20. Annalise #2
"Oh, for the love of—" she scoffs, tossing both hands into the air. "You've been talking about the same woman all damn night, and all it takes is another pretty face falling into your lap for you to forget she exists."
Matt's attention never leaves mine.
"I don't recall asking for commentary."
She snorts, "Typical men."
Pushing back from the table, she points between the two of us. "You've got five minutes, then she's out of here, with or without you." Then she's disappearing into the crowd, muttering under her breath.
The moment she's gone, Matt turns back to me, an easy smile tugging at his lips, "My apologies."
"For?"
"My friend apparently thinks I'm incapable of holding a conversation with an attractive woman without feeling the need to embarrass me."
"So...is she right?"
"I suppose you'll have to decide that for yourself."
I laugh, letting my elbow rest against the bar.
"Confident."
"I've been accused of worse."
For the next several minutes, conversation flows easily—or at least it appears to. I mirror every flirtatious smile I've ever seen across a tavern, laugh when he teases me, brush a loose strand of borrowed hair behind my ear.
It feels horribly unnatural.
Every second I'm looking for an opening.
Every second he somehow manages to keep just enough distance to stay alert.
Come on, Mattey...
I shift on my stool, deliberately catching the toe of my boot against the leg.
"Oh!"
I pitch forward with a startled yelp, but strong hands catch me before I hit the floor, one arm circling my waist as the other steadies my side…until we both lose balance, and I end up sprawled sideways across his lap.
"Oh, Gods." Heat rushes to my cheeks. "I'm so sorry."
"You alright?" he asks, a grin tugging at his mouth.
"My dignity's taken the worst of it."
"Believe it or not, I've seen worse."
"I'm sure you have," I laugh to myself knowingly, because he has in fact seen the real me do much, much worse.
Neither of us moves immediately.
His hand remains firm against my hip, keeping me balanced as I laugh off the embarrassment.
I let my fingers settle against his forearm.
Gods.
His sleeves are rolled to his elbows, revealing the familiar strength in his arms. I trail my fingertips lightly over the muscle beneath his skin, forcing myself to keep the movement slow and casual.
Like I've done this before.
Like this isn't my best friend.
His eyes flick down to my hand.
Then back to my face.
"You okay with this?" he asks quietly.
The question twists something in my chest.
Not because he assumes, but because he asks.
I swallow hard. "Yeah."
His grip softens just enough to tell me he heard the hesitation. Still...His attention never truly wavers as his gaze keeps drifting over my shoulder, scanning exits, watching reflections in bottles behind the bar.
He's still working, but I need him distracted. Now.
Before I can lose my nerve, I reach up, slide my hand lightly against the side of his jaw before wrapping behind his neck, and close the remaining distance.
Our lips meet, and he freezes for the briefest instant, caught completely off guard by the stranger throwing herself at him.
Then, instead of immediately pulling away, he kisses me back.
Gentle and questioning.
My pulse pounds against my ribs.
Sorry, Mattey.
I deepen the kiss by the smallest fraction, my thumb brushing along his cheek while my other hand slips unnoticed between us.
Two fingers find the opening of his jeans pocket.
The listening device slides inside.
His hand shifts instinctively at my waist, drawing me a touch closer for one suspended heartbeat.
I break the kiss first, lingering barely long enough for it to seem natural before pulling back with a breathless smile.
The second there's space between us, guilt crashes back into me.
I just kissed Mattey!
Theo's voice suddenly bursts through the communication rune.
"Lee, you're missing absolute chaos over here."
I stare blankly at Matt while Theo continues in the most dramatic voice imaginable.
"Your best friend just lost a tongue wrestling match to a woman who practically crawled into his lap! Does this happen every time you guys go out?”
Matt searches my face.
"You alright?"
"I..." My voice cracks. "I should go."
His brows lift slightly.
"So soon?"
"I have to meet someone."
“Someone else you’re kissing tonight?”
For a moment, I forget Mattey doesn’t see the real me sitting here. Without meaning to, I fall back into our normal banter and slap his arm.
“Absolutely not!”
“But he’d like to?”
“No!...Yes?...It doesn’t matter either way, I don’t want to kiss him!”
Leaning in, his lips hovering close to my ear, "That's unfortunate for him then."
For a split second, I think he’s going to kiss me again, and I’m already feeling guilty enough about the first one to let it happen twice.
Rushing off his lap, I can’t get back to my feet fast enough.
"Goodnight. I hope your evening gets...less interesting."
A slow smile spreads across his face.
"I’m somehow sure it will."
I offer one last smile, then turn and weave through the crowd toward the restroom before my embarrassment can completely swallow me whole.
The alley is blessedly still empty when I crash through the doors, and I let my faux features melt away.
Within seconds, I'm me again—which is an unfortunate outcome for the shirt I wore in as it literally rips at the seams.
Snatching my hidden clothes from behind the crates, I hurriedly tug my shirt over my head.