“Yes, well, I know just how to persuade him.”
Izzy grins. “I love that I’m not the only one having sex anymore and we can talk about this stuff.”
“When has that ever stopped you?” Ali asks and she laughs.
“Never, but now I’m not the only one talking about it. Next up, we have to find Carly a man.”
“Uh, no. I’m good,” I interject, a blush creeping up my cheeks as I peek over at Chance. He’s supposed to be watching out for Ali but every time I glance in his direction, his eyes are on me. It makes me squirm in my seat.
“Come on, Carly. Tell the truth, how long has it been?”
Turning back to Izzy, I shrug my shoulders. “I don’t know.”
“Oh, Jesus,” she croaks, slamming her hand over her heart in typical dramatic fashion. “It’s been so long you can’t even remember the last time you had sex? Shit. Let me call one of the guys from my list. We need to get you an orgasm as soon as possible. I’m pretty sure this is a medical emergency.”
When I sneak a peek over at Chance again, he’s staring at me still, his brow arched and a wide grin on his face. No worries, Iz. There’s no need to find me someone because I remember the last time I had sex vividly. In fact, I can’t erase the image of Chance, dripping wet in my shower as he slips his hand between my legs, out of my mind. The blood rushes to my cheeks and I remember the way he bent me over and grabbed my hips like he owned them. Peeking over at Chance again, desire pools in my belly.
“Please don’t do that,” I plead and she sighs before glancing around the restaurant.
“Oh, what about that waiter?” Izzy whispers, too loudly, as she points to a man passing by our table. “He’s very cute.”
“Iz,” I chastise her, praying to God neither the waiter nor Chance heard her. But it goes unanswered. The waiter glances over his shoulder to give me a once-over before winking at me with a grin on his face. He keeps walking, headed back to the kitchen, and I glance over at Chance, who looks tense, like he’s about to attack as he stares daggers at Izzy. He almost looks…jealous.
“What?” she asks, a twinkle in her eyes. “I’m just worried about you. There’s no way your body is working right if you can’t remember the last time you had an orgasm.”
“I said, I didn’t know the last time I had sex, not the last time I had an orgasm,” I hiss.
“Sweetie, it’s not the same when you do it yourself and you would know that if you’d gotten any in the last couple years. Unless all your partners have been that bad…” The look of horror on Izzy’s face is hilarious and maybe I would laugh if I wasn’t blushing so damn hard, acutely aware that Chance can hear every word we say.
Leaning back in my chair with a huff, I take a sip of my wine. “Can we drop this please?”
“Hell, no. Maybe if you get a good lay, you’ll be less stressed. I’m worried you will get wrinkles. Is that a frown line on your forehead?”
Pinning her with a glare, I mutter, “I swear to God, I would throttle you if I wasn’t so opposed to some big boned woman named Bertha making me her jailhouse bitch.”
“No, you wouldn’t. You love me too much,” she says, smiling like she’s some kind of angel even when I know the truth.
“Whatever.”
She glances around the restaurant again before whipping her head around to meet my eyes. She smiles and I get a sinking feeling in my stomach. “Okay, look behind me. Four tables down to the left.”
I don’t want to do it but it’s easier, at this point, to just go along with her so I blow out a breath and peek over her shoulder. I count four tables down before glancing to the left and freezing. I’m barely able to keep my jaw from dropping as I stare at him, trying to decide if I believe this is a coincidence. Damian glances up from his meal and catches me watching him, a satisfied smile spreading across his face. Yeah, definitely not a coincidence. He takes a sip of his wine before standing and when I glance back at Izzy, she’s practically bouncing in her seat.
“Oh, shit, he’s coming over here. Don’t act crazy, Carly,” she hisses and I roll my eyes.
“Have you looked in a mirror lately?” I whisper back just as Damian approaches our table.
“Carly,” he says, his voice smooth and full of confidence. I hate it.
I nod. “Damian.”
“What a surprise seeing you here tonight.”
Is it though?
I tilt my head to the side and study him for a moment as I take a sip of my wine. Damn my mother for forcing him on me.
“Yes. What a surprise.” My voice is full of sarcasm and either he doesn’t notice or ignores it. Chance lets out a snort from his table and I peek in his direction, fighting back a smile. Of course, he didn’t miss the dig.
“Do you two know each other?” Izzy asks and Damian chuckles.
“Well, kind of. I know her mother and she and I have run into each other a few times, but I can’t say I know her all that well.”
Izzy grins, glancing at me. “That’s a shame. Our Carly is an amazing woman.”
“Of that I have no doubt,” he purrs, his gaze glued to me and I want to smash my foot into Izzy’s shin under the table.
“Maybe you should ask her out.”
“Izzy!” I gasp and Damian laughs out loud. Ali doesn’t say anything, her gaze flicking between the three of us.
“You know, I was just thinking the same thing. What do you say, Carly?”
I force a polite smile to my face and try to avoid Chance’s gaze. “I’m sorry but I’m seeing someone.”
“No…” Izzy starts but I whip my head in her direction, cutting her off with a glare. Damian nods, attempting to look gracious but I see the irritation in his eyes.
“Of course. Well, I’ll let you get back to your dinner again. Tell your mother I said hello.”
You’ll probably see her before I do.
With the forced smile straining my face, I nod. “I will. Have a good evening, Damian.”
He walks away and Izzy nudges my foot with hers under the table. “What the hell was that? You have a perfectly hot guy asking you out and you turn him down? This is why your hoo-ha is probably home to a family of spiders now.”
I curl my lip in disgust. “Ew, Iz.”
“Why did you tell him you were seeing someone?” she presses and I shrug.
“I wasn’t interested.”
She groans in frustration and rolls her eyes. “I will go get him and bring him back here. Trust me, you’ll feel much better after you get laid.”
“I had sex a few weeks ago,” I blurt out to stop her from pushing and immediately regret it.
“With who?”
“No one you know.” My phone buzzes on the table and I pick it up, glancing at Chance when I see a text from him.
Chance:
What’s his name?
Me:
Why do you care?
“Hello?” Izzy nags, waving her hand in front of her to get my attention. “We’re having a conversation here. Who was this guy?”
“I don’t know. Some guy I met in a bar. It honestly wasn’t even that good.” My phone buzzes again and I refuse to look at Chance as I unlock my phone.