the dot, I walk into Torrio’s and I’m not surprised to find Roarke there already waiting. His gaze stays on me the entire journey to my usual table and I’m not embarrassed to admit that yes, I do add a little extra flare to my hips, just for viewing pleasure.
“Just so you know, this table is mine,” I say.
There aren’t assigned tables at Torrio’s, but me and the girls always sit at this same one.
“You’re not going to share with your boyfriend?” he asks, putting on a lost puppy dog expression.
I slide into the opposite side of the circular booth, but he slides closer to the middle, patting the space right next to him.
“Do I have to beg for a hello kiss?” he asks as though I’d have a choice. Not that I’m about to deny a lip-tingling kiss from him.
“Boyfriend?” I ask once we part and a Vesper is placed in front of me by the waiter. “Thanks, Lincoln.”
“I’m not sure how I feel about Linc knowing your drink order and not me.” His raised eyebrows pull a giggle from me.
“Jealous much?” I tease.
“When it comes to you, green is my color.” He tips his drink to his lips.
Maybe alarms should be setting off in my mind, but I love the fact that he’d be jealous of another man. God knows, Todd never was. Still, the strong independent woman inside of me says I don’t want some caveman who pounds his fist to anyone who gets within a mile radius. But the lovesick teenage girl who’s still there says a little jealousy is a compliment.
“Nothing to be jealous about, I would never do that to someone.” I push back the crippling lack of self-esteem that suffocated me when I found out about Todd’s cheating.
“It’s not you I’m worried about. I know what happens in a guy’s mind. The fact is that I envisioned you naked when you sat across from me for the first time in that discovery meeting.” He leans closer not finishing his sentence. “It didn’t do the reality justice.”
His fingers skim along my thigh and I press into his touch, always craving more.
“I thought you were going to feed me?” I ask, wanting to speed this night along so we can get back to either one of our apartments.
“After we finish our drinks. Tell me about your day. Did you call Jett?” He continues to sip his scotch neat and I bring the Vesper to my lips, the citrus flavor bursting on my taste buds.
I nod but move us to another topic that’s peaked my interest. “We could’ve gone anywhere, why here?” I have a feeling he’s a little more caveman than I originally thought.
I’ve noticed a few men’s gazes cast over to our table, spurring hushed whispers between them.
He chuckles, sipping his drink again. “Can I get anything by you?”
“Is this what I think this is?” I ask again wanting a straight answer. I’m not even sure how I feel about the fact he brought me here as a trophy to parade around.
“You spend a lot of time here, no?” he asks, finishing the last vestiges of scotch in his glass.
“Yes.”
“Come here with your girlfriends?”
I nod, sipping my drink.
“Think of it as saving you the uncomfortableness of having to tell an eager male that you’re now taken.” He slides his now empty glass away from him.
Again that hear-me-roar woman and the teenage girl fight a few rounds in my head.
“I’m seeing this more as you staking your claim,” I say.
His lips turn up into his cocky grin. “Is that a bad thing?”
“It means you’re using me as a status symbol or a belonging of yours. I am my own person.” I push the Vesper away from me and slide out of the booth.
“Hannah?” he asks, sounding confused.
Keeping up appearances so as to not to give this group more gossip than they already have, I set my gaze on him. “I am not your piece on the side. I am not yours to own, Roarke. I am your…girlfriend. I have my own mind. I make my own decisions. I have my own life. I’m not the shiny fire hydrant at the end of the block you piss around to warn others off.”
I turn on my heels heading for the door, smiling politely at the fellow patrons who had their attention set on us the entire time.
“Good night, Sam.” I nod, and he opens the door for me.
I stroll down the alley until a hand wraps around