3. Rory
RORY
Ihad been staring at the same screen on my work computer since I sat down, a pounding headache mixed with rampant thoughts of Aasim all night.
I had been married to my work for years.
Men had come and gone, but everything about Aasim screamed mystery and danger.
He left me intrigued from the moment he pulled my hand into his.
I was gone. Electricity swept through my body when he touched me.
I bit my bottom lip as I recalled our short interaction.
I surprised myself when I gave him my number.
A knock on my office door interrupted my thoughts.
“I know you didn’t forget about the meeting?” Ava questioned.
“Nope. I was just checking some emails before going.”
“Hmm. Have you heard from your new friend?”
“No, and it’s perfectly fine if he doesn’t reach out.”
“Oh, he’s going to call. Girl, the way he kissed the back of your hand? He was like a gangsta and a gentleman all in one,” she teased.
I laughed as I stood from my desk. With my legal pad, phone, and a pen, I walked out of my office.
The conference room was at the other end of the suite.
I always took in the photos of the partners that hung on the walls.
It was a daily reminder of how hard I worked.
Just like in law school, there weren’t too many people around Schwartz he simply disconnected the call.
I held the phone in my hand as the address came through the text.
Just because he sent the address didn’t mean I would go.
What were the chances that he was a straight-laced biker who didn’t dabble in any illegal activity?
Based on the people I had come across in my line of work, the chances were slim.
How ironic would it be—a criminal defense attorney to be dating a criminal?
If I went to see him, I had to be okay with knowing this would be a short fling.
Or I could take my ass home tonight. At least I would avoid the future disappointment that came along with a man like him.
It was only 1 p.m., so I had plenty of time to decide if I wanted to flirt with danger this evening.
Several hours later, a knock at my office door disturbed my internal tug of war. When I looked up from my computer, Ava was making her way to the seat in front of my desk.
“Girl, you good? You look a little perplexed. Did he call?”
“He did, and now I don’t know what to do. He wants to see me, but what would be the point?”
“You’re doing that thing again. All work and no play makes for a boring Rory. Go have some fun with that man. Get those cobwebs out of your cooch,” she teased.
I looked at her and rolled my eyes. Ever since I told her that dating was too much work, she’d been teasing me about cobwebs in my cooch.
It hadn’t been that long since that last time I had sex.
When my last fling ended over six months ago, I told her I was done with dating.
Instead of being a supportive friend, she told me I was going to end up a cat lady.
My last fling had so much potential until he decided he wanted a relationship.
I made the rules clear from the beginning.
My career came first, so there was no time for a relationship.
Being in a relationship would mean considering someone else in my every move.
It was a big commitment I didn’t care to partake in at the moment.
Everything about Aasim screamed trouble. He was nothing like the men I typically dated. Aasim was the total opposite of the stuffy corporate types that usually occupied my time. I couldn’t deny that the thought of seeing him excited me. He piqued my interest; that was for sure.
“It’s one night. If you aren’t interested, you never have to see him again. No harm in having a drink or even dinner with the man.”
“I don’t need a date to eat and drink with him. That’s what I have you for,” I said.
“No, ma’am. I’ve got a date tonight, so I won’t have time. I suggest you get out your head and go see that man,” she said as she turned around and left without another word.
I went back to trying to focus on work, but Aasim and the idea of seeing him stayed on my mind.
The reminder of his soft lips on the back of my hand made me weak.
It left me with two options. One: go meet with him and see where it goes, or don’t go meet him and sit in suspense of what could’ve happened.
Being this indecisive was out of character for me.
Ava’s voice telling me to go have fun replayed in my mind.
I decided she was right, so I headed home to get dressed to meet Aasim.