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“Okay,” he said without pausing to think it over. That should’ve been the first sign that things weren’t as they seemed.
Feeling sorry for him, I declared the first game a practice round. Franky couldn’t get the hang of holding the pool stick, so I ended up coming in behind him more than once to guide him through the move of striking a ball.
The scent of sandalwood infiltrated my system every time I got close enough to inhale it from the back of his neck. I was wound tight, and thank goodness Franky was too preoccupied with learning the game to notice.
Between the drinks that kept coming, and the hot server—who introduced herself as Sam—delivering them, I was off my A-game. Sam moved in closer with each drop off, brazenly brushing my arm with her breasts and tucking my cash tips between them. Franky watched intently each time, and my face sizzled at knowing he could see my body’s reaction to her.
By the end of the night, I owed Franky three truths, and he owed me none.
“That’s considered cheating,” I said and frowned as Franky hung up our cue sticks. He not only knew how to play, he excelled at it. He’d pulled the oldest con known to man, and I’d fallen for it. “You said you didn’t know how to play.”
“I said I’m probably not any good. It’s been too many years to count since I shot pool. Who knew it was like riding a bike,” he said with a shrug.
“You bamboozled me and you know it,” I said sourly, but he simply chuckled. My palms grew damp as I asked, “So, what do you want to know?”
“I think I’ll save my questions for a later date,” he said tauntingly, setting my teeth on edge. I hadn’t expected to be the one on the literal losing end of the stick, and I wanted to get his questions over with before he had the luxury of time to come up with even better ones.
“Fine,” I said, the rush of booze lighting up my veins. “But just know the trust is gone now.”
Behind Franky, Sam moseyed toward the corridor leading to the restrooms, smiling coyly at me before disappearing down the hall. “I’ll close out the tab so we can leave,” he said.
“You’llclose it?” I asked, perplexed.
“Yeah, I had them move everything over to my card when you went to the bathroom,” he said.Of course he did.
“Ah, I’ll meet you up front. Scotch runs right through me,” I said as airily as possible.
He took on that vacant stare again, the one I now hated because it said nothing while giving everything away. Something was bothering him. “Take your time,” he said. “I’ll wait in the car.” He craned his head over his shoulder knowingly to where the restrooms lay beyond, then strolled off.
My stomach churned at seeing him go, and the alcohol did zilch to numb the guilt I still couldn’t explain. Figuring, again, that it had everything to do with needing sex, I made it to the restroom and did what I always did with no emotions involved. Only this time, I didn’t feel the rush of anticipation as I slid the condom down my length. This time I didn’t appreciate the warmth of a soft mouth wrapping around my dick, and this time, after I spun her and held her steady by the hips, I wished it were me being slammed into from behind.
My orgasm fell flat and fizzled through me disappointingly, leaving me unsatisfied and hungry for more. Hungry for something new, for someone different. And for the first time ever, I felt dirty afterward.
I told myself fucking Sam was for the best, and I continued to try and convince myself of it the whole silent, tense ride back to Franky’s place. I repeated the mantra as I showered, attempting to scrub the last five minutes at Josephine’s away.
It was for the best.
It was for the best.
It was for the best.
I kept at it as the rain pounded onto the skylight above the guest bed, and even when it stopped an hour later. Even when Franky’s footfalls then passed my door, dragging me to the window where I knew I’d find him thinking at the ocean from the dock.
It was for the best.
It was for the best.
It was for the best.
Then why did it feel like a betrayal?
Chapter 7
Franklin
The wind had picked up markedly after the rain stopped, and so I made my way down to the dock to ensure the boat was securely moored. It helped that I couldn’t sleep and needed something to do other than envisioning what took place in the bar restroom between Leland and Sam tonight.
Those thoughts shouldn’t have been occupying my mind. I shouldn’t have cared. So why did I?
