Chapter 7 #2
Caleb didn’t try to talk while they played, but each time I glanced at him, he was watching me. When the band took a break after their first set, he leaned in closer. “So, you have a boyfriend, but you’re also looking for hookups? And flirting with bartenders?”
“Flirting?” I glanced at Jack, who wasn’t quite far enough away not to have heard. “I wasn’t flirting.”
Caleb smiled. “I was teasing. Can you explain your situation a little better? I want to make sure I wouldn’t be stepping on any toes if I take you home tonight.”
He wanted to take me home? My heart pounded while I stared back at him. “S-sure. I’ve been with my boyfriend for a while. His parents keep bringing up marriage, and we both keep hesitating. When we talked about why, we decided we wanted to try seeing other people for a while.”
His forehead wrinkled. “Like testing to make sure what you have is the best fit?” he asked.
I was already starting to nod when he leaned even closer, his breath brushing over my ear. “Or testing out things you’d like to try during sex that he’s not into?”
The hair raised on my arms, and I shivered. He moved back, searching my eyes.
“Oh, um, I—” Reaching for my glass, I downed the rest of my drink.
Caleb chuckled. “You’re so cute. I take it, it’s the second one. No need to be embarrassed. I won’t push you for details yet, but know I’m very interested in anything you want to try.” His hand reached for mine on the bartop. The way he played with my fingers made me shiver again.
“How are we doing?” Jack asked. I blinked, feeling like I was in a haze.
“I think we’re ready for the check?” Caleb asked it as a question, his eyes on me.
Did that mean he wanted to leave with me? Now? I wasn’t ready!
“Could I have one more?” I asked.
Jack nodded. “Of course.” He glanced at Caleb.
Caleb shook his head. “No more for me.”
Jack started making my drink.
Caleb’s hand was still on mine. He linked our fingers, moving closer. “One more won’t be too much for you?”
“Too much?” I asked. It was his touch that I was enjoying a little too much.
He laughed again. “Alcohol. You’re not too tipsy?”
“No, I’m okay.”
He nodded, slipping off his barstool. “I’m going to use the bathroom.”
My eyes followed him as he made his way to the back of the bar.
“You okay?” Jack asked, setting my drink in front of me.
I blew out my breath. “No. I like him. Why is the idea of leaving with him so hard?”
“You’ve only known him for a couple of hours. Of course, it’s hard. That can be scary.”
I met Jack’s eyes, some of my panic easing. “Yeah. He seems nice, though, right?”
“He seems really into you,” Jack said. He frowned down at my drink, which fizzed gently. “And he hasn’t made you flinch or have any of those expressions your boyfriend sometimes brings out.”
“Neil?” I asked, surprised. “He’s okay. He just—”
“Please don’t defend him to me.” Jack reached for my hand, cupping it with his. Tingles spread from my scalp down my neck from the simple touch. “It’s not about him tonight.”
“So you think I should go with Caleb?” I asked.
Jack’s jaw flexed, and he looked down at our hands.
“I think you should do whatever you choose to do. Just know, it’s okay not to be ready to leave with him after one date.
You don’t owe him anything.” He squeezed my hand before letting go.
“It’s okay to wait until you don’t have any doubts about doing this. ”
I nodded, watching him turn away. He turned back to leave the check for Caleb, then moved down the bar.
The band started playing again before Caleb got back. He sat on the barstool, signing the check and leaving a generous tip. Then he leaned close to my back, close enough for me to feel his warmth while I watched the band play and sipped my drink. He didn’t bring up leaving again.
I felt calmer by the time I finished the drink. The band was still playing, and there were still nerves, but I felt closer to leaving with him.
I turned to look at him, liking the crinkles near his eyes and his slightly too big nose, though it wasn’t as good as Jack’s. All the drinks had caught up with me, though. “I’ll be right back,” I said, slipping off the barstool and heading toward the restroom.
There were a few women waiting, but I finally got my turn. Afterward, I washed my hands, staring at myself in the mirror. I looked good. Pretty. I smiled at my reflection and headed out.
There was no longer a line in the hallway. It was empty except for Caleb. I stared at him in surprise. “You didn’t have to—”
He was on me before I had finished, his mouth covering my own. I hadn’t seen it coming, and my mouth was still open from trying to talk, letting his tongue sweep inside. My back hit the wall of the hallway, my hands trapped between us as he kissed me.
When he’d stroked my hand at the bar, his touch had been gentle. I’d liked it.
I didn’t like his kiss. It was hard and ferocious, making it difficult to breathe. His tongue felt like a snake in my mouth, thrusting as if it wanted to choke me.
I tried to push him away, but I could barely move. His body pressed against mine, pushing me into the wall. I made a pathetic sound in my throat, one too low for anyone to hear besides Caleb, though if he heard it, he didn’t do anything different.
I couldn’t breathe. Panic filled me as dots began to spread before my eyes.
He lifted his head, and I gasped for air.
“You’re a dirty girl, aren’t you?” His words rang in my ears. “Would you like me to fuck you right here, where anyone could walk back and see?”
“N—” His lips sealed mine before I could get the denial out. I should have screamed when I had the chance.
His hand moved to the front of my jeans, and I tried to shove him again, tried to wiggle so he couldn’t get to the zipper. I couldn’t hear it being pulled down, not over the music as the band played. Tears leaked out of my eyes, dripping down my face.
This wasn’t happening. Caleb hadn’t been like this. He’d been nice. I’d liked him. Someone else must be doing this, not the guy I was about to go home with.
I whimpered into his mouth, scared out of my mind as his hand tried to tug down my pants.
“Get your hands off her!” Sean shouted.
Caleb was ripped away from me, letting me breathe again. My legs had turned to jelly, and I slid down the wall to the floor. I wrapped my arms around my legs, pressing my chest into them.
Sean crouched down in front of me. “You’re okay, honey. I’ve got you.”
“She wanted it!” Caleb claimed from against the other wall.
Sean shot to his feet, punching Caleb in the face, followed by a punch to his stomach.
I whimpered again, watching it happen, seeing that it was Caleb who Sean hit. It made me face that the person who had done this to me really was the one I’d been about to go home with.
Sean heard my pathetic sounds, and I realized the music was no longer playing. He stopped hitting him, turning toward me.
“Fuck,” Jack said from just inside the hallway.
I pushed my face into my knees, not wanting him to see me like this.
“Might want to stop hitting him before the cops come. Just get him away from her.” The words came from much closer, and hands stroked along my arms.
“But I didn’t do anything!” Caleb shouted. “All I did was kiss her.” He grunted again.
“Hey, Hailey,” Jack said softly. “Can you lift your head for me? I want to see that you’re okay.”
I shook my head against my knees, holding on to them even tighter. “Nothing happened,” I mumbled.
His hand brushed over my hair. “I can see that’s not true.”
“It was just a kiss,” I said, latching on to that. “He’s right; it was just a kiss. I didn’t like it, and I couldn’t get away, but that’s all it was.”
“He had his hand—”
“Sean!” Jack snapped. “Just drag him somewhere else for when the cops come. Ask Wendy to help close up.”
“Fucking hell,” Sean said.
“I’m going to take her upstairs if she’s up to moving,” Jack told him, making no sense. The bar didn’t have an upstairs that I’d seen.
My body tightened more, as if defending against him picking me up. He didn’t try, though. He settled in beside me, his hand rubbing my back between my shoulder blades in soothing strokes. “I’m sorry. I should have sent Sean sooner.”
I shook my head against my knees again.
“I got a weird feeling when I saw him head back here. I told myself that he just wanted to try to kiss you, but the feeling wouldn’t go away. I never should have—” He broke off. His hand had paused while he spoke, but he started moving it again.
I sucked in a breath. “It was just a kiss.” My head lifted. My face felt swollen and hot, but I turned to face him anyway.
His other hand lifted, and he cupped my face, wiping one of my wet cheeks with his thumb. “Your face says different.”
My breath shuddered out, and I focused on pulling in a deeper one. He continued to stroke my cheeks free of tears as I got my breathing under control.
“I was going to leave with him,” I admitted. My hands shook where they still clutched my knees. “I can’t believe I almost left with him.”
“Come here,” Jack said, his voice husky. I leaned into his side, and he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into his body. His head rested on top of mine as we sat together.
“Cops are here,” Wendy said from the end of the hall.
“We’re coming,” Jack called back, lifting his head. His arms stayed around me. “Can you stand?”
I nodded, and he pulled away. My legs shook as I rose to my feet.
“Your zipper—” Jack’s voice choked on the word.
I hastily dragged it back up, fastening the button as well. “It was just a kiss,” I repeated, sounding like an idiot. “I don’t want to get him in trouble.”
“You’re not doing anything. You’re just going to tell the cops what happened. They get to decide what to do from there.”
I nodded.
“You ready?” he asked.
“Yeah, okay,” I said. My legs were still weak as I made my way to the front of the bar, but they held steady enough to get me there. Talking to the cops was not easy, but Jack and Sean were nearby, and that helped me get through it.