“I just don’t want to see you hurt, Fred,” Isobel mumbled, looking at Luke.
“Isobel, did you know a dose of hurt can make you appreciate what you have? Jealousy is a real bitch.” I smirked and flicked the tie twice in my hand. “It’s knowing when you have to fight back for what you want.”
I didn’t miss the darkened shade of Luke’s pupils as he rocked on the balls of his feet. I headed closer and the nerves in my stomach twirled at the sets of eyes completely focused on my actions, but I didn’t care. All I was bothered about was Luke. I dropped the tie from the hand I was fingering the material with and started to twirl my wrist in a circular motion to unravel the material from my palm before I traced my bare forefinger down his cheek and leant toward him. I kissed him slowly and tentatively, scared Luke would reject me before pulling back and grabbing the tie’s now long length. Now I’d unraveled it, it was long enough to lay it over the back of his shoulders.
“Luke, fancy helping this rookie call last orders and clear the place out?” I asked him.
CHAPTERELEVEN
LUKE
The way he looked at me when he spoke those words. I wanted nothing more than to grab his hand and yank him out of the bar. My actions from tonight—flirting with another man in front of him—when my head was clearly in a mess over him. I wasn’t ready to say my heart. Not yet. Not after the less than great start we have had.
When I think back on all the less than perfect moments we have had together where they could have been so much more special, a part of me wanted to give in to that voice. That voice that we all had in our heads, that told us the path that we were on, was the wrong one. The voice that told us we were better off alone and that if we continued down our current path, that it would only lead us to heartbreak and sadness.
As I stared at him, I was unable to stop myself from falling into his eyes as he watched me, waiting for my answer. After I spoke to Nina and James earlier and they told me to make him see what he was missing, I had every intention of coming here tonight and making an effort on conversation in an attempt for him to see me; the me outside of the bedroom. Instead, I had fucked up and made the situation even worse. Bad enough to set his little rottweiler off and have her tearing Mark’s head off.
“Well?” Freddie asked me. “Are you going to help me so that we can get out of here?” He tightened his grip on the tie hanging down off my collar before I felt his thumbs rub gentle strokes across my chest. “Then you and I can get out of here and talk. Just you and me.”
“Just you and me,” I whispered hesitantly after a long moment.
That caused a beaming smile to appear on his face. He was such a handsome man, but when he smiled like that… I was determined to make him smile like that as often as possible, if we were together after tonight.
I took a few steps away toward the bar but stumbled when I bumped into someone short.
“You two can take off now.” Isobel narrowed her eyes mockingly at me. “I’ll cover you.” She paused and smiled at Freddie over my shoulder before she turned back to me. “Sort this mess out, Luke.” She stared up at me, looking very serious. “I don’t like to see my bestie upset.”
“I’m trying, Isobel,” I stated.
She gave me a small smile, and it made me feel like I was forgiven for the debacle of tonight’s events. “I know, Luke.” She nodded her head to Freddie, still standing behind us. “Now, go on, you two. I expect happy smiles tomorrow.” She waved her hand to the door and Robert threw our coats over the bar to us.
I turned to Freddie and began buttoning up my coat. “Ready?” I asked him.
It was such an easy, everyday question, but as I watched him blow out a breath, it looked like he was taking it as a much more important question:Are you ready to want me like I want you? Are you ready to let me in where no one else has been? Are you ready to be the person I want to experience everything with?
“I’m ready.” He sighed and held his hand out for mine.
I quickly took hold of his warm palm and squeezed it briefly in mine before I let him lead me to the door. As we stopped at the curb, I raised my hand and flagged a taxi down. As we climbed in the back, I quickly directed the taxi driver to my apartment building. Freddie reached over as the cab accelerated down the block and I quickly placed my hand over his. I was secretly thrilled that he was taking the initiative and touching me.
“Hope you don’t mind that I’m taking you to mine tonight.” I stared down at our clasped hands. “I guess I just want a memory of you—of us—in my space. I want to share some of my world with you before we talk. Does that sound okay?”
“I’ve never heard you sound nervous before.” He turned his hand and entwined his fingers with mine. “It’s kind of cute.”
“I just don’t want to mess it up any more than I already have,” I answered him.
“You didn’t,” he inserted. “I did. I wasn’t exactly my charming self after our day together.”
“No, you weren’t.” I chuckled at him. I paused for a moment before I spoke again. “I doubt I handled it right.”
“What? By making me breakfast?” He grinned at me. “I guess it would have been nice if we had eaten it.”
I leaned my head back against the seat and looked at him. “I’m new to this, Freddie. I have only ever had feelings for one guy before.” I watched him clench his jaw and I couldn’t stop myself from teasing him. “Does that make you jealous?”
“Yes,” he gritted out between clenched teeth.
I chuckled at him before I reached over and placed my palm against his cheek. “I kind of like that I make you jealous.”
He turned his head and kissed my palm. At the same time, the taxi pulled up to the curb. I quickly paid it and climbed from the cab. Entering the building, I smiled when I saw an empty elevator. I quickly pressed the button and as the elevator began to travel up, I smiled when I felt Freddie’s arm wind around my waist. Seconds later, I felt his warm breath against my neck, causing sparks to travel down my neck.