I squinted, trying to figure out where I knew her from. Her face was familiar, but I couldn’t place it.
“You don’t remember me?” She pouted. “Maya—Allison’s friend. Well . . . ex-friend, I guess it would be, technically.”
My eyes dropped to her rack. I should’ve started there. She was pretty enough, but it was her massive tits that no one could forget. I remembered Allison used to talk shit about her all the time—how they had to be fake, how she should be a stripper—yet she was always nice to her face. That should’ve been my first sign that the woman I was dating lacked integrity. I’d been so fucking blind.
I was halfway to drunk and all the way to a depressing emotional wreck, so I couldn’t even properly cover up what had caught my attention. Maya didn’t seem to mind. She thrust her breasts forward proudly and flirted. “I see you remember me now?”
I ignored her comment and gulped back the contents of my glass. “Ex-friend?”
“Yep. We had a fight a few months back. Haven’t spoken since.”
I nodded. The last thing I wanted to do was talk about Allison.
The bartender came back over and spoke to Maya. “What can I get you?”
“I’ll have a Long Island iced tea. And whatever he’s having.” She pointed to my glass. “His next one is on me.”
“That’s not necessary.”
“Maybe not. But we’re celebrating.”
I looked over at her. “What are we celebrating?”
“Both of us being rid of that bitch Allison.”Maya stumbled getting off the stool. We’d definitely had too much to drink. “I have to go to the little girl’s room.” She giggled. “Save my seat.”
“Sure thing.” Last call had been almost a half hour ago. The bar was nearly empty. It wouldn’t take much effort to reserve her stool.
I finished off my drink. We’d been sitting in these same spots for a long time. Maya had actually turned out to be pretty nice. While I had no desire to discuss Allison, she’d filled me in on their fight. Apparently my ex went out with a guy Maya had dated a few times, even though she knew they were seeing each other.
Alcohol usually made thoughts fuzzy. But for some reason, it made mine clearer tonight. The more I reflected on the woman I’d asked to marry me, the more I realized she’d actually done me a favor by dumping my ass. The woman I thought I’d known was loyal and sweet. They say love is blind, but apparently in my case, it was deaf, dumb, and blind.
I waved at the bartender to get his attention. Screw last call. I needed another drink.
Everyone was fucking dating—Maya, my ex-fiancée, Charlotte . . . I was the only celibate asshole these days. Maybe that’s what I needed—to get laid. Make me forget all about the blue-eyed optimist wearing a sexy little black dress while she’s out with some asshole tonight.
Maya returned from the bathroom. She really was pretty, even without looking south of her face. She smiled from under her thick lashes—big brown eyes batted what was unsaid. Instead of planting herself back on the stool, she sidled up to me, pushing those massive tits up against my arm.
“I always thought you were too good for Allison.”
I looked at her lips. “Oh yeah?”
“You know what else I think?”
“What’s that?”
Her hand went to my thigh. “That there’s no better revenge than your coming home with me.”
She was absolutely right. Allison would flip out if she found out I’d slept with Maya. The problem was—I didn’t give a fuck about Allison or getting revenge. And while my dick really wanted to go home with her anyway, I just didn’t have it in me.
I covered her hand with mine. “You’re beautiful, and you have no idea how tempting that offer is. But there’s someone else.”
“You’re seeing someone?”
I shook my head. “No. But I’d still feel like I was cheating.”
Maya stared at me for a moment, then pushed up on her toes and kissed my cheek. “I hope she knows what a lucky bitch she is. Because Allison sure didn’t.”I felt like absolute shit the next morning. After cancelling my eight o’clock meeting at the last minute and going back to sleep for an hour, I dragged my sorry ass to the office.
A delivery guy was at the front desk just as I walked in. The acid in my sour stomach burned my throat as he spoke. “Delivery for Miss Charlotte Darling.”
The receptionist signed for it and took a tip from the petty cash box as I stared at a dozen yellow roses.
I’m such a fucking idiot.
Such an idiot.
A celibate fucking idiot.
I’d turned down a night of revenge sex when Charlotte was out doing something to earn a few hundred bucks in roses. My ass, she went out with a friend. I’d known she had been lying. Steam should’ve been coming out my nose and ears for how hot I suddenly felt.