How? I want to scream. I can’t tear my gaze away from the expression of naked heat on Daniel’s face.
“Bailey,” Sebastian says again, this time with a note of warning in his voice. “Play.”
I draw in a deep breath. I’m shivering with pent-up lust and it takes real effort to pull away from Daniel and walk up to the table. As I move, I feel the weight of someone’s stare on me. A prickling sensation of dread claws at my spine, and I look up, trying to find the source of my unease.
She’s staring at me from the bar, her expression unreadable. Juliette.
Fuck. Are we in trouble?
* * *
The first chance I get, I nudge Daniel’s side, pretending like I’m reaching for some hummus and pita bread. Sebastian’s lining up for a shot at the eight ball. Normally, I’d be watching him play, but I have other things on my mind right now.
“Please don’t freak out,” I start nervously. Daniel’s paranoid about his privacy, and I’m dreading his displeasure. “I think Juliette saw you kiss my throat earlier.”
“Where is she?” His voice doesn’t give anything away. Only a tightening of his grip on his glass betrays his tension.
“She was at the bar,” I tell him. “She’s not there now.”
“Okay.” His fingers lace in mine. “Thank you for telling me.”
“That’s it?” I ask in astonishment. “No scene? You aren’t angry with me?”
He looks puzzled. “Why would I be angry with you?” he asks me, his brow furrowed. “It was my mistake, not yours.” He shrugs. “Juliette is unlikely to go to the tabloids,” he adds. “Sebastian will fire her in a heartbeat if she talks to the press. She’s smart enough to realize that.”
“You are pretty ruthless, you realize that?” I ask him, choosing a tortilla chip that is absolutely covered with cheese and munching on it. “You are talking about ruining someone’s career.”
“No,” he corrects. “I’m not. I’m merely pointing out that every action has consequences. Wouldn’t you defend yourself if you were attacked?”
I think about my quest to learn to play pool well enough so I can kick Trevor’s ass at the end of season tournament, all because he’d lawyered up and demanded rent from me. My entire plan is about revenge, and my stakes aren’t even as high as Daniel’s. “I would,” I say, grimacing. “I think I’ve just discovered I’m kind of petty.”
He smiles at me. “I don’t think you are petty, red,” he teases. “But you know what they say about a redhead losing her temper.”
“What do they say?” I try to glare at him, but I can’t keep from grinning.
He winks. “I’ll tell you tonight if you come home with us.”
I laugh, forgetting about Juliette’s stare as I flirt with Daniel. “I’m definitely coming home with you,” I tell him. “You owe me an orgasm. Both you and Sebastian.”
Sebastian walks up. From the look on his face, he’s heard that last sentence. “Don’t worry, Bailey,” he whispers in my ear. “I always pay my debts.”
27
It's no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then.
Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Bailey:
I barely pay attention to Clark, to the opposing team or to the games that unfold in front of us. As the evening goes by, Daniel and Sebastian have turned on the remote and made my butt plug vibrate too many times to count. Everything becomes a haze to me, and the only thing I can think of is that if I don’t come, I will explode.
Finally, the final match of the night is played, and it is time to leave. As I’m putting on my coat, Juliette comes up to Sebastian. “I’ll have proofs of your book for review tomorrow,” she says. “Should I drop them off at the restaurant in the morning?”
“I’m not going to be there,” Sebastian responds. “I’m going to be meeting with suppliers tomorrow. Can you drop it off over the weekend?”
She shakes her head. “I’m not in town.”
Daniel cuts in impatiently. “Why don’t you drop them off at my place? I won’t be at home, but Mrs. Nowak can let you in.”