Page 6 of That First Night

Is he trying to use pick up lines onme?

“You’ve never been to one of these events before,” he says it as a statement, not a question. Pausing his thoughts as his eyes trail from my legs all the way back up to meet my eyes. “I would have remembered you if you had.”

Nervously swirling the ice in my drink with my straw, I reply, “No, this is my first event.”

Licking his lips, he stares at me for a pause. I feel a throbbing sensation right to my center, and instinctively find myself rubbing my thighs together in my seat.

What is this man doing to me?

“What’s your name?” he asks.

“P-Peyton.” I extend my hand awkwardly for a handshake.

He looks at my hand like he’s offended by my gesture of an introductory handshake. His eyes move from my hand, back up to my eyes, before they land on my lips. As soon as they do, I see his tongue swipe across his bottom lip.

I swear, this man would devour me if I let him.

He finally reaches for my hand to shake it and that weird buzz courses through me again. “Peyton,” he says with the corner of his lips pulled up the slightest bit. “A beautiful name, for the most beautiful woman in the room.”

I blush at the compliment.

“So, Peyton, what’s your story?”

What’s my story? I’m not sure how to take that. Does he want to know where I’m from? Who I’ve dated? What brings me here today? My astrology sign? I tend to word vomit in situations like this. I’ll spill my entire life to a stranger, and it causes them to run quicker than that guy who broke all those crazy records in theOlympics.

“What do you mean?” I finally ask, swirling the ice in my drink with my straw.

“Tell me a little about yourself, Peyton.”

A smile forms on my face and my eyes lock with his.

The way he’s looking at me has me forgetting who I am. I’m glad I told him my name already because right now, I don’t remember it. He’s already having this wild effect on me. “I’ve never been to an event like this before. This is all new to me. I’m here with my friend as her plus one.”

“You look like you fit right in,” he says as his eyes scan me from head to toe.

“T-thank you,” I stutter. “Do you come to these events often?” I immediately regret the words after I said them because that can double as a cheesy pick-up line.

“I do. My father used to donate a lot to these organizations and after he passed, I made sure I would continue his legacy.”

“I’m sorry for your loss,” I say sympathetically. “That’s really amazing of you to do this for him and for the kids.”

His eyes are locked on mine again as he takes a sip of whiskey and contemplates what he wants to say next. “This might be very forward of me, Peyton, but I have to ask. Are you seeing anyone? I would love to get your number and take you out sometime. You know,” he pauses and lets out a soft laugh, “and actually buy you a drink.”

“I-I’m—” I’m cut off when I hear the stool pull out to the other side of me.

“Hey, girl,” Kali says as she digs into her small purse, looking for something. “I’m so glad you found the bar. I need a fucking drink stat.”

I don’t reply to her and when Kali senses that, her eyes shoot up to mine and then bounce between me and Thomas. I give her a wide eye look that only the two of us understand as friends and a grin forms on her face.

“Kali, this is Thomas,” I introduce him.

“Pleasure to meet you, Kali.” He extends his hand across my waist and the two of them shake hands in front of me.

“Same to you, Thomas.” She smiles up at him. But her smile isn’t a normal ‘nice to meet you’ smile. It’s a smile that only I know. It’s one that says ‘please, fuck my best friend.’

“I have to use the ladies’ room,” I cut them off from their handshake. I don’t really need to use the restroom, but I need a second to compose myself. The air around Thomas is thick and I am struggling to breathe.

“I’ll come with you.” Kali jumps off her stool. “We will be right back, Thomas.” She winks at him as we hurry off to the restroom.