Legally Wed
Page 13
“That’s confidential,” Adam teased and I poked him.
“Hey watch it. You poke me more than I poke you. And that’s a lot.” He laughed. “He asked me if I wanted to go out tomorrow night. The two of us haven’t hung out since that night I ran into to you at that club.”
“Well, you should go then.”
“You don’t mind?”
“No, not as long as you don’t hit on other women.”
“Well, let’s see, I’m living with my fiancée, who wants sex about twenty times a day lately. What do you think?”
“I think I’m tired.”
“Me too. You’re wearing me out, Lilith.”
Chapter Ten
Even though I hadn’t made a big deal of it, it did feel strange that Adam was going out without me. We had been together constantly since our first date and something just felt … missing. Still, I wasn’t going to be a clingy partner who had no friends or life of her own. I called Beth, who was free and happy to hang out with me, and I resolved to look good and go out and have fun, damn it.
I was not going to dwell on what Adam might be doing. I trusted him, even if I didn’t trust other women not to flirt with him. After all, I had been watching other women throw themselves at him since puberty. Of course, I had also watched Adam enjoy that attention, revel in it in fact. He was exceptionally good looking. More than the physical looks, though, was the natural confidence and swagger. You just had to look at him to know he was good in bed. Women noticed, and he enjoyed them noticing, or at least he had.
He got ready first and when he came out of the bathroom I could smell his cologne. Why did have to smell so good? And why did he have to look so hot? True, he was just wearing a pair of jeans and a black sweater, but I knew that he would be getting plenty of female attention looking like that. Those jeans fit him perfectly and the sweater stretched over his pecs and biceps without looking like he was trying too hard. I wanted to peel those clothes off of him and lick him from top to bottom.
I pushed down my qualms, steeled myself, and marched off to the bedroom to get ready. I made an effort. If he was going to look lickable, so was I. I took real care with my hair and makeup and I chose an outfit that hugged my curves. He almost did a double-take when I came out of the bedroom wearing a black jersey knit wrap-dress and black boots. His eyes traveled up and down my body several times.
“You look amazing. Where are you two going?”
“We thought we would check out Orient Express, that new martini bar on 15th.”
“I heard that was a nice place.” He smiled. Was it my imagination or did it look a little forced?
“Where are you and Mark going?”
“Kilimanjaro,” he answered, naming a hip, funky South Street bar.
“Should be fun,” I said trying to sound upbeat. The two of us nodded and stared silently at each other for a long moment.
“Okay, well um, it’s good that we’re hanging out with our friends. That’s healthy. I mean we’re individuals, not one unit, right?” I said with a laugh that came out like a bark.
“Right!” he agreed, nodding some more.
He verified that I had my key and my phone and my pepper spray and then he left. When he was gone the apartment immediately felt empty and as much I criticized myself for being a pathetic excuse for an empowered woman, a dull ache settled between my ribs.
Half an hour later, Beth and I were seated in a booth lit only with a small purple lamp in the middle of our table. It really was a nice place, with an upscale and sophisticated atmosphere. It might be very sexy to come here with Adam. Oh shit. Stop it, Lily! I focused on what Beth was saying.
We chatted about what she was doing for Gabrielle and Braden’s new legal non-profit. While it wasn’t officially open yet, she was already hard at work raising money and making connections in the non-profit world.
“So, I’m going to go to some events that other organizations are sponsoring on weekends,” she said, sipping her dirty martini. She looked amazing tonight. She was wearing a simple short purple paisley dress and brown boots, but with her long blonde hair and her legs that went on for miles, the effect was stylish boho chic.
“Isn’t having to go to fundraisers on weekends going to interfere with your social life?”
“This is it.” She snorted and held out her arms. “Welcome to my social life.”
“What happened to that photographer you were dating? He seemed pretty sexy and he was creative and artistic.”
“He was. And very dedicated to his art too. In fact, he was willing to invest a lot of money traveling the globe to capture the perfect picture.”
“What’s wrong with that?” I asked and sipped my very yummy apple martini.
“He wanted it to come from my trust fund.” She sighed and rolled her eyes. “Just like all the guys I’ve been dating lately, in the end he was more interested in my money and my family connections than anything else.”
“That really sucks. I wish you would meet someone interested in you for yourself. You’re so talented and witty.”
“You’re sweet. At this point, though, I would even be happy just for a hot guy who just wanted me for my body. It’s been so long since I’ve had sex I think my vagina is going to break up with me.”
“Well, I’m sure there are plenty of hot guys who would be happy to give you a fun night with no strings attached. Getting laid should be easy for you.”
“When your father’s a senator, you have to be extra careful. You never know what kind of wack-jobs may be out there. And even though Braden and Drew could do anything they wanted, I also have to be more discreet. Gotta love the double standard.”
“Ah, I hadn’t thought of that. That must be tough. Too bad you’re off limits to Mark.”
“Yeah, no kidding, but Braden would probably freak if he ever found out.”
“He might not care if you were dating.”
“I don’t think Mark’s a dater.” She laughed. “I would love to have even one hot night with him, though. Oh well,” she said wistfully and took another sip of her drink.
I made a decision, even though she might get mad at me, I felt like I should tell her about the conversation the other night. I took a deep breath and launched into the whole story. She covered her mouth when I told her about Bruno and my vibrator and her eyes widened when I got to the part about Mark, but I stressed what Adam said, that for a guy who wasn’t looking for that he seemed kind of interested.
“Hey watch it. You poke me more than I poke you. And that’s a lot.” He laughed. “He asked me if I wanted to go out tomorrow night. The two of us haven’t hung out since that night I ran into to you at that club.”
“Well, you should go then.”
“You don’t mind?”
“No, not as long as you don’t hit on other women.”
“Well, let’s see, I’m living with my fiancée, who wants sex about twenty times a day lately. What do you think?”
“I think I’m tired.”
“Me too. You’re wearing me out, Lilith.”
Chapter Ten
Even though I hadn’t made a big deal of it, it did feel strange that Adam was going out without me. We had been together constantly since our first date and something just felt … missing. Still, I wasn’t going to be a clingy partner who had no friends or life of her own. I called Beth, who was free and happy to hang out with me, and I resolved to look good and go out and have fun, damn it.
I was not going to dwell on what Adam might be doing. I trusted him, even if I didn’t trust other women not to flirt with him. After all, I had been watching other women throw themselves at him since puberty. Of course, I had also watched Adam enjoy that attention, revel in it in fact. He was exceptionally good looking. More than the physical looks, though, was the natural confidence and swagger. You just had to look at him to know he was good in bed. Women noticed, and he enjoyed them noticing, or at least he had.
He got ready first and when he came out of the bathroom I could smell his cologne. Why did have to smell so good? And why did he have to look so hot? True, he was just wearing a pair of jeans and a black sweater, but I knew that he would be getting plenty of female attention looking like that. Those jeans fit him perfectly and the sweater stretched over his pecs and biceps without looking like he was trying too hard. I wanted to peel those clothes off of him and lick him from top to bottom.
I pushed down my qualms, steeled myself, and marched off to the bedroom to get ready. I made an effort. If he was going to look lickable, so was I. I took real care with my hair and makeup and I chose an outfit that hugged my curves. He almost did a double-take when I came out of the bedroom wearing a black jersey knit wrap-dress and black boots. His eyes traveled up and down my body several times.
“You look amazing. Where are you two going?”
“We thought we would check out Orient Express, that new martini bar on 15th.”
“I heard that was a nice place.” He smiled. Was it my imagination or did it look a little forced?
“Where are you and Mark going?”
“Kilimanjaro,” he answered, naming a hip, funky South Street bar.
“Should be fun,” I said trying to sound upbeat. The two of us nodded and stared silently at each other for a long moment.
“Okay, well um, it’s good that we’re hanging out with our friends. That’s healthy. I mean we’re individuals, not one unit, right?” I said with a laugh that came out like a bark.
“Right!” he agreed, nodding some more.
He verified that I had my key and my phone and my pepper spray and then he left. When he was gone the apartment immediately felt empty and as much I criticized myself for being a pathetic excuse for an empowered woman, a dull ache settled between my ribs.
Half an hour later, Beth and I were seated in a booth lit only with a small purple lamp in the middle of our table. It really was a nice place, with an upscale and sophisticated atmosphere. It might be very sexy to come here with Adam. Oh shit. Stop it, Lily! I focused on what Beth was saying.
We chatted about what she was doing for Gabrielle and Braden’s new legal non-profit. While it wasn’t officially open yet, she was already hard at work raising money and making connections in the non-profit world.
“So, I’m going to go to some events that other organizations are sponsoring on weekends,” she said, sipping her dirty martini. She looked amazing tonight. She was wearing a simple short purple paisley dress and brown boots, but with her long blonde hair and her legs that went on for miles, the effect was stylish boho chic.
“Isn’t having to go to fundraisers on weekends going to interfere with your social life?”
“This is it.” She snorted and held out her arms. “Welcome to my social life.”
“What happened to that photographer you were dating? He seemed pretty sexy and he was creative and artistic.”
“He was. And very dedicated to his art too. In fact, he was willing to invest a lot of money traveling the globe to capture the perfect picture.”
“What’s wrong with that?” I asked and sipped my very yummy apple martini.
“He wanted it to come from my trust fund.” She sighed and rolled her eyes. “Just like all the guys I’ve been dating lately, in the end he was more interested in my money and my family connections than anything else.”
“That really sucks. I wish you would meet someone interested in you for yourself. You’re so talented and witty.”
“You’re sweet. At this point, though, I would even be happy just for a hot guy who just wanted me for my body. It’s been so long since I’ve had sex I think my vagina is going to break up with me.”
“Well, I’m sure there are plenty of hot guys who would be happy to give you a fun night with no strings attached. Getting laid should be easy for you.”
“When your father’s a senator, you have to be extra careful. You never know what kind of wack-jobs may be out there. And even though Braden and Drew could do anything they wanted, I also have to be more discreet. Gotta love the double standard.”
“Ah, I hadn’t thought of that. That must be tough. Too bad you’re off limits to Mark.”
“Yeah, no kidding, but Braden would probably freak if he ever found out.”
“He might not care if you were dating.”
“I don’t think Mark’s a dater.” She laughed. “I would love to have even one hot night with him, though. Oh well,” she said wistfully and took another sip of her drink.
I made a decision, even though she might get mad at me, I felt like I should tell her about the conversation the other night. I took a deep breath and launched into the whole story. She covered her mouth when I told her about Bruno and my vibrator and her eyes widened when I got to the part about Mark, but I stressed what Adam said, that for a guy who wasn’t looking for that he seemed kind of interested.
