With Zayden’s narrowed eyes and hard jaw, it feels like the temperature around us has somehow dropped a few degrees.I shiver, my heart still pumping almost painfully, the roaring in my ears making it hard to focus on anything else.
Zayden is a friendly guy who is hardly ever seen without a smile on his face, but with his height, those tattooed, muscled arms and the steely look in his eyes, I’m starting to think he is a lot tougher than I’d originally thought.I have a sudden flashback to when he threw a punch at a party he hosted a little while back.I don’t doubt he would do that again if he felt it necessary.
The guy sends me a salty look before he staggers towards the exit, cursing and muttering under his breath.I hear him make a comment about my weight, and I want to simply bury myself in a hole and never be seen again.
Zayden either didn’t hear the comment or chooses to ignore it, because he turns to me, eyes softening.
‘You okay?What was all that about?’he asks, looking concerned.
Exhaling, I cover my face.‘You just witnessed theworstdate I have ever had the pleasure of participating in.’
‘Ah,’ Zayden says, and I peer at him through the gaps in my fingers.He offers me a sympathetic look.‘That sucks.Come on, let me buy you a drink to make up for a shitty night.’
‘Oh, that’s kind of you, but you don’t have to.’
‘Come on,’ he says, inclining his head towards the bar.‘I’d feel better if you stay for a bit, I want to make sure you’re okay.’
My heart flutters lightly at his words.‘O-okay, sure.Thank you.’
He guides me towards one of the seats near the bar.I’m thankful that it doesn’t appear to be awkward in the slightest after what happened a few days ago at his house.
There are a few guys I recognise from around campus that glance over at us.Zayden heads over to one of them and leans in, saying something to him.The guy’s eyes dart to me briefly, and Zayden walks back.
I drop into a seat, still feeling a little shaky from the encounter.I should check the app.I’m sure he was Jack when we first matched, and then changed to Jake, but I could be mistaken.Then he added me on another app and I’m sure it said John.I’m very confused.Either way, I’ll certainly be blocking him after this.
‘I hope I’m not interrupting your time with your friends,’ I say, nervously fidgeting as I notice a few of the guys Zayden was clearly hanging out with keep glancing over at us.They’re probably wondering what he’s doing with someone like me.I mentally scold myself.I hate that those are my automatic thoughts.
‘Nah, we weren’t doing much, honestly.What do you want to drink?’he asks.
Reaching for my phone, I pull it out of my bag but he waves me off, tapping his to pay for the drinks.I’m then reminded that I’d already ordered.
‘Were you sitting outside a few moments ago?’the bartender asks.‘You have two beers waiting for you.’
‘Oh,’ I say, having planned to just ignore the order, but he must have remembered me from when he delivered the drinks to us.I turn to Zayden.‘You and your friends are welcome to them, I don’t drink beer.’
‘Oh, are you sure?’he asks.
‘Absolutely.’
Since Zayden just ordered a drink for himself, he takes the two beers over to his friends before returning to me.Falling onto the chair, he turns, facing me, and I’m hit – once again – with how handsome he is.The lights around us turn red, splashing across his skin, and my eyes rake over him.He is impressively tall and muscular – years of football training will do that to you – and there’s something so effortless about him that makes him even hotter.
‘So how’d you meet that creep?’he asks, tilting the schooner back.His throat bobs as he swallows.
My blush deepens, hoping he didn’t catch me checking him out.Sometimes I’m not very subtle.‘A dating app, of course, because how the hell do you meet nice, normal people these days?’
His lips twitch.‘I’d like to think I’m a nice, normal person.’
Smiling, I say, ‘You are.I just mean it’s so difficult to meet someone.I don’t like going out a lot and partying.Random hook-ups aren’t my thing.’
‘What’s your thing, then?’
‘Forming a genuine friendship and relationship with someone.Something actually meaningful.’
Zayden nods, his thumb lightly tapping against the top of the bar.‘Yeah, I get that.The meaningless hook-ups get old pretty quick.’
‘I wouldn’t know,’ I admit, the words tumbling from my mouth before I can stop them.
He raises his brows.‘You’ve never had a one-night stand before?’
