Sophia
I sat in my car outside the diner I ate dinner at occasionally, and pulled the rearview mirror down so I could take a good look at my face. After a long day at work, I’d gone to the gym and spent an hour there trying to work some of the stress out of my body. I’d showered afterwards and changed into shorts and a shirt with the intention of going home, but on the way, I’d had a craving for a hamburger.
Looking in the mirror, I decided that tonight perhaps wasn’t the night to eat out. My hair hung half dry after I’d washed it, and my face held no trace of makeup. Some days I had no problem going out without my hair or makeup done, but I wasn’t sure today was one of those days. Not only were my hormones all over the place, but I’d had a run in with one of my work colleagues today, and she’d made me feel little. I fucking hated giving people that power in my life, but some days I struggled not to. And today, I hadn’t won the battle.
Fuck it.
I opened the car door and stepped out. Locking the car, I began walking towards the diner. My tummy growled, eager for a hamburger because, goddamn, they were the bomb at this diner.
Pushing through the front door, I entered and looked for an empty table. As I scanned the room, my heart fell into my stomach when I saw the guy at the back smile at me.
Worst luck today.
I should have just gone home.
My ex-boyfriend, Tommy, sat at one end of the diner smiling at me as if he’d never stuck his dick in any other woman’s vagina before coming home and whispering sweet nothings about growing old with me.
He stood and walked my way, and in my haste to avoid him, I swiftly turned and headed in the other direction.
Shit, there are no empty tables.
The universe is conspiring against me today.
And then I spotted him.
Griff.
He sat by himself at a table near the back and was engrossed with something on his phone so he didn’t see me coming. His head snapped up, though, when I slid into the booth with him, and announced loudly, “Sorry I’m late, handsome. I got caught up at work.”
His eyes widened right before he frowned. I didn’t give him time to speak before leaning across the table and pressing a kiss to his cheek. My hand moved to his cheek once I’d kissed him, and I let it linger there, hoping like hell my ex was taking this all in.
Easing back into my seat, I realised Tommy now stood next to Griff’s table with a look of disbelief on his face. “Sophia,” he said before turning his attention to Griff. “And you are?” His voice held that possessive tone he’d liked to bring out whenever we’d gone out and another man had even so much as looked at me.
What did I ever see in him?
Griff didn’t even skip a beat. “None of your fucking business,” he replied, his eyes hard as he watched Tommy.
Tommy scowled at him and then turned to me. “You’ve stooped so low as to date a biker now?”
Huh? A biker?
Griff stood. Towering over Tommy, he spoke in a low, harsh voice. “If I were you, I’d turn the fuck around and walk away before you say something I might take offence to.” His rigid body stayed rooted to the spot while he glared at Tommy, waiting for him to make his next move.
I held my breath, wondering if perhaps I had made a bad decision to sit with Griff and act like we were together. My intention had not been to cause a problem; I’d simply wanted Tommy to leave me alone and I figured if he thought I had a new boyfriend, he would.
Tommy held Griff’s glare for a few moments, and then he muttered something under his breath before stalking away from us. Griff watched him go and then sat again. He rested both arms on the table, either side of his plate, raised his brows at me, and said, “Care to tell me what that was all about?”
Oh, man.
That voice.
It’s like liquid sex.
He could bring me to orgasm just by speaking to me. I was sure of it.
“Sophia?”
Shit. I blinked and got my head back in the conversation. “Sorry about that.” I sighed, and leant my elbows on the table. And then proceeded to make a fool of myself. “I’ve had one of those days at work – you know, the ones where everything goes to shit – and then I went to the gym, and usually that helps, but tonight it didn’t. I’ve got all these knots inside and the gym should have unkinked them, and I don’t know why it didn’t. Anyway, I decided on the way home that a hamburger would help, but then I got here and realised I look like shit with no makeup and crappy hair, but I thought ‘fuck it’ and came in anyway. But then I saw my ex, and shit, it’s bad enough to see your ex, but to see him when you look like you’re not coping with the breakup – and don’t get me wrong, I am coping – but, it’s not the right time to run into an ex, you know?” I took a deep breath and waited for him to acknowledge that. When he gave me a nod, I continued, “So, I saw you, and thought if I just sat with you, he’d back off and leave me alone. Story of my life that he didn’t.” I removed my elbows from the table and sat back in my chair. He sat staring at me like I was a freak, and – oh, my God – he was probably right. Why did I just let all that shit spill out of my mouth?