by Kelly, Hazel
She raised her eyebrows. “I take it you’ve met the rest of them.”
“Only the ones in Brooklyn and Manhattan, but I hear they’re the pick of the bunch.”
She took another sip of her beer.
“And I know you find me attractive.”
She crossed her legs towards me. “Please.”
“That’s not a guess,” I said. “You melt for me every time I touch you.”
“I do not.”
“Really?” I asked, pointing over my shoulder. “Cause there’s something I’d like to show you in the bathroom.”
“Nice try,” she said.
“Seriously, though. Can I ask you a question?”
“Can I stop you?”
I took a sip of beer and set it back down. “Why is a woman like you free on a Saturday night?”
She shrugged. “I told you before-”
“Remind me.”
“I don’t really date.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.” She wrapped her hands around her glass. “I guess most of the men I’ve met haven’t convinced me that it’s worth my while.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Plus, I’m a bit preoccupied with my job.”
“Cause you enjoy it so much or-”
“Usually,” she said, taking a drink.
“Not today?”
She shrugged. “I’d rather not talk about it now,” she asked. “Why don’t you tell me what you were doing in town today?”
“Just errands,” I said. “I had to pick up some accessories for my drum kit.” Though I wished I’d been in town meeting Marv for some good news.
She nodded.
“So you can relax,” I said. “You’re already the highlight of my day.”
She smiled and cast her eyes down at her drink for a second.
“Though I am curious about something else.”
“And what’s that?”
“Why me?” I asked. “Of all the guys in New York that you blow off for sport, why did you agree to spend the night with me?”
She raised her eyebrows. “I don’t believe I agreed to any such thing.”
“You know what I mean,” I said. “Drinks, dinner, dessert. Every guy in this bar would punch me in the face for a chance to take you out. So why not blow me off?”
She pursed her lips until a smile broke them apart. “I could’ve sworn I’d already done that.”
And then she took a long drink from her beer, her thin neck moving as she drank, and I swear to god if I hadn’t gotten so hard in that moment, I would’ve dragged her out of that bar like a caveman and fucked her against my truck.
Chapter 14: Addison
I could tell by the look on his face that my comment had driven him crazy.
And when he moved his knees straight in front of him and wrapped his hands around his drink, I felt a bit proud.
Which amused me.
Sure, his mind had clearly been in the gutter since he arrived, but it was still empowering to reduce someone I considered such a sexual beast to a speechless pile of sexual frustration. I didn’t think I had it in me. After all, just days ago he’d had me so thoroughly I couldn’t think for twenty four hours.
Even the day after he fucked me all over his property, I ordered the wrong coffee for myself at Starbucks and forgot to take my change. Then later in the day, I sent several emails without their attachments. Even on the way home, I found myself staring blankly at a crosswalk, unsure of how to interpret the signals. Fortunately, it’s walk or get walked on in New York, and at the last second I did manage to avoid being trampled by the stampede behind me.
But it didn’t end there.
Though I thought I’d shaken off the shock of being so deliciously violated by Tuesday, I became obsessed with watching my colleagues’ lips move during every conversation I had for the rest of the week. Meanwhile, all I could think about was how it felt to let Wyatt spread my jaw open, feed his dick down my throat, and buck against my face.
Which was confusing to say the least.
I mean, how could I feel so sexy and violated at the same time? And how the hell had he felt all week? Should I ask? And what about the recording? Had he listened to it? I shook my head, trying to shake the thought from my mind. I didn’t even want to know. Besides, if he hadn’t listened to it, the last thing he needed was a reminder.
Though there was no doubt in my mind that if I had a recording of him breathing hard and lapping at my wetness, it would’ve taken more willpower than I had at my disposal to keep from playing it at least once.
“So where’s Sophie tonight?” I asked, keeping my eyes on the bubbles at the base of my glass and hoping a change of subject would settle my suddenly aggravated nerves.
He shrugged. “I’m not sure.”
My eyebrows jumped up my face. “What?”
“She went to run some errands earlier, and I haven’t heard from her,” he said. “But I figure it’s Saturday night, right? So she probably has plans.”
I narrowed my eyes at him.
He took a sip of his drink and licked his lips.
The sight of his tongue made me wet.
He raised his eyebrows. “What?”
“Please tell me you’re joking.”
“About what?” he asked, unable to keep one corner of his mouth from curling.
“About not knowing where she is.”
He shook his head. “I can’t watch her every second.”
“Yeah, but-”
“But what? She’s almost nine and a half. What am I supposed to do?”
I shook my head. “You’re fucking with me,” I said, facing forwards again.
“Not yet.”
“Seriously,” I said, surprisingly unsettled. “Where is she?”
“Relax,” he said. “She’s having a sleepover with Gigi.”
I felt my chest loosen dramatically, which was bizarre. After all, why the hell should I care where she was?
“They always have a bunch of sleepovers right before school starts,” he said. “It’s tradition.”
“One you like no doubt.”
“Of course,” he said, smiling. “Nine year olds can’t have all the fun.”
I felt the hair on my neck stand up as I remembered my ninth birthday. It was so embarrassing. I went to a friend’s party and halfway through her Mom realized my birthday was the same day. I didn’t mean to tell her. I’m not sure how she found out.
Anyway, she made everyone at the party sing my name along with her daughter’s during Happy Birthday. She even pinched a few of Amy’s presents after she opened them in front of everybody and gave them to me before I went home. She said I might as well take them because Amy already had Guess Who? and the blonde Totally Hair Barbie.
When my foster Mom picked me up, she didn’t even apologize for being late or thank Mrs. Crighton for the presents. Instead, she just took me home and rewrapped the gifts so the other kids and I could bring them to parties later in the year.
I sighed. Back then, I would’ve killed for a normal sleepover like Sophie and Gigi were probably having…
“Addison?”
I looked up. “Sorry. What did you say?”
“Are you okay?” Wyatt asked. “Seems like I lost you for a second there.”
I turned towards him, letting my eyes sweep along his chiseled jaw and the shallow lines around his eyes. He was a kind man, a lucky man. What the hell was he doing with a mess like me?
“Want to tell me what’s on your mind?” he asked.
“I was just thinking this Daisy Cutter is really nice,” I said. “I’ve never ordered it before, but something tells me this won’t be the last time.”
He nodded. “It’s one of my favorite beers lately.”
I cast my eyes downwards for a second, but when they settled on his muscular thighs, I swallowed and brought them back up to his. “I guess if Sophie’s out for the night, you’re probably up for having a late one.”
&n
bsp; He shrugged. “I’m open-minded. There’s really only one thing I wanted from tonight-”
I raised my eyebrows. “And what’s that?” I asked, preparing myself for something filthy.
“To see you,” he said, fixing his eyes on mine.
I pursed my lips.
“You don’t believe me?”
“I don’t know,” I said. “Seeing me has never been enough for you before.”
“Can’t argue with that,” he said, taking another swig from his pint glass.
I followed suit, wondering if the warmth in my stomach was from the vesper, the beer, or my proximity to Wyatt.
“But it’s the truth,” he said. “Whether you believe it or not.”
“You’re telling me that if I walk out right now, you’ll just be glad I stopped by?”
“I wouldn’t go that far,” he said. “But if our night was cut short, it wouldn’t change my feelings for you.”
“You have feelings for me, do you?”
“I do,” he said, lowering his voice. “And not just in my dick.”
I rolled my eyes to keep them from falling out of my head.
“But I think it should be against the law for a woman like you to wear a dress like that.”
“Oh please.”
“Save your begging for later.”
“I’m not begging,” I said. “I don’t beg.”
“Right,” he said, laughing. “And I don’t fall for mysterious women who taste like strawberries, but shit happens.”
My eyes darted around the bar. No one seemed to have picked up on the fact that my date was blatantly discussing what I tasted like, but still. Surely that wasn’t normal. Couldn’t he hit on me without putting me at risk of sliding off my chair?
“Don’t worry,” he said. “Nobody heard.”
“Still. Maybe you could try to have an adult conversation for two seconds-”
“I thought that’s what I was doing.”
I shook my head. “Well, you’re sorely mistaken.”
“My bad,” he said, draining his glass. “I’m happy to talk about whatever you want to talk about.”
I cocked my head at him.
“So what’ll it be? The stock market? The weather? Politics?”
“You think I’m that interesting, huh? You think all that boring stuff is what I would rather talk about?”
He shook his head. “You’ve misunderstood.”
“Have I?”
“Yeah,” he said. “What I mean is that there’s not a single topic I wouldn’t be interested in hearing your opinion on.”
“I find that hard to believe.”
He pursed his lips. “Well, that’s your problem,” he said. “Not mine.”
“Maybe.”
He raised his eyebrows. “You want the truth?”
“Please.”
“I’m interested in you, Addison. And that means I’m interested in anything that comes out of your mouth and anything that goes into it. Period.”
I felt my cheeks flush. “You just had to add that second part, didn’t you?”
He nodded. “I did, yeah. Cause you said you wanted the truth.”
“And what if I were to ask you who the last girl you dated was?”
“I’d say it doesn’t matter, because you are completely right, as usual.”
“About what?”
“About the fact that it was long enough ago that she was a girl,” he said. “And I was a boy.”
“So?”
“So I’m not interested in girls anymore.”
“Let me guess,” I said. “Now you’re interested in women?”
“Woman, actually.”
I wanted to take him at his word, but the more he insisted that he was into me, the more reticent I became to believe him. Because it had been a long time since I’d been hurt, and I knew that was because I stopped giving people the power to hurt me.
And I didn’t want to give it to him, didn’t want to hurt again.
But it was too late.
Because just the sight of him made me ache all over.
Chapter 15: Wyatt
My heart was in my throat when the cab pulled up outside her building.
“Would you like to come up for a few minutes?” Addison said, pushing her hair behind her shoulder.
“Sure,” I said, relieved all over that she’d asked.
She opened her purse, but by the time she pulled her wallet out and looked up at the meter, I’d already paid the driver.
“It’s taken care of,” I said, nodding towards the door.
Her mouth formed a straight line and she looked at me disapprovingly. “You really should have let me get that,” she said, stepping out onto the curb.
I scooted out after her and swung the door shut behind me.
“Especially since you picked up dinner.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“Can I at least split it with you?” she asked, opening her wallet.
I noticed several guys check her out as they walked by, their eyes sliding up her legs in a way that made my blood boil. “Don’t be silly,” I said, putting a hand over hers.
She looked up at me.
“I’m hoping if I play my cards right, it won’t be the last cab we ever take together.”
She exhaled and dropped her shoulders. “Fine.”
“And it was nice of you to invite me up,” I said, pulling my hand back. “I wasn’t sure if you were going to.”
She released a coy smile. “Neither was I.”
I raised my eyebrows.
“But I figured it was only fair considering the generous tour of your place you gave me,” she said, turning on her heels.
I walked after her, hoping her tour would be similar.
“Plus,” she said, looking over her shoulder, the sparkle in her eyes highlighted by the city lights around her. “I can’t expect you to jump right in your car after all those saketinis.”
“So true,” I said. “They were delicious, but something tells me that they’re more sinister than I anticipated.”
“I think that’s a safe assumption based on the waiter’s reaction when we ordered round three.”
I followed her up the stairs of her building, taking the last half two at a time so I could open the door for her.
“Thanks,” she said.
I nodded, watching the bottom or her flirty dress move as she passed. Then I nodded at the front desk attendant as she did and joined her in front of the elevators. “Dinner was delicious, by the way,” I said. “Great recommendation.”
“Thanks,” she said. “I’m so relieved you like sushi.”
“And I’m relieved your excellent taste doesn’t only apply to your choice in men.”
She rolled her eyes as the elevator dinged, and I followed her inside.
“How long have you lived in this building?” I asked as the doors closed.
She squinted and looked up, studying the tiny square lights in the elevator ceiling. “Five years?”
“You like it then?”
She shrugged. “I like the location,” she said. “Cause my office is only a few blocks away from her, but I should warn you it’s not very spacious.”
“I’m sure it’s fine,” I said. “Besides, I never do cartwheels on a full stomach.”
She laughed.
“What’s so funny?”
“The thought of you doing cartwheels.”
I furrowed my brows. “I’ll have you know I do a mean cartwheel.”
She shook her head. “I don’t believe that for a second.”
“Why not?” I asked. “Don’t you think I have natural grace?”
“More like natural disgrace.”
“Ha ha,” I said. “Very funny.”
She tilted her head. “Kind of like the idea of you doing cartwheels.”
“You’d be surprised how many things I’ve had to learn to make sure I don’t embarrass my daughter.”
“All in vain no do
ubt.”
I shook my head as the elevator came to a stop. “I can’t believe you doubt me.”
She smiled as she walked down the hall ahead of me, her hourglass shape like a magnet. “I don’t doubt you’ve learned a few things,” she said, pulling her keychain out of her purse and sliding one of the keys in the door. “I just think you’re kidding yourself if you think there’s anything you can do to keep from embarrassing her.”
I craned my neck back. “I was hoping I’d have at least a few good years before she didn’t want to be seen with me.”
“Maybe,” she said, pushing the door open and reaching around the wall for the light switch. “But I thought that was supposed to be the best part about having kids.”
“Embarrassing them?” I asked, taking a few steps into her place. It was modern and full of clean lines, but kind of cozy at the same time, as if it had been ripped from an Ikea catalogue.
“Yeah,” she said, closing the door behind me and laying her purse on a high table by the door.
“You’ve got it all wrong,” I said. “That’s not the best part of having kids at all.”
“What is it then?” she asked, sliding her shoes off by the door. “Enlighten me.”
I let my eyes sweep over the light colored carpet and decided to remove my shoes, too, as I was determined not to do anything that could ruin the mood I was hoping to create very soon.
“You don’t have to take your shoes off,” she said. “I only did cause those aren’t very comfortable and-”
“Too late.”
She smiled. “Thanks.”
“I like your place.”
She rolled her eyes. “Can I get you a drink?”
“Sure.”
“What would you like?”
“Surprise me,” I said, my eyes still drifting around the room. I couldn’t help but notice that besides the bookshelf, there weren’t many personal effects.
It was almost like she was about to move and needed to be ready to show the place. Or like she hadn’t quite settled in. Then again, maybe I didn’t know what regular people’s homes looked like anymore because any room without at least one toy in it looked strange to me now.
“Sure,” she said, walking past the dark grey couch towards an open doorway behind it. “Make yourself comfortable.”