Page 25 of Pretend You're Mine
I eyed his message.
I swiveled on my chair, got up and went over to the blinds on my window, which I drew. Outside it was a perfectly fine sunny day. No point in wasting it at home, trying not to think of all this Naomi bullshit.
Hopkins tonight I texted Carlos back.
I smiled and sent it. Yes, a night out, a distraction, was exactly what I needed.
—
Hopkins’ all-wood interior was packed, as usual. As in, almost body to body people around the bar.
“Aren’t they supposed to have some kind of max capacity rule?” I yelled to my other friend Anthony over the blaring music.
“Don’t be a lawyer tonight, Xander,” he yelled back with a good-humored smile.
I couldn’t help but smile back. He was right. I needed to chill the fuck out. “There you two fools are,” Carlos said, shouldering his way through the crowd.
Like me and Anthony, he was pretty built. Back when my work schedule had been laxer, the three of us used to work out together at the gym, share tips, encourage each other and scoff when we know one of us wasn’t giving it his all. We’d been friends since high school, so unfortunately for me, the boys sometimes knew me better than most.
As Anthony and Carlos chatted up some girls around us, even with my head above the crowd, I couldn’t stop feeling so pressed in and annoyed.
“You okay?” Carlos asked.
I shrugged.
“Work?” he tried.
I shook my head. “Nah man, nothing like that. Just feeling a little wound up these days is all. My family’s in town.”
Giving me a knowing nod of his head, he clapped me on the shoulder before gesturing out into the crowd. “Good thing there’s about fifty ways to make you feel better tonight.”
I tried to smile. Carlos was right. It wasn’t like Naomi was the only attractive girl in the universe. Already on a quick glance into our surroundings I could see some exotic looking beauty with dark promising eyes, and a tall redhead who looked like she could’ve been a model. Although the ones who interested me the most were a group of blondes who were all eyes my way. But I still wanted that drink.
It took another five minutes to finally get my rum and Coke, and by then, all the girls I’d spotted were gone.
As we made our way back into the crowd, Anthony nudged me. “You pussying out?”
He and Carlos had already talked to a handful of girls by now, while I’d just sipped at my drink sorely.
“Screw off,” I said.
They cracked up as if I’d said the funniest jokes they’d heard on Conan O’Brien. They were right too. What was my problem?
No matter what kind of stress I’d had — woman, work, family– hooking up always took my mind off it. Why not this time?
But I knew why. Even though we had agreed it was just an arrangement to fool our parents’ into leaving us alone, I couldn’t stomach the thought of being with anyone but Naomi.
I sighed to myself in irritation as I looked around the room at all of the missed opportunities writhing on the dance floor.
Then, my eyes zeroed in on one girl in particular. One girl with long blonde hair, curvy hips, and a smile that already had my dick hard. I shook my head to clear the vision. I had to be seeing things. But as I focused again, I knew that I wasn’t. There, in all her arm waving, hip swaying glory, was my wife.
13
Naomi
“What the hell Xander?” I found myself yelling as he appeared at my side out of nowhere, effectively scaring the shit out of me.
“Hello to you too,” he said, scowling. “Didn’t expect to see you here.”
I forced my gaze away from the sight of his bicep bursting out of the straight cut of his T-shirt. Had I only ever seen Xander in long-sleeved shirts before? Why did it even matter anyway?
I was here to forget him, not to revel in his all-consuming hotness.
“What are you doing here anyway?” I asked.
“Just wanted to let loose a little,” he said. “You?”
Luckily, we were near a railing, so I used it to steady myself. How many drinks had I had anyway? It was Teren’s fault. Tonight, and the other night, I decided. He could hold his liquor better than me, not to mention that he liked nothing more than to spend his week’s paycheck on shots.
I shook my head again. No, that wasn’t right. It was my fault. And it was my fault now if I made a complete idiot of myself.
“I’m sorry,” I said, though I wasn’t quite sure what I was apologizing for.
“What?” Xander leaned in, yelling over the music. Now my face was practically pressed against his. All he’d have to do, was lean and a little closer, open his lips and….
