Page 24 of The Little Black Book

I’ve been having such a good time teasing and talking to Zoey, I’ve barely noticed the passing time. And since it looks like Madison is a no-show, I pick up my plate and drink and move to her table, sliding into the chair next to her. She looks startled at first, her gaze darting from me, to the entrance, then back to me, but then she shrugs and takes a big bite of her sandwich.

I pick up my cheesesteak, careful to hold it over my plate so the grease doesn’t drip on my shirt. As I take a bite, the flavors burst on my tongue, making me sigh with satisfaction. God, this is good.

“Okay, now you’re making me regret my order,” Zoey says, staring at my sandwich wistfully before meeting my gaze. “You look like you’re in heaven right now.”

“Do you want a bite?” I ask, holding it in her direction.

A look of uncertainty crosses her face, like she isn’t sure if she should accept the offer. Like maybe the act of sharing my food is too intimate. It’s something couples do, and we’re just friends.

Shrugging, I start to pull the sandwich back, but her hand darts out to grab my wrist, stopping the retreat. Leaning forward, she opens her mouth and wraps her lips and teeth around it, and a little hitch forms in my chest at the sight. My cock twitches, too, but before I can analyze my reaction, an impatient throat-clearing snaps me out of the trance.

Zoey jerks away, her cheeks puffed out as she tries to quickly chew the bite she took. My gaze snaps toward the woman standing before us, a frown on her face as her eyes shoot daggers at the both of us.

“Madison. You made it,” I say with a nervous chuckle. “This is my friend, Zoey.”

Zoey gives an awkward wave as she furiously chews at the steak, bread, and cheese, her cheeks blooming with color. Madison rolls her eyes and pins me with a glare.

“Is she joining us on our date?”

“No,” I say quickly as I push my chair back and rise. “She was here by chance, and when you didn’t show…”

I let the words hang in the air for a moment suggestively. I know putting the blame on Madison for what she walked in on is juvenile, but I don’t have any other excuse to give her. She saw me feeding another woman my food when I was supposed to be waiting forher.

“Anyway, thanks for letting me join you, Zoey,” I say quickly.

I circle around my now-empty table and pull out a chair for Madison, giving her an apologetic smile. She huffs, but slides into the seat, and I heave a breath as relief fills me. Maybe this date can be salvaged, after all.

Shooting Zoey a wide-eyed look while Madison isn’t looking, I grab my plate and drink from her table and slide back into my original seat. Madison’s ire is palpable, and I tug at the cuffs of my sleeves.

If forearm porn really is a thing, maybe bringing attention to mine will soften her angry edges.

She doesn’t seem to notice, though shedoesnotice when an obnoxious snort erupts from Zoey. Madison glances at her sharply before sniffing and angling her body away from my blonde friend, whom she obviously perceives as competition. Zoey shakes her head and mimes shoving up her sleeves and puffing out her chest.

She’s right. It’s not working.

“I can call the waiter over if you’re ready to order,” I say, turning my full attention back to Madison.

“I just sat down and haven’t had a chance to look at the menu,” she says roughly, giving my half-eaten sandwich a dirty side-eye.

“I’m sorry I ordered without you, but I didn’t think you were coming,” I say stiffly.

This date has obviously gone to hell, and I’m not sure there’s any chance of reviving it at this point. Honestly, I’m not sure if I want to. There’s no sign of the spark I remember feeling with her before, and she still hasn’t apologized for being nearly forty-five minutes late without giving me a heads-up.

“I got a phone call as I pulled into the parking lot and was catching up with…an old friend,” she says slowly, her eyes moving from me to Zoey and back again.

I nod, hoping my expression portrays understanding and not the impatience I’m actually feeling. That little pause in her words was very telling––she was talking to her ex. Which wouldn’t be a big deal if she’d just taken a moment to shoot me a text and let me know. But she didn’t. She just let me sit here and think I’d been stood up, then came in hot and grouchy because I was talking to someone who actuallyisjust a friend.

On the other hand, I was hand-feeding Zoey my food when Madison arrived, so maybe I could cut her a little slack.

“Can we start over?” I ask, my tone gentle and pleading.

“Of course,” she says, giving me a smile for the first time. “I’m actually starving. Can I have a bite of your sandwich?”

Her voice is syrupy sweet and completely ingenuous. I stare at her for a moment to see if she’ll change course, but she just continues to smile in that feral way that makes my skin crawl. This little show is for Zoey’s benefit. Madison is staking her claim, trying to prove something to Zoey.

But I don’t like games. And if she’s really that hungry, she could’ve told her “friend” she’d call him back after lunch.

“I’ll just call the waiter so you can order,” I say, flatly refusing her request.

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