She wouldn’t be even if we wanted her to.” I can’t hide the slight tinge of bitterness. I don’t care if Ethan picks it up.
He strokes his jaw thoughtfully and looks out the window. “I don’t know.”
It’s more than what our conversation started with. I’ll take it.
His head snaps back towards mine. “What are you doing tonight? Do you still have that meeting with those execs from Chicago?”
“It got moved to tomorrow night.”
He nods at my cell phone sitting on the desk. “Call Mindy up. Invite her out to dinner.”
I stare at him. “A date?”
He shifts uncomfortably. “No, it’s not a date. I just want to… feel her out more.” He holds up a finger to signal for me to wait. “And that’s all. I just want to spend some more time seeing what she’s all about.”
“All right.” I suppress a smile. It’s great seeing Ethan, a man who is often so cool and reserved, uncomfortable. I’ll never get tired of it.
I pick up my phone and scroll through my text messages to find the last one I sent to Mindy. I shoot her a message asking if she’d like to join us for dinner tonight. Already my heart thrums away, thoughts of her soft body underneath mine filling my inner vision.
“Let’s go ahead and make a reservation,” I say.
Ethan smirks. “Getting a little ahead of ourselves, are we?”
“She’s going to say yes.”
He bites his bottom lip a little bit. An eagerness flashes across his face. Could it be Ethan feels at least a shred of what I do for Mindy? Could it be he really thinks she’s worth pinning down on an at least semi-regular basis?
“I’ll call Le Bernardin,” I say. “She likes seafood.”
“Nice.”
The restaurant is one of the nicer West side ones we’re regulars at.
My phone buzzes. It’s Mindy.
Sure, the text says. When and where?
I smile down at the phone.
“I can tell by your face,” Ethan slowly says. “That she’s coming.”
I let my grin stretch ear to ear. “Oh yeah.”
I spend the rest of the day as a ball of nerves, which is strange. I know Mindy. Getting antsy over the prospect of meeting up with her doesn’t make sense. And it’s not like we’re going to ask her to be our woman or anything.
...But what are we going to say?
“It’s just dinner,” Ethan says as we walk to the Thai place for lunch. “We’ve got that straight, correct? Let’s not even talk about that other stuff tonight.”
“All right,” I agree. His willingness to just spend time with Mindy anywhere other than a bed is enough for me. We had a great time at the baseball game, even excluding the amazing sex, and dinner should be no different.
Ethan’s driver picks me up at seven and then the two of us ride up to Castle Hill together.
“It’s so far away,” Ethan grumbles, looking out his window. “We should have just had her meet us in Manhattan.”
“That wouldn’t exactly be the gentlemanly thing to do.”
He purses his lips but doesn’t say anything else.
It’s close to the middle of August and so the nights are still hot. Thank God, because that means Mindy emerges from her house in a tight white and black dress and stilettos so high they could double as murder weapons. Her lips are painted deep red and her dark hair sweeps across her shoulder, begging to be touched. I know her appearance has the same effect on Ethan as it does on me because he shifts in his seat as she walks across the sidewalk.
She climbs into the limo and we all say our hellos. The car starts and for a moment we’re all silent.
Finally she clears her throat. “So what’s the occasion?”
Ethan and I exchange a glance, his surly.
“Can’t we just take you out?” Ethan asks.
Mindy’s eyebrows shoot up. She hesitates for a second. My heart constricts. There’s a good chance she’s about to tear us new assholes, tell us we’re cocky idiots for thinking things between us could become anything other than sex.
“Sure,” she finally says. “I’m always down for a fun night.”
A long breath leaves me. Somewhere deep in me hope wakes up. I can finally let myself fantasize about seeing Mindy on a regular basis.
And maybe soon those fantasies will become real.
9
Ethan
Damn Zack.
I don’t know why I’m always letting him get his way. Maybe it’s because he doesn’t have any family left. Or because he’s been my best friend for so long he knows how to work me and make me bend to his will.
Either way, here we are on West 51st, stepping out of the limo and walking into the French and Seafood restaurant I usually save for wooing new females with.
Mindy doesn’t need to be wooed. Mindy can’t be won over with expensive meals and exotic trips. She doesn’t want to be won over.
God, it’s what I love about her.
The more hard to get she plays, the more I want to make her stay. It’s a sick dichotomy, one which doesn’t really make sense but exists nonetheless.
My stomach twists. We could be making a big mistake. Just asking her to hook up regularly could push her away. I know how people who are disdainful of traditional relationships work since I happen to be one of them myself. She could see our asking her to meet up regularly as the first sign of attempts to trap her into some kind of commitment.
And then she could be gone. Just like that. The best sex I’ve ever had out the window. And all because Zack couldn’t remember to keep everything in its proper place.
I glance over at Mindy as we walk in through the front doors of Le Bernardin and try to stop my eyes from traveling lower than her face. If I so much as look at those curves one more time I’ll have a raging boner on display for the whole restaurant to enjoy.
The hostess takes us through the art deco inspired dining room and to the end of a long booth that travels the length of a row of tables. It curves around the very last table, providing the right amount of space for three people who want to reach any level of closeness they choose. It’s one of the best spots in the restaurant. Props go to Zack for remembering to specifically ask for the table.
Mindy thanks the hostess then settles herself into the end of the booth. Zack hesitates and I go for it, taking the other part of the booth. Zack eases down into the
one chair, Mindy securely between us. It’s a nice feeling, one reminiscent of times spent naked.
I glance around at the few seated tables nearby. What do people think when they look at us? That we’re all business associates? A couple plus a friend?
Or would anyone ever suspect it’s something more?
“This place is nice,” Mindy comments, unfolding her linen napkin and laying it across her lap.
“It’s one of our favorites,” Zack grins.
She gives him a small smile. “Well thanks for picking it then.”
The waiter and the sommelier arrive and I order a bottle of wine and the Golden Imperial caviar to start off with. The dining room is beginning to fill up, the full swing of dinner right around the corner. We got here at just the right time. So far this evening is flowing perfectly.
“How’s work?” Zack asks Mindy.
She folds her hands and sets them on the table. A thin silver bracelet slides along her wrist. I catch myself staring at it then look away. “It’s good,” she tells Zack. “Busy. What can I say? Lots of people out there making mistakes and having to visit the hospital for them. But yesterday actually wasn’t as intense as the shifts usually are.”
She smiles at him, the corners of her eyes crinkling up. It does something to me and I have to look away.
I shift in my seat and glance around for the sommelier. That bottle of wine would be great right about now. I place my elbow on the table, then plant my hands in my lap, not sure what to do with them.
I also don’t know what to think right now. Dinner was my idea, but why the hell did I come up with it?
I want to feel her out. That’s what I told Zack. Now I don’t know why I said it. We’re not dating Mindy. We’re screwing her.
But now we’re on a date.
A bit of nausea hits me. Zack and I have never dated a woman together, only screwed them. I have no interest in getting serious with one woman, whether it’s by myself or with my friend.
I pull at the collar of my shirt, suddenly feeling incredibly hot.
“Are you all right?” Mindy asks. Her dark eyes fall on me. She’s only inches away. I move a little in my seat and my knee brushes hers.
“Just a little warm,” I explain. “I need a drink.”
Her brows furrow. “To cool you down?”
“Yes.”
She frowns. I look away and catch sight of our sommelier. “Ah. Here he comes. Right on time.”
The bottle of red is poured and tasted. The three of us do a cheers and I try not to swig half the glass in one gulp. The buzz hits immediately, calming some of my nerves.
“What about you, Zack?” Mindy asks. “How’s the PR industry?”
He nods over his wine glass. “Good. We’re about to take a break for a few days while the offices are renovated.”
“Any plans?”
“No, not yet.” His eyes flick over to me. I suppress an eye roll. I know what he’s thinking. It includes trying to get Mindy out of the city for some kind of romantic getaway.
Nope. It’s not happening.
“I can’t believe it,” she muses. “You know, everyone in Castle Hill is really proud of you. People talk all the time about how great it is you have your own business.”
He ducks his head. “I should have gone back there more.”
“Zack...”
His head shakes and he stares at the candle in the middle of the table. “If I’d known earlier how bad it was with my dad… I wouldn’t have worked so much. I would have taken more time for him.”
“Zack,” she murmurs. “He was so proud of you. You know that right?”
He slowly nods.
“Plus,” I point out. “You knew for years. He had cancer for...”
Zack interrupts. “You’re right. But I should have spent time with him before that. It shouldn’t have been cancer that made me make time for him.”
Mindy reaches her hand out and touches his arm. At the same time she shoots me an irritated look. I reel back, but then realize what I just said was kind of a douchebag thing to say. Maybe I need to slow down on the inhaling wine stuff.
“I’m sorry,” I tell Zack. “I didn’t mean to be crass.”
He gives a tight smile. “It’s fine.”
Mindy rubs his arm a little bit then suddenly seems to think better of it and puts both her hands in her lap.
“It’s not just my dad I ignored,” Zack says, looking at Mindy. “It was all my old friends.”
Now her head drops. “Zack, come on. You were busy. So was everyone else. Amanda, Jacquieta, Philip… They all have their own lives going on. They understand.”
I run my finger over the lip of my wine glass, not having a clue as to who she’s talking about. I’ve never heard any of these names come from Zack’s lips. When the two of us met he lived in a studio apartment in the Lower East Side. He went to NYU during the day and worked nights in a restaurant. His old life in Castle Hill only came up in casual mentions. I got to know his dad pretty well over the years, but only when the three of us would meet up for lunch in mid-town.
I myself was a rich kid looking to be alternative in any way I could, one who often spent my mornings getting high in Washington Square Park. I fancied myself of another time, the one where beatniks roamed the country. That ideology lasted about a summer. Once my dad let me know my inheritance would be cut off if I didn’t do something with my life. I ditched the joints and went back to school. My whole attitude about life made a one eighty. I committed myself to becoming as successful as I possibly could.
To say Zack was a good influence on me would be selling our relationship short. I might not have found the drive to get through school and start my own business if it wasn’t for him. The boot from my dad was the kick in the ass, but Zack’s drive has always been contagious.
“Zack’s an inspiration,” I suddenly say, half to myself.
They both look at me in surprise.
I turn my face to Mindy. “It’s true. He’s done a shit ton with his life. I’m lucky to know him.”
Mindy’s lips twist in a contained smile. It’s like she doesn’t want us to know how happy my words make her.
“What about you?” Zack counters. “You’re not doing so bad yourself.”
I shrug and take a sip of wine. We both know my owning my own business is thanks to some startup money from daddy dearest himself. I’ve worked hard, yeah, but I’ll never be self-made in the way Zack is. He skinned his knuckles hard getting where he is today. All the times I offered him a loan he wouldn’t take it. It was against his upbringing, something he couldn’t do and still respect himself.
The truth of the matter is Zack doesn’t need to respect himself. The admiration I hold for him is enough to cover us both. And I know I can be hard on him sometimes, but even if he becomes the biggest narcissist in the entire world he’ll never value himself half as much as I do him.
The caviar arrives and we take our time savoring it. Almost the entire menu is seafood, but luckily Zack seemed to be right about her liking it. I try to read her and figure out if she’s one of those women who likes the men to take the helm and order for her, but she goes right for it, reading the menu and telling the waiter exactly what she’d like.
We finish our first bottle before the main course arrives. Mindy picks the second bottle and we crack into it, sharing another story about the trouble Zach and I used to get into during our early days in lower Manhattan.
“He just had to do it,” Zack says. “I tried telling him not to...”
I dismissively cut my hand through the air. “Oh, come on. You were egging me on.”
Mindy chuckles into her wine glass. “I can’t believe you put graffiti on a cop car. There are cameras in there, you know.”
“He wore a mask,” Zack grins.
“Yeah,” I agree. “And then almost got caught and went to jail.”
Zack clucks his tongue. “And that was the last dare I ever gave him.”
“Tha
nk God,” Mindy laughs. “You two together are trouble. If you didn’t have something to channel your energy into you might have sank the entire island of Manhattan by now.”
Zack lowers his voice. “You’re talking about you, right?”
Her breath’s hitch is audible. I scoot a little closer and place my hand on her knee.
“I was talking about work,” she whispers, stumbling over the words a little bit. “I meant work…” Her lashes flutter and she glances at me.
I grin. “But you’re a great thing to channel energy into.”
She blushes, her lips parting a little bit to tell me she’s absolutely loving what’s happening.
We take our time through the main course. At the tables around us diners come and go. No one stays as long as we do. For dessert we order the Black Forest, a crystal dish full of brandied cherries and whip cream. I can’t keep my eyes off of Mindy as she licks cream from the tip of her spoon, her pink tongue flicking against the metal. I imagine her tongue on the tip of my dick, tasting the bit of pre cum there as I grow harder and harder for her.
I gulp and take a big drink of water. It does no good.
On the other side of the table Zack stares at her as well, just as transfixed as I am. Surely she knows what she’s doing to us.
“It’s good,” she simply says, a wicked grin playing on her lips.
I let out a breath of pent-up frustration. “Apparently so.”
Zack flushes red. “We can get more… Or just wait and have a second dessert later.”
She waggles her eyebrows. “I like that.”
I clear my throat and stand up, excusing myself.
In the bathroom I throw cold water on my face and think about my parents doing crossword puzzles in bed. Finally I’m calm enough to rejoin the table.
“Remember the soda shop?” Mindy is asking Zack.
Instantly a wide smile hits his face. “Yeah. I’ll never forget it.”
Mindy cocks her head in my direction. “It was a few blocks away. We used to go there all the time in junior high. Right after school got out.”
I laugh. “That’s so all-American.”
Two Billionaires Next Door: A Dark Bad Boy MFM Romance Page 6