“Well hello Jase,” a new voice chimes in.
Fuck.
Chantal, a redhead from Drowsy Hollow that I’ve fucked around with a couple times is beside me, eyeing me like I looked at my porterhouse when it got set on the table.
The way Bailey looks at her makes my gut bottom out.
This was the last fuckin’ thing I needed tonight.
“How are you?” Chantal asks, eyes drinking me in. “Did you lose my number?” She wags her finger at me like I’m a naughty boy.
“Lost your number a long time ago. Don’t need it. I’m on a date with my fiancée,” I tell her, my voice and demeanor as stone cold as can be.
Her eyes bounce to Bailey, then back to me and she laughs like I’ve just told a hilarious joke.
My lip curls and I lean toward her making sure my message is clear. I didn’t fuck around with human women too often, but it did happen and unfortunately, those were the ones that were the hardest to scrape off afterwards.
Her eyes land on my throat, on Bailey’s ink. Her face changes to serious. “I see.”
She looks at Bailey with a measuring and also fake-apologetic expression. “Sorry. I thought you were his sister and he was just joking. I mean, engaged? That’s a surprise. Congratulations, though. He and I – we’re justfriends.”
“Sure you are,” Bailey mutters, throwing her napkin down on her half-eaten salad.
Fuck sakes. This is escalating quickly.
Chantal shoots me a fake apologetic smile and I shoot her one that saysscram.
“I need the restroom.” Bailey’s chair scrapes back aggressively.
I resist the urge to order a double shot of whisky.
***
I pull up to her house. It was an unfortunately quiet ride back. I tried to get her talking, but got short answers. She didn’t want dessert so I ordered it to-go for her and told her she could even eat it in the tub if she wanted.
She gave me a dirty look, but I caught a half a smile when she turned away.
Maybe she’s not as pissed at me as I thought.
I get out and she’s already racing toward the door, trying to get away from me, cheesecake in hand.
I catch her by her empty hand just before she gets it to the doorknob and turn her around before getting her jaw in both hands.
“Jason, don’t,” she whispers, looking panicked.
“No kiss goodnight?” I ask. “You mad about that girl, because Bay…”
“I don’t care about that, Jase.” She looks about ready to cry.
“Don’t give it another thought. The only female I’m interested in is you.”
She swallows and looks at me, eyes coasting over my face in a way that I really fucking like.
“Been dying to kiss you since that basement,” I say softly, thumbs grazing her cheeks.
“Well, I’ve got you beat on that one,” she mutters.
And I’m flying high right now because she’s talking in the present tense instead of like she was, as if all her feelings for me are gone. I want to whoop and punch the sky in victory right now that she’s thinking about how long she’s wanted me to kiss her.