Chapter 43
**Tom**
I pulled onto the freeway, the setting sun painting the sky in shades of orange and pink. The day's last light glinted off skyscrapers, transforming them into glowing beacons against the darkening horizon. Rush hour traffic crawled along, a sea of brake lights stretching before me.
"Come on, people," I muttered, drumming my fingers on the steering wheel. "Some of us have important dates with our couches and Netflix queues."
As if the universe heard my sarcasm, traffic began to move. I weaved through the lanes, my thoughts drifting to the stack of papers waiting for me at home. The glamorous life of a professor – trading one form of gridlock for another.
Finally, I pulled into my building's parking lot. As I stepped out of the car, my phone buzzed. Natalie's name flashed across the screen.
"Well, if it isn't my favorite enabler," I answered, grinning.
"Tom, tell me you're not already in your pajamas," Natalie's voice crackled through the speaker.
I glanced down at my rumpled shirt and loosened tie. "I'll have you know I'm still in my teaching attire, thank you very much."
"Perfect. Get your ass over here. I've got a bottle of Macallan with your name on it."
I hesitated, eyeing the elevator that would take me to my quiet apartment. "Nat, I don't know..."
"Oh, come on! William, Michael, and Olivia are already here. We're just waiting on you to complete the party."
"You know I love our little group, but I've had a long day of lecturing to blank-faced undergrads. My brain is mush."
"Did I mention your sexy friend Isabella is here too?" Natalie's voice took on a teasing lilt. "She's been asking about you."
My grip on the phone tightened. "Isabella? Seriously, Nat? I'm definitely not coming if she's there."
"What? Why not?"
"She keeps trying to seduce me, Nat. It's exhausting. Last week, she 'accidentally' spilled coffee on my shirt just so she could help me clean up. I'm sure she unbuttoned one more button on her blouse while she was at it."
Natalie's laughter echoed through the phone. "Oh, poor Tom. Gorgeous women throwing themselves at you. What a terrible burden to bear."
"You're not helping," I grumbled.
"Look, just come over. I promise to run interference if Isabella gets too handsy."
I let out a long-suffering sigh. "Fine, you win. But if Isabella tries to give me a lap dance again, I'm holding you personally responsible."
"That was one time, Tom! And admit it, you enjoyed it."
"I plead the fifth," I said, chuckling despite myself. "Give me twenty minutes to change, and I'll be there."
"Make it fifteen, and I'll save you the good whiskey," Natalie bargained.
"Deal."
I hung up and headed for the elevator, shaking my head. So much for my quiet evening. But maybe Natalie was right – I could use a night out with friends. Even if it meant dodging Isabella's advances all night.
Fifteen minutes later, I was knocking on Natalie's door, having swapped my work clothes for dark jeans and a navy button-down. The door swung open, revealing Natalie's grinning face.
"Well, look who decided to grace us with his presence!" She pulled me into a quick hug. "And with two minutes to spare. I'm impressed."
"I was promised good whiskey," I said, following her into the apartment. "A man has his priorities."
The living room was already buzzing with conversation. William and Michael were engaged in an intense debate by the window while Olivia was curled up on the couch, nursing a glass of wine. And there, perched on an armchair like some predatory cat, was Isabella.
Isabella wore a sleek red dress that hugged her curves in all the right places, the hem riding up to reveal a tantalizing glimpse of her thighs. The plunging neckline drew my gaze, and I couldn't help but notice how the soft fabric shimmered in the low light, accentuating her lithe figure. Her stilettos completed the look, giving her an air of dangerous elegance that quickened my pulse. I swallowed hard, suddenly aware of how dry my throat had become.
Her eyes lit up when she saw me. "I was starting to think you weren't coming."
I plastered on a polite smile. "Wouldn't miss it, Isabella."
Natalie, true to her word, swooped in. "Tom, come help me with the drinks. I need your expert opinion on whiskey pairings."
I followed her to the kitchen, looking at her gratefully. "My hero," I murmured.
She smirked, pulling out a bottle of Macallan. "Don't thank me yet. The night is young."
I raised an eyebrow at Natalie's cryptic comment. "What's that supposed to mean? You planning on sacrificing me to some whiskey gods later?"
She laughed, pouring a generous measure of amber liquid into a crystal tumbler. "Oh, Tom. Always so dramatic. I just meant the night's full of possibilities."
"Possibilities, huh?" I took a sip of the whiskey, savoring the smoky flavor. "Like the possibility of me escaping through your bathroom window?"
"Come on, it's not that bad. Isabella's harmless."
"Harmless? The woman's like a heat-seeking missile, and I'm her target. She's been trying to get me into bed since the day we met."
"And that's a problem because...?" Natalie quirked an eyebrow.
"Because I'm not interested in being her latest conquest. You know how she is – love 'em and leave 'em."
Natalie shrugged, taking a sip of her own drink. "Maybe you should just give her what she wants. Who knows, she might lose interest once she's scratched that itch."
"Are you seriously suggesting I sleep with her to make her go away?"
"Why not? It's just casual sex, Tom. Not everyone's looking for a fairytale romance."
I shook my head, laughing despite myself. "You're impossible, you know that?"
"I prefer 'practical,'" Natalie said with a wink. "Besides, when's the last time you got laid? And don't say Josephine – that was months ago."
I felt my cheeks heat up. "My sex life is none of your business, thank you very much."
"Or lack thereof," Natalie muttered into her glass.
"I heard that," I grumbled.
Just then, Isabella's voice floated in from the living room. "Thomas? Where'd you disappear to? I was hoping we could catch up."
I shot Natalie a panicked look. "Help me," I mouthed.
She just grinned and raised her voice. "He's in here, Isabella! Just grabbing some drinks."
"Traitor," I hissed.
Natalie patted my cheek. "You'll thank me later. Now go be social, you hermit."
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