by E. L. Todd
He nodded then drank from his glass.
“Your suit looks nice.”
“Thanks.” He averted his gaze and looked across the room.
When I stared at his body, I knew it was nice. But it still didn’t do anything for me. What was wrong with me? There was nothing wrong with this guy. There was something wrong with me.
“Have you seen Mr. Garrison?” I asked.
“Nope,” he said. “He’s swallowed in a room of suits.”
“You better make your presence known.”
“I made a considerable donation,” Ryan said. “I won’t be forgotten.”
I thought that was a little vain but I kept the comment to myself.
“So, have you been in a relationship recently?”
I wasn’t expecting that question. “No, not for a really long time.”
“May I ask why?”
I shrugged. “I just haven’t liked anyone.”
He nodded. “Me too. It’s hard for me.”
I drank from my flute and averted my gaze. The conversation was awkward and forced. I felt like we were trying to get to know each other. It wasn’t natural and random like it should be. That’s when I knew I would die alone. Perhaps I was so weird and boring that I only attracted people who were equally weird and boring. I drank my entire glass and grabbed another.
“You’re as beautiful as ever.”
I turned at the sound. Scott was eyeing my appearance with approval.
“This is a lovely color on you.”
“Um, thank you.” My cheeks turned crimson red, the same color of my dress.
Ryan stared at Scott, appraising his features.
Scott was wearing a dark blue suit with a red tie. He was the only man who showed any color in his outfit. He stuck out in the crowd, looking dashing. His hands were in his pockets but his shoulders were straight. He stared at my face, ignoring Ryan entirely. “I’m happy I ran into you.”
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
“I’m a lawyer.”
I totally forgot he said that. I was too busy wanting to rip my sister’s throat out to notice last week. “What firm are you at?”
“Jacob Reynolds.”
I nodded. “I’ve heard nothing but good things.”
“We aim to please.” He looked Ryan. “I’m Scott. It’s nice to meet you.” He extended his hand.
Ryan shook it. “Ryan. The pleasure is all mine.”
Scott looked at my empty glass. “Can I get you another?”
“She’s okay,” Ryan said.
Scott looked at him for a long moment, his eyes turning malicious, and then he turned back to me. “I hope you’re enjoying yourself this evening. I know you deserve a break.”
“It’s very beautiful.”
“And how’s the company?” he asked with a smile.
“It’s nice,” I said.
Ryan placed his arm around my waist. “Let’s take our seats.”
Scott eyed the palm on my hip. His shoulders moved back and his arms flexed. I saw the change under his suit even though the movement was slight.
“I’ll see you later,” I said politely.
Scott nodded then walked away.
When we took our seats at the table, Ryan was quiet. He drank from his glass without looking at me.
Scott always made me feel nervous when I was around him. He seemed angry or annoyed most of the time, but there were other emotions below that dark exterior. His body was packed with muscle and strength. I noticed it when he moved. And he looked incredibly handsome in that suit. His tie matched my dress and I couldn’t help but notice. I wondered if he had a date tonight.
The dinner was served and we ate quietly.
“So, who was that?” Ryan asked.
“My friend’s brother-in-law, in a way.”
“Is he your ex?”
I raised an eyebrow. “No. Why?”
“No reason,” he said.
I eyed him.
“He was just very…threatening.”
“He was nothing but polite.”
“Verbally he was. Silently, he threatened to kill me.”
“Did I miss something…?”
“Is there something going on between you two?”
“Excuse me?”
“I’m sorry,” he said quickly. “I was just caught off guard.”
I picked at my salad but didn’t eat another bite. I saw Scott sitting at a table with his colleagues. He was easy to spot in the red tie. He was laughing, his teeth showing. He had a beautiful smile. When he was in the spotlight, he seemed so different. He was pleasant and happy. Whenever we spoke, he was deadly serious. I stared at him for a long time, admiring every feature of his perfect face.
The ceremony started and they announced the silent auction taking place in the back of the room. They were selling trips to exotic places, cars, spa treatments, and gym memberships. I’d make an appearance and take a look but I couldn’t afford to spend the money.
More alcohol was brought to the tables. Ryan and I exchanged a few words but nothing of significance was said. I was feeling more awkward by the moment.
“Please excuse me for a moment,” Ryan said. “I need to use the restroom.”
“Okay,” I said.
He left the table, leaving me sitting alone. I stared at my hands in my lap, wondering what the hell I was doing. I was on a date with a guy that I knew I didn’t like. We just didn’t click. He was handsome but I wasn’t attracted to him. I thought spending time with him would change everything but it clearly hadn’t. Maybe I would just die alone after all.
“You don’t look like you’re having fun.”
I turned, seeing Scott sitting beside me.
He was sitting upright in his chair, his hands resting on his thighs. His eyes were more beautiful than they were a few minutes ago. When he breathed, his chest rose and fell. I watched it, wondering what it looked like shirtless. “Is he bothering you?”
“Who?”
“Your date.”
“No,” I said as I shook my head.
“Then why do you look so miserable?”
I sighed. “Is it that obvious?”
He nodded. “A little.”
I looked away.
“Wanna talk about it?”
“No, thank you.”
He leaned closer to me. “I really like the way that dress looks on you.”
I blushed, not expecting him to compliment me twice.
“Dance with me.”
I looked at him, not expecting the request.
“I’m not one for dancing.”
He grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet. “I’ll make you one.”
I stiffened at the command in his voice. His hand was gentle as it touched mine, sending electricity through me. I was aware of the callous on his fingers, the rough patches of skin. He pulled me to the dance floor then placed his hand on my lower back, swaying with me gently. The classical music played and the couples moved across the floor.
The smell of his cologne wafted into my nostrils. It was light, almost unnoticeable. It smelled like he just showered before he arrived. His body soap and his natural scent were soothing. He smelled purely masculine.
The fabric of his suit touched my arm. It was light and soft, indicating its obvious worth. I never bought a suit or researched the price, but I knew the nice ones could be pricey. Scott was obviously well off. Since he was a lawyer, that made sense.
I didn’t look at his face for a moment, letting him guide me across the floor. I felt his stare on my face, powerful and unyielding. Being so close to him made me feel more nervous than I ever had. I suddenly feared that my breath stank or I had something in my teeth.
“So, are you into him?”
I looked into his eyes. “Who?”
He smirked. “Your date. Is he a boyfriend?”
“No,” I said quietly.
“Is he going to be?”
“No.”
He seemed pleased by that response. His eyes changed subtly. “Why didn’t you call me?”
“Call you?”
He held my hand and spun me around before he pulled me back. “I gave you my card.”
“Oh…I didn’t know you wanted me to.”
Scott stared at me. “Why would I have given you my card unless I wanted you to?”
I fell silent, not knowing how to respond.
“You’re impossible to read.”
“Excuse me?”
His hand tightened on my waist, feeling the fabric in his fingers. “I just can’t tell what you want.”
“I’m not difficult to understand.”
His hand squeezed mine. “You’re here with a guy you don’t even like, at an event you don’t want to attend, and you took a guy’s number but never called him. That’s extremely confusing.”
“Well, life isn’t always what you want it to be.”
“Mine is.”
I stared into his eyes, seeing the confidence behind his irises. “Aren’t you lucky?”
“Why didn’t you call me?” he asked again. His voice was aggressive.
“Like I said, I didn’t know you wanted me to.”
“So you would have?”
“Uh, I don’t know…”
“You don’t know?” He stared into my face, the displeasure forming on his lips.
“Why does that bother you so much?” I asked, not understanding his random bouts of mood swings.
He held me while we danced on the floor, the heat in his eyes evident. His emotions were clearly displayed on his face, but they were still difficult to interpret. There were too many to keep track of. “They always call.”
I stopped immediately. Now I just thought he was cocky. He made me feel excited and nervous, the sweat dripping down the back of my neck, but then I saw the arrogance shine bright. “Well, I didn’t want to.”
“Why?”
I pulled my hands away. “I should get back to my date.”
He grabbed me again. “No.”
I stared him down, pulling my wrist. “Don’t touch me. Give your number to some other girl, one that will actually call.” I turned away but his voice stopped me.
“I’m sorry,” he said quickly. “Please don’t walk away.”
When I looked at him, I saw the desperation on his face. He didn’t touch me but I knew he wanted to. “I’m not interested, Scott. Have a good night.” I walked across the room and headed for my seat. He didn’t come after me.
When I returned to the chair, Ryan was sitting there.
“Where were you?”
I ignored the question. I melted when I was with Scott, but then his attitude and cockiness just chased me away. The sexual tension was there, but he was an asshole. I didn’t care how hot a guy was. Even if he was jerk, I wasn’t sticking around.
Ryan and I looked at the different auctions in the back of the room. When I looked up, I saw Scott glaring at me, eyeing Ryan’s hand on my waist. I ignored him, not giving him the satisfaction of my attention. I knew exactly what kind of guy Scott was. He liked to get his way with women then toss them. Like a spoiled child that didn’t get his way, he hated hearing the word no.
Ryan bid on a trip to Hawaii, and I picked up the pen then put it down again. After we left the auction room, we spoke to a few guys at the office. They eyed my dress in approval. Every time I looked up, Scott was nearby, staring at me. I felt like he was a shark that was circling me, waiting to take a bite. I stayed close to Ryan, pretending Scott didn’t exist.
When the night came to end, the host announced the money raised for charity, which would be donated to the children’s hospital to study rare cancers. It was a large sum, more than most people made in a year. I clapped politely then let Ryan take me home.
When we were in the cab, we didn’t speak. I wasn’t sure how to end the night. Should I kiss him on the cheek? Or should I just shake his hand? I didn’t want to go on another date with him. He was better as a friend than a possible boyfriend. If I didn’t like him, I shouldn’t lie and drag out the affair.
After we arrived at my apartment, I turned to him. “Thank you for the lovely evening.”
“Thank you for being my beautiful date,” he said with a smile. His hands were in his pockets. He didn’t seem like he was going to do anything drastic. “I hope you had fun tonight.”
“It was great,” I lied.
He smiled. “I don’t care for work functions either. If I wasn’t hoping to make partner someday, I wouldn’t bother.”
“Well, I think every other guy in the office is going for the same thing.”
He shrugged. “There is competition in every field.”
“Goodnight, Ryan.”
Ryan stepped toward me and placed his hand on my hip. My breathing hitched when I realized what he was doing. I didn’t want to kiss him. I hated to reject him, but if I didn’t, I would convey the wrong message. I would be stuck on another date, one that would go nowhere. Ryan didn’t seem to recognize my hesitance because he kept going.
“Janet.”
Ryan stopped and turned toward the voice.
Scott was standing in the hallway. His face appeared neutral, but his eyes conveyed his annoyance.
I wasn’t sure why he was there. I felt my heart race in my chest.
Scott came closer to me, pretending he didn’t just sabotage Ryan’s attempt to kiss me. “You won the Hawaii trip.”
“What?” I asked.
Scott opened the paper and showed it to me. “You left before they announced it. I knew you would be excited so I decided to stop by.” He glanced at Ryan, glaring at him, and then turned back to me.
Ryan looked at me. “Why does he know where you live?”
Scott smiled at his tone.
“He took my sister home one night,” I explained.
Ryan nodded.
Scott turned to him. “If you’ll excuse us, we’re going to discuss the reward.”
Ryan glared at him. “I’m sure it can wait until tomorrow.”
“I don’t work on weekends,” Scott said.
“Then why are you explaining this to her?” Ryan asked.
“I donated it,” Scott said. “It’s my timeshare.”
I felt the tension escalate further. “Ryan, I’ll just talk to you on Monday.”
Ryan stared at me for a long moment before he turned away. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight,” I said quietly.
Scott said nothing.
When Ryan was out of the hallway, I looked at Scott. “What the hell are you doing?”
“Saving your ass.”
“Excuse me?”
“You look repulsed by the idea of kissing him. I was just giving you a way out.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Why are you here?”
“I just explained. Good thing you have your looks.”
“Excuse me?” I grabbed my keys from my purse and put them in the door, trying to get away from him.
He snatched them from my hand. “You need to lighten up and take a joke.”
“Give me my keys,” I demanded.
“If you invite me inside.”
“You’re unbelievable,” I snapped.
“I’ve heard that before,” he said with a smirk.
I rolled my eyes.
He dangled them in front of me. “Come on.”
“I don’t invite strangers into my apartment.”
“I’m not a stranger. I took your sister home, safe and sound. I’m a very trustworthy guy.”
I ignored his last comment. “I didn’t bid on any of the vacations.”
“I know,” he said. “Like I said, I was giving you a way out.”
“I can’t believe you followed me home. You are psychotic.”
His eyes lost their humor. “No, I just get what I want.”
“I’m not something you can get.” I eyed the keys, waiting for him to return them.
“We’ll see.”
>
I grabbed the keys but his hand moved away, hiding behind his back.
“Let me come inside,” he said.
“Why?”
“So we can talk. Have a cup of coffee.”
“I’m very tired.”
He sighed. “Okay. I think we got off on the wrong foot.”
“I don’t think we did.”
Scott stared at me. “May I please have your number? I’d love to ask you out.”
“No. Give me back my keys.”
“No.”
I shifted my weight, my knees starting to hurt from the heels of my shoes. “I’m not interested. And to be frank, I’m getting sick of this.”
“Then tell me why you won’t give me a chance.”
“You’re a selfish, cocky, arrogant, asshole. That’s why.”
He chuckled lightly. “Wow. I can’t think of a single thing I did to earn that title.”
“I can think of many.”
“Look, I know I came off a little strong, but I’ve never had to chase a girl before.”
“There’s that cockiness again.”
“What?” he said. “I’m being honest.”
“I don’t want to have sex with you.”
His eyes widened. “I didn’t ask you to. I just want a date.”
“Well, I don’t.”
He put the keys in his pockets. “This is going to take a while…”
“So you’re forcing me to go out with you? That’s so romantic,” I said sarcastically.
Scott sighed. “I’ve never had to resort to such extreme measures.”
“I’m sick of this.” I kicked the mat away and pulled out the extra key to my apartment. “Keep the keys. I don’t want them.” I opened the door then slammed it in his face. When I was inside, I put my purse on the table and stood there, waiting for something to happen.
Scott opened the door then walked to me slowly. He had a solemn expression on his face, the light absent in his eyes. He tossed my keys on the table. “Don’t ever give a guy your keys again.” He stared into my face then left the apartment, slamming the door behind him.
6
Since Layla was dating Kyle, I didn’t mention the incident to my friends. I figured it was a conflict of interest. But that didn’t stop Layla from prying. She called me the next morning and asked me how the gala went.
“So, how’d it go?”
“It was okay,” I said while I drank my coffee.
“Are you and Ryan going out again?”