I navigated around the tables, smiling politely to the few customers that sat eating their meals and making small talk, until I found a table on the far side of the restaurant. Once they were seated, I gave them menus, avoiding any eye contact with Grey. I decided that I'd only speak to him if he spoke first. Was I being stubborn? Perhaps, but I felt entitled to be annoyed with him after he'd kissed me even though he was engaged.
I felt annoyed with myself for letting him and even more annoyed that I'd enjoyed it and wanted more.
I inhaled deeply to rein in my emotions and plastered on my fake smile. "Can I get you something to drink?" I asked as politely as I could manage.
Maggie turned away from her menu. "Yes, we'll have a glass of Rosé and a bottle of lager," she replied in a not so polite manner.
I saw her eyes move across me slowly as she assessed me, and instantly knew she didn't like me when her perfectly shaped brows turned down, and her lip turned up in a slight scowl-though what I had done to her, I didn't have a clue.
Ignoring her disapproving glare, I smiled brightly.
"Sure thing, I won't be a moment." I walked to the bar with my head held high, determined not to let her get under my skin, and told Jason the bartender their order. I leaned against the bar and exhaled slowly. Keep it together, Carly. Don't let them get to you-you're better than them. I tried to keep up this internal chant as I waited for Jason to pour the wine.
Jason pushed the drinks towards me on a tray, interrupting my mental chant. I smiled my thanks as I took it and returned to their table. As I approached, I could see they were having a hushed, but seemingly heated discussion, so I cleared my throat so they knew I was coming. I didn't want to give Maggie another reason to throw a dirty look my way. Luckily, they ceased their conversation as I reached them. I placed their drinks on the table, tucking the tray under my arm. "Are you ready to order, or would you like a little longer?" I spoke to Maggie. She seemed to be the one wearing the pants in the relationship.
"Could you give us a minute or two longer, Carls?" Grey asked, making my heart thump hard. It was the first time he'd looked my way or spoken to me since they arrived.
"Sure, Grey," I replied and headed to Jason, relieved that I didn't have to talk to them for a while.
Jason raised a brow in question at my sudden happiness, but before I could explain, the same silky voice spoke behind me.
"Excuse me, Miss, could you direct me to the ladies' room?"
I nearly rolled my eyes. The whole ‘Miss' thing was getting annoying. I turned and pointed her in the right direction without a word, and watched her head towards the toilets. Even from behind I could see why Grey liked her so much. I turned my eyes to their table and clenched my teeth together when Grey smiled. It was a smile that made my knees weak and my stomach flutter. Didn't he realize that checking out another woman while his fiancée was in the bathroom was wrong? Especially when he was mentally undressing me with his eyes-I should know, he often gave me that look when we had been together.
And why couldn't I just shut off my feelings for him? Why did my heart want me to drop everything and jump into his strong arms when my brain, logically, told me to stay where I was?
It was the knowledge that he would break my heart all over again if I let my guard down that kept me in place.
"We're ready to order now," Maggie threw haughtily over her shoulder on her way back to the table.
I took one last look at Grey and sighed wistfully as I followed Maggie to take their order.
Once their order was placed, I couldn't wait to get their food to their table. I hoped they would hurry up and eat so I could give them the bill and finish my shift for the night. I wanted to go home and be free of Grey's penetrating stare. Every opportunity he got, he looked my way.
When their order was up, I took it to their table.
"Thanks, Carls," Grey said, meanwhile Maggie didn't say a word, just looked at me like something she had stepped in.
Again, it was Grey that spoke to me when I took their bill. He thanked me and left me a tip.
I walked away and went to hang up my apron. I went into the office to retrieve my purse from my locker. I touched up my lip gloss in the mirror, fluffed my hair, and walked back out into the restaurant.
I was standing by my car, searching for my keys in my purse, when a hand on my shoulder made me jump, dropping my purse to the ground in surprise.
"Sorry, Carls, I didn't mean to make you jump," he said as he bent to pick my purse up for me.
"What do you want, Grey? I'm tired and I want to go home."
"I wanted this," he said as he took hold of me round the waist and brought his lips to mine in a passionate kiss.
I kissed him back fervently before realizing where we were and what I was doing. I pushed him away and got into my car. I started the engine and sped out of the parking lot.
I got home to a voicemail.
"Carls, you can't keep doing this to me. This is the second time you've run off after I've kissed you. Why? I thought you felt something for me? I told you I never stopped loving you and I meant it. I love you, Carls."
I erased the message and went for a hot shower. Once out of the shower, I rang Jodie to see what time she was picking me up. We were going to try out a new club that had just opened in town.
"Nine o'clock sound okay?" Jodie asked.
"Yeah, sounds great," I said with as much enthusiasm as I could muster after the day I'd had.
"Wear that new dress you got in town. This club is meant to be amazing, so we need to look our best. You never know, you might meet Mr. Right and I might meet Mr. Right Now." Jodie laughed down the line. She'd broken up with Xander a few days ago and was already prepared to get back in the saddle.
"Mr. Right? Pfft. No such thing!" I replied as my mind wandered back to Grey.
The day was so hot that Grey and I were in my backyard sitting on a picnic blanket with a pitcher of lemonade while we worked on our tans. I had made sure to put suntan lotion on and Grey had rubbed some onto my back. I lay there in my bikini with a paperback in my hands. Grey was lying on his side watching me read-although he was pretending to sleep-I could see his eyes opening now and then. What we had was perfect. Grey was far from the perfect man, but he was perfect for me, and that's what mattered. He soon dozed off and I could tell he was really asleep by his light snoring. I put my book down and lay on my side, facing away from him. I put my back against his chest and lifted his arm around me. He stirred and snuggled in closer. I fell asleep shortly after.
"Wakey, wakey, dreamer," Jodie said, bringing me back to the present.
"Sorry, I was just thinking. Get over here and let's get ready for a night on the town, it might just be the remedy I need."
We said our goodbyes and she arrived fifteen minutes later. We started to get ready and Jodie's enthusiasm began to rub off on me.
I looked at her waving her hands in the air and looking a bit like I imagine a headless chicken looks.
"Hell, I can't find my waterproof mascara!" she said, getting in a tizzy.
"It's got to be around here somewhere-calm down, woman," I said as I got up to help her search.
We found the mascara in the bottom of her makeup bag, even though she'd sworn it wasn't there.
After getting ready, we went downstairs and had a glass of wine while we waited for the cab.
"You look so hot, Carly. Men will be tripping over themselves to buy you drinks and dance with you," Jodie said, admiring my new purple strapless dress. It was the one she'd picked for me in town. I must admit, it looked great paired with my nude color shoes and clutch.
"You don't scrub up too bad yourself," I replied and got a light shove for my remark.
"I'll have you know I am the second sexiest person in this room," she said and we both cracked up laughing.
Our cab arrived and we made our way to Sinners. I don't know who came up with that name but I hoped the club was as cool as it sounded.
We arrived and the DJ was playing Blackberry Wednesday. So far, so good.
The club was heaving even though it was early. Jodie and I made our way through the sweaty, writhing bodies to the bar.
"What'll it be, ladies?" asked the gorgeous bartender.
"Cocktails!" Jodie giggled and clapped her hands like a child in a candy store.
"Sure thing, what's your desire?" the bartender asked as he grabbed the cocktail shaker.
"One Screaming Orgasm and one Blow Job," Jodie said in her most sultry voice. I could tell she was making eyes at him and he was getting a good view of her cleavage the way she pushed herself against the bar.
"I have to admit to not knowing how to make either of those," he said as he eyed her up and down.
"A screaming orgasm is one ounce vodka, and not the cheap stuff, add to that one and a half ounces Bailey's Irish Cream, then half an ounce of Kahlua coffee liqueur. Oh, and it's served over crushed ice with a garnish of pineapple, if you have it."