21. Anthony
CHAPTER 21
anthony
“We need to talk,” said a familiar voice the moment I stepped out of the restroom, and then a hand reached out and grabbed me.
I turned and saw Evelyn. My hands were still damp from the cheap paper towel I used after I washed them, so I easily slipped out of her grip. But she didn’t care. She forcibly grabbed my forearm and dragged me to the dark back corner of the bar.
“Whoa, whoa. Evelyn, you need to stop,” I said as I pulled my arm out of her weak grip.
She looked at me with intense eyes, making me feel uneasy. I stood with my back pressed against the wall so I could keep an eye on the crowd just in case she called Kelvin for backup. I wasn’t sure what she was planning, but I had a feeling it wasn’t anything good.
I put my arm out to keep her at a respectful distance from me. With how forceful she was, I wasn’t sure what she was actually capable of. Just because she was smaller in frame and stature meant nothing if she had the will.
What the hell was going on?
“What are you trying to do?” I asked.
Her eyes narrowed. “Kelvin and I aren’t stupid, Anthony,” she said. “You and Shoua are just friends.”
I grinned, knowing she had absolutely nothing on us. If the people I knew best in my life couldn’t even tell between what was real and fake, how could someone we barely knew make this assumption?
“And your proof? I want to hear what evidence you have stacked against us,” I asked.
Her lips curled into a smirk as she crossed her arms over her chest. “Evidence?” she replied, her voice dripping with confidence. “Kelvin and I have been watching you two closely, and the way you act around each other always felt rehearsed and stiff.”
I kept my composure, refusing to let her get under my skin. I let out a laugh to ease the pressure building in my chest. Should we have practiced more?
“That’s it? That’s all you have? C’mon, Evelyn, you’ll have to do better than that,” I said as I laughed.
She took a step closer, her eyes burning with desperation and determination. “I’ve seen the way you look at her. There’s no passion, no genuine affection. You’re just playing a role.”
“Believe what you want to believe. But Shoua and me are real. So, if you’ll excuse me, I would like to go back?—”
Evelyn stepped in front of me, preventing me from going anywhere. I realized it was probably a stupid idea to let her have the option to corner me like this. If she thought that she could get me to fess up that this was all to deter her from trying to scheme her way to get me to like her, she was wrong.
“Do you think I’ll let you go that easily?” she asked in a low hiss.
I looked at her square in the eyes and let out a low breath. “I see you like a little sister, and I’m not interested in you like that,” I answered truthfully. “Please don’t make this any more complicated than it needs to be.”
Her cheeks blushed red with fury as she struggled to speak. “Y-you don’t understand. My mom wants me to marry you or Andy. Now that your brother is in a relationship, she’s insistent that I?—”
“What do you even like about me?” I interrupted her with furrowed brows.
She swallowed hard as I continued to keep her at bay. Her breathing became shallow as her eyes darted all over my face. Her mouth opened and shut like a fish out of water.
“Y-you’re handsome, reliable, hard-working, and sensitive. You love your parents, and you’d do anything for them. I know you’re scared of filling in your dad’s shoes. You’re worried about taking over the company because you feel pressured to make it bigger and better,” she choked out bitterly. “But most of all, I know you’re not in love with Shoua.”
“That’s not a claim for you to make,” I said softly. “I love her with my whole heart as her friend and as her man. And it’s all real. I can prove that.”
One of her brows raised at me. “How?”
I looked over her shoulder and there stood Shoua with a tiny scowl on her beautiful face. She had been standing there for a while now, overhearing everything Evelyn had to say about me, her, and our fake relationship. I originally planned to call it all off tonight, but could I truly do it? I stared into her dark eyes for a moment as my heart ached.
No, I couldn’t. Not right now. Not tonight. Not until June ends.
Instead, I reached out for her. “Come here, baby, and let me kiss the fuck out of you.”
She practically walked over to me in slow motion. Each step she took was so achingly slow, which was a sharp contrast to my pounding heart. The moment she was close enough, I reached out and grabbed her face. Her delicious coconut scent filled my nose, and I leaned down.
I pressed my lips against her ear and whispered, “Kiss me like I’m all you’ve ever wanted.”
My lips immediately found hers, and electricity zapped between us as I pulled her bottom lip into my mouth, sucking it and drawing out a tiny moan from her. I easily slipped my tongue into her honeyed mouth, groaning at her taste. I finally had the chance to savor her.
She didn’t taste like the Long Island iced tea she had and instead of a sweetness entirely her own. I couldn’t help but shamelessly groan into her mouth. When our tongues lewdly intertwined, I wrapped one of my arms around her neck and kept her locked in place. My body began tingled wildly as her scorching hands ran up and down my back, practically clawing her way through my flesh.
My other arm curled tightly around her hips, making sure her blazing hot body pressed flush against mine—against my groin—causing my cock to twitch in anticipation. She let out a whimper when her hips rocked against me. I growled, letting this deep, animalistic noise tumble out from the depths of my throat.
She rocked again, as if she was testing me, eliciting the same reaction from me. I was about to rock back when she pulled away from me, ending our perfect first kiss.
She sucked in a sharp gasp, cutting through the air. “A-anthony,” she said. I shook my head and tugged her back into me when she pulled away by a centimeter. “Evelyn’s gone.”
I glanced over and Shoua was right. Evelyn was long gone. But none of that mattered. I wanted to kiss Shoua again and again . I wanted her and I knew she wanted me too.
“I don’t care,” I breathed.
We stared into each another’s dark, heated eyes for a moment before she replied with an eager, hungry kiss. I let her explore the depths of my mouth haphazardly as her heart hammered fiercely against my chest. Our hearts raced together as I took over the kiss to nip, bite, tug, and lick those luscious lips I dreamt so wildly of. She let out a sexy whine at the way I sucked on her bottom lip, and my cock immediately stirred.
I pulled away from her and realized I was pressing her against the wall. We were trying to catch our breath as we watched each other. Shoua was the brightest shade of red with wet, swollen lips. She looked shy, even bashful. But her dark eyes said another thing.
As much as I wanted to blame the alcohol coursing through our veins for that passionate kiss, it wasn’t the reason. Her eyes were bright, alert, and glazed over with deep desire. I was certain mine looked the same. Her hands were now on my chest. She lazily drew her fingers down my pecs, abs, and then hips, making me moan again.
I wanted her so badly, but I reminded myself about what I had been thinking all day: We’re friends.
A wobbly breath escaped my lips as I braced my elbows over her head and leaned down. “We shouldn't be doing this.” My voice was barely an audible sigh, and I knew my breath steaming her face with how close I was to her.
“It’s supposed to be an act and nothing else.” She swallowed a deep breath, drawing my eyes to her ample breasts.
They were practically spilling over her tiny little crop top, and her nipples were erect just like my dick was about to be. They were aching for my watering mouth exactly how my throbbing cock was for her wet pussy.
My fingertips reached down to brush those beautiful black silk locks out of her face. “Then why don’t we be real . . . just for one night?”
I was insane to offer this as if I could live my life perfectly fine going this far with her. Of all people, Shoua was the last person I could go back to normal with if we slept together. I was a deranged man going off on his desires and I couldn’t guarantee our relationship would ever return to what it once was the moment I got a taste of her.
But the way she looked up at me with silently pleading eyes, asking me to take her and make her mine, I couldn’t say no. I could never deny her since our bodies were buzzing with the same needs and wants. Her lips didn’t say it, but her whole body did. From the way her hands danced down my chest to the way she moaned with need, I knew she wanted me.
I’d gladly give her every single little bit of myself, including my soul for tonight. I was all hers, and she was all mine.
I leaned down to kiss her earlobe. She shivered under me as I continued to subject her to the kisses I trailed down her cheek and along her jaw and neck.
“Just for one night,” Shoua finally whispered. Her breath was uneven as she gently pushed me away. “Let’s do this just for one night.”
Her face was still flushed, and her hands were confidently on my hips. “Use your thigh. Please,” she huffed as she parted her legs for me.
Without her having to guide me, I positioned my thigh between her legs, and she let out a whimper. “Is this what you want?” I let out a raspy chuckle as she looked up at me with so much urgency.
One of my hands came down to her hips, guiding her to rock against my thigh as I worked my leg against her clit. I had never been a man for public sex, but I couldn’t help letting my intrusive thoughts take over as we stood there in the dark. The only thing illuminating us was the red Exit sign above our heads.
“Y-yes,” she whispered.
Her trembling hands reached out to me and palmed my hard cock. Although I knew she was nervous, she didn’t hesitate to unbuckle my belt then unbutton my pants and reach in. I softly moaned at her touch.
“Oh my god, Anthony. You’re so fucking big.” Her little shocked gasp made me laugh.
My nervous heart pounded hard against my ribs as I planted kisses across her cheek. I grinded her harder against me. She threw one of her hands over her mouth to contain her sigh. She squeezed around my shaft and her pace quickened.
“Holy fuck,” I mumbled as I kissed her.
“Come with me,” she panted softly. I started to thrust into her hand as she let out a whimper. “Anthony, please. Please.”
Her eyes rolled back as her legs shook lightly between my thighs. I finally felt the wetness she was now leaving behind on my shorts and I groaned. She stroked me at lightning speed as I rocked her mindlessly on my thigh, pushing each other over the limit.
I was at the edge of my climax when Shoua’s thighs clamped tightly around me and her body trembled with her release. I came right after as her hand gripped tightly with each harsh stroke she made. Pleasure ripped through us as we soaked our clothes with our releases.
We quickly pulled ourselves together before anyone could tell what we were doing in the dark. After tugging her skirt down, I quickly tucked myself properly back into my cum-soaked briefs. Before leaving the bar, I pulled Shoua into an embrace and kissed her on the forehead.
“No pretending. No acting. Just you and me and we’re each other’s tonight,” I said, burying my nose into her hair.
“Take me home and make me yours, Anthony,” she said in a soft whisper.
I placed a kiss on her temple before grabbing her hand and walking out of the bar. Once I hailed a rideshare, I’d send a text to a text to our group chat with everyone in our party, telling them we’ve already left. But getting that rideshare was the most important because I was going to take Shoua home. Now.