Page 95 of The Dicktionary Club

‘I’m ready when you are,’ Philip’s voice called out from the doorway, and I jumped as he startled my dirty flashbacks.

‘Sure, I’m sorted.’ I walked past him, slipped on my shoes and headed out the front.

Philip pressed the fob to the Bentley SUV, which lit up as we approached. He opened my door, and I slid into the passenger side. A few seconds later, he joined me.

‘So, what do you have on for today?’ he asked, still rubbing his eyes, trying to wake himself up.

‘The gym, and I’ll probably go see my friends. We’re working on a project together.’

Philip nodded. ‘Nice!’

‘What about you?’ I asked, glancing out the window, feeling uncomfortable at the formalities when the man had been riding me like the waltzers all night.

‘I don’t have much on. I’ll swing by the bar and see how the rest of the evening went without us.’

For the rest of the drive, Philip chatted while I responded pleasantly from the passenger side, giving more attention to the scenery than the conversation. I just wanted to go home, get washed and forget about my night of sheer insanity. After forty minutes on the motorway, we glided back into Glasgow and he pulled up beside my flat. Relief swept over me.

‘Well, thank so much for driving me home,’ I said, unbuckling my seat belt.

‘I had a really great night with you,’ Philip said.

My cheeks blushed, and I smiled awkwardly. ‘Yeah. Thanks.’

‘I don’t suppose you’re free tonight?’ He turned his body around, giving me his full attention.

‘Awk, I’m not. I’m sorry.’ I shrugged. ‘I’ve got a thing on.’ I was looking down at the floor, picking up my handbag.

‘Tomorrow then?’

I hummed. ‘Tomorrow, I think I’ll be catching up with work. I have the exhibition next week.’

Philip let out a small laugh. ‘Ever?’ he interrupted.

I turned, eventually facing him properly and sighed. ‘Look, Philip. Last night was fun. But it was so,sounlike me. I think I was just upset over Joshua, and you were really nice to me, and then one thing led to another. We don’t have to do this.’ I gestured my hands, pointing between us, knowing we didn’t have to participate in that awkward thing people do when they pretend after a one-night stand that’s it going to happen again. ‘My feelings are not hurt. I will not feel sad and sit around all day, hoping you might text me. I’m not like that. It’s all forgottenabout.’

I watched his eyebrows raise in surprise.

‘Honestly.’ I managed a laugh. ‘I know what this was, and I’m OK with it,’ I said. ‘We both had a bit too much to drink, I was emotional and you comforted me. We can leave it there.’

Philip sighed. ‘All right then.’

‘There is no need for any embarrassment or for us to make false promises to one another. I’m good. You’re good. And it’s all .?.?.’

‘Good?’ he interrupted once more.

‘Exactly.’ I placed my hand on the door handle, finally hoping to leave this night behind me.

‘But what if I actually wanted to see you again?’ Philip asked in his deep voice.

I continued looking out of the window.

‘Ella?’

I felt tense. What did he want from me? I thought about Joshua and how invested I got in him, and I couldn’t contemplate that level of hurt again. Not now. Not ever. ‘It would end either way. Eventually,’ I said quietly. ‘So, we’re as well ending it here, on a high, right? I honestly had fun.’ I smiled. ‘And thanks for the lift home.’ Then I opened the car door and walked quickly up to my building without looking back.

As I entered my flat, I pressed my back against the door, feeling slightly breathless from bombing it up the stairs. After a few moments, I took out my phone and headed to my bedroom to pop it on charge. I paced my bedroom floor, replaying the entire night out in my head. From Joshua to the wine cellar, to being pressed up against the window. My insides twisted.

My phone lit up, and I dived on the floor beside the plug, immediately messaging the group chat.

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