Chapter 30 Bailey #2
As he started pouring, I took a few seconds to actually look at him and admire his lean frame. Yes, he was built, but he was more like a swimmer, long arms and a smooth stride.
Whoever caught this man would be very lucky, and now I felt horrible that I was taking him away from Cheyenne when I knew she wanted him. She’d sacrificed her own happiness for me, and that was just depressing.
“A toast.”
His voice startled me. I hadn’t heard him come closer, let alone seen him. “Uh…thank you.”
Smiling, I took the tall glass from him and drank it much faster than I should have, not stopping, even when I caught him eyeing me strangely. When I finished, I set the glass down, wincing at the burn in my throat.
“Wow, that was uh…really good.”
“Must have been,” he chuckled. “Another?”
“Please.”
As he turned his back, I shook out my hands, trying to convince myself that I had the nerve to go through with this. It was just one night. I had been good with Liam. It wasn’t hard now to be seductive.
Then again, I had felt a connection with Liam. Would I be able to pull it off with Archer?
“So, is there a reason you came up to me tonight when you didn’t want to be near me before?”
Surprised, I didn’t know how to answer. “Um…”
“Because I have the feeling that you came onto me in some attempt at getting back at another man.”
My cheeks flushed red at his words.
“Not that I’m opposed to that. I’m all for helping a lady get her revenge when it’s a worthy cause.”
“Oh, it’s definitely worthy,” I laughed, taking the drink from him.
“To revenge,” he said, lifting his glass, “Since you didn’t let me give a toast the first time around.”
I raised my glass, but honestly, I wasn’t feeling it. I didn’t want to have sex with this man. I was mildly attracted to him, but not even that would make up for the fact that my heart had been given to a man who didn’t deserve it.
And what was I doing? Hoping a night of meaningless sex would actually erase him from my mind? That wasn’t going to happen.
“Listen, I’m sorry,” I sighed, setting down my glass. “I shouldn’t have come here.”
“Because you don’t want to sleep with me,” he grinned. “I’m well aware, but I think you made your point rather well in the bar.”
“I did?” I asked, confused by how he knew what was going on.
“Do you think this is my first time?”
His words made me blush, and I snatched my drink, taking a long swallow as I tried to combat the embarrassment creeping up my neck.
“Women use me for sex. It’s fine. I use them too.”
At his words, I drank a little more. Was there more alcohol in this glass this time around?
“Oh, well, that’s…” I didn’t know what to say, so I took another drink, finishing off the rest of my glass.
I needed more.
Stumbling over to the minibar, I poured the rum in, probably using way too much, then added the Sprite. As I did so, the room tilted slightly. Holy crap, the alcohol was going right to my head.
“You should take it easy,” he said, placing his hand over mine.
A laugh bubbled up my throat as I spun around, the liquid sloshing over the edge of the glass as I held it in the air.
“To taking it easy,” I toasted, taking another swig.
“Really, Bailey. You should slow down.”
“Slow down,” I chuckled. “That’s what I should have been telling myself when I was with Liam. You remember Liam, right?”
“Yes,” he said, reaching for my glass.
“God, I was such a fool, and I’m sure tomorrow the entire town will be filled with gossip about us. How I left the bar and went home with you. It’ll be just like before, only last time I didn’t care because I really thought we were going to end up together.”
“Mistakes happen.”
I huffed in amusement. “This wasn’t just a mistake. It was a monumental miscalculation. It was like the clouds finally parted and the love of my life walked over, offering me everything and nothing at the same time. And I fell for it!” I laughed.
“You’re being too hard on yourself. Any man would be lucky to have you.”
“Any man? You don’t want me,” I cackled.
“If I were another man, I would want you, but trust me when I tell you that you don’t want someone like me.”
I sauntered over to him, running my finger down his arm, feeling much bolder than I should. “And what kind of man is that?”
Taking the drink from my hand, he set it on the table. “The type of man who takes what he wants and never apologizes.”
“And you don’t want that with me?”
“No,” he smiled softly.
I stumbled back a step, but he caught me by the waist, pulling me closer to him. “Because I’m not sexy enough? That’s got to be it, right? I’m not one of those girls who throws herself at men. Even now,” I laughed, “I’m a terrible seductress.”
“I think you’d be just fine at seducing the right man. But Bailey, you don’t want me, and you know it.”
My smile instantly faded. I couldn’t hide the fact that not only did I not want to be with this man, my heart only belonged to a man I could no longer have.
“Why is it so easy for men?” I whispered. “Why is it so easy for you to throw us away?”
“That’s not what’s happening.”
“Not with you,” I mumbled, my eyes drifting away from his handsome face. “God, you must think I’m such a fool. I come here and throw myself at you, then decide I don’t want you, then try to convince myself to go through with it anyway. What a mess I am.”
Needing to get away from him, I snatched the drink he had taken from me and downed the contents.
“It’s time to face the facts,” I murmured. “I was never what he wanted. I only let myself think that because…because I was already in love with him. Because I wanted him to love me just as much. And when he finally asked me to dance, I thought that was my chance. How foolish I’ve been.”
“It’s not foolish to want love.”
“No, but it’s foolish to throw yourself into a situation without considering all the possibilities. Like the fact that I was blinded by an infatuation.” Sucking in a ragged breath, I looked up at him. “Do you think that’s all it really was? An infatuation?”
“Only you can answer that.” Walking over to me, he took my hand. “You should get some sleep.”
“Sleep?” I huffed out. “Is that what I need?”
“Well, since you drank that much faster than I would have recommended, yes, I’d say you need sleep before you wake up with the worst hangover of your life.”
“Maybe it’s exactly what I needed.”
“For what? To forget?”
I shook my head, grinning as the room slanted to the right, and then sharply to the left.
Archer’s hand shot out, grabbing me before I fell over. “Take it easy.”
“I don’t want to take it easy. You know what I want?”
“Tell me,” he said, trying to guide me over to the couch.
“I want to forget all about him. I want to screw him the way he screwed me, and then walk away feeling nothing.”
“Yeah, I don’t think that’s a wise decision.”
“And why not?” I asked, tearing my arm out of his. “He can do it. Why can’t I?”
“Because it doesn’t work that way for girls,” he argued.
Scoffing, I headed for the door as gracefully as I could muster, which wasn’t very well. But I was determined to go over there and prove to Liam that I could move on from him.
He may have gotten the better of me, but I would end things on my terms. I’d have him one last time and then walk away.
“Bailey!” Archer called out. “Where are you going?”
“To get my revenge.”