Page 29 of The Seven Month Itch
I lift my eyes to smile at West. “Hi.”
“Ready to try some whiskey?”
“Looks like you have the good stuff.” With Glenmorangie, tonight will end on a tasty note.
“Sure do. And since I know how much you enjoy it, you get to choose your next flight on the house.”
My brow raises. “Is this a ploy to spoil me because you slept with my best friend?” His smile falls. Shoot, he thinks I’m serious. “Calm down, Casanova,” I say with a laugh. “No harm, no foul. I wouldn’t sleep with you anyway, remember? No casual sex.”
His eyes hold mine, and he nods. “I know that now. It’s still on the house.”
Who am I to stand in the way of free drinks from a gorgeous man?
West is attractive. Everything about him screams sex, but committing to the act with him—someone who slept with my best friend? That’s a no for me.Hard pass. We discuss our favorite whiskeys before he goes off to tend to other guests.
An hour passes, and I must say I’m pretty darn proud of myself. I stay at the bar and talk to people about what broughtthem here and their favorite winter pastimes. The conversations come easy, which is a relief. It’s a great time with total strangers and the drinks West supplies after I finish my flight.
I’m in the middle of a discussion when every ounce of air leaves my body in a rush. Terrence takes a seat at a small table, and he’s not alone. Miles and Madison are with him.Madison. Tears prickle behind my eyes. I will not cry at the bar. It’s a party sin, I know it is. My hands drop to my sides, and I force myself to take a breath.
You have to believe me, Justice. I’d never cheat on you, Justice.
Yeah, right.
Every promise this man ever made crashes into me at once. I close my eyes to center myself, which does nothing to calm my thundering heartbeat. I knew this would happen. Iknew. That doesn’t mean it hurts any less. If he thinks he’ll play me for a fool, he picked the wrong one. Terrence hasn’t spotted me yet, but I have an idea how to get his attention.
Game freaking on.
I interrupt West. “Hey, want to do me a favor?”
He follows my gaze to my ex and looks back at me. It doesn’t take a PhD to see my intentions. “I’m game, beautiful,” he says with a smile.
The edges of my mouth curve. “Perfect. Play along.”
Chapter 14
Terrence
When I was a kid, my mom would tell me that God has a sense of humor. Now I get it. The joke is on me.
I chug every glass on my whiskey flight and pray the floor opens to swallow me whole. I’d rather be in a hell I don’t know instead of the one I’m in now. Madison sits cramped between Miles and me at this small table. He’s laughing his ass off at yet another random run-in with the second woman I can’t avoid on this trip.
“How’s the retreat for you?” he asks her. Our next flight arrives, and I waste no time drinking those. Miles gives me a look out of the corner of his eye, and I send it right back.Eat shit.
“It could be more eventful,” she says. I choke on my drink at her hand on my thigh. “I hope to see more excitement.” She turns to me. “Don’t you agree, Terrence?”
Miles rolls his lips to suppress a laugh. I stare at the bastard, daring him to keep it up. My eyes lock on Justice before I havea chance to respond. She’s leaning against the bar and in deep conversation with the guy behind it. Her black dress creeps up the back of her thighs as she bends over, and fuck me if the sight doesn’t make me hard. The bartender leans down to whisper something in her ear that makes her giggle, and my fists clench when she bites her lower lip.
What the hell is so damn funny?
“Yo, T. You okay, bro?”
“Just peachy,” I say, unable to look away from the show. I shake my head. This isn’t like her at all. Surely she fell down a flight of stairs and lost consciousness before she came to this event in a skimpy dress I’ve never seen before to flirt with a guy. She doesn’t act like this.
If I could take away the pain I caused her, I would. But this display right here will land me in handcuffs if I react to it. I’d never throw another woman in her face. Yet she thinks it’s okay? Fuck that.
If you wanted to get a rise out of me, princess, mission accomplished.
A tiny hand grips my chin to break my gaze. “I had fun the other night. Are you speed dating tomorrow?” Madison’s voice isn’t the only thing that steals my attention. Her breasts are on full display in that tight white dress. She leans forward with victory in her eyes. Her hand creeps up my thigh. “I would really like to see more of you,” she says in a whisper. Her words linger in the air. Heat and desire pour from her body.
