Page 36 of Dirty Like Me
“What was that about?” she pressed.
I sighed. “We’re telling his friends he sent me a dick pic and that’s how we got together. He was just trying to make me feel better about it.”
“Sick.” Devi leaned in. “Let me see it.”
“There’s no dick pic, you perv. It’s just a joke.”
Several songs later and halfway through another beer, I was getting antsy for the show to begin. My heart rate still hadn’t returned to normal after that unexpected kiss and I was pretty much on the edge of my seat to see Jesse play live. I’d listened to his solo album about a hundred times since agreeing to this “date” and Dolly was right; the music of Jesse Mayes was lovely. It was also gritty, bluesy, dirty, dark and twisted, not to mention sexy, and addictive as all hell.
I probably could’ve gotten up and done some dancing to work off my nervous energy; a bunch of girls had started up an impromptu dance floor in the corner of the VIP room overlooking the one below. But I had a killer view of center stage, so I wasn’t giving up my seat for any-fucking-thing. Some guy was chatting up Devi next to me but I didn’t feel like I could hold a conversation, so I just people-watched. My leg was vibrating as I tapped my foot with anticipation, so it took me a delayed moment to realize my cell phone had buzzed in the pocket of my leather jacket. Twice.
I dug it out and swiped the screen, opening the messaging app, to find a dick pic staring me in the face.
Um…
I tucked the phone under the table, checked that no one was paying attention and took a furtive peek. Against my better judgment, I tapped the message, enlarging it.
Yep. I’d just received a photo of a cock, standing tall and proud, and wrapped in a man’s hand wearing a couple of big silver rings.
I swallowed.
I scrolled to the next message, which said simply,Now you don’t have to lie.
“Katie!”
I jumped a good inch off my seat and banged my hand on the underside of the table. “Jesus!” I closed the app and tucked my phone away. Devi was standing over her seat, staring me down.
“What the hell are you doing under there? I said your name like eight times.”
“Nothing. Checking my messages. What’s up?”
“I was saying, these gentlemen are buying us drinks.” She introduced me to the two guys standing next to her, but I honestly forgot their names as soon as she said them.
“Katie, right?” one of the guys said. “Nice to meet you.”
“You too.” I shook the offered hand but didn’t stand up. Devi was making eyes at me. I knew that look, but no way was I picking up some random dude while I was here as Jesse’s date.
“One sec,” she said to the guys and leaned over to shout-whisper in my ear. “They’re going to a party after this. We should totally go.”
I shout-whispered back. “I’m already on a date!”
“A fake one!”
“Shh!” I glanced around, but Led Zeppelin’sBlack Dogwas rocking the house, way too loud for anyone to hear a word of what we were saying. “It’s supposed to be real. Brush them off!”
“Uh-uh. I’m hooking up.” She then smiled, handed over one of the cosmos that had just arrived—her favorite drink—and stood to join the guys again.
The one who’d shaken my hand leaned in across her empty chair. “Mind if I join you?”
“Oh. Um, actually I’m here with someone.”
“Oh yeah?” He smiled a genuine, friendly smile. He had twinkly blue eyes and seemed nice enough. “Who’s this guy who would leave you here by yourself?”
“Uh, Jesse Mayes?” There was really no way to say that without sounding like a bitch. I realized it as soon as it came out of my mouth.
The guy’s smile faltered, just as an arm reached between us. A super muscular arm with a black full-sleeve tattoo of a tree with long, gnarly roots. A large fist with a big silver skull ring on the middle finger set a drink on the table. It was a champagne glass filled with shimmering bubbly, a swirl of red liqueur at the bottom.
I looked up into Jude’s face. “From Jesse,” he said with a little more growl than was necessary. Fortunately, the growl didn’t seem to be for me.
