“No. Lucas. Really. This was so kind of you. See, I knew it.”
“What did you know?”
"I knew there was a really nice guy in there somewhere. I mean, I'm not trying to say you are evil and horrible. Actually, it must be hard in your shoes at times." She pinched her eyebrows together. "But just remember that there are some people who just want to know you for you. Hell, we went through four years of high school together and I never asked you for anything except to may
be quit teasing me." She shrugged up her right shoulder and looked at me seductively.
I was bewitched.
“You know you are incredibly sexy?” I whispered.
“You’re just saying that.”
"No. I mean it." I snapped my finger as I remembered something. "Tell me. That night of the party after graduation, why didn't you come looking for me?" I felt like an idiot asking her that question. Like I was one of those needy guys that get suicidal if their girlfriend doesn't call or text at least twenty times a day.
“Believe me when I tell you, Lucas, I wanted to. But I thought that you were probably used to that. So I wasn’t going to do it.”
“What?”
“You know I’m right. Besides, as soon as you left me you had your hands full with whats-her-name. Monica Smith.”
I had almost totally forgotten about Monica. I enjoyed the last time I was with her too but it was so sloppy, so business as usual that it was no wonder I hadn’t thought of her in months.
“That’s right. She broke Jenna’s painting.
“Jenna painted that? She’s got real talent.”
“No.” I laughed. “Jenna has no talents. Well, none that she can do in public. She bought that. Erik Hansen painted it.”
Tilly laughed.
“Now, let me ask you another question.” I watched her straighten in her seat. I wondered what kind of bra she was wearing underneath that tight shirt and if it were strained and tight like her white lace one had been. “Who was that red-headed guy you were with?”
“Red-headed guy? That was my friend Timmy. He doesn’t go to our school. I don’t know how he found out about your party. But he and Sean always had a way of sniffing out the big bashes.”
“He put his hands on you.” I hated how my voice sounded so insecure. What did I care? I had had my hands all over her, too. I didn’t hang my label on her. Or did I and I didn’t know it?
“I wouldn’t say he put his hands on me.” I watched Tilly shift in her seat shyly. “He just gave me a goose. He does it all the time.” She waved off my inquiry.
“Does it all the time? I’ll bet your current boyfriend won’t be very happy with that.” I watched her eyes bat and her cheeks blush. She was getting more beautiful by the minute.
"Oh, you are so smooth." She teased me. "I don't have a boyfriend."
“You don’t? I don’t know if I believe that.” I studied her face. She could be lying. Chances were that if she did have a man in her life he wasn’t as wealthy as I was. So if I had the door cracked she might push it in.
She’s not like Jenna. She’s not anything like Jenna.
The thought pushed itself into the forefront of my mind.
"I don't really care what you believe." She smirked. "I'm a single lady because I am up to my eyeballs with classes and work and I just don't have time to tend to the needs of a man."
“What about your needs?”
Tilly took a deep breath and I watched her breasts heave up high then settle perfectly back into place.
“Those are secondary right now.” She took a sip of her champagne. “If I work hard now I’ll be able to play hard later. Pretty simple.”
She didn’t say anything more after that. I could see her eyes flitting around the room looking at anything but me. I couldn’t read her and wondered what she could be thinking.