Page 34 of The Arrogant One

Her head fell back, exposing her throat. She stayed just like that for several seconds until she looked at me again. “Everything.”

“What?” I waited. “What the hell is everything?” I studied her eyes, trying to understand what she wasn’t saying. “We spoke about it being only a one-night stand—I get that. You left—I don’t get that. And now I’m standing in the women’s restroom, attempting to talk to you about it, and you’re not saying anything. You need to just say it, Sadie.” I shifted my weight. “All I want to do is get past this so I can get on my fucking knees and put your pussy in my face.” I smiled, hoping the diversion would lighten her mood.

“You really are that clueless, aren’t you?”

It hadn’t worked.

I ran my hand over the top of my head, feeling the hardened, gelled pieces. “Please tell me what’s going on.”

She mashed her lips together, her chest rising as she took deep breaths. “The woman you’re with tonight.”

“What about her?”

“You know, the one you’ve been heart-eyeing. I get the feeling she’d be extremely upset if she found out you were in here, saying these things to me.” Her voice started to get sharper. “That you’ve been thinking about me. That you’ve been wanting me. That you want to eat me out in this bathroom.” She ran her stare up and down the length of me. “That’s a slimy move, don’t you think?”

My neck protruded back while every single one of her words hit me.

Again and again.

“It’s a …what?” I asked.

“You heard me.”

The woman I was with.

Slimy.

Oh fuck.

It finally clicked.

I knew exactly what was causing this. It hadn’t dawned on me at first, and I hadn’t even considered the way things looked. Now it made perfect sense.

But before I addressed that elephant, I had a few things I needed to uncover.

I took a step toward her and then another, and on my third, she raised her hand and said, “Stay there. Don’t come any closer.”

“Fine, but let me ask you this.” My hands returned to my pockets so I wouldn’t be tempted to reach for her. “You were the one who left. You gave me no way to get in touch with you. So, why does it bother you that I’m with a woman tonight? It’s clear you had no interest in seeing me again.”

I didn’t just observe her stare. I felt it.

In every part of my fucking body.

“That is,” I continued, “unless you have regrets about leaving. Knowing that by now, we’d be on our second or even third date.”

The words had fallen right out of my mouth, and I was taken aback by them. I’d already admitted things to her that I didn’t ever say to women, things I never felt about women. What I knew was that when I’d woken up that morning, I wasn’t done tasting her. And when I realized she was gone, the disappointment came over me, and I’d wanted more. But hearing myself admit that we’d be on more dates was taking it one step further.

And, shit, I didn’t hate that at all.

“Lockhart, why would I have regrets about leaving? Clearly, I’d have to share you—that became obvious tonight—and I don’t do threesomes.”

Jealousy made her spicy.

Delicious.

And I wanted to inhale every fucking layer.

I smiled. “I don’t either … especially with my sister.”