Backwards

Regan refused to leave and I'm starting to see why. She can't stop giggling at anything and everything Sebastian is saying to her. I think he just made a comment about green olives and she still laughed. She's completely done. Swallowed whole by a straight smile and brown eyes. She nudges me in the side and darts her eyes at Sebastian who's busy with a new crowd that just entered the bar.

"Rebound worthy?" She asks in a low voice, cautious because Nate is sitting right next to me. Only, he has his hands full with the two busty blondes from outside. They're chatting his ears off though, so I doubt he's even listening to what we're saying. It's obvious too that he still doesn't want any attention, but the girls either don't care or they're too dumb to notice.

He rolls his eyes and I have to stifle a laugh. You'd think a guy would be relishing in the pair of double D's that are bouncing in his face, but not Nate. By the look of it, he'd rather drown in his own beer than have to listen to any more of their incessant chatter.

"Sure." I say, motioning back to Sebastian. "Is that what you want? Because an hour ago you were only here to find Adam."

She shrugs, her blue eyes staring intently at him as he pours drinks. "Actually, I don't know. I'm not like you and Paige, you know? I can't just throw myself at a guy knowing that I won't get anything out of it but sex. But at the same time, I kind of need a break from being the girl who's always waiting and wondering where the hell her boyfriend is."

She's definitely onto something here. The road with Adam was anything but smooth. There were so many twists, turns, bumps and break downs. But every single time, she's always said that they would get back together. This time, I'm happy that she's accepting the fact that they won't.

"I'll pretend to not be offended by that comment, but yes. You're right. It's so much better when you aren't weighed down by all the relationship bullshit. Just have fun with him. I think you'll end up liking not being a girlfriend for once."

"I guess..." She chews on the inside of her cheek.

"Just do it."

"Ugh." This time she pulls her mouth to the side and chews on her top lip. "I just don't want him to think I'm one of those..." Her eyes are pointed in the direction of the Blondes that are suffocating Nate with their high pitched giggling.

"He won't. You aren't that annoying." I joke. Nate and I lock eyes for a moment and I almost think he wants me to save him. But how could I possibly know that? I mean we just met, and even though I got a little too happy that he sat next to me when we came back inside, I don't really know what I'm doing here. Yesterday, he was the biggest jerk and tonight the same, except those eyes and that smile have forced my body to raise it's internal temperature to five hundred degrees Fahrenheit every time I look at him.

I should have told him to fuck off the second I had the chance, but I don't really want that. Do I?

Stupid warmth in my belly says no.

The blondes must be tired of having a one sided conversation with Nate or just have the attention span of a goldfish (I'm going with the latter), so they disperse and swamp the group that just walked in. Nate turns to us and looks exhausted, annoyed and everything in between.

"Wore you out, huh?" I sip my drink and grin. He's cute when he's flustered.

"Girls, man. Like blood sucking leeches." He runs his tattooed hand through his black hair letting the mess stand straight up. It's like he doesn't care what he looks like but it's the casual chaos that makes him look that good.

"Right, because I'm not a girl." I say, narrowing my eyes at him.

He laughs, and just like that his frustration is gone. "You're not like them."

"And how would you know that?"

"Just do." He takes a swig of his beer, never dropping eye contact with me.

I prop my elbow on the bar top and sit my chin in the palm of my hand. "You seem so sure of yourself." I say as he nods at me.

"It's my curse." He tugs on the cuff of my leather jacket playfully and I'm surprised that I let him. Lifting his arms, he folds them behind his head and leans back a bit. The way he watches me should make me want to slap him, but the lines of defense I had before have all been cut off and all that's left is my taitor of a smile. His curse has me all wrapped up, ready to be hand delivered to his front door. The way he carries himself has transformed from full blown asshole to a sexy flirt that has certainly made my night better.

His eyes glance behind me quickly, and his smile fades into a straight line. "I'll be right back. Don't leave."

"Is that an order?" I ask, flipping my hair back without even thinking. Regan jabs me in the back with her finger making me flinch but he doesn't seem to notice as he finishes his beer. When he's sitting down, he seems almost normal sized but as soon as he gets off the stool, he's a giant again. He stands behind me and fits his whole palm around the back of my neck, squeezing softly.

"Yes now behave." He finally answers, bending down to whisper it in my ear.

Um, yes sir.

He leaves me to follow some guy down the hall, bumping fists with a few people on the way. Walking away with such a weighted arrogance, his upper body sways from side to side and I can't tell if he means to be cocky or if it's just part of his curse.

"What was that?" Regan asks with a smile on her face.

"What?" I know what she's going to say but I play dumb anyway.

"You guys were totally flirting!" She says, leaving her mouth open.

I roll my eyes. "No." I pull my phone out to pretend to be doing something. My greatest skill is the one that lets me hide every single one of my feelings but Regan's been around me long enough to read through the bullshit.

"Ohmygod you're blushing. Riley Fucking Harper is blushing. Do we have a potential one nighter on our hands? It's been a while for you. Will he be the one to end your dryspell or will he get turned down like the rest?" She changes her voice to sound like a news anchor just to poke fun at me.

"You're so weird."

"Well, he would be a good candidate for your sex-capades. He's hot, and could probably throw you against a headboard. If you're into that sort of thing."

"What do you think I am? Some sort of masochist?" I scoff. She might be right about him being good, great and even amazing for sex (okay maybe I added those last two), but I resent the hint that I am in some way a sadist looking to start a sex spree.

"No," she laughs, "but I know your beds been empty for a while so just thought I'd make a suggestion."

"And I thank you for that, but I'm good." Liar, liar, pants on fire. More like panties on fire. I'm not good. No way. The last time I had sex was about six months ago, which is more like a century for me and although I have been on - I'll use the term loosely - dates with guys during said dry spell, I just haven't been inspired enough to let them take it all the way home. This is probably a good thing, but my female parts would beg to differ.

It's not hard to succumb to my needs, heaven knows before I started to be picky with the guys that would eventually warm my bed, I never had a problem picking someone out of a crowd and nailing him down. Literally. I want to blame my mother for the need I had to dabble in promiscuity. I want to blame her for everything, but I know it's all just shit I have to deal with on my own.

I get up to claim the dart board that just opened up in the corner of the room and just like that, my feelings and problems are stuffed into the back of my mind. Locked up in a tiny room that's about to burst at the hinges.

"I thought your master said not to leave?" She notes, finger in the air.

"And when the hell do I ever listen?" My master? Please. Maybe when he's breathing hot commands in my ear, but now he's gone and I'm not waiting.

"Good point."