Page 25 of Surviving Slater

The door opened and a couple sat down at the table beside us. I didn't take much notice.

When the starters arrived I was famished. It smelled so good. I took a bite of the bread dripping with cheese.

And I nearly choked on it when my eyes met familiar silver-blue mocking ones at the table beside us.What the hell is he doing here?

"Are you okay?" Steven asked with concern when I spluttered and tried to swallow my mouthful of food.

I managed to get it down and take a big gulp of cold water. It was then I noticed Slater wasn't alone. The sharp pain that sliced through me left me speechless.

Across from him was a girl with long brown hair. She was pretty. I frowned. Slater gave me one last mocking smile from the table beside us before he turned his attention back to the girl and left me speechless.

"Jordan?" Steven asked again, pulling my attention back to him.

"Yes…sorry…I'm fine," I assured him, trying to regain my composure.

The food smelled great but my appetite was gone. I tried to keep my attention focused on Steven but I kept allowing my gaze to slowly find Slater. Each time he smiled at the girl with him, I felt the unwanted stab of jealousy.

By the time the main course arrived I had to escape before I did something I regretted. I needed to fall back to take check of my emotional wounds before facing him again.

"I'll just be a moment," I said before I found solace in the restroom.

I gripped the sink as I stared at my reflection in the mirror. He was here with someone else.

How was it possible he was here with another girl at the same time I was here with Steven? It couldn't be coincidence, could it? Inside my chest was the familiar ache.

I should be happy he'd moved on. It meant I was no longer someone he wanted and I could get on with my life without him. But I didn't feel happy; I felt sad and deflated. It was like being rejected all over again.

Damn it!What was wrong with me?

I couldn't spend the rest of my date hiding out in the restroom so I gave myself a quick pep talk before I left.

The sight of Slater waiting outside stopped me in my tracks.

Chapter Seven

"You're stalking me," I accused him.

"No. More like waiting for you to realize what a mistake you're making."

I crossed my arms as I pinned him with a glare, but his lazy smirk didn't waver.

"Tonight won't be a mistake," I lied without blinking, without allowing him to see the doubt I felt. As much as I wanted to go through with it to move on from the bad boy standing in front of me, I knew I couldn't.

His smile faltered slightly, his lips pressed into a tight line. My words had affected him and I reveled in his reaction for a moment. He stepped toward me and it was like the air around me thinned. I held his deep stare, lifting my head slightly. It was harder to breathe, almost impossible to concentrate, but I refused to allow him to see how he affected me.

"Besides, you seemed to have no problem finding someone to warm your bed." It was hard to restrain my jealousy. I dropped my arms, refusing to allow my body language to betray what I was truly feeling.

He smiled as he leaned closer. I hated that he was enjoying this. The familiar scent of him, mixed spice and mint, settled over me.

"Are you jealous?" His breath feathered against my cheek.

I swallowed hard to clear my throat.

"No," I replied. "You can screw anyone you like. I don't care."

"Liar."

Our faces gravitated closer. I looked at his lips, remembering how they felt against mine. Instinct wanted to push me to join my lips with his but I stubbornly refused to give in.