I stand frozen behind her, a chocolate milkshake in my hand. She's talking on the phone to someone who I hope to hell isn't Trey Hale.
When her phone rang, I was already up and on my feet heading to the counter in this fast food place to pick up her forgotten shake. She ordered for us both and paid as promised. The first time I tried to talk her out of buying me dinner, she scoffed and explained that she always keeps it even between her and her friends.
It was yet another slap-to-the-side-of-the-head reminder that we're just friends and always will be.
"I need to go, Syd." Her voice softens as she says her roommate, Sydney's, nickname. "I'm going to hang with Crew for a few hours so do what you've got to do with Banner. I'll text before I get there."
I move forward when she places her phone back on the table. "I have one chocolate shake for the beauty queen with mustard on her chin."
She swipes the back of her hand over her chin. "Did I get it?"
I lower myself back into the chair I was in earlier. It's made of cheap plastic, the table is uneven and the food is close to the worst I've ever had, but the company makes it worth it. I slide the straw from its paper wrapper before I stab it through the center of the lid that covers the shake. "You can use a napkin, Ad. That's why they supply them."
Her tongue lashes the back of her hand. "I'm not wasting any of this. I love the burgers here."
I don't concur, but I didn't have anything to eat since lunch, so I held my breath and chowed down on the cheeseburger and fries she bought me. I push the milkshake across the table until it's in front of her. "You're not feeling lightheaded anymore, are you?"
She shakes her head. "I'm fine. Did you hear what I was talking to Sydney about?"
I try not to stare at the hard points of her nipples under her dress. It's cold in here. There's a bite in the summer air outside tonight too after a day of rain and wind. Since Adley didn't bother with anything to cover her dress, I grabbed my suit jacket from behind the bar at the club and wrapped it around her shoulders before we left. She slid it off after her first messy bite of the burger so now I have the added accessory of a ketchup stain on the lapel.
"How's Sydney?" I reply, nudging my way past her question. I don't want to admit that I heard her talking about piercings.
"Good," she says around a small bite of a now soggy fry. "She has a new boyfriend."
I don't give two shits if she has twelve boyfriends. Sydney Tate is Adley's latest roommate. She's cute, ambitious and eager. I've met her twice and both times she was wearing nothing but lingerie. The first time might have been accidental as she was expecting another guy when she swung open the door of their apartment. The second time was definitely calculated. The bra and panties she had on were sheer white. I saw everything. Not surprisingly, my cock slept through the whole damn thing.
I'm not into banging women who are that much younger than me. I'm just shy of thirty. Sydney's barely twenty-one. I won't hop on that train again. I like my women experienced, confident and not prone to misunderstanding that a good fuck is just that. It's a great time and not a promise of forever.
"Can I hang out at your place until he leaves?" She takes a sip of the chocolate shake through the straw, her eyes closing as she swallows.
I watch the motion of her neck. Christ, she's so fucking beautiful.
"You can stay all night if you want." I mean it. I have an extra bedroom. She's crashed there before. It's the reason why I stock the attached bathroom with the Matiz shower products she prefers. There's also a pa
ir of sweats and a few white T-shirts in her size in the closet for her to sleep in.
She has a key to my place although she's never used it.
I have access to a key to her apartment because I own the building. It's a side project. Some men collect fine wine. I collect Manhattan real estate.
"I'll go home in a couple of hours." She dabs her mouth with a paper napkin. "Will you show me the mascara samples now? Then we can go to your place and work on that puzzle."
"That was tossed in the trash months ago," I say as I stand and reach for the back of her chair.
"You thought it went into the trash because I told you I'd take care of it." She wraps my suit jacket back around her body. "I hid it under the bed in the guest room."
"Why the fuck did you do that?" I catch her by the elbow as she stands.
"Simple." Her eyes lock on mine. "When you want something, you never give up. I knew one day you'd decide to take on the puzzle again and you'd beat it. Tonight might be the night."
"You have too much faith in me." I adjust the collar of my jacket, gently tugging her hair from beneath it, so the blonde waves tumble over the fabric. "Maybe I can't have everything I want in life, Ad."
The smile leaves her face. "I believe in you more than I believe in anyone else. You told me not to give up until I have everything I want. You need to follow your own advice."
I never want her to stop looking at me the way she is now. I won't lose what we have. Besides, this city is full of women ready and willing to get into bed with me. I can fuck Adley out of my system. Sooner or later that approach has to work.
If it doesn't, I'm screwed.