apprehension.
“You’ll be fine,” I said as I encouraged her. “You got me, remember?” I’d done this so many times that I knew how to read the signs. They felt pathetic that they had to hire a date, and it shook their confidence.
“Okay,” she said as she released a deep breath.
I opened the door for her and we walked inside. My hand immediately moved to her waist and I pretended that she was the only woman who existed.
“Over there.” She pulled me along with her, being affectionate with me.
We reached a table in the back, a large booth near the window. The lights were low and people were difficult to distinguish. Music was on in the background but I could still make out conversation. When we reached the table, I froze on the spot. A familiar brunette was sitting there, her hair curled and her blue eyes shining like gems. I would never forget that face as long as I lived.
Alexia.
Why the fuck was this happening to me?
I pulled myself together and pretended I hadn’t noticed her. And if I had noticed her, I didn’t care. I did a good job pretending she meant nothing to me at the grocery store.
“Hey, everyone,” Patricia said with a perky voice.
“What have you brought with you?” a blonde friend said, eye-fucking the shit out of me.
“This is my boyfriend, Troy.” Her attitude picked up when she saw the look of approval in everyone’s eyes.
Alexia knew I was an escort so she probably knew what was going on. Would she be a bitch and rat her friend out? Or would she let it go? I really had no idea what she would do. It didn’t make a difference to me. But I did wish I was nowhere near her. The nightmares finally stopped and now they would come back after looking at her face.
Patricia and I scooted into the booth, but once I was there, I wanted to leave. “Can I get you a drink, baby?” I turned to Patricia and gave her a fake look of affection.
“Cosmo, please.”
I stood up. “Can I get anything for you, ladies?” I asked politely.
“No, thank you.” The blonde batted her eyelashes at me.
“I can get my own. “Alexia slid out of the booth and stood up.
Now we were way too close together. Just being near her pissed me off. I wanted to run away, but I wanted to yell at her at the same time. I never had the opportunity to tell her how much she hurt me. I never got to scream.
Unsure what to say, I turned and walked away. I headed for the bar, grateful I could turn my back and drop my look of indifference. I was going to order a beer but now I might have to get a scotch. How would I survive this night? I had to control my hatred around Alexia but I had to pretend to be in love with Patricia at the same time. How would I ever pull this off? “Scotch,” I said to the bartender. “Make it a double. And a cosmo.” I hated it when girls drank fruity drinks. Harper drank gin—because she was hot.
“Your plan seems to be working.” Her dreamy voice reached me and scratched my ears like nails on a chalkboard.
I didn’t turn to Alexia. I stared straight ahead, making sure she didn’t feel important or special. “I just hope you aren’t a bitch and blow it.”
“Patricia is my friend. I would never do that.”
What the hell was taking the bartender so long?
“You seem flustered.” She came closer to me, her arm touching mine.
I recoiled like a snake. “Don’t touch me.” My words came out venomous.
She did as I asked but didn’t walk away. “This is going to be a long night if we can’t get along…”
“Why do we have to talk at all?” I snapped. “Just go away.”
She remained rooted to the spot. “You still hate me.” Resignation was in her voice.
I wanted to grab a chair and break it on the bar. Anger coursed through me in waves. My skull was about to split from the scorching heat burning from my brain. I wanted to strangle this woman and watch her die in my arms. “What the hell do you think?” I finally turned to her, seeing that comely face I wish
“You’ll be fine,” I said as I encouraged her. “You got me, remember?” I’d done this so many times that I knew how to read the signs. They felt pathetic that they had to hire a date, and it shook their confidence.
“Okay,” she said as she released a deep breath.
I opened the door for her and we walked inside. My hand immediately moved to her waist and I pretended that she was the only woman who existed.
“Over there.” She pulled me along with her, being affectionate with me.
We reached a table in the back, a large booth near the window. The lights were low and people were difficult to distinguish. Music was on in the background but I could still make out conversation. When we reached the table, I froze on the spot. A familiar brunette was sitting there, her hair curled and her blue eyes shining like gems. I would never forget that face as long as I lived.
Alexia.
Why the fuck was this happening to me?
I pulled myself together and pretended I hadn’t noticed her. And if I had noticed her, I didn’t care. I did a good job pretending she meant nothing to me at the grocery store.
“Hey, everyone,” Patricia said with a perky voice.
“What have you brought with you?” a blonde friend said, eye-fucking the shit out of me.
“This is my boyfriend, Troy.” Her attitude picked up when she saw the look of approval in everyone’s eyes.
Alexia knew I was an escort so she probably knew what was going on. Would she be a bitch and rat her friend out? Or would she let it go? I really had no idea what she would do. It didn’t make a difference to me. But I did wish I was nowhere near her. The nightmares finally stopped and now they would come back after looking at her face.
Patricia and I scooted into the booth, but once I was there, I wanted to leave. “Can I get you a drink, baby?” I turned to Patricia and gave her a fake look of affection.
“Cosmo, please.”
I stood up. “Can I get anything for you, ladies?” I asked politely.
“No, thank you.” The blonde batted her eyelashes at me.
“I can get my own. “Alexia slid out of the booth and stood up.
Now we were way too close together. Just being near her pissed me off. I wanted to run away, but I wanted to yell at her at the same time. I never had the opportunity to tell her how much she hurt me. I never got to scream.
Unsure what to say, I turned and walked away. I headed for the bar, grateful I could turn my back and drop my look of indifference. I was going to order a beer but now I might have to get a scotch. How would I survive this night? I had to control my hatred around Alexia but I had to pretend to be in love with Patricia at the same time. How would I ever pull this off? “Scotch,” I said to the bartender. “Make it a double. And a cosmo.” I hated it when girls drank fruity drinks. Harper drank gin—because she was hot.
“Your plan seems to be working.” Her dreamy voice reached me and scratched my ears like nails on a chalkboard.
I didn’t turn to Alexia. I stared straight ahead, making sure she didn’t feel important or special. “I just hope you aren’t a bitch and blow it.”
“Patricia is my friend. I would never do that.”
What the hell was taking the bartender so long?
“You seem flustered.” She came closer to me, her arm touching mine.
I recoiled like a snake. “Don’t touch me.” My words came out venomous.
She did as I asked but didn’t walk away. “This is going to be a long night if we can’t get along…”
“Why do we have to talk at all?” I snapped. “Just go away.”
She remained rooted to the spot. “You still hate me.” Resignation was in her voice.
I wanted to grab a chair and break it on the bar. Anger coursed through me in waves. My skull was about to split from the scorching heat burning from my brain. I wanted to strangle this woman and watch her die in my arms. “What the hell do you think?” I finally turned to her, seeing that comely face I wish
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