“Much to my dismay, yeah. Tonight was supposed to help me focus on something else.” I glanced over in Troy’s direction. “And now he’s here. Just my luck.”
Somehow, after all this time, Troy still hadn’t seemed to notice me. When Shala got up to use the restroom, I opted to stay in my seat so as not to draw attention to myself.
About a minute later, from the corner of my eye, I noticed Troy’s date leave their table and head toward the bathroom.
A few seconds later, my phone chimed.
Troy: Is this an eye for an eye?
I looked over at him.
Aspyn: What are you talking about?
Troy: You thought I was spying on your date that one time, so now you’re spying on mine?
My fingers hit the keypad harder.
Aspyn: You’re kidding me, right?
Troy: Yeah, actually, I am. But did you think moving earlier was going to keep me from noticing you? Even if you hadn’t moved, I’d know it was you from the back of your head. I know your entire backside pretty damn well.
Aspyn: Well, aren’t you talented.
Troy: You’re like a laxative-filled Boston cream donut. You stand out in the bunch.
Aspyn: Thanks?
Troy: You look nice. I hope you’re having fun. You deserve to let loose. Glad to see you out and about.
He thinks I’m a hermit.
His date returned to the table, and Troy put his phone down. I tried to ignore the burn of jealousy I felt at having his attention taken away from me so abruptly.
Shala returned to the table. “Did you survive without me?”
“Yeah.” I breathed out.
I could see from the corner of my eye that Troy had now gotten up from the table.
A moment later, my phone lit up again with a text.
Troy: Meet me in the stairwell through the door in the far-left corner of the bar.
I kept staring down at my phone.
“What’s going on?” Shala asked.
“Nothing.” I looked up, my heart racing. “Actually, I have to…use the bathroom, too. Be right back.”
The room swayed a little as I got up from my seat and headed to the back of the bar. Am I seriously doing this right now? How pathetic did I have to be to come when called like that? I needed my head checked, but I was too damn curious to stop myself.
Troy was standing in the stairwell with his arms crossed. His scent was dizzying. My nipples hardened, my body becoming aware of just how much it had missed being around him. And gosh, was he always this tall?
I took in a deep whiff of him and exhaled. “What was it you needed to see me about?”
“I have to admit, I’m a little insulted.”
“Why is that?”
“You’ve been looking over at me all night, yet you never bothered to say hello.”
“Why would I come say hello when you’re on a date? It would be rude for me to interrupt.”
“It’s not a date.”
“Sure looks like it.”
He inched closer. “I just met her tonight. I was hanging out with my buddy, Eric, but he had to leave. Casey was with some work friends, and she started a conversation with me.” His gaze traveled over my body, causing a chill to run down my spine. I could feel his breath on my face when he said, “You look beautiful tonight. That liner you’re wearing really brings out your eyes, but at the same time, you don’t need it.” His eyes trailed down my neck. “I hope you don’t mind me being blunt…but your tits look amazing in that shirt, too.” He looked back up at me. “You look amazing.”
I could hardly breathe, let alone form a response to that.
“All I’ve wanted to do was look at you. But I knew if I looked your way, you’d stop looking at me. I could feel you staring, and I loved knowing that your eyes were on me. I fucking loved every second of it.”
I swallowed. “Well, I’m surprised you noticed me looking over at you at all. You seemed to be getting along so well with her.”
“Not everything is what it seems. Because while I looked like I was getting along with her, I kept wishing she were you.”
I’d been looking down at my feet, but he placed his hand on my chin and lifted it to meet his incendiary stare.
“Goddammit, please tell me I’m not alone. Are you feeling this, too, Aspyn?”
He was far from alone. Feelings of intense attraction and jealousy had consumed me tonight. I just couldn’t get myself to admit it.
What he said next shook me.
“Casey did ask me to go back to her place for a nightcap. Any reason I shouldn’t?”
I was burning up. I wanted to urge him not to go home with her, but then what? I’d have to admit my jealousy. And there would be no going back once I fell into that web.
“You should do what you want,” I coughed out.
He leaned in, close enough that I could practically taste him. “What do you want?”
My chest heaved. “This has nothing to do with me.”
“You sure about that? Because you seemed pretty invested tonight with the way you couldn’t take your eyes off me.”
My voice shook. “Your ego is atrocious. What do you want me to say? There’s no need for me to answer if you’ve already drawn your own conclusion.”
“I want you to admit that you’ve missed me as much as I’ve missed you this past week.” He inched even closer. “Look me in the eyes and tell me you haven’t been thinking about me.”
As much as I wanted to put on a façade and attempt to stare him in the face and tell him just that, I was never a good liar. My gaze, therefore, stayed firmly planted on my feet. Because the second I looked at him, he’d know.
“You can’t, can you?” he said.
I felt his hand on my chin again as he brought my face up to meet his. And it was in that moment that I decided to let go. “You’re right. I can’t lie. I have been thinking about you. And I hate it.”
Troy’s hand snaked around the back of my neck. He threaded his fingers in my hair before pulling me into him. Our lips smashed together, and a tidal wave of pleasure hit. A moan escaped into his mouth, and all sense of reality seemed to dissipate.
“You’re all I fucking think about lately,” he groaned over my lips.
I opened wider, letting his tongue in. He tasted sweet, with a hint of alcohol. My hands raked through his hair as I became lost in the most amazing, all-consuming kiss I’d ever experienced. The heat of his breath seemed to warm my entire body, his scent enveloping me.
Troy suddenly pushed back, leaving me cold and starving for more.
“How do I make it stop, Aspyn? You say you want nothing to do with me, but it sure as hell doesn’t seem like it.” He cupped my cheek, gently rubbing his thumb across my lips. “I need to get you out of my system.”
Shutting my eyes, I panted. “I never said I didn’t want you. I wish I didn’t want you.”
“Really? Maybe you need to get me out of your system, too, then?” He shook his head slowly. “Look, I get that this can’t really go anywhere. I’m going back to Seattle. You won’t ever genuinely trust me. We’re bad for each other. I’m Jasmine’s ex. Yada, yada.” He looked into my eyes. “But don’t you feel like you’ll always wonder…what if? What if we let nature take its course, just once? For a long time now, I haven’t been able to think of any woman but you. I feel like it’s an itch only you can scratch. If we’re both curious, if we’re both adults, then why the fuck are we fighting it so hard?” A long moment of silence passed. “I’m gonna ask you one more time. Do you want me to go home with her…or with you?”