“The beach tomorrow? It’s going to be sunny, and by lunchtime the temperature will be in the sixties.”
“Sure, it sounds like it’s going to be a beautiful winter day. I’ll see if Verek wants to come too,” I say before I even consider how rude it is to invite the other man I’m seeing. Really the only man I’m seeing.
“Oh, ah, okay,” Paul mutters. “You want Verek to join us?”
“Well, it’s a public beach, and the prospects will be there with us,” I remark rather than backpedal and uninvite Verek. By now, after three dates, Paul has to know that the way I feel about him is nothing more than friendship. We may have had a connection once before, but it’s gone for good.
“Sure, right,” he says rather than demand that I not bring Verek along. “So, um, did I mention that I saw Bev a few weeks back?”
“Oh, no you didn’t,” I say. “How is she?” I’ve tried to keep in touch with my friends and coworkers from home, but I know they’re busy, and I haven’t really had anything to talk about.
“She’s good,” Paul says. “She said they really miss you in the office.”
“That’s sweet,” I say.
“Have you thought about going back to the law office?”
“You mean moving back to Raleigh?”
“Well, yeah. It’s been your home since you were born. I’m sure your parents and friends would love to have you back, and I know I would.”
“I just got settled into my apartment here,” I say, gesturing to the door I’m in a hurry to go through. I saw Verek’s bike down in the parking lot, and I know he’s waiting for me.
“I thought staying here was just temporary, though,” Paul remarks. “You don’t have any plans to come home?”
“My home is here now,” I explain. “Maybe someday in the future I might want to move back, just not right now.”
“Okay,” he says. “No harm in asking.”
No harm? Seriously? Doesn’t he know that whenever I think about my hometown, my parents, my friends, my workplace, that it’s all a sad reminder of the old me, the one that was happy and didn’t have a care in the world other than planning the perfect wedding?
“Right, well, it’s getting late, so I’m going on inside. See you tomorrow,” I say in a rush before I unlock the apartment. I hurry in so fast that I almost run smack-dab into Verek’s chest. “Oh! Hi!” I say with a laugh.
“Hey,” he says, sending his usual peppermint gum scent my way because we’re only inches away from each other. “How was your dinner and a show?”
“Great,” I reply. “The dessert was probably the best part.”
“That right?” he asks.
“Yep. So, um, were you heading out?” I question him since he was so close to the door.
“Yeah, I am. Why? Do you think I was eavesdropping?”
Grinning, I tell him, “No,” even though now I’m wondering if he was in fact listening with his ear to the door. “Where are you headed so late?” I ask. Then I notice the addition of his leather cut over his long-sleeve white Henley. “You got your cut back. That’s great!”
“Well, ah, yeah I did. And Winston is acting president while Roman’s gone. He wants me to go check on things at Fluid every night, starting tonight, to give the other guys a break.”
“Oh,” I mutter, disappointed we won’t be having a night in bed like last night. Verek and I slept in this morning, but I haven’t seen him awake much of the day.
“I don’t have to go,” Verek assures me, but I shake my head.
“Yes, you do,” I say as I grab either side of his cut. “You just got this back. I know how much you must have missed it. No reason to go and do anything to piss off the acting president.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want to leave you here alone.”
I start to remind him that the prospects will be outside, and then I have an even better idea. “Could I come with you?” I ask.
“You want to go to the club?” Verek asks in disbelief. “I thought you hadn’t been back and didn’t want to ever go back.”
“I didn’t before, while you were gone. But if I’m with you, then I think I’ll be okay.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes,” I confirm. “The prospects will be there with the SUV if it’s too much or if I need to leave before you’re ready.”
“That’s true,” Verek agrees as he chews his gum and the idea over silently while considering it.
“I’ll go get changed,” I say before he can change his mind.
I hesitate for a few seconds when I open my closet doors, realizing I can’t wear my usual uniform of a sweater and jeans to the club. I’ll have to finally put on one my dresses that have been gathering dust for months.
I finally choose a black sweater dress with long sleeves to keep warm, with thick black tights and red heels that match my red leather purse for a touch of color.
It’s past time I shed my protective layers, and it’s easier than I thought it would be to put on something a little sexier, a little more revealing than usual, knowing Verek won’t let me out of his sight tonight.
Verek
* * *
Tessa in a dress and heels, having lost the layers of thick clothing, is like dangling heroin right in the face of an addict. God, I want her so bad.
I didn’t want to leave the apartment after she came out of the bedroom, preferring to stay here and have her sit her pussy right down on my face again. But the fact that she said she’s ready to go back to the scene of her kidnapping is a huge step for her, one I know I can’t postpone.
Besides, I need to check in and see how the books are looking, since I’ve been gone for so long.
Since it’s too cold to put Tessa on the back of my bike, even with the peacoat she added to her dress, I begrudgingly send her over in the SUV with Lucas and Jake, while I take my bike.
They drop her off right in front of Fluid, and since it’s the off-season, there’s no long line waiting to get in. Tonight there’s a much smaller crowd, mostly just locals hanging out, some trying to get in good with the Kings in the hopes of becoming a prospect or an old lady one day.
I get my bike parked quickly at the curb and hurry over to open the passenger door for Tessa, offering her my hand to help her down.
“You don’t have to do this tonight if you don’t want to,” I tell her. “Lucas and Jake can drive you around until I finish up or take you home.”
“No, I’m ready,” she says, her emerald eyes confident and determined when she takes my hand and steps onto the sidewalk.
Keeping her hand in mine, I lead her through the front, nodding in greeting at our bouncer Butch before checking Tessa’s coat, then taking her straight upstairs and right into my office. I shut the door, drowning out the club’s music and leaving us entirely alone. My plan is to let her take her time and do this revisit gradually.
“This is where you do your work when you’re here?” she asks.
“Yeah, mostly before the night even gets started. Then I stick around until a little after midnight to make sure there are no major problems – no fights, no beer shortage, no ABC inspections, then I leave and go home…” I trail off since most of the nights I worked here I would leave with someone. “You mind hanging out in here while I look over the books?” I ask.