I put my other hand behind her neck to tilt her head back up to me and meet her lips again, this time with more pressure, pushing my tongue between her lips.
She reciprocates and presses her body even closer, bringing her arms up, wrapping them around my neck, and grazing her fingers through the hair at the back of my head.
We kiss like we’re starving, and my hands move from her hips down to palm her ass. When I run my hand down her thigh to lift it, it breaks the spell.
“We should stop. Anyone could walk up at any minute.”
“Come home with me.”
I return my hands to her waist and pull back so that we are still close but not mashed together. I continue to pepper kisses on her lips, hoping I never have to stop.
“Ok.”
I go in for one more deep kiss and then gently cradle her face and neck as I brush her hair aside.
“Let’s go.” With a smile, I place my hand on the small of her back and guide her out to the valet.
At the front of the restaurant, I hear the woman’s voice before I see her.
“Wyatt! Oh, my God! What are you doing here?”
Bethany, my old friend with benefits, walks in and immediately makes a beeline for me with her arms out and a smile on her face. I’ve avoided seeing her the last few times she’s been in town. We’ve never been exclusive, but I don’t want Blair to get the wrong impression.
Blair stiffens and steps away, and I instantly feel the loss.
Bethany wraps her arms around me, and her lips graze the side of my mouth before I can fully pull away. I’m fuming at her rudeness and lack of tact. She can obviously see I’m with Blair.
“Bethany, this is Blair. My date.”
She looks Blair up and down with a fake smile plastered on. “Hi, Blair. Nice to meet you.”
I glance over and watch as Blair’s face pales and she offers a stiff nod in response.
Bethany turns back to me. “Is this why you didn’t have time for me this weekend?”
Fuck. This is getting worse by the second. Bethany knows our arrangement was casual. I’ve got to end this. Just then Blair steps up and loops her arm through mine.
“We better get going, babe.” A sense of pride simmers as I realize she’s staking her claim.
“Good to see you again, Bethany.” I step around her, hoping we can get out of here before this overshadows our night.
I grab Blair’s hand, but when we make it to the valet, she pulls it from mine.
“She’s the girl from Firefly.”
I have no idea what she’s talking about. What girl from Firefly? She must see the confusion on my face.
“When you asked me to meet you for dinner. That first time. She was sitting with you at your table when I arrived.”
That was the week I blew Bethany off, not knowing I would see Blair again. It was a fluke that we ran into each other that night.
“Is that why you slipped out without saying goodbye?” I ask.
She nods.
“She was there with her colleagues. We weren’t together. She just stopped by to say hi.”
“And she was supposed to be your plus-one at Jake’s wedding.”
