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Still, it does something to me. Suddenly, I wish I hadn’t let my pride and stubbornness get in the way. I wish I was Prudence, my head on his firm chest, his big, warm hands wrapped around my waist, pulling me in.
“Want to get out of here?” Steven whispers in my ear.
“Um,” I say, staring into Steven’s eyes now, begging myself to feel something. To forget about Cash, to let that whole scenario go.
But I can’t.
Dammit, I can’t.
“I’m sorry, Steven. I’m not feeling it.”
“Really? You drag me out here, and you’re not feeling it?” Steven’s getting sort of angry now. “Fine,” he says, storming out.
And before I can even mutter a response, he’s gone, heading to the exit. I think about going after him, but I really don’t want to. Now I’m standing alone under the sad, disco-like lights, the sappy song coming to an end. Cash and Prudence are making out, and I’m standing alone, as it should be.
I skulk off the dance floor, heading to claim my martini. I toss it back and head out the door into the night air to wait for an Uber and to think about how sad the state of my life is.
I really should’ve just stayed home with the damn cats.
* * *
“Hey, there she is,”his voice echoes from the front office as I wander into the rescue on the following Sunday. I’m wearing sunglasses to hide the bags under my eyes, bags partially caused by the bottle of champagne I polished off last night and partially from tossing and turning wondering why I’ve lost my game. The champagne, just to be clear, was a purely desperate move. It’s been a shitty week of work, of disappointing attempts to get some action, and of thinking over and over about Cash. I got home last night after a sad night out with Harper and wanted to drown my sorrows—but since I only had champagne on hand, it made it even more depressing. Champagne is not the go-to when you’re drinking because you feel like shit. It only makes you feel worse because it feels like you’re celebrating your sadness.
“Hey,” I say, leaving the sunglasses on as I try not to look at his perfectly fitting jeans, the cute shirt he’s wearing. I try not to think about how the huge smile on his face probably has something to do with Prudence. And I try to remind myself that I really don’t care if it does.
“So, looks like you and Steven didn’t really have a great night the other night, huh?”
At this, I shove the sunglasses back on my head. “And why do you care?” My voice comes out a little edgier than I wanted. Janice is sweeping up nearby. She looks at me before hurrying into the other section, giving us our privacy apparently.
He puts his hands up, grinning. “I’m just saying. Seems like you left on a sour note.”
“Well, we did. Not everyone just gives it up to anyone, you know. I wasn’t feeling it.” I head behind the desk, busying my hands with filing, trying to pretend I’m ignoring him. He leans on the counter.
“Well, if it matters, I think Steve-o looked like a weirdo. You may have dodged a bullet there.”
I glare at him. “Oh, and your preppy little Prudence looked so much better.”
“She was interesting. I mean, I won’t lie, her voice, super annoying. But, she’s got this really cool thing she can do with her—”
“Enough,” I shout, hands up. He just laughs.
“Why are you so edgy?”
“I’m not edgy. I just don’t need to hear about your sexcapades with Prudence.”
“So now you’re conservative about sex? After you fucked me and ran?” he asks, his eyes still teasing.
“Oh my God, keep your voice down. The whole shelter doesn’t need to hear about that.” I glance around to see where Janice is.
He laughs. “You’re crazy. But listen, if you were jealous and wanted to explore a sexcapade, as you call it, with me the other night, you should’ve said something. I’d have sent Prudence off with Steven.”
“Okay, first, you’re a dick. And two, I was not jealous of you. Give me a break.” I roll my eyes and head over to the copy machine to make a few copies from yesterday’s adoptions before I head back to the cat room.
This guy is unreal. So arrogant. What the hell was I thinking? Clearly he’s full of himself, way too full of himself.
But before I can push the green button on the copier, I feel breathing on my neck, hands on my waist. I think about jerking away, but then there’s a soft kiss planted on my neck. And, unlike Steven the other night, he knows exactly the spot.
I bite my lip as he nibbles my ear, leaning in to whisper. “Well, I’ll tell you a secret. When I was dancing with Prudence, I kept hoping you’d come over and ask me to dance. I kept hoping you’d ask me to be with you. Because I would’ve said yes, Sage. I want to say yes. You make me crazy.”
