I’m a grown woman, despite what he thinks, although I am still dependent on them. Still, tonight was one of the best nights of my life. Sure, I chickened out and backed away from sex with Gavin, but still. He felt so good and gave me a glimpse of what it could be like if I finally gave myself to him. I know it’ll be incredible. It just wasn’t the right time yet.
I’m going to get yelled at when we get home, but it’s fine. I’ll survive it. And then I’ll call Gavin and see him again, because I haven’t gotten enough yet. In fact, I only just got my first taste.
Soon, I’m going to get another.
7
Gavin
I sip my beer and glance down at my watch, frowning to myself. It’s been almost twenty-four hours since I last saw Sadie, but I haven’t heard from her yet. I know she’s probably in deep shit with her family, but I’m actually starting to worry.
That’s a new feeling. I never really worried about a woman before, not this way at least. I have female friends and I’ve gotten close to lovers, but this is a different feeling entirely.
I’m almost protective of her. I want to make sure she’s being treated well and taken care of, even if maybe that’s not my role. Not yet, at least. I want to take that on for her though. I want to be the man who protects her, cares for her, takes care of her. And I have no clue how to feel about that.
“You’re quiet,” Chuck says to me. We’re sitting in a little shitty dive bar in the old neighborhood. There’s a basketball game on TV and most of the locals are either drunk or well on their way to being drunk.
The place is dingy and poorly lit, which is part of its charm. The bar is old and somewhat sticky from years and years of spilled drinks. All the tables are wood covered with shellac, basically big, plastic, and indestructible at this point. It’s pretty empty, which surprises me. Usually a working class haunt like this would be packed late at night, even on a work night, but maybe the economy is worse than I realized.
“Guess I don’t have a lot to say,” I respond.
“How’s the girl doing?” He grins at me a little.
I sigh. “I was wondering how long before you brought it up.”
“Hey, man, I gave you a beer. Now it’s time to talk.”
“Took her out last night.”
He whistles. “Damn, man.”
“It was good. Took her to that new club, Deep Spot or whatever it’s called.”
“Dark Spot,” he corrects.
“Whatever. We danced, drank, you know.”
“Fucked?” he asks.
I give him a look. “Don’t be an asshole.”
He laughs a little. “So you don’t kiss and tell now?”
“No,” I say pointedly. “And I never did before.” I’m not the type to brag about my conquests.
“Yeah, fine, fair enough.” Chuck sips his beer again. “Still, the Tillman daughter. It’s pretty ballsy.”
“Yeah, well, I’m not sure it’s going to happen again.”
“Why? She get to know you?” He grins at me.
I just ignore his lame joke. “Her butler, or maybe her driver, I’m not sure, but anyway, he came and found us.”
Chuck raises an eyebrow. “You for real?”
I nod. “He didn’t look happy.”
Chuck watches me for a second then bursts out laughing. I sigh, sipping my beer. “Holy fuck,” Chuck says between breaths. “You got fucking caught! With the Tillman daughter!” He cracks up, shaking his head.
“Glad you enjoy it,” I mutter.
Chuck laughs a little more and gets himself under control. I flip a peanut shell into the basket, not bothering to eat the peanut. I can only imagine how many hands have been in that peanut bowl before mine, but I’m just trying to distract myself and I know it.
“So what happened?” he asks me.
“Nothing,” I say. “She went home and I haven’t heard from her.”
“They probably shipped her off to a convent.”
“This isn’t the dark ages.”
He grins at me. “It basically is with a family like that.”
I sigh and look at the bar. “I’m afraid I fucked up.”
“How?” he asks softly.
I look up at him. “What do you mean?”
“Are you afraid you fucked up because you got her in trouble, or because you got yourself in trouble?”
I blink. “Because I got her in trouble,” I say. “Shit, it didn’t even occur to me that they might be unhappy with me.”
“Good,” he says, smiling a little.
“Why?”
“Means you actually like this girl.”
I nod slowly. “Guess I do.”