Chapter 7

KATE.
My phone ringing woke me up from my nap. I answered without checking the caller ID. "Hello? "
"Were you sleeping? " I heard Trent ask.
I stretched on my bed, yawning, "I was. "
"I'm sorry I woke you up. "
"It's okay. How are you? "
"Good actually. How are you? "
"I'm great. " I said.
He paused, then, "Do you have plans tonight? "
I sat up on the bed, clearing my foggy brain, "Negative. "
"Great. I'll come over and pick you up by 8. Good? "
I nodded, then remembered he couldn't see me. "Yeah. "
"Okay. See you later. "
"Bye. " I hung up.
I rubbed my eyes then checked the time. It was 4pm. Shit. I didn't even ask him where we were going.
I got up off the bed and stretched, yawning. Sue gave me an off day today as a method of celebrating my landing the client.
I padded to the bathroom and did my business. After peeing, I washed my hand, checking my reflection in the mirror. I looked good. Different. I no longer carried the tension I used to. I now had a good paying job and a friend. A good friend.
I felt guilty for what I did with Drew. I felt like I had cheated on Trent and although we weren't together, I still felt bad. I mean, technically we were a thing. He kissed me, called to check up on me and most importantly, he was emotionally available. So therefore, I was going to ignore what happened in Boston. After all, if Drew could do it, I could too.
I decided to go grocery shopping before I got ready. As I shopped, I couldn't help replaying what happened with Drew. How he kissed me and how my body came alive for him. God, the man could kiss.
I felt my nipples going hard. I was getting worked up in public! Get a hold of yourself, Kate. I needed to forget the man, not think about him.
I texted Kate as the cashier rang up my purchases.
Penny for your thoughts?
Dude. I'm working.
Right. Sorry. Sorry.
I'm just kidding. You know I always make time for your cling ass.
...
What are you doing?
Grocery shopping.
Ooouuu. Get me some cucumber
Gross, Bailey.
Kidding. How's Trent?
He's great. I shot back, then I got an idea. He's taking me out later.
Somewhere fancy?
I don't know. Didn't ask.
I wanna come with.
I was gonna ask you anyway.
You literally can't do anything without me.
...
What time is it?
8PM
See you then.
xo
"I love your wig. " the cashier said, drawing my attention to her. Why did everyone have to assume I was wearing a wig?
"It's not a wig. " I said.
"Then what is it? " she gave me a small, confused smile.
I gave her a confused one right back, "My hair. "
Her eyes nearly bulged out of her head, "Oh my God. I love it. "
"Thanks. " I said then handed her my credit card.
"Do you use any special hair pro -" I took my credit card from her then carried my shopping bags.
"Natural as it comes. " I said then walked out of the supermarket.
I got home without any incidents -other than the cab driver trying to flirt with me. I arranged my goods know the right order. Wine and fruits in the fridge then took a pack of gummy worms into the living room with me.
I laid on the couch and watched Netflix.
•••••
"I've never been here before. Have you? " I asked Bailey as we walked into Ivy's, a bar on the richer side of town.
She gave me a look, "Of course we've never been here. Do you see the neighbourhood? "
"Okay. True. " I nodded, getting her point.
Trent laughed from somewhere behind us, "Come on. Let's find somewhere to sit. "
I ogled Trent in his white T-shirt and jeans. I swear, girls stared at him as we passed, headed to a couch for four. His dark skin was attractive and that against his blue eyes really did things to a girl. I was wearing a strappy hand body-hugging gown that stopped mid-thigh. Bailey wore a skinny, ripped jeans, a cami and a short leather jacket. A cami, I know. She had the body to pull it off.
We sat, Bailey and I on one side and Trent on the other side.
"Oh my God, this place is lit. " Bailey practically vibrated next to me.
"I know, right? "
Trent smiled, "Well, it's new. I thought I'd check it out. "
"And it's packed. " I stared at the people milling around.
"Yeah. " I looked at Trent and saw he was staring at me. He had been unable to keep his eyes off me since he saw me in the gown. I knew my ass did things in this gown and was almost indecent but I didn't care. I had a great ass and I was going to flaunt it.
"Um. I don't think anyone is going to attend to us soon. They're pretty busy. " Bailey said and it was true. The waiters looked like they hadn't taken a breath all night, running here and there.
"I could go get the drinks. Just give me your orders. " I said, standing up.
"Dirty martini. "
"Scotch. " Trent said, his blue eyes burning up my gown.
"Got it. " I mock saluted them, then went go the bar.
There was a long line of people waiting for the bartender's attention so I climbed up onto a stool and patiently waited.
I felt a hand at the back of my stool and turned to see it was Trent.
I smiled, tilting my head, "Did you want something else? "
He nodded.
I squinted, why was he acting weird, "Okay, what is it? "
He slipped his hands around my waist and before I knew it, he kissed me. I didn't feel the same fire I felt when Drew kissed me and my body didn't light up beneath his hands. Shut up. I told myself. Why was I comparing them anyway?
I felt the skin at the back of my neck prickling with awareness. I broke the kiss and turned around to find the cause. I froze. Drew was here. And he was staring right at us. And even sweeter, he looked about ready to blow up a casket.
Feeling bold all of a sudden, I kept eye contact with him as I wrapped my hands around Trent's neck, arranging him between my legs and going in for another kiss. I slipped my tongue into his mouth and smiled as Drew's eyes narrowed. Trent did something with his tongue that made me close my eyes and moan. When I pulled away from him finally, Drew wasn't there anymore.
I licked my lips and smiled at Trent. "That was good. " I said, massaging his face.
"More than good. " he nuzzled my neck.
We got our drinks and returned to our seats. When I saw Trent texting on his phone, I took the opportunity to talk to Bailey.
"I just saw Drew. " I whispered.
She choked on her drink, "Drew Rutledge is here? " she whispered hoarsley.
I nodded. "What the hell is he doing here? " she asked, wide-eyed.
"I don't know. But Trent kissed me when I -" I stopped talking when I saw Drew, a good-looking guy around his age and a jaw dropping gorgeous girl take the seats adjacent to us.
What in the ever loving hell?
The girl sat beside him, leaning on his shoulder and placed her hand on his chest as she spoke to him.
I felt jealousy burn my throat as I watched them. I had a bad jealousy streak and I had never learned to control it. Bailey followed my eyes and her jaw dropped open when she saw them.
"Shit. He brought a date? " Bailey asked.
I stared forward and sipped my drink with so much force, I drained the whole thing.
My eyes involuntarily went back to him and I couldn't help but admire how yummy he looked in a grey hoodie and drawstrings. This was the first time I'd seen him in regular clothes and he was casual as hell but he was still the hottest guy in the bar.
I'd taunted him at the bar and now I had to watch his date rub up on him all night. Payback really is a bitch.
Drew.
"I didn't know you were back in town. " Emily told Arash.
"Yeah. I came back last week. " he said. Emily had an arm around me, leaning on my chest but I didn't even pretend to be interested in their conversation. I was too busy grilling a hole in Kate's head.
She was here, at the bar, with some other girl and a guy. A guy who mostly spoke to her. Who leaned across the table to brush back her hair every now and then when I knew the pervert just wanted his hands on her. What the hell was she doing with him anyway?
I tried to get a read on him. He had an expensive Rolex watch and he looked like some sort of model. Was Kate into models? I mean, she could be, with the way she was throwing smiles at him, leading him on. Jesus Christ. We're they together? They couldn't me. She kissed me back at the hotel in Boston. Or was she a cheat on top of everything?
No no no. They couldn't be together. He could be a thief for all she knew. I mean looks like a model? Wears a Rolex watch? Give me a break.
".... us for dinner? " the conversation drifted back to me.
I glanced down at Emily, "What? "
She batted her eyelashes, "I was asking if you'd join us for dinner. My mom misses you. "
Yeah. Just not in the way you think.
"I'd really like to come but I can't, Emily. " I saw Arash roll his eyes.
"Why can't you? " she pouted.
I heard laughter and my gaze was involuntarily drawn to where it came from -Kate's table. Fuck. She looked sexy as hell in that gown. And to think that she wore it for him....
"Uh... Drew? "
What the fuck did she want? I raised a brow to play it cool, like I had not been caught ogling Kate.
She eyed me suspiciously, "Why can't you come to dinner? "
"Because I'm busy. " I replied.
"You don't even know when it is, how do you know you'll be busy? "
I stared at her blankly then I heard Arash cough. I looked at him and saw his eyes were slightly wide. He tilted his head to where Kate sat and raised an eyebrow. Who is that?
I shook my head. No one.
He narrowed his eyes then turned to look at Kate. He stared longer than he needed to and that pissed me off. "Arash! " I growled.
"Dude. " he smirked at me.
"What the hell is wrong with you people? " Emily snapped.
We stared at her blankly. That was something Arash and I did. We could give a singular reaction without planning on it.
"My mom wants you to come. " she whined.
Because she wants me to fuck her.
"I'll see if I can come. " I told her to get her to stop distracting me. Distracting you from what?. My phone beeped. I unlocked it and saw it was a message from Arash. Whatever he sent me, he didn't want Emily to know.
Who's the hottie in the gown?
She's not a hottie.
Tell that to your boner. Who is she?
I pondered if I should tell him or not, I mean I didn't have anything to lose. I trusted Arash.
She's the assistant. I didn't need to elaborate. Even though he hadn't brought the issue up anymore, he knew there was something there.
He looked at me from across the table, eyebrows raised. Emily was oblivious to our little interaction because she was currently on a call that she lacked the decency to excuse herself for.
She's hot as fuck.
Keep your goddamn eyes to yourself if you don't want to loose them. I shot back.
What's the story?
I thought about it. Was there a story? There's no story.
Tell that to your possesive ass.
I frowned. What the hell is your problem? Can you not shut the hell up and mind your own damn business?
Not on this one, no. I've never seen you like this.
Seen me how? I typed it then wiped the message. I knew I wouldn't like what he was going to tell me.
Fuck you. I replied then locked my phone.
The Joker grinned at me then leaned back in his chair. The mischievous glint in his eyes told me he was coming up with something.
"So, Drew. " Emily, -who had apparently ended the call, placed her hand on my chest, "I was talking to a friend I just met on my trip to Bali and I told her all about you. "
"Hmm. "
She beamed, "Yeah and she like wants to see a picture of us together and I just thought about it, we could take one right now. "
Before I could protest, she handed her phone to Arash and practically climbed on my lap, kissing my cheek. Arash wiggled his brows as he took the pictures. I looked at Kate and saw she was glaring at me, I couldn't stop the smirk that found its way to my lips. She wasn't the only one that could play.
Arash raised his eyebrows then shook his head knowingly as I slid my hand around Emily's waist, smiling for the picture. Deciding to lay it on more, I kissed her which caused her to yelp in surprise. I had never initiated physical contact between us other than that one night.
When I pulled away, she was smiling up at me with slightly glazed eyes. I glanced at Kate and caught her looking at me. She looked sad. And that made me feel bad? She held my gaze for about three seconds then she turned her eyes to the girl sitting beside her, who gave me a dissapointed look.
What did that mean?
I turned to Arash and saw him eyeballing Kate's friend. I sighed and pushed Emily off me, but of course she didn't notice. She collected her phone from Arash and got busy on it. No doubt sending the pictures to her 'friend'.
My phone beeped.
You regret that.
I looked at Arash, locking my phone. There was no point replying. He knew.
Kate got up and my eyes followed her. Her gown was short, so short it stopped at her thighs and it looked like it was painted on her. It was a dark colour and it fit well against her lightly tanned skin. I stared at the strappy heels she wore, imagining them digging into my back as I fucked her.
I subtly lifted up from my seat and arranged my jeans to contain my now evident boner. Fuck. Now I couldn't control myself? Before I didn't get an erection until I wanted to and could even make it wane if I wanted to but with Kate, fuck, I couldn't help myself.
I stared at her ass as she walked between people, some of them trying to grab her, while some just staring. I tried not to get mad. Tried and failed. I don't remember being this possessive. What the hell is wrong with me?
"So, Drew -" Emily started.
Arash groaned, "Seriously? "
I bit down my laugh.
"What is it? " Emily asked, genuinely confused.
"What the hell? " Arash gave me an 'is she for real' look?
I shook my head. You have no idea, Arash. No idea. My gaze went back to her table, to the guy sitting there, looking bored out of his mind. But that boredom gave way to a genuine smile that lit up his face when he saw Kate coming back. It was like a sucker punch to the gut, knowing he really liked her. And why was I surprised? She was a catch and a lot of guys would kill to be even within an inch of her.
I nursed my drink, my mood sour. Why couldn't I just ignore her? What hold did she have over me to make me act like this?
And my plan to ruin her? It was going up in flames. And there was abso-fucking-lutely nothing I could do about it. I mean, how could I save it? When I was burning up as well?