Page 96 of Intoxicated
Chapter 32
DREW
She’s wearing a cherry red off the shoulder dress that brings the eye straight to her bare clavicle. The sultry slit running across one of her thighs reminds me of the night we met, when she wore that gorgeous black number that still makes my head spin. Her makeup is different from that night, though. Bright red lipstick complements the dress, and the generous use of pink mascara reminds me of a girl I used to know in high school. Only because she wore pink eyeshadow every damn day. Cher looks much more sophisticated with it, though.
So sophisticated that I already feel about five leagues beneath her. That must mean Brian’s ten leagues lower.
“This is, uh…” Has Brian forgotten the words now that he’s in her presence? I suppose kissing her cheek so brazenly would do that to a man. “Cher. Cher Lieberman.”
My father waggles his eyebrows before sending me a somewhat dour glare. No, that’s not a reprimand toward me. That’s a look that says,“I’ve heard about this woman.”Gee, Dad, so have I. How about that?
God. Imagine if I ever brought Cher home for the family to meet. I’d never hear the end of it once my dad figured out who she really was.“My buddy Ross Jenkins – you remember Ross, right? Come on, you remember! – used to date that Jezebel. She cleaned him right out before heading straight to his business partner’s bed! Stay away, Son. For your own good.”
“Cher, this is…”
“We’ve met,” she softly says, gaze never leaving mine. “We actually travel in many of the same circles.” Her white and red smile is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Probably because this is her fake, put-on smile meant to bedazzle and charm, to help her keep her emotional distance, and to make men like me fall in love with her. Wouldn’t this be the moment where I realize she always had a genuine smile around me? Or am I thinking else?
Like how much I’d love to rip that red dress off her body and relive the old times?
I clear my throat and address the men before me. “Indeed. Cher and I have met a few times before, but it’s always nice to see a familiar face around these parts.”
“Indeed,” Cher concurs.
Does my father pick up on our energy? Does Brian get that we’ve slept together? Do I give a rat’s ass?
Not really.
“Excuse me,” I say to everyone. “I was actually on my way to say hello to an old college buddy of mine.” I nod to Brian. He nods back. To my father, I say, “Thank you for the introduction. I’ll be around.”
“Now, Drew…”
I’ve firmly put my back toward them and have no intention of looking back. Instead, I shall head straight to the open bar and attempt to figure out my life.
You see, I thought I had things figured out before I got here. I thought that a few weeks was enough distance between me and her. That I would face her, look into her devilish eyes, and be stronger than I am.
I was a fool.
What is this asinine feeling taking me over right now? I ask for a gin and tonic to get me through these next few minutes. This feeling… I can’t tell if it’s jealousy or sadness. Is it possible for both to roll into one? Can I be so jealous that it makes me sad? Because looking at that nobody kiss her cheek sent me into a tiny tizzy. A little one. I swear.
He doesn’t deserve her. She definitely deserves someone better thanBrian,whoever the hell he is. Sounds like the kind of guy she’d pick up in the lounge where we met. Oh, God, was he that guy who had to leave before I swooped in and charmed the panties off her? Oh, my God. That’s almost worse. She went straight to him to feed when she was done with my shit.
That guy is fucked. She really wants nothing to do with him, does she?
Why do I care? Shouldn’t I be relieved to know she’s not in love with him? Why does this make it worse? That she’s probably sleeping with him, although she doesn’t love him? Would it really be better for her to go to bed with a loser who golfs with my dad if they are in love? Does that make it easierfor me?
