“Ready.”
She glances over her shoulder at me, her eyes going wide as she takes me in. “Whoa, girl. That dress was made for you.”
“I love it. Thank you so much.”
“You’re more than welcome. I wish you’d let me shop for you more often.” She stands, revealing her tiny black bodycon dress, and I remember why she shouldn’t be my personal shopper. “Oh shush,” she says with a wave of her hand, knowing my exact thoughts about the scrap of fabric she calls a dress. “Let’s go.”
Her hand slips into mine and she pulls me through the house. Outside, I find an Uber waiting for us, and after locking the front door we climb in.
Bailey confirms our destination and we head off.
It’s only a few minutes later that we pull up in front of my favorite tapas restaurant.
“You got a table last minute?”
“Sure did,” she says with a wink.
“Oh God, who did you promise what to?”
“Moi?”
“The innocent look doesn’t wash with me, B.”
Rolling her eyes, she huffs out a breath. “I might have agreed to a date with Todd.”
“You did not!” I squeal.
“See how much I love you?”
“Oh, like it’s really a hardship. He’s not exactly bad looking.” Todd’s been a waiter here since it opened, and he’s hit on Bailey every single time we’ve been. Every single time she knocks him back. I’ve no idea the real reason, she comes up with some pathetic excuse each time before deflecting the conversation.
“If it puts a smile on your face, then it’ll be worth it.”
“Thank you,” I say sincerely as we walk toward the entrance. As if he was waiting, Todd pulls the door open and greets us, okay Bailey, with a wide smile. Credit where credit’s due, his eyes don’t drop in favor of her body for almost a whole minute.
“I secured you both the best table.”
“Thank you, Todd. I really appreciate it.”
“No problem. I can assure you that the pleasure is all mine,” he mutters almost absently as Bailey walks ahead, giving him full sight of her ass.
I laugh at him before following her lead.
“You want the usual?”
“You got it.”
Todd nods and walks away to place our order. We’ve spent so much time here in the past year that he doesn’t even need to write it down now.
Bailey chats away about a guy she’s been messaging that she met the previous night after I left, and I’m grateful that she keeps my mind on less depressing matters. Todd arrives with a giant decanter of sangria and two glasses. The place is packed, so he doesn’t hang around as long even if it’s clear he would like to.
“I don’t know what your issue is with him, he’s sweet.”
“Exactly. I don’t want sweet. I want a bad boy.”
I roll my eyes at her. “Of course you do.”
“And what about you? Is there a reason that you’re avoiding talking about last night?”
My temperature rises just thinking about it. “No, there’s just nothing to talk about.”
“Oh right. Yeah, sorry, I forgot that you getting all up in that hot Brit’s business was a totally normal thing for you to do.”
“It was the tequila,” I argue, much to her amusement.
Chapter Six
Corey
I’m pretty sure that I should feel some sense of relief or comfort as I walk into my flat after my shift at the studio, but with all my shit in boxes and my looming eviction, I can’t find it in me to want to be here. I should be living the life right now. That’s exactly what I tell everyone else, and it’s what they believe.
I was terrified when Zach flew over a few weeks ago to check the place out that he was going to discover the truth and demand he help, and I knew he wouldn’t have stopped until he did. But I don’t want help. He already pays me healthily for my position here. He was the one who believed in my dream and allowed it to happen in the first place. Without him I’d still be stuck, drowning in my own miserable life. At least here I get to see the sun and the sand every day.
I pull my fridge open and stare at the empty racks. Not even a block of moldy fucking cheese. I fucking hate this, but what choice do I have? I can’t leave Mum and my sisters, they need me, and I might be all kinds of fucked up but I’m not him. I won’t abandon them when they’re at rock bottom. They sure as hell didn’t leave me.
With a sigh, I pull the one bottle of water from the fridge and fall down into the chair, contemplating going to find some dinner.
I’m just about to leave the flat once again when my phone dings with a text.
Pulling it from my pocket, I find an unknown number staring back at me.
Hey! It’s Harlow (from last night). I’d love to see you again. Meet me at the Underground. I’m downstairs x
I reread the message again and again, my brows drawing together. Did her friend give me a fake number? Good job I didn’t message her earlier.
It might be totally unexpected, but fuck if it doesn’t have a little excitement filling my veins. I’ve hardly stopped thinking about her since the moment she made her excuses last night. The way her body felt pressed up against mine on that dance floor… damn. My cock’s getting hard just thinking about her body.
I’ll be thirty minutes.
The message shows as read, but she never replies. Excitement and anticipation race through me. This is exactly what I fucking need.
Without putting any more thought into dinner, I stand and march straight towards the bathroom. If she’s giving me this second chance, like fuck am I going to screw it up.
With the intention of doing everything I can to ensure I end today buried deep inside her and pushing away any thoughts of my reality, I step out of my clothes to freshen up.
After running a little wax through my hair, I slip my feet into my shoes and drop both my wallet and phone into my pocket. At the last minute, I turn back and grab a few condoms from the dresser. A smile twitches at my lips as I imagine her laid out before me, her red hair fanning my pillow and her curves on full display.
I look around the room on my way out and tell myself that it won’t be happening here. Fuck the expense, I’ll book us a hotel if I have to. No one needs to see how I’m living right now.
Stepping from my building, I find the Uber I booked waiting for me.
“Evenin’,” I say as I climb in and quickly confirm my destination.
He chats away about my plans, and it only builds my hope that I’m about to end my dry spell with a girl who captured my attention the second she fell into my lap last night.
I could have easily gone and found some pussy since I arrived, but something—aside from being busy with the shop—has stopped me. Stupid sappy thoughts that maybe I was waiting for her fill my mind before I quickly shake them away. This isn’t about romance, I don’t sign up for that shit. This is about getting what I need—what we both need, if the way her body reacted to mine last night is anything to go by.
The place is packed when the car pulls up out the front, and I end up having to wait to even get inside.