AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Kevin narrows his eyes. “One day you’ll truly fall. It’s not a bad place to be. I love Claudia. I don’t remotely want anyone else.”
I envy Kevin because I know he means that. Since the second he met Claudia, he’s only had eyes for her.
Sebastian looks back at me. “Dom?”
I wave my hand in a dismissive fashion. “Not interested. I prefer real women. I don’t want a woman half my age. It’s beneath us at this point.”
“Get off your high horse. You bang prostitutes.”
“They’re not prostitutes. Nobody gets paid. And I don’t bang all of them. I do it because they know what they’re getting into and it’s what they want. Regular women don’t like it that way, and even if they do, they want a relationship. I don’t. It’s not worth the headache. My way is better.”
Kevin mumbles, “If you want to spend your life alone and miserable.”
My jaw ticks. “Back off, Kev.”
“Fine, but it’s not like you’re happy. At some point, you should consider something more substantive.”
I don’t reply, simply sipping my drink and taking a puff of my cigar.
Sebastian goes back to yapping about younger women and their lack of inhibitions.
I’m staring off into space, annoyed with this whole conversation, when I hear a familiar laugh in the distance. I turn and see Beth walking in with a man. He said something that made her laugh.
She’s so fucking beautiful in such an effortless way. She’s in a tight, sexy, black wrap dress that shows every sultry curve of her body. She’s got round hips and a tiny waist. Her breasts are a perfect handful. Her skin is peaches and cream. My hands twitch at the thought of touching her. All of her.
Her date’s hand is on the small of her back as he leads her to a table across the restaurant from us. He’s smiling down at her, clearly very enamored with the brunette bombshell on his arm. I have no read on whether she returns those feelings. I’m nauseous at the thought that she could.
Sebastian follows my line of sight. “Ooh. She’s hot and was actually alive in the nineties. Maybe I should see if I can steal her away from that douche.”
I snap my head at him. “Stay away from her. She’s too good for you.”
He lets out a laugh. “How would you know, Dom?”
“Let’s just say that I know her. Hands off. She’s out of your league. She’s out of all our leagues.”
He and Kevin look at each other, no doubt in shock. I haven’t felt any possessiveness over a woman in a very long time. Not sinceher, and certainly not over my ex-wife.
I can feel my blood pressure rising. I’m going out of my mind seeing Beth with another man. She’s smiling at him, but I want it to be me she smiles at.
She takes a sip of her wine and then licks her lips clean. I’m mesmerized watching her tongue sweep across her red, luscious lips. I want them wrapped around…Stop it. I can’t go there.
The minutes tick by in slow motion. I hear nothing my friends are saying. I’m watching Beth. They’re clearly engaged in a pleasant conversation. Both are smiling and laughing. I guess that’s what dating looks like. I wouldn’t know.
My forehead is covered in sweat. All of a sudden, my necktie feels tight. I loosen it. I can’t take this anymore.
I pull out my phone, needing a reason to text her. I think for a moment and then scroll to a photo I took of Valentina and Matteo in the park the other day. They’re on a tire swing laughing. I send it to her via text.
I see the moment she hears her text tone. No parent can avoid their phone when it chimes. It’s the unwritten rule of parenthood.
She lifts it and swipes to open the text. She has a big smile looking at the picture. Bigger than that asshole gave her. Take that, motherfucker.
But she doesn’t respond. She places her phone back on the table. I need to text her again.
Me: What are you doing tonight?
She lifts her phone again and stares at it, pinching her eyebrows together in confusion. She places it down, again without answering.
She goes back to chatting with that loser. I can feel my heart racing. My anger is about to boil over.
