Page 7
Story: The Christmas Bet
My eyebrows shoot upwards. “Lawyer. That explains the Wall Street look. Impressive. So, you must be pretty busy.” I lean forward, picking up my glass and taking another sip of the wine.
“Yeah, at times I am.”
A silence falls over our table, and neither of us seem sure where to take the conversation from there. The air feels thicker, making it almost hard to breathe. The once nicely sized bar suddenly feels smaller. I can’t do this. This wasn’t my idea, I’m just not comfortable being here. My nerves start to get the better of me, and I tip back the rest of my wine in my glass. Conner looks at me confused, his mouth slightly agape.
I quickly stand up. “You know, this was nice and thank you. But I really should go.” Before he can respond, I make a beeline for the exit.
When I finally reach the street, I take a deep breath try to calm myself. Placing my hand over my heart, I will it to slow down. This was just too weird. The whole thing just seems off. Not him. He seems like a nice guy, but all of this just was too much for me to deal with.
At least I can say I came, I saw, and I left. I didn’t get laid, but that’s why I have a vibrator. Well, a few vibrators. Still, I can handle my own vajayjay.
I turn and look back at the hotel and sigh. Being around Conner did things to me that I have never experienced before. My body felt warm in his presence, my stomach twisted, and even my brain didn’t want to get on board and come up with words for conversation. I can’t function like that.
He’s an attractive man that could spell trouble for me. Look at what he has already done just to get me to come here tonight. I’m sure he’s a nice guy on a normal day, but today is not the day I find out.
I walk down the sidewalk and start to flag down a taxi when I hear someone come up behind me.
“Allison, please wait.”
Shit.
Chapter 5
Conner
Well, I fucked that up royally. Under all that sass is a sweetheart. I tip my head back and stare up at the ceiling. What the hell do I do now? I went about this all wrong. I was pushy and arrogant; I fucking steam rolled her into this date. I run my hands over my face and let out a sigh. She didn’t deserve this. If I’m being honest with myself, she doesn’t deserve the end result of all this either. Fuck, I’m an asshole.
I need to fix this.
I push up from the table and drop a couple hundred bucks to cover our bill before heading out the bar. Quickly, I push past people and run out the front door of the hotel. I see her starting to walk towards a taxi, and I take off running towards her. I slow once I get close.
“Allison, please wait.” I see her body freeze, her shoulders stiffen. Slowly, she turns, her beautiful blue eyes widening at the sight of me. “Look, I need to apologize.”
She looks down before saying softly, “For?”
“Hey, lady, are ya gonna to get in or what?” the cab driver yells from the front seat window. I wave him off and face her again.
“For being pushy.” She looks up at me, waiting on whatever I have to say next. So, I need to make sure it’s good. “I’m sorry. The way I got you to come out here tonight, I … it was wrong of me. I kind of forced you into this date. I’m so sorry.”
Allison nods.“Okay, well, thank you for apologizing.”
“Let me make it up to you. A do-over of a do-over.” I waggle my eyebrows and then smile at her.
“Is that a thing? A do-over of a do-over? Plus, I don’t really want to go back in there for a drink.” She wraps her arms around herself and looks around.
“Yup, I just made it a thing. This is a do-over of a do-over. So, no drinks.” I pause to think for a moment. “How about we go for a walk? It’s a nice night. We could just take a stroll.”
“Um, well, I live right across from Central Park a few blocks from here. How about a compromise. We can take a stroll as long as it’s you walking me home?”
That’s not exactly what I envisioned, but it’s an inch. I’ll take that inch. “Sure. Let me be a gentleman and walk you home.”
I hold out my arm, and she hesitates before reaching up and hooking her arm in mine. The wind blows some of her hair towards me, and I catch the scent of her floral perfume. I make a mental note to figure out what it is because holy hell does she smell amazing. I swallow and try to keep my composure.
She starts to lead us west down 53rd Street. It’s packed with cars, taxi horns blaring and drivers yelling out their windows. I focus on the sound of her shoes clicking along the pavement.
“So, tell me about yourself. What is it that you like to do in your spare time?” I ask, wondering if I will get anything out of her tonight after such an awkward date.
She laughs. “Why don’t you just ask me what my favorite color is?”
“Yeah, at times I am.”
A silence falls over our table, and neither of us seem sure where to take the conversation from there. The air feels thicker, making it almost hard to breathe. The once nicely sized bar suddenly feels smaller. I can’t do this. This wasn’t my idea, I’m just not comfortable being here. My nerves start to get the better of me, and I tip back the rest of my wine in my glass. Conner looks at me confused, his mouth slightly agape.
I quickly stand up. “You know, this was nice and thank you. But I really should go.” Before he can respond, I make a beeline for the exit.
When I finally reach the street, I take a deep breath try to calm myself. Placing my hand over my heart, I will it to slow down. This was just too weird. The whole thing just seems off. Not him. He seems like a nice guy, but all of this just was too much for me to deal with.
At least I can say I came, I saw, and I left. I didn’t get laid, but that’s why I have a vibrator. Well, a few vibrators. Still, I can handle my own vajayjay.
I turn and look back at the hotel and sigh. Being around Conner did things to me that I have never experienced before. My body felt warm in his presence, my stomach twisted, and even my brain didn’t want to get on board and come up with words for conversation. I can’t function like that.
He’s an attractive man that could spell trouble for me. Look at what he has already done just to get me to come here tonight. I’m sure he’s a nice guy on a normal day, but today is not the day I find out.
I walk down the sidewalk and start to flag down a taxi when I hear someone come up behind me.
“Allison, please wait.”
Shit.
Chapter 5
Conner
Well, I fucked that up royally. Under all that sass is a sweetheart. I tip my head back and stare up at the ceiling. What the hell do I do now? I went about this all wrong. I was pushy and arrogant; I fucking steam rolled her into this date. I run my hands over my face and let out a sigh. She didn’t deserve this. If I’m being honest with myself, she doesn’t deserve the end result of all this either. Fuck, I’m an asshole.
I need to fix this.
I push up from the table and drop a couple hundred bucks to cover our bill before heading out the bar. Quickly, I push past people and run out the front door of the hotel. I see her starting to walk towards a taxi, and I take off running towards her. I slow once I get close.
“Allison, please wait.” I see her body freeze, her shoulders stiffen. Slowly, she turns, her beautiful blue eyes widening at the sight of me. “Look, I need to apologize.”
She looks down before saying softly, “For?”
“Hey, lady, are ya gonna to get in or what?” the cab driver yells from the front seat window. I wave him off and face her again.
“For being pushy.” She looks up at me, waiting on whatever I have to say next. So, I need to make sure it’s good. “I’m sorry. The way I got you to come out here tonight, I … it was wrong of me. I kind of forced you into this date. I’m so sorry.”
Allison nods.“Okay, well, thank you for apologizing.”
“Let me make it up to you. A do-over of a do-over.” I waggle my eyebrows and then smile at her.
“Is that a thing? A do-over of a do-over? Plus, I don’t really want to go back in there for a drink.” She wraps her arms around herself and looks around.
“Yup, I just made it a thing. This is a do-over of a do-over. So, no drinks.” I pause to think for a moment. “How about we go for a walk? It’s a nice night. We could just take a stroll.”
“Um, well, I live right across from Central Park a few blocks from here. How about a compromise. We can take a stroll as long as it’s you walking me home?”
That’s not exactly what I envisioned, but it’s an inch. I’ll take that inch. “Sure. Let me be a gentleman and walk you home.”
I hold out my arm, and she hesitates before reaching up and hooking her arm in mine. The wind blows some of her hair towards me, and I catch the scent of her floral perfume. I make a mental note to figure out what it is because holy hell does she smell amazing. I swallow and try to keep my composure.
She starts to lead us west down 53rd Street. It’s packed with cars, taxi horns blaring and drivers yelling out their windows. I focus on the sound of her shoes clicking along the pavement.
“So, tell me about yourself. What is it that you like to do in your spare time?” I ask, wondering if I will get anything out of her tonight after such an awkward date.
She laughs. “Why don’t you just ask me what my favorite color is?”