Page 33 of Let it Breathe
"Just some juice." She rolled her eyes and headed off to the bar.
James and I laughed.
"This was your idea," James said as Donovan took a sip of his beer.
"Kids," he said and rubbed his head like an old man. "I would have jumped at the chance if someone got me out of school and took me on a trip to the most happening place on the planet this weekend."
"Oh, so I'm not the only person you're trying to broaden horizons for. Is this a personal mission of yours?"
"No," Donovan said while, "Yes," came out of James' mouth.
I reached for the water.
"I'm just good at knowing what people need."
He tilted his head and winked as I took a sip of the cold liquid. It did nothing to cool my insides.
Donovan stared back while licking his lips. James excused himself.
"So tell me something about you I can't learn on the Internet." I sat back, feeling for the first time comfortable in his presence.
"You've been googling me?" He grinned as if he could read my mind.
"A little, but I was concerned." I frowned.
"Concerned why?" he asked and frowned. We both laughed.
"There was no dirt. A random girl on your arm here or there, but no scandals and no drama. How is that possible?"
"You think you have me pegged, but I am not what you think I am." He frowned for real.
"What do I think you are?" I leaned in and waited.
"You think I'm a player." He took a sip of his beer and looked out the window.
"You enjoy the company of a woman?"
"Yes."
He proved my point when he picked me up in that bar. He was a player, but I didn't mean it as a character flaw.
"You enjoy sleeping with them?"
He narrowed his eyes and nodded reluctantly.
"You have no qualms about having sex with a stranger?"
He set his jaw.
"Neither do you if I recall correctly."
I bit my lip and hugged myself.
He stretched his neck. "And that makes me a bad guy because I like sex?"
"Whoa, who said anything about being a bad guy?" I asked as I sat back. "I never said you were a bad guy."
"I'm sorry. I'm not sure why I care what you think so much," he said. The genuine sadness in his eyes hurt my heart. He held my gaze for a beat before turning and rubbing his head.
