Chess: What will I get instead?
Ooh, I like this Chess. A little alcohol to loosen her up and let her true feelings come out to play.
Me: If you’re asking for a spanking, that can be arranged.
I grin as I see her shuffle her phone. I’m getting to her. Maybe this doesn’t have to be one-sided after all. I send another text.
Me: Chess, relax. My hands will only ever make you feel good.
I see her shoulders relax slightly. She likes the talk. She’s just not sure how to handle it.
Chapter 14
Francesca
The touching, the texts, God what did I get myself into? Is he serious? It almost felt like he had more he wanted to say. Does he want me? Of course, he wants me, I’m a female and I’m available to him. It doesn’t mean more than that to him. This is mixed up on so many levels. Taking a breath and turning back to my girls conversation, I watch as a drunken bridal party approaches the table where the guys are sitting. The bride is literally throwing herself at Jackson and the boys are brushing them off, but they just won’t leave.
“Do you guys see this?” I say to the girls, nodding towards the guy’s table and the vultures who are circling. We watch as Billy seems entertained, and I see Jackson pushing her arm away, but these girls just won’t take a hint. I take another shot and slam my drink down on the table. Wow, I’m... mad? Jealous? I mean, of course I am. I never liked when girls threw themselves at Jackson. They know nothing about him except that he can throw touchdown passes. That’s not a reason to take your clothes off for someone.
“This is new.” Farrah watches me with a raised brow. “Something upsetting you, Chess?”
Britt says, “She finally spoke it out loud and all those emotions are surfacing!”
I wave my hands at them. “Whether I said it out loud or not, it’s allfake, so it doesn’t matter, but we’re in public. He’s not supposed to be single in public.”
Farrah observes, “Oh, there’s nothing fake about this.” She’s circling my face with her finger and then pointing to Jackson as well.
“Go get your man if you’re so upset by it.”
“We’re trying to show a healthy relationship and he can’t be out at a bar with women coming up to him.” I’m stalling, making excuses. I don’t know how I’m supposed to handle this.
“He can’t help when women approach him,” Britt remarks.
“He can stay home, though!” My hindsight is flashing twenty/twenty like a neon sign. Jackson is going to break me.
“Our plan was to all be together, so I don’t understand why, after an hour, you still have us on one side of the bar and the boys on the other if you want people to think you two are together.” Britt pauses, then stands. Pulling out a hair tie from her purse, she wraps her hair into a ponytail. “I’m going to go cause a scene. I’ll be right back.”
I stand and latch onto her arm. “No! Fine. I’m going over there.” Ugh! Britt always knows how to play me just right to get a reaction. “You two coming?”
They both leer at me. “We wouldn’t miss this for the world.”
We grab our drinks and walk to the table, and I tap the girl on the shoulder.
“Excuse me, but I believe this table has already been spoken for.” The girls look me up and down, especially the bride, as I grab Jackson and pull him up beside me. He grins, his dimple popping as he rises to his full height next to me, and I wrap myself around him.
“We were just saying hello.” The bride slurs her words.
“That’s nice. Now say goodbye.” I lace my fingers with Jackson's and pull him to the dance floor with me.
He wraps his arms around my waist, pulls me in close and whispers, “Jealousy looks good on you.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m not jealous, but if we’re trying to portray ‘us’ as an actual couple, we need to make it look so.”
He pulls me a little closer and nuzzles into my neck. I play right back with it, sliding his leg between mine and running my hands down hisback. He pulls back slightly, brows furrowed, and asks in a low tone, “What are you doing?”
“This is all a show, correct? I’m putting on a show.” I’m going to hate myself in the morning for this slip up, but I need to be close to him. I’m finally allowed to be and I want to take advantage of it.
Plus, I can always blame it on the alcohol.
