Page 12 of Beauty Beneath the Sorrow
Me: Okay. Sounds good.
As soon as I fire off that text, I instantly feel guilty. I don’t want to use him for a free dinner or lingerie. Do I, though? It’s not like I’m playing games with a nice guy who wants a meaningful relationship. He wants to get fucked.
Maybe I don’t feel so bad.
Chapter Four
Lina
The next night, I find myself sitting across from Max, the nephew of one of my mother’s clients. He works in finance and comes from a family of money—my dear mother’s dream. This is our second time going out. He’s been giving mefuck meeyes for the past hour and a half, but I’m not feeling it. Sadly, the only thing he has going for him is that he’s extremely attractive. My thoughts are elsewhere, craving something different.
The conversation is dull, and I don’t feel like fucking. Anxiously glancing around the crowded tapas bar, I search for something stimulating, but I come up short.
I’ve been off my game for the last few months and in a bizarre headspace. A year ago, I would have been perfectly fine drinking wine in a fun restaurant and having mind-numbing conversations with good-looking men. But the emptiness of it all has lost its appeal.
Is it possible for me to develop deeper connections?Hell, if I know.
“It’s still early. You want to take a walk around downtown and check out some dive bars?” Max smiles at me, showing his pearly white teeth that look too big for his mouth. I wonder ifhis parents kept his braces on too long. “I bet we can find some live music.”
I remove my lip gloss from my purse and apply a thin layer. “I would love to, but I’m getting tired.” I give him a frown. “I’m flying out again tomorrow.”
Max moves from the other side of the table and slides into the chair next to mine. Before I realize it, he slips his arm around my waist and leans in. “Are you sure you’re not up for one more drink?”
His breath smells overwhelmingly minty from a piece of gum he tried to inconspicuously pop into his mouth while he thought I wasn’t looking. He’s a nice guy, and I don’t want to hurt his feelings.
“I don’t think so. We can go out again when I come back if you want,” I offer, lightly letting him down.
“Our night ended early the last time we went out too,” he brings up. “I’m not ashamed to say I’d like more time with you, beautiful.”
My skin crawls when I hear him call mebeautifulas if it’s a replacement for my actual name. I fucking hate pet names.
I swallow my annoyance and mask it with a sweet smile. “I’m sorry. Next time, for sure.”
“Alright, I can take a hint.” He shrugs, lifting from his chair. “It must be a damper on your social life to come and go all the time.”
“It can be, but I love my job. Being in the air is the best feeling.” This time, an authentic smile breaks through my words. “It’s indescribable.”
“I bet. But I’m going to stick to my downtown high-risecorner office.” He chuckles.
“It’s not for everyone.”
Max puts his arm around me as we walk toward the restaurant door. My head is down while I tuck my lip gloss back into my purse. I feel Max slow as we squeeze through the crowd of people standing by the hostess stand.
Suddenly, a heated energy brushes across my left arm, causing the hair to stand up. My eyes dart over in that direction, falling in the line of sight with a pair of amber-colored eyes. Locked with mine, I take in a sharp inhale while our bodies stay frozen in place.
Carter.
I instinctively roll my opposite shoulder, causing Max’s arm to slide off. He doesn’t seem to notice, glancing toward the bar. “I see one of my clients,” he says, gesturing away. “I’m going to say a quick hello. I’ll be right back.” I nod, then catch Max quickly walking off from my peripherals.
Carter’s unflinching gaze holds me hostage.
“H-hi, Carter,” I stutter, being the first of the two of us to speak.
He smiles at me. “Hello.” And then his stare breaks from me and flies over to the bar where Max is chatting with a man and a woman. His expression hardens. There is an uncomfortable silence underneath the music and the sound of clinking glasses before he finally speaks.
“Lina.” He cocks his head with his focus back on me.
“How are you?” My words come out pinched as spit pools in the back of my throat.
