Jackson and I take a step away from one another, both thinking about what almost happened.
He clears his throat, “What do you want, doll?”
Caitlin moves her finger to her cleavage, lightly toying with the top of her dress and drawing attention to her breasts. She licks her lips and says in a low voice, “I want a blowjob,” she says, referring to a humorously named shot on the menu.
Jackson snaps his fingers, getting the bartender’s attention. “Hey, mate, can I have three blowjobs?”
I shake my head and try my best to be rational. I know that if I stay any longer, something will probably happen with Jackson, and I don’t want to be just another notch on his bedpost. Plus, it appears that Caitlin is determined to get Jackson into her bed.
“Just two shots,” I say, a little too loudly, my nerves steadying. “Thank you, bartender.”
Jackson turns to me with a look of confusion on his face. I grab my coat and purse. “I’m going to go home. You guys have a good night,” I say as I turn and walk away.
I know that I have to leave and go home so that nothing will happen that I might later regret. But before I make it out the door, someone has grabbed my arm. I whip around and come face to face with Jackson, his blue eyes staring me down.
“Hey, why are you leaving?” he asks.
I bite my lip and close my eyes, trying my best to appear aloof. “Honestly?” He nods his head, still holding onto my arm. “OK, I’ll be honest. Jackson, I know that if I stay, there’s a good chance that something will happen between us.”
His lip curls up just slightly. “Would it be bad if something were to happen?”
“Jackson, you know that it wouldn’t be a good idea. We can hardly stand each other at work and—”
He cuts me off, “And we’re not at work now.” He steps closer, “There’s nothing wrong with us having our fun when we’re not working.”
As much as I am yearning for his touch, I know that I don’t want that kind of relationship again. I have to focus on moving forward, not taking steps backward. I want a real relationship and spending a night with Jackson would be a mistake.
“I think that’s a bad idea.” I look past Jackson and see Caitlin glaring at us, holding the shots they had just ordered. “Anyway, I think Caitlin is waiting for you, so I’m just going to go home now and you can get back to her.”
Jackson licks his lips. “What if I don’t want you to go home? What if I want you to stay here with me?”
I shake my head, “Jackson, it’s just the booze talking. This stupid holiday doesn’t help, with the way it puts pressure on people.”
Jackson laughs deeply and I feel insulted. He notices my hurt expression and apologizes. “I’m sorry, Lucia, but to me, Valentine’s Day is just another day.”
I pull my arm from his grasp, “Well it isn’t to me. I’m sick of feeling the way I do. Today, the way Steven and Meghan were looking at each other, I want that, not this!”
“You believe that bullshit?”
I cross my arms. “Bullshit? You think love is bullshit? You would.”
He runs his hand through his hair. “Not exactly, but I do think that it’s overrated. And I also think that Steven Black and Meghan Moore were acting today.”
“Well, I disagree. I think love is real and I want the kind of love that they have. The same kind that Skyler and Dave have. I’m sorry that you feel the way you do, because you’ll just end up alone. And that’s where we’re different, Jackson: I don’t want to be alone.”
I see anger flash in his eyes as he growls, “You don’t know me, Lucia. I’m rarely alone. I have a different bird in my bed every other night.”
“And I’m not going to be just another one of your birds,” I shoot back angrily.
“Jackson, come here! I want to do this shot already!” We both turn to see a petulant Caitlin, attempting to look seductive in spite of her drunken wobbliness.
Jackson turns to me with his eyebrow raised.
He clears his throat, “What do you want, doll?”
Caitlin moves her finger to her cleavage, lightly toying with the top of her dress and drawing attention to her breasts. She licks her lips and says in a low voice, “I want a blowjob,” she says, referring to a humorously named shot on the menu.
Jackson snaps his fingers, getting the bartender’s attention. “Hey, mate, can I have three blowjobs?”
I shake my head and try my best to be rational. I know that if I stay any longer, something will probably happen with Jackson, and I don’t want to be just another notch on his bedpost. Plus, it appears that Caitlin is determined to get Jackson into her bed.
“Just two shots,” I say, a little too loudly, my nerves steadying. “Thank you, bartender.”
Jackson turns to me with a look of confusion on his face. I grab my coat and purse. “I’m going to go home. You guys have a good night,” I say as I turn and walk away.
I know that I have to leave and go home so that nothing will happen that I might later regret. But before I make it out the door, someone has grabbed my arm. I whip around and come face to face with Jackson, his blue eyes staring me down.
“Hey, why are you leaving?” he asks.
I bite my lip and close my eyes, trying my best to appear aloof. “Honestly?” He nods his head, still holding onto my arm. “OK, I’ll be honest. Jackson, I know that if I stay, there’s a good chance that something will happen between us.”
His lip curls up just slightly. “Would it be bad if something were to happen?”
“Jackson, you know that it wouldn’t be a good idea. We can hardly stand each other at work and—”
He cuts me off, “And we’re not at work now.” He steps closer, “There’s nothing wrong with us having our fun when we’re not working.”
As much as I am yearning for his touch, I know that I don’t want that kind of relationship again. I have to focus on moving forward, not taking steps backward. I want a real relationship and spending a night with Jackson would be a mistake.
“I think that’s a bad idea.” I look past Jackson and see Caitlin glaring at us, holding the shots they had just ordered. “Anyway, I think Caitlin is waiting for you, so I’m just going to go home now and you can get back to her.”
Jackson licks his lips. “What if I don’t want you to go home? What if I want you to stay here with me?”
I shake my head, “Jackson, it’s just the booze talking. This stupid holiday doesn’t help, with the way it puts pressure on people.”
Jackson laughs deeply and I feel insulted. He notices my hurt expression and apologizes. “I’m sorry, Lucia, but to me, Valentine’s Day is just another day.”
I pull my arm from his grasp, “Well it isn’t to me. I’m sick of feeling the way I do. Today, the way Steven and Meghan were looking at each other, I want that, not this!”
“You believe that bullshit?”
I cross my arms. “Bullshit? You think love is bullshit? You would.”
He runs his hand through his hair. “Not exactly, but I do think that it’s overrated. And I also think that Steven Black and Meghan Moore were acting today.”
“Well, I disagree. I think love is real and I want the kind of love that they have. The same kind that Skyler and Dave have. I’m sorry that you feel the way you do, because you’ll just end up alone. And that’s where we’re different, Jackson: I don’t want to be alone.”
I see anger flash in his eyes as he growls, “You don’t know me, Lucia. I’m rarely alone. I have a different bird in my bed every other night.”
“And I’m not going to be just another one of your birds,” I shoot back angrily.
“Jackson, come here! I want to do this shot already!” We both turn to see a petulant Caitlin, attempting to look seductive in spite of her drunken wobbliness.
Jackson turns to me with his eyebrow raised.
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