Chapter 15 Sloane #3
Huh. I guess that makes sense. Dad’s been a highly sought-after real estate lawyer for most of my life.
His firm works with most of the major real estate developers in the state, including James’s parents.
And Ash, apparently. This is rich. Running into my parents on my first date in years only to find they knew the man before I did.
“Mark—” Ash clears his throat. “Uh, your dad, recommended this place for our date tonight.” My skin prickles and heat blooms in my cheeks at the idea of my dad inadvertently choosing the location for my date tonight.
“But I didn’t know the lovely young lady you were taking out was my Sloane.” Dad looks between us, his face stretching into a wide grin.
Ash laughs. “Yes, well, with the different last names, I didn’t put two and two together.”
The comment has my stomach twisting with panic, but I don’t know why. I know Mal told Ash I was married before, so it’s not like I need to explain why my last name is different from my father’s.
“Here’s your drink, miss.”
The bartender places a glass of white wine at my elbow. I smile thinly and thank her for it before taking a long sip. Everyone’s eyes are on me, so I force myself not to chug the entire thing. My mom shoots me a pointed glare. It’s a nonverbal warning. Don’t screw this up.
“Mark, we should get going. I’m sure Sloane and Ash want to get back to their evening, and you owe me dessert.”
She links her arm with Dad’s and gives him a dazzling smile. The kind he’s always helpless to resist, and for the first time, I’m thankful she knows all of his weaknesses. Dad smiles down at her. “Of course, my love. Sloane. Ash. I’m afraid this is where we’ll have to leave you. Enjoy your dinner.”
Thank God.
We say our goodbyes, and the panic bubbling in my chest doesn’t subside until they’re out of the building. Ash is quiet beside me, sipping the glass of water the waitress just slid his way, while I attempt to gather my thoughts.
“So,” he says. “That was kind of awkward, but at least we know your parents like me.”
I burst out laughing at the sheepish look on his face, and all of the awkwardness falls away.
To my surprise, it stays that way for the rest of our evening.
I tease Ash about my dad threatening him with bodily harm at their next meeting, and he makes a point of calling me “Bean” while we wait for our entrées.
By the time the bill comes, we’ve developed an easy banter that feels nice to have with someone who isn’t Mal or Dominic—even though that lasted for all of two seconds.
Don’t think about him.
Ash takes care of the bill and then offers me his hand.
I take it and try to ignore the glaring absence of electricity between us.
His grip is firm and comfortable, and it’s nice to hold his hand, but it’s not exactly stimulating.
There’s an attraction there but no real heat between us.
No fire in my belly. No pinpricks of awareness skating across my skin.
And when he lets my hand go to give the ticket to the valet, I don’t mourn the loss of his warmth.
God, how I wish I did.
“Are you up for a nightcap?” Ash asks, his eyes slipping over my body.
It’s the third time I’ve caught him checking me out.
I know I should feel flattered, but it feels a little awkward having his eyes on me.
I mean, I appreciate his appreciation. After all, I bought this dress just for tonight, so it feels good to know he likes what he sees.
But something is just…missing. Like the final piece of the puzzle that is my desire is lingering at the edges of my brain, waiting to be clicked into place.
Maybe it’s just the awkwardness of the first date, or the whole running into my parents thing, that’s holding it at bay. Maybe we just need a change of scenery, something more intimate and freeing than the stuffy scene of the restaurant.
Ash waits patiently for my answer, and fire or not, I can appreciate a man who knows when to talk and when to listen. That in and of itself wins him a little bit more of my time tonight. Time to get used to his eyes on me and maybe, just maybe, have the last piece of the puzzle click into place.
Please, God.
“A nightcap sounds good, and I know the perfect place.”
***
“This place is nice. How’d you hear about it again?”
Ash’s lips brush my ear ever so slightly as we look out at the packed dance floor of Reign.
Being inside a nightclub after what happened a few weeks ago was a little off-putting at first, but I figured if I was facing my dating fears with Ash, I might as well kill two birds with one stone.
Plus, being here with a date has me feeling marginally safer.
He’s standing close to me, one arm draped on the bar behind my back while I scan the crowd for Mal.
I texted her to let her know Ash and I would be joining her, but she hasn’t responded yet.
Searching for her is proving to be a pointless task because she could be anywhere in the thick crowd on the first floor, where Ash and I stand, or living it up in one of the private booths on the second.
I turn toward him and lean close. “Mal told me about it. She said she was coming here tonight with a few of our friends.”
That’s not exactly the truth. Mal didn’t say who she was coming out with, but I’m sure I’ll know whoever it is. It’s probably just a few girls from work or one of her many sorority sisters. Hopefully, she isn’t on a date.
“Ahh.” Ash nods like I’ve just cleared something up for him. “And you wanted to round out the evening by putting me on the chopping block for your friends. Got it.”
“What? No, I—”
“It’s fine. It’s fine.” He wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me to him.
“This will be the first time I’ve ever met the parents and the friends all in the same night, but I’m game.
” He smiles down at me, warmth and playfulness shining in his eyes, and I can’t help but smile back.
My breasts are pressed into his chest, and he gives them a cursory glance before homing in on my lips.
Then he’s leaning forward, and I know he’s going to kiss me.
Maybe, my heart screams, hoping against all hope for sparks, fireworks, or something in between. Maybe, my soul whispers as my eyes fall shut, because that’s what they’re supposed to do when a handsome man is about to kiss you.
“Sloane.”
The voice comes from behind me, and I would know it anywhere—the raspy, dark lilt that hasn’t spoken my name in days but promises me pleasure and all-consuming desire every night in my dreams. Except tonight it’s different somehow, laced with thinly veiled anger and the promise of danger.
Dominic.
I open my eyes and turn my head, trying to locate him in the group of patrons ordering drinks at the bar.
It only takes a second. Our eyes meet at the exact moment that Ash’s lips collide with my cheek.
His eyes are still closed, and they pop open suddenly, surprised at missing their mark.
I catch all of this out the corner of my eye because the majority of attention is on Dominic, who’s now standing in front of us with murder in his eyes.
“Uh, Sloane. Do you know this guy?” Ash asks, clearly put out by the apparent stranger interrupting us.
“Dominic,” I murmur, still in shock at his sudden appearance. Both men look at me, probably wondering why I’m whispering in the middle of a loud-ass club, and I clear my throat before trying again. “Ash, this is Dominic Alexander. Dominic this is Ash Strickland.”
Shit. Why is introducing my date to Dominic more awkward than him meeting my parents? Ash steps forward and holds a hand out to Dominic. He’s a few inches shorter than him, so he has to tilt his head back a little look him in the eye.
“Nice to meet you, man.”
Dominic stares at his hand for a long minute before giving it a firm shake and letting it go. Ash steps back and curves an arm around my waist. Dominic tracks the movement with increasingly dark eyes before looking back at me.
“What are you doing here?”
He tilts his head to the side as he questions me, and I flush under the weight of his stare. This is the most he’s looked at me since Tuesday, when his eyes were positively feral with want. Do. Not. Think. About. Tuesday. I take a sip of my drink and hold his gaze.
“Ash and I are having a nightcap. What are you doing here?”
That’s a dumb question. He’s probably here with Mal, because the chance of them both being at the same club by coincidence is pretty low.
Then again, so is running into your parents on your first date, but that happened.
Before Dominic can answer, a slender hand with perfectly manicured fingers slides around his torso in a show of possession.
Then, just as suddenly as her hand appeared, Kristen is standing beside him.
“Please tell me you’ve already ordered the drinks, Nic.” She beams up at him with a hungry glint in her eyes that makes my blood boil.
Dominic is still looking at me. His eyes are hard with an emotion I can’t name, and his body has gone stiff under her touch.
It does nothing to soothe the bitterness curling around the base of my spine at seeing her touching him.
I half expect Dominic to throw her hands off of him, but he doesn’t move a muscle.
Kristen turns her focus to me and Ash, her long hair swishing with the motion.
She blasts us with a smile that shows all of her teeth but doesn’t reach her eyes.
“Sloane! I haven’t seen you in forever!” Her voice is an octave too high, trying too hard to sound friendly when I know for a fact she can’t stand me, as her gaze slides over Ash’s hand around me. “It’s so nice to see you out, and dating again so soon.”
Our interactions have always gone like this, the fake smiles and friendly tone used to disguise the backhanded compliments, but my back still stiffens at the patronizing pout she gives me when she says that last part.
“Yes, it has been a while, hasn’t it? I think the last time I saw you was in March when you came to dinner at Mama’s.” When you were still Dominic’s girlfriend and not just the woman he fucks from time to time.
I keep my tone friendly, but I know she catches the implication when her smile thins out and turns into more of a grimace.
I’m being catty, and I don’t care because it’s fully justified.
There’s no way in hell I’m going to let a woman who’s never liked me make me feel like crap for being on a date four years after my husband died.
“That’s right. We had so much fun that day.” She stretches out a hand to Ash who takes it graciously. “Sorry, we’re being so rude. I’m Kristen Newman.”
“I’m Ash—”
“Strickland,” Kristen finishes for him. “You don’t have to introduce yourself, everyone in New Haven knows who you are.”
Ash releases her hand, an uneasy smile tugging on his lips. He seems a bit taken aback by her declaration. “I don’t know about that, but I guess I’ll take your word for it.”
Kristen preens, looking very satisfied for a woman who’s creeped out a grown man. “Are you two going to be staying? We’ve managed to snag a private booth on the second floor, and I’m sure Mal would be happy to have you.”
Spending another moment watching Kristen drape herself across Dominic like a throw blanket is the last thing I want to do.
I’m just about to make our apologies and drag Ash out the door when he answers for me.
“Of course we’re staying. This beautiful woman was all too eager to hang out with you guys tonight. Right, Sloane?”
He bumps me gently with his shoulder, and I give him a weak smile. “Yeah. Sure.”
Dominic’s gaze burns into me, and I don’t have to wonder whether he hears the hesitation in my voice, because of course he does. I accepted a while ago that when he’s paying attention to me, there’s not a lot he doesn’t hear or see.
“Great!” Kristen exclaims. “I’ll show you guys up to the booth while Nic orders our drinks. Is that okay with you, babe?”
Babe. The use of the nickname makes me arch a brow.
I don’t even care if doing so means letting Dominic know I’m feeling some type of way about him being here with Kristen.
He doesn’t see the look though, because he’s back to being the picture of cool indifference.
Features hard as granite. Eyes still and assessing.
Shoulders relaxed, stance wide. Like a bored king waiting to be entertained.
“Sounds good.” He shrugs her hand off of him and moves toward the bar. Giving us all a view of his broad back while dismissing us from his presence.
Asshole.
Ash moves his hand to the small of my back and starts to move forward to follow Kristen through the crowd.
I take a few steps, but I stop short before we break into the crowd.
Flashbacks of being pulled through a sea of bodies just like the one in front of us bombard me.
My pulse kicks up, and the air around me starts to feel too hot. I turn to Ash.
“I think I’m going to hit the restroom first.” I hook a thumb over my shoulder to the arched doorway off of the bar where the bathrooms are. “You guys go on up without me.”
His eyebrows dip inward. “No. I’ll go with you. We can head up together.”
“Ash, it’s fine. I’ll only be a moment. I just want to freshen up a bit.”
“Okay,” he agrees reluctantly. “Just promise you’re not ditching me.”
“And miss a chance to see you on the chopping block?” I joke weakly. “Never.”
He chuckles and gives my hand a light squeeze before continuing through the crowd with Kristen. While they head up the stairs to the second floor, I make a beeline for the bathroom. Thankfully, there’s no line. I push the door open and breathe a sigh of relief when it closes behind me.
I walk over to the sink and run cold water over a paper towel, patting it over my face and neck to cool my overheated skin. A second later the door swings open and slow, but steady, footsteps carry a familiar frame into the room.
“I don’t know what’s worse: you coming here with a date, or you leaving that date to wander around another club with no one watching out for you.”