For the first Friday since we’d opened the relationship, I didn’t sit on a barstool at The Muse. Neil had refused to go there to meet up with the man he’d picked out. His refusal made me even more nervous as Friday approached.
I’d texted both Jack and Sean so they wouldn’t worry. They’d still seemed to worry but had stopped texting back in the group chat when I admitted I was going out with Neil. My boyfriend. I didn’t tell them that he wanted to watch me with someone else. I felt too weird putting that in writing. Besides, I wasn’t sure I wanted them to know.
I smoothed my hand along the skirt I’d worn. The trendy bar Neil had taken me to had a lot more people, even as early as nine in the evening. We’d managed to snag a booth, and Neil sat across from me, his fingers tapping impatiently against the table. He reached for his rum and Coke.
He’d ordered me the same even though I didn’t want to drink. “You need one. It’ll make you less tense,” he’d insisted.
If I had to drink, I would have preferred something fruity. I wondered if Neil really didn’t know that. Normally, I ordered my own drinks, and it had been a while since I had alcohol, but after twelve years, he should have known, shouldn’t he?
I pretended to sip at it, pressing my lips on the rim. My nose twitched at the way it smelled.
“Neil and Hailey?” a deep voice asked from next to the booth.
The man had dark-brown skin, close-cropped black hair, with a hint of facial hair on his upper lip, chin, and jaw. His nose was nice and wide, with flared nostrils, and his lips were plump and pink, a darker pink than the tongue that licked over them as he stared at me.
“That’s us,” Neil said.
The man slid into the booth next to me, and I scrambled to shift closer to the wall. “I’m Isaiah,” he said, his arm spreading over the back of the booth behind me.
“It’s nice to meet you.” I stuck my hand out between us. At Neil’s snort, I started to pull back, but Isaiah captured my hand with his own, lifting it to his lips. When they kissed my knuckles, they were as soft as they looked.
“Well, aren’t you delicious,” Isaiah said, his brown eyes locked on me.
He was being nice. I’d worn one of my work outfits, with the thought that a skirt would have easier access. The idea ofthat had sent heat through me, which was a relief. Now I was second-guessing the whole outfit, especially the red shirt that probably matched my flushed face.
He didn’t try to hold on to my hand, and I wiped it along my skirt, embarrassed by my sweaty palms.
“Hopefully, you haven’t had too many of those,” Isaiah said, pointing at my drink. “One of my rules is no drunk girls. I prefer the women I touch to remember their time with me.” He winked.
I was happy to push the rum and Coke away. “This is my first one, and I’ve only had a sip.”
“That’s good, then.” His fingers brushed my shoulder. “I would have hated to call this off.”
His eyes were so intense, the pupils wide, making the brown seem darker. I stared down at my hands, which were clenched in my lap.
“Relax, baby,” he murmured, his hand resting over mine. “I’m all about consent. There’s no pressure here.”
My throat was too clogged for words as my heart raced.
“Did you have any questions for us?” Neil asked, draining his own drink.
“What we laid out in messaging was pretty clear.” Isaiah pulled his hand away from mine to reach into his pocket. “I almost forgot. Here’s this.” He pulled up the screen of his phone, turning it my way.
My eyes widened as I read the screen. “STI results?”
“Yeah, all negative, and here’s the date.” He pointed at the top of the screen. “It’s a couple of weeks ago, but I don’t do this type of thing all the time.”
Panic twisted my stomach. “I-I’ve never tested. I mean, I’ve had my annual, and everything came back normal and everything, if that’s good enough. Since I’ve only been with him, I—”
“Hailey!” Neil hissed.
My mouth snapped shut as my eyes burned.
Neil cleared his throat. “I can show you mine.” He started reaching for his phone.
Neil had gotten tested? I blinked at him, but he didn’t meet my eyes.
Isaiah waved him away. “You and I won’t be touching. Ever.” He stared at Neil, making him flush.
