Page 36 of That First Night

“All he said was ‘Okay,’” I sigh.

“Perfect!” Avery lets out an excited cheer, “Girls’ night at the penthouse, it is!”

I don’t even respond to her because there is no telling Avery anything less than the word ‘yes’. We spend the next couple minutes cleaning up the kitchen in their apartment when I feel my phone vibrate on the counter. Picking it up, I see Thomas has texted me again.

What exactly does girls’ night consist of?

I can’t help the smile on my face and think that maybe he’s also trying his best to talk to me too. I mean, I put up this wall between us the past week and I want it broken because I have to coexist with him in the penthouse. Then again, he might also be thinking exactly what Avery says guys think about when it comes to girls' nights.

Feeling bold hiding behind my phone, I decide I want to be friendly with him to show him that I’m smashing down the wall. There's something about Thomas that has me feeling a sense of confidence I have never felt before. It’s a strange fucking feeling but here I am.

You know. Girl talk and things...

Interesting.

I’ll see you when you get home tonight.

I like the sound of that.

My mouth falls open.He likes the sound of what?

Nerves take over my stomach and I decide not to respond to the message. I don’t even know what to say to that.

“Alright, let’s go. I guess it’s girls’ night at the penthouse.”

“Yes!” Avery shrieks. “I’m totally not leaving until I meet daddy.”

“You have to promise me you won't call him that to his face.”

“I make no promises.”

I shake my head. “Let’s go, you two.”

Kali grabs the car keys and Avery grabs a bottle of tequila. As she does, I give her a questioning look.

“Hey, tequila and cookies do wonders for calming nerves before adult conversations take place,” she says, laughing.

She’s got a point because I need to calm my nerves before he comes home later tonight. I’ll need liquid courage before I have an adult conversation with a man who makes my body buzz and my pussy wet with a simple look from across the room.

Tonight, should be an interesting night.

Peyton has been avoiding me for the last week. Which is leaving me on edge more than usual.

First, I had to go and text her that I would be home late. Part of me was happy I did because I felt like our conversation was actually friendly and maybe she was done avoiding me. But then I had to go and say‘I like the sound of that’ in response to her message and she never wrote me back. She said she would see me at home.Home. As if it wasourhome. That left the other part of me wishing I kept my damn mouth shut.

That’s why I’m now at Moores with the boys for drinks because I could use a whiskey or two before I get home. I was forced to go into the office on a Saturday to get shit done because we are so busy with the high-rises across town. The back-to-back meetings I had all week, put me behind on paperwork.

When I finally walk into the bar after I leave the office, Marc and my best friend, Logan, are seated at our usual table. I unbutton my suit jacket and take a seat next to Logan. Thank God they had a whiskey ready for me at the table.

“Bro, does it hurt you to smile every once in a while?” Marc smirks behind his glass of whiskey before he takes a sip.

“Don’t start with me tonight.” I growl back. “I’m not in the mood.”

“What’s going on, Tommy?” Logan asks.

“It’s my fucking nanny.” I run my hands down my face. “She’s consuming my thoughts when she shouldn’t be. She was avoiding me like the plague and now she’s sending me texts like everything is fine.”

“How the fuck can she avoid you if she lives with you?”