Page 90 of Hungry Hearts

“Bullshit.” Avery agrees.

“Total and utter bullshit.” Nora raises her water glass.

Two women wearing short, tight dresses come over to our bullshit session. One looks vaguely familiar, and by the way she’s eye fucking me, I’m guessing we’ve seen each other naked.

“Hey, Ryder.” She doesn’t even glance at the women I’m with and saunters over to me and stands between my legs. “Haven’t seen you around in a while.”

She drops her hands to my legs and leans down, her tits practically falling out of her dress. Her face is so close I can see where her false eyelashes hover over her real ones. Her lips are full and painted a glossy red.

If it were any other day, I’d imagine them wrapped around my cock. Well, any day from before I met Maia.

“You busy later tonight? Tanya and I were looking for some fun. You seem kinda bored here.”

Out of my peripheral vision I can see Nora strumming her fingers on her belly and Avery tapping against her leg. Ella’s got a view of this chick’s ass in her ace.

“Maybe I’ll call you in a bit. I’m out with friends right now.” I give her my classic Ryder Benton smile.

“They don’t look like they’re ready to party.”

She looks over her shoulder at Avery, no doubt sizing her up. Dressed in jeans, sweatshirt, and sneakers, the girl must not think of Avery as any competition, but lately I’ve been more drawn to the casual look. When a woman tries too hard, it’s become a turnoff.

Not that I would mind seeing Maia in a tight dress that hugs all her curves and makes it easy to inch my fingers between her thighs and feel how wet she is for me.

Fuck. Yeah. No. Maia is not a part of my life and doesn’t deserve rent space in my head anymore.

The woman drops to my lap and snakes her arms around my neck. “Call me.” She grinds her ass into my dick, my soft dick, and kisses my mouth.

I don’t pull away, but I don’t reciprocate either.

“You two are so cute.” Her friend, Tanya, says, taking out her phone and snapping a picture. “Take one of me and our sexy chef.”

She hands her phone to the woman on my lap, who gets up with a pout, and takes her place. “I’ve never been with a famous chef before. Since you love good food, you’ll love eating me,” she whispers loudly in my ear.

“I just threw up in my mouth.” Nora groans next to me.

“It’s nice seeing you lovely ladies again, but I’m going to finish my conversation with my friends. Maybe I’ll see you around later?”

Finally, they take the hint and leave.

“I’ve heard the stories, but witnessing firsthand?” Avery points a finger down her throat. “That was disgusting. Please don’t tell me this is normal for you.”

Yeah, it was normal, and I used to enjoy the attention. Women fawning over me. Groping me. Did I sleep with all of them? No. The ones who were too forward, too desperate—like these two—never turned me on.

I would have posed for pictures and placated them with compliments without giving them empty promises. Those pictures never make it to my social media accounts, but I can’t control theirs and when they tag me in posts.

I’m fully aware that part of the appeal of Red is my image. The decor is rich and seductive, which brings in the VIP crowd and lures in the bored rich wives and daughters who want to pretend to be elegant for a night while wishing for an evening of debauchery.

I don’t flirt with my customers though. Even the bachelorette parties or a socialite luncheon. Well, I flirt innocently but never anything too sexual. I don’t need lawsuits. I keep my private life away from the restaurant and the casino as much as possible.

I feel dirty and disgusting after this display. Is this really who I’ve been for the past however many years? I don’t like it. I don’t miss it. I want nothing to do with it.

Cooking in a cozy kitchen, morning coffee dates, cuddling up on the couch with Maia on one side and Ruby on the other, that’s what brings me happiness. Contentment. Peace.

“I need a shower.” Nora says.

“Back to the bullshit,” Ella says. “If Ryder has truly moved on, he would have grabbed that woman’s ass. Either. Both. He would have said his polite goodbyes to us and left with them both.”

She’s not wrong.

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