My Favorite Distraction (Distraction series)

by Stephanie Jean

  “I’m still not sure you won’t renege on our bet.” He took the menu from the server and ordered waters.

  “Do you want something else to drink?” he asked me.

  I shook my head no. I felt weird sitting in the corner with his focus on the server. His phone rang again, and he got it out and handed it to me. He gestured for me to take it, so I did.

  I answered, “Hello?”

  “Um, hello, I was trying to call Jason. Is this his phone?”

  “Yes, he handed it to me; he is ordering dinner or something.”

  “Are you Katie?”

  I was surprised by the fact that he knew my name. “Uh, yes, and you are Dave?” I could tell by his lack of comeback he was even more surprised by me guessing his name. “Uh, hello?”

  “Where did you and Jason meet?” I fought the urge to giggle at his interrogation.

  “I have been staring at him for three months in a coffeehouse.” It sounded silly, like I was in high school.

  “Who talked first?”

  “What? I am not sure it makes a difference.” The whole conversation was childish and I didn’t understand the relevance of any of it.

  “Katie, it most certainly makes a difference. I am looking at your picture, and I am not sure I could have waited one day to talk to you, let alone three months.”

  “I talked first. I said hello.” I could feel Jason staring at me, so I peered at him.

  “Damn.” Dave spat out.

  “Dave, did you lose the bet?” He was quiet, so silent I thought he hung up the phone.

  “You knew about the bet?” he finally questioned.

  “Well, I just heard about it on the way to the restaurant. I want to let you know I promised him I would do whatever he needed to win all the bets he has with you regarding me.”

  “Damn,” was all I heard him say as I handed the phone back over to Jason. Jason said a few things and then was off the phone.

  “I have never made a girl run, so no is the answer to your question.” His voice loud and deliberate, it startled me. I saw his eyes drop from mine to my shoulder, where the black shawl had fallen, exposing my skin. His look gave me goose bumps. I liked the way his face held so many unspoken words.

  “What are we talking about?” I laughed nervously, busing my hands around me. “Before we left the Jeep, you asked if I like to make my girls run. No, some I wanted to run, but you are not one of those girls.”

  “That day at the coffeehouse when you were yelling into your phone, was that one of those girls?” I asked out of morbid curiosity. I wanted to know what angered him. Why is he upset with her and always so calming to me?

  “Yes, that was Bettina, my good friend’s sister. I dated her for a while, and it didn’t end well.”

  “Did you end it?” I pried, wanting to know more. Wondering about his outburst for months and needing to find comfort that his anger was justified.

  “I did, and she is still unhappy about it. I have stopped speaking with my friend and have changed my numbers, but she still gets to me.”

  “What do you mean, she gets to you?” I wasn’t sure if she physically reached him or reached him in his thoughts. Either way I wasn’t sure I wanted my hot coffeehouse guy to have this girl under his skin.

  “We dated for three years. We had an angry and unhappy relationship. It was always a game with her. She would make me really mad…furious, and then I would say, and do things I normally wouldn’t. She still gets to me, meaning I get mad even talking about her. That day in the coffeehouse, she had stolen my wallet. When she called, she was laughing. She was putting my credit cards through a shredding machine. She liked the way we were; I was so tired of it. She required a unique style of relationship to complete her.” I could tell he was being very vague, but he was also being very honest. His choice of words piqued my interest, but who didn’t live a unique life style?

  “So you don’t like her?” I confirmed.

  “No.”

  “Can I ask you something…personal?” I watched men come and go from Heather’s bedroom door and some spoke the same way about her. My question would only confirm his commitment to the choice he made…it would dictate the man he was.

  “Yes, anything.” He brushed his hand over mine very softly. The gentle contact made me smile.

  “How long has it been since you have been with her?” I licked my lips nervous about his answer. An answer that would tell me so much about the quality of man he was.

  “By ‘been with her’ I assume you are talking about sex?”

  I just nodded my head, not really sure why I was asking this personal question to a man I barely knew. Even more, what would I do with the information, bad or good? I was lying to myself I knew exactly what I would do with the information. I would take it and run.

  He looked strained at the question. “About three months ago, we agreed to be friends. Her brother was one of my best friends, and I wanted to remain his friend. Later I knew I couldn’t have one without the other. I saw her at his club the night before the incident in the coffee place. She was under the influence of something, maybe just alcohol, and I saw other men circling her. I got protective, and took her home with me. She was very appreciative, if you know what I mean. When I turned her down, she began breaking things, throwing things. I called her brother, he came and got her, we said our good-byes, and that was it.” His eyes darted away from me, not wanting to go further about his ex-girlfriend, I could tell.

  “I am sorry.” It was silent for a minute. I was sorry it was hard for me to see pain or hurt and not feel for others. It was as if I was hypersensitive to others because I couldn’t feel for myself. “How did you meet your club owner friend?”

  “I used to work for Brad. I was a bouncer when I was in college. I let off a lot of steam, aggression. He let me escort all the troublemakers out.” He grinned as he said it. “My turn to ask questions.” He took a drink of his water and turned to me with thoughtfulness in his eyes, making me melt. I watched his beautiful lips as he spoke. “What do you do for work?”

  My heart increase at the question, and I wasn’t sure I could have smiled any bigger. “I am a dental hygienist. I work for a very nice dentist and have an amazing group of girls I work with. I am not sure anyone would understand the love I have for my job, but I am very lucky to do what I love.”

  He just looked at me and smiled, his green eyes sparkling. “And your girlfriend Heather, where did you meet her?”

  The waiter brought our food and put it in front of us.

  “I met Heather in high school. She was relentless at becoming my friend. It was an all-girl high school, and I came midway through the year. At my other high school, my only friends were male, so I was way out of my comfort zone. Before Heather, I didn’t get along with most girls, but she would sit next to me daily and talk. She included me in everything. Even though I made it clear I was not interested, she kind of made me go, and I would enjoy doing things I normally would never try. One day I just started sitting by her instead of waiting for her to sit by me. She was always good to me, honest, so I trusted her. She needed me just like I needed her. It just kind of worked. We lived together in college.”

  I started cutting my chicken. The food looked so good. I couldn’t believe he’d known just what to order for me.

  “Thank you for my dinner. It looks wonderful.” I put the chicken in the barbecue sauce just a little and looked at him as I brought the piece to my mouth overly enjoying the sight of my meal. “How did you know what to order for me?”

  He was serious for a minute. “Heather asked where we were going at the apartment. When I told her she said you only eat chicken.”

  I didn’t remember any conversation, so I smiled, cut him off a piece, dipped it into the sweet barbecue sauce, and moved my fork toward his mouth. “It’s very good. You should try it.” His lips parted at my comment.

  He appeared puzzled, but took the piece from my fork. I watched him slowly wrap his lips around it a
nd close his eyes like he was savoring the small bite. “It is very good, thank you.” He licked his lips.

  I think I saw him blush, but I couldn’t be sure. He turned away fast. Jason was a mystery to me in so many ways, but I felt completely at ease around him. I watched him eat for a few minutes, the quietness between us enjoyable. He caught me ogling him, and the sides of his chewing mouth turned up in a wicked grin and he winked as he finished his meal. That small gesture gave me warmth throughout my whole body. I felt my face flush, and my tongue snaked out to moisten my lips, my mouth suddenly really wet. We were interrupted by someone clearing her throat. We both looked up.

  “Hey.” It was Heather. I looked in shock as she stood at the end of my table. “Can we join you?” She began to sit down.

  I glanced at Jason to make sure it was OK with him, then turned back to her. “Everything good?”

  She smiled and nodded. I felt awkward. I couldn’t believe she would bring her boyfriend to meet me here, on my first dinner date with Jason. I knew she had been drinking so I was nervous about what she would say to my date. If she wanted to have a double date this badly I could think of a hundred other ways that would have been more appropriate. I took a deep breath, feeling a bit overwhelmed, and as Heather started her verbal word spilling, I noticed this time her high pitched voice even sounded a bit fairyish.

  “I told Red that you had a date, and he suggested we come make sure Jason wasn’t taking advantage of you.” Jason turned to me, his eyes squeezed closed. I could tell he was troubled; it looked like he had a headache.

  “Red?” He opened his eyes, and I saw irritation all over his face.

  “That’s Heather’s boyfriend. She wanted me to meet him. I guess now is good.” I looked around, wanting to get it over with so I could enjoy Jason alone again. “Where is he?” As I said it, a man appeared at the end of the table. He caught my stare as he slid in next to my friend on the bench seat.

  “I had to make some phone calls, but now I am all yours,” Red said as he looked at me, then shifted his gaze to Heather. He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

  “This is Katie and Jason.” Heather gestured to both of us.

  I couldn’t catch my breath. I grabbed Jason’s hand and squeezed it without thought. He looked at me, and I glanced at him before returning my stare to Red. My mouth went dry, my heart started to pound so hard I felt my chest moving, and my urge to run was powerful. I glanced down the table, trying to plan my escape, but knew the safest spot for me was right by Jason’s side. I slid in close to him, my nails digging deeper into the back of his hand. I focused on slowing my breathing and calming myself. My skin began to crawl when he started to talk.

  “Heather, I already know Katarina,” he said. “We are old friends. I knew her in high school. She knew me as Jared. That was before she left to live with her grandfather.”

  I stared at him like he was the villain in a superhero movie, waiting for him to laugh an evil laugh and pull a weapon from under the table.

  Heather could tell by looking at me that something was up. She started talking in my place. “Her grandfather James died a few months ago. He was such a nice man, and he loved Katie.”

  She kept talking about grandfather, and my eyes skidded down to where I was gripping Jason’s hand. I saw red and slowly unraveled my hand. He was bleeding! I couldn’t take my eyes off it. I took his hand in both of mine. It was like my world stopped and everything was in slow motion. I looked at his big, rough hand. There were two spots where my fingernails had broken the skin. The blood was light, but the skin was dark pink and fingernail lines still deep in his skin, it looked painful. I slowly lifted the back side of his hand to my mouth and kissed it. I took my time studying the marks. I had hurt him, made him bleed, and he didn’t stop me, didn’t pull away. I placed his hand on his upper thigh running my fingers gently over my distress inflicted mark.

  I glanced at Jason. His dark green eyes were clouded over, and he wasn’t smiling. His mouth was tense. I turned to look at Heather. She pointed to her lips, silently telling me I had something on mine. I looked back at Jason. He still watched me, stunned. I snaked my tongue out slowly and licked my lips. I tasted a sweet metallic taste; it tasted like blood. His eyes were locked on to mine, the feeling so intense it was like no one else existed but the two of us.

  My stomach fluttered, and my heart sped up, and I whispered, “You taste very good.” I was drawn to this man, uncontrollably, unequivocally drawn.

  I gave him my naughty lip curl, and then he was kissing me. It was soft and tender and urgent. I melted into it. The contact was doing things to my body. I feel him… He had my face in his hands, and his lips were soft as he kissed me. His tongue swept across my lower lip where the blood was, and then his tongue was in my mouth. He was being so gentle. My hands went around his neck, and I pulled his face closer to mine. He startled a little and began kissing me more forcefully, drawing my tongue into his mouth. He tasted so good I moaned, and he lightly bit my bottom lip before pulling away. I dropped my arms and sighed. The moment felt surreal, like I was dreaming it. He swept his arm behind me and pulled me closer. I suddenly remembered we were in a restaurant and my friend was watching the whole thing. My face turned hot, and I felt a deep blush.

  Heather was staring at us, and she was smiling the biggest, goofiest grin. “Wow.” She was speechless, which was a huge improvement. Red was gone, another positive. She finally got her voice to work again. “I have known my girl for seven years, and I have never seen anything like that before.”

  I followed her stare toward Jason and his eyes were still glued to me. He flashed me a smoldering smile and winked. My stomach started doing funny things, and I pushed my plate farther away. Red appeared again with a waitress and a bottle of wine. She passed out the four wineglasses. Red leaned over and whispered something into Heather’s ear. Her eyes widened and traveled from Jason to me.

  I put my hand over my glass. “None for me, thank you.” Jason followed me in denying the wine.

  Heather started talking nervously. “She never drinks, doesn’t like feeling intoxicated.”

  “One glass would not constitute intoxicated,” Red’s voice was laced with anger. His eyes on me confirming, he was not happy with me.

  I reached for Jason’s hand again. He ran his other hand up and down my arm. It was very calming.

  “You can try, but she is always in control of herself…well, almost always.” She smiled looking back and forth between Jason and me. Her smile dropped fast, when she glanced at Red. “When we were in college, we went to parties, and Kat was always the driver. As I recall, she is also the one friend I had that would kick the shit out of anyone who tried to touch me while I was intoxicated. She even beat up a girl once because she grabbed my boob. Katie taught self-defense at the college. She has a crazy temper.”

  I looked at Heather in wonder. I could tell she was lying. Her voice was higher pitched, and she was rambling and fidgety. Most of her words were nonsense, she was literally spouting off things. But why would she make up such things? I never went to parties in college and sure as hell never taught self-defense, and if a girl grabbed Heather’s boob, it was because Heather wanted her to. I watched her eyes shift from Jason to me. She was over selling something, I wasn’t sure what Red had whispered to her, but I could tell she was trying to defend me, protect me. I started to play along, not sure where she was going, but I knew I could trust her.

  “I am just protective of you, that’s all. I think that’s why you have been hiding Jared. You were scared I wouldn’t approve—or he wouldn’t.” I was staring her in the eyes, willing her silently to shut the hell up.

  “Red,” she corrected me, not liking that I knew him first as Jared, “thought I should wait. We wanted it to be the right time.”

  “So are you going to kick my butt?” Jared said, and I got the creepy-crawlies. My head fell forward and I peeked at the hand that I was holding on to. Jason was now holding my hand just as h
ard, and I noticed I was smashed up against him.

  I glanced up at Jason. He was ready to react, respond. He was all puffed up, and he looked ready to fight. I released my grip on his hand and shook it free, then slid my hand up his thigh. He immediately softened, and his grip on me released.

  Jason eyes dropped down to mine. “I am going to get the check.” With that, he slipped out of the booth.

  “Jason,” Jared said, “how’s Bettina?”

  Jason stopped dead in his tracks. He turned all of his attention to Red. “I’m not sure. I haven’t spoken to her in months.”

  “That’s not what I have heard. I was just on the phone with her brother. He said this is your pattern. You physically hurt her, and then you leave. He said last time the police were called and he had to place a restraining order on you.” I knew the purposed of stating that he physically hurt her was only for my benefit. He was reminding me of my past, the part he played, and even the part he never knew about.

  “It sounds like you have all the answers.” The waiter walked up behind Jason, and he handed him his credit card without hesitation. Then he sat down, shielding my body with his.

  Heather looked at me and started talking. I knew she was working on changing the subject. “So in college we had this professor that was clearly stalking Kat.” With that, everyone quieted and turned to her. “He would invite her to lunch and to teacher events.”

  “Heather, he was a great professor. He wanted me to pursue biomedical engineering. He said I was gifted and was trying to help me find my passion. He was helping me that was all, nothing more.” She was embarrassing me.

  “So Kat’s grandfather went to the college and set him straight. I think there was a gun involved.”

  “No, Heather, please stop. That was not why he talked with my professor and my grandfather never carried a weapon.” I was going over in my mind ways that I could maim her.

  “Then there was another creepy guy, a guy that was friends with my boyfriend. Except after we broke up, the friend kept coming around, and he would leave if Kat wasn’t there.”