Avoiding Intimacy (Avoiding 2.5)

“Huh, sounds like a lot of work,”

Chyna commented. She had never wanted to work that much in her life.

“Yeah, it can be. I’m good at languages though. I’d love to be stateside a little bit more, and I’m working on bringing some global companies to the states, but I can’t really complain.”

She wasn’t complaining either. A successful businessman who spoke multiple languages and had tattoos? Where the f**k did he come from?

“Yeah, it must be hard to be away from your family and your girlfriend all the time,” she said, looking up into his hazel eyes. She knew it was a bad line, and he might even see through it, but damn, she couldn’t help herself. She was curious.

He chuckled softly, glancing away. Oh, he had picked up on it alright .

“No girlfriend for me. Not much time, and I’m picky,” he said, returning his eyes to hers.

He could afford to be picky. She cleared her throat and broke eye contact.

Keep it together.

“Adam’s always been the girlfriend type anyway.”

“I noticed,” she said with a smile.

Adam was an excellent boyfriend. So nice . Too nice . Too good for her . “I’m just getting used to it.”

“To Adam or a boyfriend?”

“Yes,” she said. “I’m more of a party girl myself.”

“I can see that.”

What did that mean? And why did it look like he could appreciate a party girl?

“When you grow up in Manhattan, it’s just a way of life.”

“I can see that, too.”

Adam jogged out of the locker room then. “So, where are we going?”

Chyna broke away from John. When had they gotten so close, and why did it feel like they gravitated to each other?

“Somewhere with a bar,” she answered immediately.

Adam laughed, pulling her close and kissing her lightly on the lips. “Whatever you want.”

It was a promise.

They exited to the garage where Adam’s hybrid sat waiting for them. She slid into the passenger seat, feeling all the more awkward. She’d had her town car for as long as she could remember. She didn’t even know how to drive.

Adam veered into traffic as he directed them across town to a grill he swore by. He pulled into a line for a parking garage, and she tried not to roll her eyes. She hated waiting.

“Just valet the car,” John said with a clear hint of impatience.

Finally, someone who understood!

“It costs more,” Adam responded, not moving.

“But, it’s faster.”

“By only a few minutes,” Adam said, still not budging.

She had never seen him so stubborn.

Usually, he was relatively compliant.

“Come on, Adam,” she said, reaching out and touching his arm. “I’ll pay the fare.”

John muttered, “You have only a few years in which to live really, perfectly, and fully…time is jealous of you.”

“Always quoting Wilde,” Adam said with a shake of his head.

This seemed pretty common between them, and for some reason, it got Adam to move the car.

“Always,” John agreed. “The man knew what he was talking about.”

“He was a philandering, flamboyant extremist who saw the world through rose-colored lenses of beauty,” Adam quipped testily.

“Perhaps you should live no other way,” John said with a smirk as Adam pulled in front of the valet.

“Wasn’t he g*y?” Chyna asked.

Both guys started laughing at once.

Chyna missed the joke.

“Yeah, he was,” John said.

Was she misreading the situation entire ? Was John g*y?

Chyna looked over her shoulder, turning around in the car to peek at John, who was still chuckling at her. Nope . No way . Not with that look . She could pick out desire like she had a f**king radar.

Adam handed the keys to the guy at the entrance and took a slip from him. The trio walked into the restaurant, and they were instantly ushered to a table. Chyna took off her long black pea coat and handed it to someone to hang for her. Both boys seemed to appreciate her figure, clad in a short V-cut sweater dress that hugged her curves like a glove. She couldn’t have picked a much better outfit for the occasion.

“You look great,” Adam said, kissing her cheek and running his hand across the small of her back before sitting.

“Thanks,” she said, seating herself across from him.

John pulled out a chair and sat down between them.

“I wish I’d known you had the weekend off,” Adam said, turning to his brother. “I would have taken some time off, too.”

“They were impressed with my latest find, so they gave me the time. Wasn’t expecting it to happen.”

“I don’t know why you don’t take all those clients of yours and start your own company. You’re too good to be where you are,” Adam told him.

“I’m doing perfectly fine, and anyway, the Global International name is well- known.”

“Wait, Global!” Chyna gasped.

“See,” John said, gesturing to Chyna.

“My mother worked through Global for a while when they were negotiating the Corsa fashion line,” she explained.

Global International was a huge conglomerate that demanded and received results. Her mother had worked with a partner, of course, but it was rumored that all of the representatives were incredible.

“My point exactly. Anyone who is anyone comes through Global. I’m good right where I am.”

“Who knew a Harvard MBA would get you there?” Adam said with clear admiration in his voice.

Chyna’s ears perked up. Harvard?

Was this guy for real? Her dad was a Harvard alum.

“God, you sound like Mom,” John said, running a hand back through his hair.

“Someone’s gotta do it. You hardly see her.”

“I hardly see anyone,” John said, just as the waiter arrived.

They all ordered drinks, and Chyna couldn’t wait to get her hands on her martini.

“Do you want me to be like Mom and tell you that you could have gone to Harvard too if you hadn’t followed in Dad’s footsteps to bum-fuck-nowhere liberal arts college?” John teased.

Chyna blushed for her boyfriend. She knew he was smart, and he probably could have a better job than where he worked at a small, private architectural company.